Danger: The Masculine Suit

Lately, we have been seeing a wave of androgynous and boyish styles roll over the red carpets. While you might be tempted to spread your wings by trying on a man's suit, be aware: there are risks involved.

In 1966, Yves Saint Laurent swept away the taboos regarding what women should wear by dressing his models in smoking jackets - as a result, he found himself immediately named a master women's designer. Not only did YSL offer women an alternative to the traditional evening gown, he also gave them an independence, a new mystery and modernity. Unsurprisingly, the smoking jacket has remained timelessly chic over the decades, becoming a staple for all who consider themselves elegant.

This being said, as iconic as the smoking and other men's suits have become, they have also been the victim of more than one fashion error. Beneath their air of easy simplicity, these pieces can become very complicated to wear if the correct choices are not made. Actress Winona Ryder provided us with a good example of this...

By matching a too-long jacket, a buttoned-up black shirt, severe pants and unsexy low boots, the former fiancé of Edward Scissorhands looks more like an ambassador of the gothic movement than an Yves Saint Laurent woman.

At the other end of the spectrum, Leighton Meester, by selecting a preppy ¾ suit accessorized with a neglectedly knotted tie and ultra glamorous pumps, wonderfully illustrates the masculine/feminine concept. Those wanting to try for an elegant androgyny could follow this example by uncovering the ankle, choosing a tapered pant and a pair of vertiginous sandals... and of course, the indispensable white shirt.