Jacket Required: Suiting Up For 2017

There’s freedom in structure. Check out these lines and you’ll agree. Sexy sartorial suiting has been going for years, but to make it more contemporary, plunge deep sans cami, go for a bright hue, or tease the Victor/ Victoria of it all with a high-necked blouse. Whatever you choose, in the words of Evan Rachel Wood at the Golden Globes this year, the point is “to just be yourself.” Which is definitely modern. You define you, and a good jacket can help define your waist.

EVENING
Shimmer, shine, and pair with some velvet pants to keep the vibe more lux than Liberace. Suits that sparkle suggest you are in the business of fun. And that suits us just fine.

TRY:
H&M Sequined Jacket ($80)
H&M Velvet Pants ($35)
Dolce & Gabbana Sequined Satin Blazer ($4995)
Dolce & Gabbana Sequined Satin Tapered Pant ($2745)
BOLD COLOR
Head-to-toe: Pick one, and bask in it. Colors like hot pink, red, and orange amp up the energy in every room you walk into. Avoid the dyed-to-match-prom-shoe feel by adding black stilettos to ground your look.

TRY:
ASOS Slim Tailored Jacket ($64)
ASOS Ankle Grazer Cigarette Pant ($43)
Bebe Shawl Collar Blazer ($178)
Bebe Satin Pajama Pants ($129)
DETAILED
Jacquard by the yard and brocade in spades, these fabrics let suits be less stuffy and more sumptuous. Keep accessories simple for the essence of ladylike luxury.

TRY:
ASOS Floral Vintage Jacquard Blazer ($91)
ASOS Floral Vintage Jacquard Cigarette Pants ($61)
Roberto Cavalli Denim Patchwork Jacket ($2045)
Roberto Cavalli Floral Denim Jeans ($1380)
DAYTIME
Choose a neutral and some stretch. Opt for a pair that flare or keep it ankle-length. Punch up a basic suit with a cropped lingerie-inspired tank underneath and you’re dressed like it’s your job.

TRY:
H&M Fitted Jacket in Light Gray ($35)
H&M Suit Pants in Light Gray ($25)
Elizabeth Fillmore The Roxy Wedding Suit ($3685)
THE FEMALE TUX
YSL made the dream real in the ’70s with its retooling of a men’s smoking jacket, and we’ve never looked back. From Madonna to Mary J., and, most recently, Evan Rachel Wood, the female tuxedo means business. Skip an undershirt and layer some feminine gold accents, or go for a high necked number with a matching bow tie. Cue affairs, black tie and otherwise.

TRY:
H&M Tuxedo Blazer ($25)
H&M Ankle-Length Tuxedo Pants ($20)
Brandon Maxwell Tailored Suiting Jacket ($1995)
Brandon Maxwell Floor Length Flared Pants ($1495)