Timeless Tailoring

Suits and smart tailoring are no longer worn solely by men entrapped in the corporate world, paired with a yawn-worthy white white shirt and tie and overly shined leather brogues. Tailoring is something which can be appreciated by all, and has become a real artistry of fashion designers. There is no better way to clearly display the complex skills of design and craftsmanship by producing a beautifully sewn suit, nor will any piece ever be as timeless as a perfectly fitting piece of tailoring.

The trade has feminised over the years, with softer shapes and curved silhouettes, allowing the previously masculine dominated market to be equally appreciated by us girls. It's not just a look to be worn by ball-breaker business moguls, tailoring is now both practical, functional in business but most of all stylish and chic. A blazer can smarten up almost any look, and elevate a casual jean and shirt combination to a far greater fashion level of effortless elegance.

Many designer dabble within their collections each season with a couple of tailored pieces here and there, but others are specialists and clearly stand-out as the well-known, fashion names when looking to tailoring and quality design.

The name Helmut Lang immediately springs to my mind, and cannot be considered any less than a God in the female tailoring realm. His designs could happily grace any upmarket cocktail party, with others fitting perfectly into any high-flying workplace. I struggle to think of any occasion  in which a Helmut Lang piece could not be the ideal 'run to' in order to turn heads and evoke immediate jealousy.

This Cubist Print jacket is a personal favourite of mine. It combines both a classic assymetric, feminine wrap around shape to compliment almost any female figure with a modern, bold print design. It would look fabulous in a serious business meeting, or worn out to dinner with a killer pair of heels. Both versatile and functional - a girl's best friend!

Have no fear when you're faced with the need to suit-up and look smart, thanks to the fashion Gods of Helmut Lang we can still look sexy, stylish and sensational. I'm desperate to get in the boardroom just for the excuse to buy another luxury Lang design and discuss the most important business debate - fashion.

Suited and Booted

I absolutely love being a girl, and I would certainly never wish to be anything else, but sometimes Men's fashion does make me a little jealous. The suave sophistication of a quality wool roll-neck, or the smart casual ease of a polo shirt just make life so easy for all you men! Us girls have to put in some real time and effort to look this good!

The most jealousy-inspiring piece of any man's wardrobe, for me, is a suit. Chic, classic tailoring, making even Mr. Average transform into Mr. Will you buy me a drink? I love the fun you can have with a suit, playing with each element to create whatever style of look you want. You can mix-and-match pieces, dressing it up or down by pairing a tailored jacket with a crisp, patterned shirt and jeans, or staying faithful to the classic look by matching a 2-piece suit with a block coloured shirt and tie. In my eyes, both are wonderful looks and appropriate for different occasions.

For me, Tom Ford is the perfect example of creating great design, tailored to what men want, and what they need. As well as keeping the ladies happy. Both these looks from his A/W 13 collection are a head-turner for me. They elude such class, style and elegance, I honestly wish I could wear them myself!

It's the versatility of a suit which I truly love the most. As well as the fact you can go through life building on your suit attire, adding pieces and updating looks. Always evolving with current fashion trends, but never needing to throw anything out. It's a hoarder's dream!

So my advice to any guy would be suit up and watch the women fall at your feet. It's a winning formula if I've ever heard one!