‘Power dressing’ was effective in producing a particular construction of ‘woman’ new to the social stage; it was in part responsible for the emergence of a new kind of ‘technology of the self’. This chapter attempts to show how the discourse on the career woman’s dress fits into broader historical developments in the changing nature of work, especially the so-called ‘enterprise culture’ in the 1980s. ‘Power dressing’ is interesting because it marked the emergence of a new kind of consumption for women, who are traditionally associated with the ‘frivolity’ and aesthetics of fashion. The sartorial discourse of ‘power dressing’ constitutes a new ‘technology’ of the feminine self. ‘Power dressing’ may be underpinned by an enterprising philosophy which fits with the individualism of neo-liberalism; however it was not about expressing individuality in dress. ‘Power dressing’ and ‘dress for successes’ may sound rather dated and therefore no longer of any import.
Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 9 citations exist upstream.