Oversized suits, wavy fabrics, strong patterns, and big shoulders.
These are the words I’d use to describe the men’s power suit trend of the 80’s and onwards. It’s arguably one of the most important, unique, and grandiose fashion trends of modern history, and that’s not without reason.
The power suit would become a reality in the 1980’s with the introduction of Giorgio Armani’s line of large suits that had shoulder-pads. They had an imposing, almost city-underbelly type of look, and with time they would slowly gain popularity amongst the corporate elite of Wall Street.
Something about the respectable and defined look of wearing a large suit jacket really spoke to the nature of lavish investors. It almost represents an era of decadence in some sense, with its oversized fashion. It was also a very visually appealing piece of clothing, with strong but wavy fabrics that allowed the shirts to feel superior to the average suit. They had large, notched collars and many were double-breasted.
They practically spoke ‘power.’
Other designers would quickly catch on to the growing fashion trend, such as Armani Versace, and suddenly power suits were everywhere. It became the defining picture of beautiful corporate excess, and everyone loved it. From Wall Street professionals to club goers to business women. It really was an era-defining statement.
A Gallery of Era-Defining Power Suits
What made the jacket so appealing was the ambition it spoke of. It wasn’t just an oversized piece of cloth; it was a sign of pride and boldness. At one point most Wall Street employees were wearing variants of the now widely popular power suit, and so it quickly transformed from a simple fashion piece into a practical uniform. People respected you if they saw it. It told the person in front of you that you knew what you were doing.
Unfortunatley the trend would die out for a few decades, before being reborn yet again following decade-defining classics such as The Wolf of Wall Street, American Psycho, and Mad Men.
And in a sea of tight, purposefully shorter, and boring suits having a large, defining article of formal clothing really says a lot.
