Androgyny and Authority: The Influence of 80s Icons on the Power Suit Revolution by He Zhang

Androgyny, a term used to describe a type of gender presentation that mixes masculinity and femininity, has appeared quite a lot in recent years, especially in the pronoun social movement. However, androgyny isn’t a word that has become trendy in just the past few decades. People have been experimenting with androgyny in the way they dress for a long time now. From the 17th century, Western European styles of dressing saw men looking particularly androgynous when they were sporting towering wigs, white stockings, and petticoat breeches. These breeches were so baggy that they looked more like a skirt, and they were often accompanied by copious amounts of ruffles and lace. Looking at the 18th century, the chevalier d’Eon, a French diplomat, soldier, spy, and freemason, spent much of his life donning both masculine and feminine clothes. Not to mention Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dupin, otherwise known by her pseudonym George Sand, caused quite a stir in 19th-century Paris, where she wore masculine jackets and trousers, though she mixed this with other more traditionally feminine characteristics such as her long hair. Reflecting back to now, changes in society are constant. In the 80s, the fashion industry reflected working women who were finding and claiming their place in workplaces. Power suits therefore became the symbol that defined women who were independent, successful in their fields, and financially stable. The materials and high manufacturing cost of power garments reflect not only the financial success of women but also their high status. Power dressing, specifically the power suits, peaked in 80s business female fashion, especially through the influence of androgynous icons of the 80s who played a crucial role in popularizing power suits, symbolizing a shift in gender norms and professional attire.

The 1980s power suit became one of the most iconic silhouettes of the 20th century. The status of the power suit can be compared to Coco Chanel’s little black dress. It brought a progression not only in women’s fashion, but also for women in the workplace. From the time women entered the workforce during the two world wars, adopting traditionally masculine cuts and fabrics, only to be expelled from it or sexualized in it by mid-century, women have returned to the workplace many times since. This return has been thanks to women’s lib, through small-business ownership, or, most recently, by “leaning in.” In each case, defying the male gaze in the workplace and public life took serious negotiating, and that negotiation began in part with power suits. The power suit gave women a strong and confident appearance that demonstrated their equal authority and awakened women’s societal awareness, particularly in America. In the 80s, driven by the legendary designer Giorgio Armani, the power suit typically had masculine elements, featuring exaggerated padded shoulders, double-breasted jackets, large lapels, oversized/sharp tailoring, and thick fabrics with muted colors. Other than its “masculine” characteristics, the power suit also served as the motto for women who dressed for success. Especially in film and television, the power suit suggested that hard work and a little feminist ingenuity was enough to propel a woman to the top.

The power suit is usually associated with white-collar women of the 1980s who dressed for success. It played a pivotal role in this shift as women adopted the power suit as a symbol of their aspirations and capabilities. With its architectural shoulder pads, double-breasted jackets, and sensible heels, these suits were symbols of strength. Women in the corporate world were saying, “I’m here, I’m capable, and I’m dressed for success.” The 1980s gave everyone a stage for celebrating who they are and made them stars in their own right. They transcended these odd personality traits through fashion and made the world succumb to their will, not the other way around. The power suit wasn’t just a piece of garment, it was about empowerment and breaking barriers - one sharp shoulder at a time!

“Sweet dreams are made of this, who am I to disagree…?” From this memorable song, one of the most androgynous idols from the 80s, we cannot miss Annie Lennox with her most iconic orange buzz cut and suit attire, who created a buzz around androgyny in the 1980s. “Sweet Dreams” is perhaps Lennox’s most iconic look. Her closely cropped orange hair and men’s business suit in the video challenged traditional femininity, taking on the masculine power as a woman who boldly displayed to a world where men had the most say. This conveyed that Lennox, and women in general, did not want to be objectified or treated as a supplement to the world they live in. At first, Lennox didn’t have any money. She always wore second-hand costumes, then she had friends who were designers make her stuff which she designed, or to customize the second-hand bits. That’s when she did all her experimenting and made what she calls her most “hideous mistakes”. By the time she got together with Dave Stewart, she wanted to wear a suit to show that she was equal to a man. Not that she wanted to be one, or that she was gay, which is how people interpreted her look and performance. It was a simple statement of a person, especially a woman, who can proudly and boldly dress the way she wants to. Her influence contributed to the popularity of power suits during the 80s, where many other women started to dress in a similar way, to voice themselves out, and challenged societal norms by taking on a sort of masculine power as a woman to empower themselves.

