The evolution of mankind has been a long, arduous process over the course of millions of years. It has been slow but definitely worth it with all the small and big developments humankind has seen. There are other creatures on this planet who have existed long before the first human ascendants ever walked the surface of the earth but none of the species has made this much progress or achieved this much cranial capacity.
What makes humans different from other species is the fact that we move towards things that we want rather than just the basal needs that enable our survival.
Humans have pondered over the meaning of life and what makes it worth living which is how we have reached the heights we currently reside on. The progression of human civilization from the point when neanderthals burying their dead used to be a sign of civility and community, to now when we have pillars like law, technology, and medicine in their most advanced forms holding up society.
Not just these areas have been taken to the apex but the sectors that have helped us understand life better and squeeze the meaning out of it have progressed beyond what our ancestors could have ever imagined. Philosophy and art ( in all its forms ) are fleshed out as things of regular life. Everyone gets to enjoy, indulge, and utilize these. Everyone has their own interpretation of these things that reflects their personalities and psyches.
If we have to pick the most widespread and commonly practiced form of art, it is by a huge margin – fashion. The art of dressing up and using attire and other elements to express ideas, emotions, personalities, and everything in between. Fashion is an element of art because it includes visuals that venture into the territory of a person’s looks.
You can completely change how appealing you appear to fellow human beings by changing the way you dress or even with a single piece of clothing. How you dress reflects much more than just your personality and thoughts and that is exactly why fashion is a huge part of our lives. As the generations become more aware of themselves and of the arts, they are indulging in clothing and fashion beyond the rudimentary functions they provide.
With easy and abundant access to fashion, thanks to the evolution of the technological industry, people find it a small affair to shop according to their needs and preferences. Accommodating a lot of clothing items that you covet. Acquiring a lot of clothes that you like is not a difficult task. This, however, does not mean that your clothing items will look good when put together as outfits. They might but it’s a shot in the dark if you are just throwing clothes together to pull up a look. It might work, it might not.
To make sure that your outfit combinations look good, you need to have a sense of what looks good together and what will not. It is a mix of color theory, patterns, complementary pieces, geometry, and many other elements. Some people are just born with a good fashion sense, a good working dressing sense, and overall an eye for what outfit combinations will look good or not. This could be an inherent trait that people possess by default, due to their personalities, or it could be something that you cultivate over the years with in-depth study and practice.
Or there’s a third option, where you do not care that much about being fashion-inclined and just want to have enough knowledge to curate outfits according to your usage or life. This can be achieved by either trial and error or watching other people and copying their outfit combinations until you understand them through patterns and rules, enough to be able to combine pieces into an outfit on your own. After all, all of the greatest artists started off by copying pre-existing great art.
When it comes to outfitting combinations to suit a professional setting, you can leave no room for error or chance. It isn’t just reflective of your professionalism but also your status in the corporate hierarchy. The amount of power you will hold over your colleagues and the dominion you will have in a workspace heavily rely on you being able to look the part.
This is why power dressing is a crucial lesson that many people forego and pay dearly for. It is not just having powerful clothing articles ready in your wardrobe, but knowing how and when to wear them in a way that exudes power and control, is another story.
Below are some outfit combinations to take your power dressing up a notch without much thinking to be done on your part.
Pencil Skirt and Formal Shirt
Want to stay formal, professional, but still feminine? That can easily be achieved by putting plenty of pencil skirts in your wardrobe. They are easily available on fast-fashion sites and they do not work exclusive clothing so you will not regret investing in them. Skirts that are solid colors or have minimal prints can be worn to work without a second thought and will help you create a lasting powerful yet friendly impression.
Pairing them up with a formal shirt is what pulls the look together. The length of the skirt also matters so make sure to keep it appropriately knee-length or longer. This outfit combination is best suited for female employees that are prone to sitting at a desk for most of the office hours. The simplicity of this look is what makes it eligible to be deemed power dressing.
It says a professional woman who gets stuff done without compromising on her style. The designations like secretary or assistant are the best examples of suited positions for this combination.
Culottes and a Loose Fit Vest
There are jobs that involve a lot of walking and a lot of movement. So naturally, they need you to wear clothes that allow a lot of movement. You have to consider mobility first and foremost, sure, but are you supposed to compromise the proper dressing etiquette in favor of finding it? If your answer to this question was yes, you are dead wrong. Garments like this pair of culottes are extremely professional and offer you ample room to move comfortably move about, and save you from looking like a hobo at the same time.
The perfect top to pair with it is a loosely fitted vest. The loose fit is both movement and weather-friendly. It will not make you sweat while still making you look chic and giving you a clean silhouette.
A Dress and a Blazer
There are more than plenty of work-appropriate dresses available out there that are themselves one-off power dressing epitomes but a dress with a blazer on top is an outfit combination straight out of The Devil Wears Prada. The power and perfection it radiates are unexpected considering it is just two usual pieces of clothing.
You can pair any appropriately hemmed dress with a clean-looking blazer without any unnecessary detailing, and it is instantly a lesson in power dressing. Finish it off with a neatly done high ponytail and people will show you the respect you deserve.
This impact is mostly because of the blazer and what it brings to the table – an aura of meticulousness. That is something that only top-line workers possess and thus this sets you apart from the rest of the workforce that follows a drab tried and tested recipe for work apparel. In a herd of sheep, a wolf is bound to stand out easily enough.
A Three-Piece Pantsuit
The one outfit combination that is the ultimate boss of power dressing, the CEO of work attire, the final stage. There is nothing more powerful than a well-curated three-piece pantsuit. Absolutely nothing. If you go with this outfit combination, there will be no prisoners. It’s an all-kill. The power it holds does not need an introduction. When you see a woman in a pantsuit, you know who commands the room. The clear message it gives is: I mean business 100%. Nothing else.
This is an outfit for those who have no one to answer to. It belongs to those who are at the top of their food chain. A pantsuit is always intimidating but it does not have to be boring. Wear one with interesting or playful patterns and it will instantly show more personality. Akin to a predator who can eat you but will not, simply because it decided not to.
A Jumpsuit
This is a choice for those who work in an environment that does not require an obvious and heavy power dynamic. It is the small sister of the pantsuit who is completely playful and friendly but gets what needs to be done.
A solid jumpsuit is both conservative yet not too old-fashioned so you will not look archaic while maintaining workability. This is an ideal choice for jobs where you have to have a certain amount of interaction with the public and have to maintain an amicable yet professional image. It is a charming piece without the try-hard factor.
An end in sight
The art of power dressing is not something that can be just mastered in a day. Although with a site such as Iconic India at your disposal you have all the opportunities you need to learn it through experience.
Take a look at their selection of clothing straight from luxurious brands with the best of quality to build up a work wardrobe so meticulous that you will be the subject of everyone’s envy.
