Stealing again from men’s wardrobe is this season’s hottest trend, the pantsuits that stands out in a room full of skirts. This combination of fitted trousers paired with a matching jacket when done right takes you straight from the boardroom to the ballroom. The Spring/Summer runways experienced a heavy dose of both printed and plain power suits, and with good reason. Internationally, Diane Von Furstenberg, Chanel, Mary Katrantzou, Yves Saint Laurent, Derek Lam and Dolce & Gabbana suited up, while closer home it was Ashish N Soni, Dev R Nil, Namrata Joshipura to name a few.
Weaning away from her signature bohemian prints, Diane Von Furstenberg experimented with polka dots and colour blocking, while Chanel, Derek Lam followed the classic solid colour formula. Combining two-trends in one was Balmain with black-white chessboard suits. Going the quirky route were Ashish N Soni with his red blood cell like prints and Alexander McQueen with honeycomb design.
The “Le Smoking”, a 60’s pantsuit that mimicked a man’s tuxedo created by Yves Saint Laurent also experienced a revival. Seen on the Christian Dior runways, the look was highlighted with bright scarfs and exuded a chic, confident vibe. While, traditionally it may be the mother of the bride who would wear pants, but Carolina Herrera showed us who really wears the pants with their Spring 2013 Bridal Collection with bridal pantsuits.
While, Hilary Clinton maybe an old faithful, wearing the pantsuits with an edgier and yes, sexier vibe are Beyoncé, Rihanna plus the younger crop of Bollywood actresses. Sonam Kapoor rocked a hot-pink Elie Saab creation, Anushka Sharma looked cute in an indigo Hermés set and Deepika Padukone went classic in a black Dolce & Gabbana pantsuit. And just when we were bored with flowing gowns and eccentric attempts at costumes by pop idols, the pantsuit made an appearance on the red carpet where Julia Roberts, Alexa Chung and Katie Holmes stood the ground.
The timelessness of the pantsuit is enhanced by the fact that you can wear the pieces separately and wear it for multiple occasions making it a versatile buy. These beautifully constructed pantsuits are now finding a spot at high street stores like Zara, Topshop and Mango. From pastel-coloured linen sets to digital tropical prints, Zara has the pulse right on the trend.
Even as the pantsuit continues to be chic and comfortable, the idea for the season is to step-up the game so that it enhances the feminine curves. Step one in embracing androgyny is opting for sharp tailoring and figure-hugging silhouettes. Highlight it with cut-outs, cropped lengths and bold colours to earn sartorial brownie points.
Unlike the 90’s boxy and boring pantsuits, this season their design does more justice to women’s curves. So if you don’t want to look like a boring corporate-type then pair it with a low cut top, sheer top or a lace camisole and make sure you go the skinny route for pants. Keep the accessories minimum because sometimes studs and a clutch are just enough. But do go high on the heels, sky high, as that sure to give you a slimmer, toned effect after all its not every day that you suit up.
