Dressing for success: The new paradigm By Suzy Menkes International Herald Tribune TUESDAY, MAY 2, 2006 PARIS The book that founded the image industry and changed perceptions about clothes in the workplace has just hit 30-something. "Dress for Success" by John T. Molloy, published in 1975, was the bible for fashion followers of the feminist generation. Women more interested in making it to the boardroom than in burning their bras needed to find a neat and tidy uniform for the workplace. And it is no wonder that they decided to stand shoulder-to-padded-shoulder with men in smart jackets, with a preference for pants, rather than skirts. As the girlie world has spun full circle, offering frills, frocks and sugar pink colors, most women with serious jobs have stuck with the pantsuit formula, making Giorgio Armani their patron saint and rejecting so-called options such as skirts and cardigans, which is what Miss Moneypenny wore when women were secretaries rather than executives. Condoleezza Rice, in her role as U.S. secretary of state, offers a fine example of a streamlined figure always appropriately dressed for her high-profile role. She, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany all make the pantsuit the keystone of their wardrobes. It is a case of no fuss and no fancy effects in a world where the job itself is more significant than its image. Yet as the fashion world swings further away from the pantsuit - and even Armani himself abandoned it entirely for his autumn/winter collection - is there an alternative? Although various designers, including the user-friendly Nicole Farhi, proposed the tailored shorts suit as a putative alternative, it is safe to say that no woman in a serious job is going to turn up at bank, boardroom or conference in above-the- knee shorts, even under a jacket. But with one-piece dressing increasingly the focus this spring, is it possible literally to wear a dress for success? A trawl of the new collections that have arrived in the shops show that dresses are the No.1 category, not the separate sportswear items that have dominated closets for so long. In fact, the dress is the key item to update an existing wardrobe and make it look modern. While fashionable pants come in very few options - skinny jeans, calf-length crops and the occasional sailor-style wide trousers - there seems to be a dress for every occasion. But not necessarily for the office. Ruling out all low-necked and skimpy dresses as inappropriate in the workplace (not least because of summer air conditioning), the choice is much narrower. You can go the Condi/mother-of-the-bride/royal-lady route with a smart dress and matching coat, although many women will feel uncomfortable in a coat in the office and awkward taking it off when arriving at meetings or restaurants. A dress as a stand-alone garment should be substantial enough to give gravitas to the wearer without being uncomfortable or demanding. The most effective style of the season is the pleated shirt dress, and significantly the best come from female designers who understand the concept and are not trying to create sexy, celebrity looks. The dress with sleeves (an essential ingredient), and mostly with inserts of pleats, was espoused by Farhi; Alberta Ferretti, the queen of dresses; and by Miuccia Prada, who always gets these things right. Prada's striped cotton dresses look trim, businesslike and womanly, which is the winning combo. Donna Karan, who says that she is focused on the dress, brought out some effective dresses with jackets. And Marni's designer Consuelo Castiglione created a collection of dresses that worked with jackets or under coats that were quirky enough not to look too formal or dressy. Male designers also came up with sophisticated versions of dresses. Christopher Bailey might favor the raised-waist empire-line dresses that are most suited to ingénues and pregnant starlets, but he also sent out the perfect work dress: a pared-down trench cut as a smart, short-sleeved dress. At Hermès, Jean Paul Gaultier's shirt-waisted dresses had that ineffable Gallic chic that comes from extremely expensive fabrics superbly cut. Diane von Furstenberg's wrap dresses work well for women with a good figure and the style to carry them off, and they have the advantage of being in soft, easy-to-handle fabrics. At Bottega Veneta (where the classy lattice bags are favorites with high-level women executives), the designer Tomas Maier took an intelligent approach to the dress, making it tailored to the waist or in jersey, a winning fabric because it does not wrinkle, however drawn-out a meeting or however long a flight. If the dress is still not enough to tempt a trouser wearer to change, is there any movement on the pantsuit front? Armani, the brand leader in this category, made shapely jackets to partner soft pants for spring, giving a fresh fluidity to what was once a mannish look. But with the confidence of a generation of working women behind them, this could be the season for aspiring female executives to address the dress.