Feminists

I really don't like business suits, "power" or other. I don't feel more respect for a man because he's wearing a suit and tie; I tend to trust him less.

Of course, I also don't really relate, at all, to the general fashion sense and values of my species. For me, clothing is supposed to be functional, not a billboard to send a message. I like clothes that are clean, in good repair, fit decently, AND ARE FUCKING COMFORTABLE.

So, as a woman, a professional woman, I don't own any suits. I dress pretty casually for day to day work. My normal day includes both presentations, desk work, and more physical work, some indoors and some outdoors. I put up and take down displays. I rearrange furniture. I carry supplies up and down two flights of stairs. I organize outdoor activities. If the people I'm presenting to pay more attention to what I'm wearing than what I'm saying, they've got a values problem; at least, the adult portion of my audiences do.

Yet, I know that I'm an outlier. That the vast majority of the population DOES judge people in part by what they wear, and by cultural norms for fashion. I'm getting away with stepping outside that narrow little box because my experience carries weight, and because I don't care, and am confident about my performance, I have a presence that people see in spite of whether or not I wear a power suit.

Is a suit mandatory? Can you dress "professionally" in something other than a suit? Or do you just like suits?