The power suit of the '80s spawned the term 'power dressing', referring to the use of expensive clothes with sharp, hard lines that were designed to make a person look assertive and in-focus.
A power suit was characterised by sharp cuts, wide shoulder pads and stiff rigidity. It was stereotypically associated with business environments in the '80s and Polo Ralph Lauren is credited with introducing the original power suit design.
Quality fabric
Though shoulder pads are passé, appearances and power dressing still remain of paramount importance. It's all about looking the part and projecting the right image — if you look like a million bucks, it won't take long for you to make that much.
Thomas Mahon of English Cut in Savile Row, London, says: "A good quality fabric for a suit can be expensive. Summit is a new type of fabric that costs about £1,500 (about Dh11,256) a metre because of the high quality of its yarn and texture.
"A top-quality suit from a tailor on Savile Row can begin from £3,000 and go upto £5,000 (about Dh22,510 to Dh37,520)."
Current trends
The current trends in suit styles veer towards classic patterns.
"Blue worsted suits with pin-stripes are still in vogue as traditional styles maintain their popularity," says Mahon.
Usually sales people of prominent designer brands are trained to advise customers about the type of suit they should purchase depending on their needs, style and shape.
Remember to suit up according to the work that you do, but also keep your personal style in mind and don't blindly follow trends.
