The Rise of Power Dressing: Celebrities Embrace Big Shoulders and Boardroom Style
In a trend that is being hailed as a nod to the maximalist style of the 1980s, celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, Kendall Jenner, and Daisy Edgar-Jones have been embracing power dressing outfits characterised by exaggerated shoulders and sharp tailored cuts. The style, which was recently spotted on the streets of Paris, has been dubbed "Reagan realness" by some fashion critics, referencing the shoulder pads and oversized jackets popularised by the office-dwelling men and women of the era.
According to CNN, Miley Cyrus is the latest celebrity to opt for a power dressing outfit, wearing a Saint Laurent look that some took to be a nod to the maximalist style of the 1980s. The singer was photographed wearing a head-to-toe Saint Laurent outfit, complete with an oversized, wide-shouldered leather jacket, a red lambskin pencil skirt, and green leather gloves, styled with sheer tights and spindly stiletto heels. As CNN notes, the outfit was a far cry from Cyrus’ usual aesthetic, which tends to favour lower necklines and cut-out designs.
The embrace of power dressing can be seen as a way of asserting confidence and coping in a turbulent world. The trend also carries a sense of nostalgia, particularly for its heyday in the 1980s, when shoulder pads and clothing with strong silhouettes became a way for women to project authority and success in the workplace. As CNN reports, "the trend also carries a sense of nostalgia, particularly for its heyday in the 1980s, when shoulder pads and clothing with strong silhouettes became a way for women to project authority and success in the workplace."
Kendall Jenner was also spotted in Paris, embracing an oversized silhouette in a white scoop neck tunic and billowing black trousers, which looked like a walking lookbook for The Row, the brand by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The model was also seen carrying The Row’s $5,600 Marlo bag, which she has been toting around since the roomy style debuted last month. According to CNN, Jenner’s look was enhanced by her summer-friendly bob, which has itself become a mainstay in power-dressing.
Daisy Edgar-Jones has also been having fun with corporate dressing, sporting smart, minimalist styles during her "On Swift Horses" press tour in April. That included a gray wool skirt-suit, gray pumps, and rectangular sunglasses, which came straight off Calvin Klein’s fall-winter 2025 runway. The actress also wore a more daring take on the trend in an ensemble from Shanghai-based label Shushu/Tong’s spring-summer 2025 collection, featuring a pencil skirt with a zip intentionally undone at the waist, revealing another layer of fabric underneath.
It takes a lot of confidence to show up to work in a cropped sweater and with your zipper seemingly undone. But if Cyrus, Jenner, and Edgar-Jones are anything to go by in this new age of power dressing, perhaps these daring styles hold the key to getting what you want. As the trend continues to gain momentum, it will be interesting to see how it evolves and how celebrities and fashion enthusiasts alike interpret the style. With its mix of nostalgia and modernity, power dressing is sure to be a major player in the fashion world for months to come.
The trend is not just limited to these celebrities, with many others also embracing the style. It seems that power dressing is here to stay, and with its focus on confidence and self-expression, it’s easy to see why. As CNN notes, "perhaps these daring styles hold the key to getting what you want." With its unique blend of style and substance, power dressing is sure to be a major force in the fashion world for years to come.
