Favorite Looks: In Honor Of Givenchy - Skirt-Suit Plot Twist

One of Givenchy’s trademark looks was tailored skirt suits.  Audrey Hepburn wore a slew of them in How To Steal A Million; her sophisticated character, Nicole Bonnet, seems to have closet full, ranging from a gorgeous citron set to a lemon yellow ensemble to a patterned tan wool pairing to a chic navy number. It’s that fabulous navy that caught me this time around, especially styled as it is with bright white accessories – so perfect for right now! Givenchy’s suits generally incorporated pencil skirts, so definitely feel free to go that refined, sophisticated route with this look. I can totally see Kate Middleton or Meghan Markle doing exactly that! I chose to re-imagine the styling with a bit of a twist – the idea of a skirt suit rather than precisely a skirt suit. I love the concept of adding a contrast to the pulled-together polish of a blazer: a dash of femininity via a tulle skirt, a touch of laidback Americana with denim midi or some extra movement with a pleated piece. All three stay chic, while bringing an unexpected element to the classic blazer that makes it feel softer and freer. This double breasted version has a powerful and somewhat masculine vibe due to its nautical beginnings. It’s major on-trend at the moment and definitely worth giving some air time to. On the other hand, all of these variants work wonderfully with a single-breasted blazer as well.  Echo Audrey’s white collar by layering a button-down below it.  Add simple earrings in the metal tone that matches your blazer’s buttons – think round studs, minimalist geometric pieces or rope knots that enhance the nautical vibe . (If your blazer has non-metallic buttons, just pick your favorite metal, or go with pearls). Finish the look with white pointy-toe flats or kitten-heeled pumps. (Chic white hat optional :)) If you haven’t yet added white shoes to your wardrobe, nbd – consider navy, metallic, nude or never-fail-you black as alternatives. Also, if you're navy-blazer-free or navy-skirt-free, try this with any closely-matched neutrals.  I hope this inspires you to give a skirt-suit(ish) look a try sometime soon! I can’t promise you’ll meet an attractive, art-fraud investigator when you do…but looking insanely sophisticated definitely can’t hurt your chances ;). Happy styling!