1970s- A Serious Woman
It was only during the late 1960s that there was a notable change in women’s labor force activities due to the economic growth, wealth and demand of labor. The social movements further helped to accentuate stylistic means for constructing and transgressing gender identities. Wilson argues that the post-industrial to post modern, style functions ambiguously both to resist ideas about fixed personality and to fix identity more firmly.
Women were entering workforce in force also partly influenced by “second wave” feminism that pushed beyond the early quest for political rights to fight for greater equality. There was a proliferation of “Dress for Success” manuals, stressing the importance of uniform in the workplace and relates to fashion style of expensive clothing in professional settings, to indicate status and convey an image of success (Davis, 1994).
John Molly’s Dress for Success (1975) and The Women’s Dress for Success Book (1977) were the best- selling books, advocating the way in which one should dress for success. The very fact that he wrote two manuals on work dress, points to the way in which dress is gendered, reflecting sexual difference. Davis argues that the formidable cultural linkage of male to work, career and authority was the reasoning behind popular “dress for success” manuals of the time (Davis,
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For men, power dress was black and gray suits while the power suit for women, borrowed masculine gendered symbols, i.e., the suit. It consisted of two-piece suit skirt and jacket in dark colors, high-necked blouse and plain pumps. While, accessories like necktie, brooch and decorative times were used to soften the severity of suit and add feminine