Borrowed from the (School) Boys

Distinguished.

 STOP. Hammer Time.

Those SHOES.

 Like a boss.

Blazer (Zara, similar here), Shirt (J.Crew, similar here), Tie (The Tie Bar via Nordstrom, similar here), Jeans (J.Crew, similar here), Shoes (Boutique 9), Watch (Fakety-fake-fake-fake $20 at BP. here)

In my not-humble opinion, there is nothing quite as sexy and empowering as looking better in a suit and tie than a man. There's just something about those sartorial signifiers of masculinity that can't be denied; they're imbued with a kind of power—SIMMER DOWN, FEMINIST READERS—that reads even on a woman (sometimes even more so than a man). What's more, appropriating classic menswear pieces like a tuxedo jacket or a tartan tie, and pairing them with more blatantly feminine pieces like a ferocious pointed-toe pump or a hip-hugging leather skirt, turns the entire aesthetic on its head, and transforms that power into something wholly and uniquely WOMAN. (Really I just like ties because they're fun to fiddle with during meetings. WHAT GLASS CEILING????)

While many might consider my aesthetic to be hyper-feminine—those people would be wrong, by the way—more acute observation reveals that I actually have a slightly (slightly) menswear-inspired slant to my wardrobe (blazers and button-downs 'til your face falls off). And this outfit is one of my favorite examples of that. Mixing plaids is fun, and wearing ties is even funner(?), and red patent stilettos are just OFF THE CHARTS when it comes to fun, and really, that's the key to a look like this: fun, or rather, playfulness.

Don't take yourself too seriously when incorporating some menswear pieces into your wardrobe. But above all, OWN IT. And slap on some 5-inch stilettos and you'll shut everyone up.

Photos © Rose Garrett