Smart gals pop their collars

There's something about menswear tailoring - whether it's a trim suit or rolled worksleeves - that crafts a strong silhouette. On a woman, the look might be even more powerful.

The borrowed-from-the-boys style certainly isn't new, but the fashion world has evolved enough to allow women to keep their curves and feminine flair, while tapping into men's unfussy clothes.

It's that contrast that oozes cool, says designer Nicole Miller.

It's sexy, too, she adds, because the look suggests that there is indeed a boyfriend or a husband in the wearer's life, and she has 24-hour access to his closet.

Peter Som, who went heavy with skirt suits in his autumn collection, says he recently attended a wedding where the woman wearing the tuxedo suit got the most attention from the opposite sex. She accessorised with strappy Manolo Blahnik stiletto sandals and a clutch purse - and nothing underneath her impeccably tailored jacket.

"You want that look of effortless ease," he says.

Designers who infused their runways with a hint of Savile Row include Dolce & Gabbana, Prabal Gurung, The Row, Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren.

"Fit is number one," adds Som - nothing too loose or too baggy, a defined waist and a perfect hem on the pants.

Som picks out Carolina Herrera, who almost always wears a crisp white menswear-style shirt to take her bow at the end of her fashion shows, as someone who always gets the look right. He calls her "one of the chicest women around".

Som has built his own wardrobe around that button-down, and a woman can do it, too, he says. "There are infinite combinations. You can wear it for evening, for day - it's a matter of how you accessorise."

It's the wearability of this style that gives it broad-based, long-lasting appeal, says Joanna Coles, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire magazine. She says she wouldn't call it trendy because it's really built on longevity, but the blazer is a must-have item.

Coles likes it best with the blazer's sleeves pushed up above the elbow, giving a glimpse of skin.

"I like that it can be masculine, androgynous and feminine all at the same time," she says.

Miller says she'll often pair a very girlish dress with a jacket.

A tuxedo jacket with a beaded miniskirt also works great - it's a mashup that adds "dimension".

Her favourite menswear piece is an old leather Claude Montana jacket. It was from the men's department, and she also bought the same one in suede.

"I wore them to death. Somehow they seemed cooler since they were real guys' jackets," she says. AP