What Ananya Birla Gets Right About Power Dressing

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At the AIMA Young Business Leader of the Year awards in February 2026, Ananya wore a sage-green double-breasted suit instead of the expected black or navy. Green isn't a colour most people reach for in business attire for women, which is exactly why it worked. Muted enough to still read formal, but distinct enough to be memorable on a stage full of dark suits.

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For a Galeries Lafayette event, she wore a red Alice + Olivia suit with a wide-leg trouser. Oversized only works when the structure underneath is precise: the shoulder seam still sits in the right place, the lapel holds its shape, the trouser breaks cleanly at the shoe. "For an oversized blazer, there are so many ways to style it," says stylist Naheed Driver. "It's one of those foolproof pieces in your wardrobe that you can keep coming back to. You can dress it up or down, layer it over a crisp shirt, or keep it simple with a tank top underneath.I personally love the contrast of an oversized blazer with something a little more fitted underneath," she says. Styled with sunglasses and a watch, the red suit is a clean example of formal wear for women that seriously makes a statement.

Both the green and red suits are blazer and trousers in the exact same fabric and shade. A true matching set removes the one decision most people get wrong when building office outfits for women: how to make separates look like they belong together. Not sure how to make a matching set work? "Start with a monochrome blazer and trousers, then break it up with a tiny tank, chunky jewellery, or your favourite sneakers," says Driver.

Loveleen Ramchandani has done Ananya's hair and makeup across most of these looks, and the formula barely changes regardless of the outfit. "She knows to work with me to create a makeup look that works for the event or occasion, and she trusts me to understand her outfit and create a look for that," Ramchandani says. "When I tell her, 'this is what I'm planning', she says, 'I trust you', because I totally get what her look is, and she sticks to that formula often." She loves a glowy, skin-like finish, contouring for sculpted cheekbones, and a bold lip to pull it all together. When it comes to hair, she chooses low buns and wavy blowouts, both of which work in the boardroom and bar. Women's workwear, made simple.

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At an event in June 2026, Ananya paired a long, blush-pink tweed coat over a plain white cropped top and wide-leg denim, Jeans and a t-shirt is a winning combination each time, but may read a little casual. A structured outer layer makes it work. It's a formula worth remembering for office wear for women on days when full tailoring isn't practical.

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At a party in December 2025, Ananya wore a silver sequinned cropped jacket and stacked a few rings on one hand rather than layering multiple pieces of jewellery. The rule holds across her looks generally: one striking piece— a watch, a ring, sunglasses—rather than several competing at once.

Look closely at the green blazer and the details that make it work are all fit, not fabric: the shoulder seam sits exactly at the point of her shoulder instead of drooping past it and the sleeve ends right at the wrist bone. That's the difference tailoring makes and styling can't fix: an outfit either sits on the body correctly or it doesn't, and every other power dressing for women trick on this list—the colour, the oversized cut, the matching set—only reads as intentional once that part is sorted.

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Off-duty in Dubai, Ananya's version of the formula is a lot simpler: a cable-knit half-zip sweater, wide-leg jeans, loafers, a simple blowout, no visible makeup. It's a world away from the her power suits, but the underlying habits (like choosing a couple of well-fitted pieces) still makes it look put-together.

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Her Diwali 2025 party outfit—a Manish Malhotra ensemble—sticks to the same formula as her suits. Built like a lehenga rather than a sari, it pairs a fitted, corseted bodice with a long, structured skirt, with a matching cropped jacket worn open over the shoulders rather than buttoned. Swap the sequins for wool and the corset for a blazer, and it's the same shape decision as her suits.