"Double Your Salary"

Don't think it's possible? Neither did these women – until they made some bold moves.

FEATURE
Executive Per Suit
By Suzanne Gleason

In the old days, to be taken seriously at work, women put on clothes that were about as personalized and appealing as a uniform – a man's uniform.

Oh, how the times have changed.

Today a woman not only can assert her femininity and her unique sense of style at work, but also can enhance her power by doing so. The signs are everywhere. On TV, for example, CNN's Paula Zahn plays up both her credibility and her appeal with stylish, sleek separates – a far cry from the staid anchor garb of the 1980s. In the office, women can be individualistic and brand-conscious without resorting to  high fashion – as in the Los Angeles PR firm of exec Dana Sarbeck. "We integrate our laid-back lifestyle into our professional dress code," she says. And in stores, even St. John, a label long known for reliably stylish yet conservative wardrobe staples, has taken a decidedly more feminine, edgier look – one that celebrates a woman's power, success and personality. The label's newest model, Angelina Jolie, exudes these contemporary qualities in spades.

Of course, we can't all be Jolie – or come home to Brad Pitt at the end of the day – but we can use our wardrobes to be ourselves at work in a way that was all but impossible not long ago. Marketing executive Sherry Farrugia, cofounder of Resonate Identity Services and a PINK event manager, recalls how 20 years ago she sported big hair and suits with shoulder pads. "Can you say 'Alexis Carrington'?" she jokes, alluding to Joan Collins's character on Dynasty. "Today my work style is a black, tailored Helmut Lang suit, pearls, pale pink snakeskin heels – oh, and a vintage leopard-print clutch." Now you're talking. To get an even better idea how our fashion transformations have changed the way we live and work, we peeked into the closets of some prominent women. From coast to coast, workwear has evolved for the better, they say – though not always in the way you might expect.

Read the rest of this article in the April.May issue of PINK, on newsstands now.