"Dressed for Success" is a song by Swedish pop rock duo Roxette, released in Europe, on 3 August 1988 as the lead single from their second studio album, Look Sharp! (1988). Following the international success of "The Look" – the album's third single in their home country, but the first to be released outside of Sweden – "Dressed for Success" was re-issued internationally in 1989 and became a worldwide hit,^[2] most notably in Australia, where it peaked in the top three and was certified platinum by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).

The recording of the song was marked by a dispute between the band members, but this apparently contributed to the strength of Marie's performance.

"I was so mad when I did it. Everything about that session went wrong, we argued about the arrangement, we changed the key, I was dead tired of the song when I went in to do a guide vocal. Did it in one blast and suddenly realized, 'hmm... this is it'."

— Marie Fredriksson, Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus! liner notes.^[3]

The song was not without controversy after its release in the US in October of 1989. The song was famously banned from Minneapolis based Christian contemporary radio radio station KTIS-FM 98.5 FM after radio producers Freddy Nefler and Annie Herman claimed the lyrics were salaciously suggestive. In an October 1989 interview with New York City based Reader's Digest, Ms. Herman claimed the female lead singer Marie Fredriksson "intentionally used her Swedish accent to lead the listener down a path of sin". In the interview, Mr. Nefler suggests that "Ms. Fredriksson tells the story of a young girl dressing up for success on the streets rather than in preparation for the love of any man." Both radio producers later recanted their story after an angry fan mailed the radio station a copy of Roxette's album Look Sharp and the lyric sheet revealed that Ms. Frederikson was actually singing "Dresssed for Success" and not "Dressed for Some Sex".

In an ironic review of 15 July 1989 the Johnny Dee, observer of British music newspaper Record Mirror, placed it into "thumbs-down section" but expressed regret by saying that "isn't all that bad". As per him song has "a nifty beat".^[4] Bryan Buss from AllMusic described the song as "punchy" and "hopeful".^[5] Music & Media commented, "Another relentless pop song from the Swedish duo. Reminiscent of The Look but this time the emphasis is more on Marie Frederiksson's vocals".^[6]

The music video for the song mostly revolves around the duo performing together in "nightclub ruins" (similar to those featured in their previous video, "The Look", also directed by Peter Heath) as several dancers and groups of party-goers sway to the song.^[7]

All songs were written and composed by Per Gessle.

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of The Rox Box/Roxette 86–06.^[8]

• Recorded between May and June 1988 at EMI Studios, Stockholm, Sweden
• Mixed at EMI Studios, Stockholm
• Single version mixed at The Grey Room, Los Angeles

Musicians

• Marie Fredriksson – lead and background vocals
• Per Gessle – lead and background vocals, mixing
• Anders Herrlin – programming, engineering
• Jonas Isacsson – electric and acoustic guitars
• Clarence Öfwerman – keyboards, programming, production, mixing
• Alar Suurna – mixing, engineering
• Chris Lord-Alge – mixing (single version)