Looking at another legend of the 80s, the “tomboy” Grace Jones, also known as the “Enduring Queen of Disco Club Fashion”, Jones is a Jamaican-American supermodel, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her striking facial features and androgynous posture made her one of the most powerful women and one of the powerhouses who ruled the 80s. She redefined beauty and skewed gender norms throughout her entire career. Her 1981 record “Nightclubbing” perfectly encapsulated her power and defiance, with sharply structured, over-padded shoulders that accentuated her impossibly sculpted decolletage. Jones’s style is also notable for its use of body-conscious clothing and revealing, skin-baring designs, which she often wears with confidence and power. Her style is often characterized as avant-garde and experimental, and she is credited with pushing the boundaries of fashion and gender norms. She fearlessly embraced vibrant colors, neon hues, and eye-searing shades, reflecting the spirit of optimism and the bold and brash style of those who are not afraid to be who they are or to show who they are in the 80s. Moreover, Jones has been a trailblazer for the LGBTQ community at a time when LGBTQ individuals were treated as abominations, outlaws of society. She has also been a vocal advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness, a topic that no one would even dare to talk about during that time. People who contracted it were pretty much sentenced to death, but Jones was one of the few celebrities who publicly supported and called for awareness of HIV/AIDS. As Jones once said, “I don’t always know who I am, but I always know who I want to be.” Along with her power suit, Jones has inspired many women and men in the 80s to pursue self-awareness and relentless personal growth.

With his proto-mullet, asymmetrical eye shadow, lightning bolt makeup, and shiny suits, David Bowie is probably the first musician that comes to mind when the word “androgynous” is mentioned. Bowie was an English singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He was one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, known for his distinctive voice, eclectic musical style, and theatrical performances. Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, the Thin White Duke; the personalities of each of his alter-egos are inextricably linked with very unique styles. Bowie’s style was not purely a fashion product and the imagination of a designer, he created it in the same way he invented the personalities of his concept albums. Bowie’s style is both the tool and the consequence of his self-creation; the only one of his kind, Bowie was unlike anybody, and no one was like him. Bowie started his first band at the age of 15 and in just two years was immersed in London’s music scene, complete with a record deal. However, his singles floundered, and his career lagged until he found a mentor who introduced him to a new artistic outlet, the world of mime, which opened his eyes to the possibilities for creating interpretations of his music. Flamboyant with long hair, this canonically alien superstar was one of the key factors in Bowie’s meteoric rise, despite the criticism he received due to looking feminine at the start of his career. It signaled a change in the public perception of gender and remains one of the most iconic personas to come out of the music industry, with a certain lightning bolt portrait being one of the most recognizable symbols in the world. The androgynous look took a backseat as Bowie’s career leaned more into a pop sound, but the flamboyance still remained. In the 80s, Bowie loved a solid-colored suit, preferably with shoulder pads, and often wore them while performing on stage. From literally sharp suits to dressing in deliberately androgynous looks that broke boundaries around traditional men’s fashion and resonated with other female artists at the time with the movement of “power dressing” and power suits. Particularly in his collaborations with Japanese designer Kansai Yamamoto, Bowie looked cool, avant-garde, and utterly unique and changed his look throughout his long career. He’s influenced men’s fashion, women’s fashion, and fashion in general by empowering everyone with their suits to the possibilities of achieving everything and not be restrained from who they are.

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