power dressing means: The term power dressing originated in the 1970s America. By 1980 everyone was sporting this stylish style of dress. There were tailored jackets and shoulder pads as well as dresses that could be whipped at the waist, with a short skirt, and even a skirt that reached the knee. Imagine Melanie Griffith as Coco Chanel in Working Girl. (in Fashion Dictionary)