We've all seen Helmut Newton's iconic image of YSL's Le Smoking: a model with slicked-back hair, cigarette clutched casually in hand, becomes a statuesque, androgonous fixture on a Parisian street. The whole look is pristinely tailored; the pants are high in the waist and wide in the leg, but the blouse underneath the jacket is soft and finished at the neck by a bow. It's the epitome of feminine-meets-masculine, and it's exactly where the women's tuxedo trend has returned to in 2011 / 2012.
When we last saw the tuxedo as a full-force trend back in 2008 it was a powerful statement that kept mostly to the glaringly sexy side with skinny cuts, tight fits and plenty of high-sheen satin. Since then, men's tailoring has relaxed and so too has women's. Like Le Smoking, the women's tuxedo is once again about that effortless androgyny that's stitched up in immaculately tailored yet lightly relaxed pieces, minimalist silhouettes, and that all important hint of 1970s glamour.
When we last saw the tuxedo as a full-force trend back in 2008 it was a powerful statement that kept mostly to the glaringly sexy side with skinny cuts, tight fits and plenty of high-sheen satin. Since then, men's tailoring has relaxed and so too has women's. Like Le Smoking, the women's tuxedo is once again about that effortless androgyny that's stitched up in immaculately tailored yet lightly relaxed pieces, minimalist silhouettes, and that all important hint of 1970s glamour.
Helmut Newton's iconic photo of Le Smoking, 1975
So what does that mean exactly?
It means you're best off leaving behind these attributes from 2008:
- Women's tuxedo jackets with pointed or puffy accentuated shoulders.
- Skimpy tux-inspired outfits that look like they could belong in the costume section of a lingerie store.
- Overly glamorous head-to-toe tuxedo looks that involve heels, bow-ties, and top hats all at once.
- Satin ruffle blouses (opt instead for cotton, lightweight silks or sheer fabrics).
- Take cues from the 1970s with wide, peaked lapels.
- Don't just stick to traditional black; while 2008's skinny jeans and a black dinner jacket combo can be updated for today, there are also other more interesting ways to stand out in the trend.
- For a different take there's also the option of embellished, sparkling women's tuxedo jackets or pants that scream 70s glam rock; or the ultra-luxurious all-over velvet tuxedo a la Tom Ford.
Velvet women's tuxedo from Tom Ford Women's A/W 2011 collection
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