Gender Bender.

Women have had anything but an easy ride over the years, what with being “allegedly” inferior to the over rated men of this world. But slowly, us ladies took a stand, changes were made and steps were taken to level out the differences between men and women for good. From that infamous year all the way back in 1918, when women rightfully gained the position to vote, we have been successfully letting the world know that we have so much more to give, than just changing the beds, running baths for our significant others and washing the dishes. “Who runs the world?...GIRLS!”

Yves Saint Laurent, a name that I am positive all of you have heard of, was the original designer to put his neck on the line for women. As well as the brand reeling out hundreds of fantastic collections every season, he is well known for his life changing position within the fashion industry, altering the way that women were perceived within society for good. All of this was down to his invention of the trouser suit, more famously known as Le Smoking in 1966. Before this, it was expected of women to wear demure full skirts and dresses, but thanks to Mr YSL and his obsession with making women feel fantastic, the trouser suit gained its powerful position within our wardrobes. This movement by Yves Saint Laurent himself revolutionised the position of women and fought for equality in all areas of life.

Le Smoking 1966

Recently women have taken centre stage in the eyes of the media, as we take time to celebrate women of power through the decades. Whether it be modern fashion icon Kate Moss or never to be forgotten Princess Diana, us girls have got a lot to be proud of and without doubt will continue to make great successes of ourselves in the future. What better way to celebrate this triumph than through fashion? The catwalks are mirroring our power as women through great clothes for the Autumn/Winter season, introducing us to the nervously anticipated, Androgynous trend.

This season, leave your dresses behind and embrace the super sexy revival of the Tuxedo. Think crisp white shirts, stiff collars, oversized blazers, bow ties and braces because masculine just got feminine.

You may be thinking, how on earth can a tuxedo be sexy? Well…Dolce and Gabbana have the answer. Their Fall 2011 collection blew me away, as it perfectly represents a powerful, yet undoubtedly sexy, feminine image through what would be described as stereotypically “men’s attire”. Double breasted blazers, large jackets and tailored trousers were the orders of the day along with creative finishing touches such as, realistic side burns and AWESOME oxfords (I want a pair). For added sex appeal the “boy” girls collaboratively did a lap of the catwalk, removing their stunning jackets to reveal white collared shirts and ultra cool braces. Gabbana’s incredible skill for exquisite tailoring really shone through and stole the show.

Dolce and Gabbana Fall'11

Dolce and Gabbana Fall'11

Alexander Wang also played with the masculine vs feminine concept. The collection featured EXTREMELY oversized jackets, that did anything but show off the models womanly curves, yet surprisingly still came across as overly feminine. The main colour scheme was black and white, typical of the classic tux and the designer played with sheer textures, to add that extra touch of va va voom. The shirt below is truly stunning and I love the added twist of a long tail, to create interest.

Alexander Wang Fall'11

Alexander Wang Fall'11

Magazines have provided plenty of inspiration in terms of advertising, revolving around the androgynous hype. I adore the Malene Birger Autumn campaign, it is without doubt sexy, yet the positioning of the model has a certain attitude and edge that screams power; it captures the masculine feminine mix perfectly! I particularly like the way that black ribbon is used in the shot, to represent a bow tie; it’s a modern twist that instantly adds a more "girly" feel to an otherwise masculine look.

Malene Birger Advert Fall'11

The trend however, fills me with a little fear, as I am aware I lack a few womanly assets that could lead to me LITERALLY looking like a man…rather than a powerful woman with sex appeal. However, I love the concept far too much to let that stop me and cant wait to get my teeth in to this androgynous world. Ideally, I have my eyes on this AMAZING cuffed and collared dress from River Island, I have tried it on and I WANT it. A cheaper option however, is this simple white shirt from H&M (Tesco do a good version too) teamed with some black ribbon to form a feminine bow tie a la Birger.

River Island Dress £45

H&M Shirt £15

Ribbon Approx £1

This season it’s all about borrowing from your boyfriend and working their shirts like they WISH they could. Go on, give androgynous a go and rock that tuxedo. 

GIRL POWER!