• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.31-45
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• 2013

Fashion appears as a similar sense of form in a regularly cyclical way. The part highlighted in the female body also becomes that way. The social and cultural problem of fashion is also a matter about the selection of a wearer on how to wear in what environment. Power dressing means an attire that makes you feel dignity, intelligence or power and an attire that is needed to succeed in the business society. It is based on the fact that women started wearing tailored suits that were regarded as the exclusive item of men as the women's social activity was actively progressing. The purpose of the study is to analyze the problem of styles in the social and cultural perspectives. The power dressing was repeatedly appeared in 1930s, 1980s and 2000s. Therefore, this study collected photo data and literature documents to analyze and compare shoulders represented during these three periods, and to examine what social cultural environment was operated for each period and how the designers of each period expressed with clothes. Power dressing is characterized by the use of shoulder pad for the first time for 1930s, the extended shoulder for 1980s and the design the extended shoulder with the more decorative method for 2000s. Power dressing has been utilized as women's gain and improvement of social status, flaunting of economical status and a symbol of individuality and identity.