14 DAY TRIAL // Ever looked at smartly dressed ballroom dancers, or the tuxedo-clad male guests at a fancy wedding and wondered just how the evergreen tux managed to make them look so stylish and classy? Wonder no more - this summer, we gals are allowed a peak and the chance to play dress-up with clothes inspired from the centuries-old menswear formal attire - such as tuxedo jackets, bow ties, waist sashes (known as "cummerbunds"), slick suiting and smart trousers. The gender-bending fashion bandwagon is coming to town (not that it was ever fully out of the picture anyway) and, if you're looking for the latest "it" look, look no further than your boyfriend's closet.
It's easy to grasp the basic principles of the new boy-meets-girl dressing style, particularly since the androgynous, mannish look is a fashion classic. It was launched almost half a century ago by Yves St. Laurent, who first took the liberty to dress women in pant-suits, smoking jackets, safari jackets and tuxedos. Nowadays, designer Stefano Pilati is bringing YSL back to these classic roots, with tuxedo/dinner suit-inspired clothing, while Dolce & Gabbana have also revived and personalized this trend, decking their models in bow-tied tuxedo shirts and smoking jackets mixed with trousers, skirts, and even shorts, taking the definition of "glamorous" one step further by adding leopard prints to their smoking jackets.
How to wear the tuxedo trend, then? The answer to that would be, fearlessly. Don't be afraid to browse through the stores in search of a tuxedo tailored specifically for a woman's body shape. It will definitely make you stand out at a party or any other formal event, possibly even more than a low-cut or otherwise risqu? dress. For added glamour, go for a white or metallic high-sheen gray tux. For a plus of elegance, wear a ruffled open-chest shirt and tailored pants with a silk stripe, and you'll definitely be seen as ultra-trendy and forward thinking. For a funkier look, pair up a mini-skirt with a simple or ruffled white shirt and opaque tights. Add a bow tie and the ultimate killer detail: a corset belt or a silky sash and you're ready to go. So, what are you still waiting for?