Victor/Victoria Fashion

Lady Gaga would love to think of herself as the pioneer of the latest androgyny trend from when she bandaged up her chest and donned a suit to look like this:

but alas, no. The boy-girl thing has long been working its way up the fashion scale. Over the last couple of years there have been an increasing number of sightings of women in tuxes, along with the rising star of the likes of transsexual model Lea T and “beautiful” male mode Andrej Pejic have been helping to blur the line between masculinity and feminine beauty.

Designers, such as Moschino, Ralph Lauren and Boy. by Band of Outsiders all have featured models in tuxedos and trouser suits, while Dolce & Gabbana leads the pack by their braces, bow ties and slicked back hair. The androgyny trend is a great antidote to the ultra-feminine looks which have been heavily featured this year; a welcome alternative to cocktail dresses (they are more attention-grabbing and awe-striking than a mini-dress could ever be).

Pull your socks up: Dolce & Gabbana

One fashion starlet who champions the lux tux is singer Janelle Monae. Her monochromatic uniform consisting of tuxedos and dinner jackets, saddle shoes and an incredible gravity-defying ‘do have earned her major style points- she retorts to those who don’t like her style that “they ain’t seem to mind the last three times I posed in Vogue”. While dancing like a female James Brown and belting out her fast-paced upbeat tunes, one can’t help but notice how unbelievably composed and dapper she remains throughout.

If you like the idea of stylishly upping the gender-equality stakes but still want to remain feminine, then wear 70s style wide-legged trousers with a fitted tuxedo jacket or blazer a la Gucci. Add curves with a waist-cinching cummerbund or belt, a slick of red lipstick and sky-high platform heels. Voila! The world is your oyster.

Bow Ties and Boyish Looks: Janelle Monae