Fittingly, a full-page photograph of Jackie Kennedy faces the Foreword. For Jackie is widely recognized as the first woman in the spotlight of politics and public affairs to draw attention to what she wore with related interest in what bearing this had on the image of JFK and his administration. As Golbin writes in her brief Foreword, "Strong, clear, and striking, Jacqueline Kennedy's political wardrobe was similar to a theatre costume, conveying specific character traits with one sole objective: to promote the values of her husband's political platform. By embracing the power of the image and adapting her attire accordingly, she set new standards and became an ambassador for the modern power dresser."
The role of clothing of a prominent woman in not only creating an image, but in communicating values and ideas has gone far beyond Jackie Kennedy's presence in the 1960s. Many women have since become leaders of nations or had top political positions, and others have had prominent, leading roles in other areas of public affairs. Author Robb Young decodes the clothing style and its details of color, accessories, etc., of Margaret Thatcher, Michelle Obama, Hilary Clinton, and many other notable women. Short essays on "Power Pearls," "Sari Politics," and similar categories of wear point out the significance of these. Young's broad, global reach includes dress of women from African, Asian, and Middle Eastern countries that is not so familiar to many readers.
Abundantly illustrated with color photos on glossy pages, the book is not only entertaining and informative as popular journalism, but also delves into how clothing of prominent and influential women offers clues to what is going on around the world. As Young notes in his Preface, the book is timely because "the ongoing struggle for women's equality in the political arena is at a very exciting point [and] clothes and grooming can act as a revealing mirror to much bigger issues and reflect the wearer's evolving identity."