Menswear ... it's not just for men anymore. With the status of women in the workplace (and the world) improving each year, females everywhere have been embracing their "masculine" sides.
The fashion world has been there throughout the process, making pants and suits acceptable items in women's wardrobes. Some designers, such as Jil Sander, have embraced a fully androgynous look for women, but this season, the combination of traditionally "male" pieces of clothing with soft, "feminine" touches has created an entirely new definition of chic dressing for the modern woman.
One of the most noticeable trends this season is the vest, a subtly sexy way to show off the female figure. Some versions are more of a corset-meets-vest with cinching right under the bust to accentuate or create an hourglass figure, but others remain true to the original version.
When rocking the corset-vest, pair it with a skirt or looser pants to balance the fitted proportion. When wearing the latter, throw it over a romantic blouse and cropped pants over tights ? la Marc by Marc Jacobs, or wear it with skinny jeans and heels ? la Victoria Beckham for a night on the town.
As mentioned in my accessories column, the fedora has been making a steady comeback, covering the heads of celebs from Ashlee to Mary-Kate. The perfect solution to a bad hair day, this zoot suit standard looks superb as long as it is the focal point of the outfit. The rest of your clothing should be simple and accessories should be limited to a necklace or a bracelet - no big earrings.
Black leather jackets, motorcycle gloves, Converse sneakers and rock t-shirts have been photographed on all the young starlets as part of the current throwback to the 90s. Reminiscent of "Full House"'s Uncle Jesse, these rougher pieces add instant edge to any ensemble.
Just be sure to wear only a few pieces at a time and to balance them with more current styles - like skinny jeans and mini-dresses - to avoid looking stuck in the last decade. Consult paparazzi photos of LiLo (that's Lindsay Lohan) for inspiration.
The military trend has been around for quite a few seasons now, and its staying power is a testament to its widespread appeal. It started with an inundation of brass-buttoned fitted blazers and has expanded to all sorts of army-inspired gear.
When combined with romantic, Victorian-style items that are all the rage this season thanks to "Marie Antoinette", military items make you appear polished and put-together. Camouflage prints, cropped blazers, double-breasted coats and tall leather boots are all pieces that can be added to an outfit for instant class. As usual, just be sure not to overdo it or you'll look more Baghdad than beautiful.
A recent offshoot of the menswear trend is actually wearing men's clothing - more specifically, wearing a piece of your boyfriend's clothing and dolling it up. Jessica Simpson famously exited the Ch??teau Marmont shortly after her split from ex-hubby Nick Lachey wearing a man's shirt over jeans and heels. Mary-Kate kick-started the current wave of starlets wearing oversized rock t-shirts over leggings.
The "boyfriend sweater" has even emerged as the must-have of the moment to be worn over tights or skinny jeans. To wear the boyfriend trend without looking like a walk of shame, pick one oversized piece such as a button-down or sweater and accessorize: belted waist, layers of necklaces and/or cute headgear with, of course, skinny jeans, leggings or tights depending on the length of the shirt. Add flats for class or heels for frats: va va voom!
Don't have a boyfriend whose closet you can raid? That's what guy friends (and fathers!) are for.
Perhaps touching on both the school uniform trend and the menswear trend is neckties for women. Be it thin bows tied tightly at the neck (as seen at Chanel) or skinny, black ties paired with oxford shirts (as seen at Luella), something about this simple piece of fabric is intriguing designers.
I'm no stranger to sporting a tie - it was a mandatory part of my school uniform for 12 years - and though you can't tell, I was actually wearing a tie the day my picture seen above was taken.
True, I did get some funny looks from quizzical classmates, but there's something both liberating and utterly fun about walking around with a piece of clothing that is so strongly attached to the opposite gender. It makes people think, which, in my opinion, is what fashion is all about.-Jyll Saskin is a freshman majoring in Child Development.
