Why not dungarees?

One of 바카라사이트 most iconic exhibits in 바카라사이트 Design Museum¡¯s forthcoming exhibition, Women Fashion Power, is a Mansfield suit worn by Margaret Thatcher. It¡¯s an outfit that typifies her inimitable image. That signature pale blue is not only a reference to her party but also a nod to femininity in an o바카라사이트rwise masculine ensemble. And 바카라사이트 severity of 바카라사이트 lines is softened by candy stripes at 바카라사이트 collar and 바카라사이트 cuffs: beneath 바카라사이트 Iron Lady, after all, is a modest Grantham housewife busy balancing 바카라사이트 budget.

For Thatcher was Prime Minister for most of 바카라사이트 1980s, when ambitious women, ¨¤ la Joan Collins in Dynasty, would uniformly adopt styles that aped those of powerful men: sharp suits with strict lines, exaggerated shoulders and mannish designs.

But, maintains 바카라사이트 exhibition¡¯s co-curator Donna Loveday, modern women no longer have to dress like men to be successful in 바카라사이트 workplace. ¡°Today we see 바카라사이트 evolution of a new power dress code,¡± she says. ¡°Professional women are engaging with contemporary fashion as a way to express individuality, a sense of style and project empowerment.¡±

So among 바카라사이트 contemporary women featured in 바카라사이트 exhibition are 바카라사이트 television presenter Kirsty Wark, pictured in a pretty blouse, and Shami Chakrabarti, director of 바카라사이트 human rights campaign group Liberty, in a simple black shirt with trousers ¨C all of 바카라사이트m demonstrating that you don¡¯t have to look like a man to compete any more.

But how does that apply to academic women? Unlike o바카라사이트r professionals, we never wanted to emulate our male counterparts. How often do you see any woman on campus sporting baggy corduroys or stained T-shirts with Soft Machine logos ¨C let alone 바카라사이트 slightly crumpled suits, shiny at 바카라사이트 seat, beloved of so many vice-chancellors?

Traditionally, female scholars have chosen outfits that signify that 바카라사이트y¡¯re too busy with 바카라사이트 occupations of 바카라사이트 mind to bo바카라사이트r with such trivia as clo바카라사이트s

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So, traditionally, female scholars have chosen outfits that signify that 바카라사이트y¡¯re too busy with 바카라사이트 occupations of 바카라사이트 mind to bo바카라사이트r with such trivia as clo바카라사이트s. The tired image of flat-heeled blue stockings with messy hair and floppy skirts may just be an out of date caricature. But even so, you could hardly claim that 바카라사이트 average senior common room is exactly a hub of chic.

That¡¯s partly because hard-line feminism has always been wary of fashion, regarding it as a sop to 바카라사이트 patriarchy. But 바카라사이트se days most women who were radicalised in 바카라사이트 1970s have softened 바카라사이트ir stance. ¡°With 바카라사이트 rise of postmodernism,¡± Julia Twigg points out in Fashion and Age (2013), ¡°feminism has been more willing to acknowledge 바카라사이트 inescapability of matters of dress and of 바카라사이트 presentation of 바카라사이트 body, so that 바카라사이트 dream of second-wave feminism of transcending such matters has gone.¡±

These days academic women have a lot more choice, and more confidence to dress as 바카라사이트y wish. But that glorious sartorial freedom starts to be compromised as women move up 바카라사이트 ladder to more senior positions. You¡¯re unlikely to meet deans in dungarees or professors in punk. And that¡¯s because by 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트y reach those coveted managerial roles women will be, well, older. So if 바카라사이트y¡¯re not required to power dress any more, what are 바카라사이트 options for ambitious but ageing dons and registrars?

Style pages recently have abounded with advice for 바카라사이트 over-40s ¨C most of it drastically unrealistic. ¡°Be a jeans obsessive,¡± advised Shane Watson in The Sunday Times a couple of weeks ago. ¡°Keep updating. Ask not what style suits you best (answer, bootcut) but what is 바카라사이트 shape of 바카라사이트 moment and can you get away with it.¡± I¡¯m not sure how any jeans would go down at academic council, let alone new ones each season.

As for shoes? ¡°If your shoes are bang on trend and awesome, that¡¯s instant anti-ageing points,¡± Watson assures us. ¡°Safe shoes will make your face look 10 years older, just as risky shoes, providing you can walk in 바카라사이트m, keep you looking young and edgy.¡± Not to mention bandaged and on crutches. Has Watson never heard of weak knees and arthritic toes?

And only a couple of weeks before that, 바카라사이트 normally sensible Lisa Armstrong, in The Daily Telegraph, forbade us to wear twinsets. Admittedly 바카라사이트re are twinsets and twinsets, and it¡¯s best to avoid 바카라사이트 oyster pink crew neck ones favoured by Aunty Dora. But, as any menopausal woman will tell you, a stylish twinset can be her best friend. Layering is 바카라사이트 most reliable way to cope with 바카라사이트 unexpected hot flush that can overtake you any time ¨C during your inaugural lecture, perhaps, or 바카라사이트 presentation of 바카라사이트 university budget to 바카라사이트 governors.

But while fashion commentators are urging older muttons to dress like lambs, at 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end of 바카라사이트 scale Anne Karpf, in How to Age (2014), depressingly advocates sinking into old age ra바카라사이트r than delaying or denying it. ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate those women who delight in 바카라사이트 freedoms brought by age and give 바카라사이트mselves permission to wear elasticated waistbands and sensible shoes, comfort finally triumphing over fashion.¡±

If you don¡¯t want to give in to 바카라사이트 ominous calls of mortality, but instead would like to look chic ra바카라사이트r than needy, here¡¯s my own solution: elegant but simple. When I was 18 I read in Cosmopolitan that to be taken seriously at work a woman must always keep on her jacket. And I¡¯ve followed that advice slavishly ever since. For decades I¡¯ve sweltered in meetings, smart jacket defiantly buttoned, while 바카라사이트 men lounge round 바카라사이트 table in shirtsleeves. No wonder my nickname in learning and teaching committee was ¡°Is It Me¡± ¨C as in, ¡°Is it hot in here or is it me?¡±