Morning:
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Whisper it, but the Christmas party season need not mean shopping frenziedly for a phalanx of sexy dresses. Reader, there is another way: a way that means you don't even need to shave your legs.
All the smartest girls are wearing trouser suits this season. And the most glamorous of all is the tuxedo suit, as worn most recently by Carla Bruni. If Carla wears it, you can be sure a zillion fortysomething Londoners, Americans and Parisians will follow suit (forgive the pun).
Nonetheless, her recent tux experiment could have gone better. A high-necked top of the same colour and fabric as the jacket itself would not have been my choice, as there is not enough contrast between the two garments. Mrs S looks too "buttoned up", with not enough of that creamy neck exposed.
Still, she didn't do as badly as Victoria Beckham. Her recent tux '*' tie combo really wasn't her finest hour. Only a Chippendale could ever be excused for wearing a tie without a shirt. Far better to do as Kate Bosworth did and wear your tux with a simple white blouse or T-shirt. Or, for a more modern look, a plain white vest.
It was Yves Saint Laurent who, in 1966, invented Le Smoking, a feminine take on the classic male tuxedo. How fitting that in this, the year of his death, the garment should be enjoying such a revival. Stefano Pilati, head of Yves Saint Laurent, never lets a collection go by without some riff on Le Smoking. Recognition should also go to Hedi Slimane, whose tenure as menswear designer for Christian Dior saw his slim, neat little tuxedo jackets snapped up by celebrities such as Kate Moss, Nicole Kidman and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Only a woman with the confidence of Carla would have the guts to wear the full tuxedo suit. If you fancy your chances, a pair of high stilettos (NEVER platforms or wedges) will work wonders with the trousers, which should fall no higher than mid-heel. Blood red lips will add a sexy, Newton-esque, twist.
An easier option is to take either the trousers or the jacket and mix them with less masculine pieces. Kate Moss likes to wear her tux with a long black skirt, though it works equally well with a mini - if you're Gwyneth Paltrow.
And while it might seem an unlikely combination, a tuxedo jacket with rolled-up jeans is currently a favourite look among the fashion pack. Formal as it might seem, a tux is as casual as you want it to be.
