Look of the Week: Power Dressing Is Back – And Miley Cyrus Is Leading the Charge
By J. christian IHIRWE
Dress for the job you want, they say – and lately, celebrities are taking that mantra straight to the boardroom, even if they’re just stepping out for an afternoon stroll. Over the past week, we’ve seen a bold return to power dressing, and it’s not subtle. Think sharp tailoring, bold silhouettes, and unapologetically strong shoulders. At the heart of this revival? Miley Cyrus.
While in Paris, Miley ditched her usual skin-baring, rock-star looks for a Saint Laurent ensemble that screamed ‘80s power broker. Oversized shoulders, a cinched waist, and a bold color-block palette made her leather-heavy outfit a total head-turner. The red lambskin pencil skirt, orange belt, and green gloves pushed the look into true statement territory – and it worked.
Some saw it as an homage to Reagan-era fashion, complete with the kind of shoulder pads that once dominated Wall Street. But to me, it felt more like a modern reworking of vintage power — a nod to the days when women used fashion to step into rooms where they had to be taken seriously.
She’s not the only one embracing the aesthetic. Kendall Jenner was also spotted in Paris, effortlessly channeling The Row in a white scoop neck tunic, billowy black trousers, and the brand’s new $5,600 Marlo bag. With her sleek bob and understated color palette, she looked like she belonged in an elite art gallery somewhere in the Marais.
And then there’s Daisy Edgar-Jones, who recently stepped out in a minimalistic gray wool skirt-suit from Calvin Klein — looking crisp, clean, and completely in charge. The look was pulled straight from Veronica Leoni’s debut runway for the brand, and it gave off an energy that was anything but corporate drone. Edgar-Jones later pushed the envelope further with a layered, slightly unzipped pencil skirt and cropped bustier top by Shanghai-based label Shushu/Tong — an outfit that required both style and guts.
What ties all these looks together is more than just fashion — it’s attitude. Power dressing today isn’t just about dressing to impress. It’s about stepping out in clothes that say, “I’m here, I’m confident, and I know exactly what I’m doing.”
So whether it’s a bold blazer, structured coat, or a daring pencil skirt with an unexpected twist, this new wave of power dressing reminds us that what we wear still speaks volumes. And this season, the message is loud, clear, and shoulder-padded.