Skirts !

London, Sep 19 (IANS) Women wearing skirts are perceived as more successful than those sporting trousers favoured by the likes of Hillary Clinton and Angela Merkel, research suggests.

They seem to be the attire of the high-flying career businesswoman, but trouser suits don't seem to be best way to make a favourable first impression.

Research has revealed women who wear skirts and jackets are viewed as more confident, higher-earning and more savvy than their trouser sporting peer, the Telegraph reports.

Scientists also found that opinions of others, based purely on the clothes they are wearing, are formed within seconds of first meeting.

Karen Pine, a psychologist who co-led the research at the University of Hertfordshire, said: 'We make very rapid judgements about people within the first few seconds of meeting them based on their clothing.

'It was surprising that the skirt suit elicited more favourable attributes than the trouser suit as other studies have suggested that women who dress in a more masculine style were perceived as having greater professional status.'

'What we found suggests women can still dress in a feminine way yet still be perceived as confident and successful. The skirt suit seems to balance professionalism with attractiveness,' concluded Professor Pine.