Power in the office

It started with a power tie. Then, when women entered the work force, it turned into the power color. We had the power suit; and now, thanks to Hillary, the power pants suit.

But I would like show you the evolution of the power code at work: The Power Dress. The power dress has clean lines, is very well made, and something that will forever be in style. It is classic, not trendy. Attention grabbing, but not flashy. The Haute couture for the middle-middle class.

It it the dress you wear it to work and people corner you to ask if you have an interview. It is the dress you wear when you are attending a meeting with the Mcdreamy CIO. It is the dress you wear when you want to say, "I am woman, hear me roar, I look damn good, now listen to what I say."

When accessorizing the power dress, take a lesson from Coco Channel. Before you leave the house, take off one accessory. You don't want to over-power the power of the dress. You also have to think about the shoes. I will be honest, I don't have great shoes - I am no Carry Bradshaw. I have 2 good pairs of brown shoes and 1 pair of nice black shoes. This lack of options has limited the colors of my power dresses. I stick to neutral colors- browns, black, navy, ect. But if you normally wear more vibrant colors, feel free to expand the colors. But the more vibrant the color, the more simple the dress.

Also, I don't wear pantyhose. Ever. This will come as a shock to some readers, but nowadays, it is no longer required. I would actually discouraged. No one wears hose. Some wear tights, but never with a power dress.

The power dress is like a new car. As soon as you drive it off the lot, it immediately looses value. If you over-wear your dress it looses power. It should not be added to the weekly rotation. Either people think you are really looking for a new job, or you are trying to show off your fancy wardrobe, but can only afford a few pieces. No amount of mixing and matching can help it. Also, your dry cleaning bill will be enormous.

For examples of power dresses, don't look at the CTA in the morning. Don't look at Bebe. Go for discount designer stores and be willing to shell out about $100. Think of it as an investment. You are preparing for your future and your future power. I have over-invested a bit and have a few samples as well...