A few weeks ago I was sitting in a team meeting. In the midst of discussing an approaching high profile client meeting, the project manager looks at me and says “you must wear a pantsuit……and that means no skirts”. The conversation continued. After the meeting, I started thinking about that request/demand/comment….and what that meant? The corporate world always makes me laugh as there is this preconceived idea on what you should wear. However my angle is that I am in a creative field, so the doors of fashion are a bit more open. I think you should dress professionally but show your personality . put a twist on it . show a little style.

Ladies….if you love to wear pants, you should take a minute to thank Coco Chanel, “80 years ago, that was a concept reserved strictly for  bearers of XY chromosomes.  Then along came Chanel, who decided that women  should enjoy the same freedoms as men, and that binding corsets and skirts were  physically holding them back. “I gave women a sense of freedom,” she once said.  “I gave them back their bodies: bodies that were drenched in sweat, due to  fashion’s finery, lace, corsets, underclothes, padding.” When she decided there  was no comfortable way to ride a horse while wearing a long skirt, she literally  took the pants off a male rider and made them her own.  And that, my dears, is  what we call feminism. To read More http://www.glamour.com/fashion/blogs/slaves-to-fashion/2009/09/5-things-you-can-thank-coco-ch.html#ixzz1pZ5cSpnt

The most important foundation to the pantsuit is the PANTS. You have to find the pant that fits your body style the best. I can’t always go with the trends of skinny dress pants, etc. I was born with curves so once I find a few pants that fit….I take good care of them. As the pants I decided to wear are probably close to 10 years old. I always have to get them hemmed to the right length and then I always dry clean them to keep the material crisp and pressed. Below are a few more rules to keep in mind when styling, fitting and buying the pant:

• Pay careful attention to the length of your pants. They should sit perfectly balanced on top of your shoes with about a quarter of the top of your shoes should be covered by your hem when standing. (an easy alteration to be made post purchase)
• Shop to find the best fit and style for your body type
• Get them to the tailors if you need extra alterations . hem, waist, hips, etc. Don’t forget to pair them with the heel of the shoe you would most likely to wear to make sure the hem is just right for you
• For the ultimate in sophistication and stylishness, pair your pants with a soft shirt, great jewelry, and a use the shoes and belt to pop some interest.
• Be creative + have some fun

I began to do research on the history of pantsuits and this is what I found. “An ageless trend – the pant suit has a stunning nostalgia of designers and backing brands that adore the feminine play on what was originally a masculine design – Coco Chanel led the questioning of gender roles and fashion with her feminine trouser designs in the 1930′s. Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn wore them to the gender line during the ’30s and ’40s. Yves Saint Laurent feminized trousers in the ’60s and the Giorgio Armani power suit took over every ’80s boardroom with strong shoulders and sturdy menswear wools. Helmut Lang and Jil Sander stripped the pant suit down to its barest architecture in the ’90s for a lean modern look that was the very essence of cool for a decade. Today, pant suits are back on the runways in a big way, and they continue to say, I’m a woman and I WEAR PANTS. ”

Unlike their male counterparts, women can play up the accessories with the jewelry, scarves, designer handbags and shoes with their pantsuits. So have fun ladies, add some flair and color and don’t hesitate in being bold and hip.

Enjoy these snapshots of some classic pantsuits seen on the runway by Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Yves Saint Laurent.

This is what I decided to wear to the high profile meeting. The client is very conservative, so I attempted to take it down a notch on all the Patterns, Colors, and Jewelry that I typically love to wear. In minimizing color and working with neutrals, its important to still have some flair and a little bling. I captured the flair with the high collar silk ruffled shirt AND added the gold glittery belt and jewelry for a little extra sparkle. I finished the outfit with some classic black patent heels.

Remember that pairing together a pantsuit does not have to cost $100s of dollars. I say stay classic and shop smart to put the money where it counts. If you start with the classic foundation, it is easy to mix in differet accessories and shoes to give added interested and style.

My outfit above consisted of: Black Plaid Jacket: Gap, Silk Blouse: JCrew, Black Pants: H&M, Gold Belt: Gap, Jewelry: Stella&Dot, Black Patent Shoes: Vince Camuto