Trending in uniform

Forget the shoulder pads, even sharp suits are softening up. See how power dressing is changing across workplaces

- Nasrin Modak Siddiqi

Who's the boss? These days, it's hard to tell. Content creators with 2 million followers do not wear pantsuits. They're in coordinated hoodies and track pants, flashing not-yet-released sneakers. Being a judge on MasterChef means wearing something feminine, so as to avoid the harsh lines of the chef's whites, but not too girly. Start-up founders pair jumpsuits with stilettos. Even the little black dress is more Wednesday Addams than Audrey Hepburn. 

New ruling classes have their own uniforms. Power wielders and stylists weigh in on the new markers of influence and authority, and how not to look like your own underling.

That's so me

Some of the old guard is still around: The pinstriped A-line skirt, the silk sari. But 28-year-old food entrepreneur Tasheen Rahimtoola's closet now also includes boho tulle skirts. And she'll comfortably wear a blazer with shorts, something her mother, Azmina Rahimtoola, would never have. Rahimtoola says it gives her "the power to go to work and also go out without feeling too dressed up".

She deals with clients across a range of age groups. So, denim dungarees with a crop top are also part of the work wardrobe. "If it's not vibing, I won't wear it," she says.

Stretching it