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This Riff on the Power Suit Will Be Everywhere Come Fall

The new silhouette is casting its influence beyond formalwear.

Trends
power suit
Graphic:
Stacey Toth

In recent years, the women's suit has moved beyond “trend" status and has cemented itself as a mainstay in most designer collections. Though the concept of the suit is consistent, the technique in which designers choose to construct their version of corresponding separates continues to vary. This season, the dominant silhouette that has emerged from the plethora of options is that of a boxy, cropped blazer and wide-leg, high-waisted trousers.

power suit

Peter Do Fall 2021

Photo: Yiru Wang / Courtesy of Peter Do

This fresh configuration, which took up residence on the runways of CHANEL, Vetements, and Paco Rabanne, riffs on the idea of an '80s power suit and even pays a slight homage to the zoot suits of the '40s, but with a cropped blazer versus a long one. In Peter Do's most recent fall '21 collection, the jacket rivaled a bolero in its short silhouette while the waist of the coordinating trousers rose to nearly touch the hem of the blazer. The boxy silhouette of both pieces alludes to the power suit's defining ability to take up a great deal of physical space—part of the reason it was popular in the '80s as women first began to enter corporate America in substantial numbers. However, the break in fabric around the midriff subdues the abrasiveness of the oversize proportions.

power suit

Vetements Fall 2021

Photo: Gio Staiano / Courtesy of Vetements

A popular style for the coming fall, the bud of this trend began in the preceding spring collections, which gave us an outline of what we should be wearing circa now. The winning combination decorated the collections of Hermès and Tibi, both of whom expanded upon the style by altering the sleeve or pant lengths.

power suit

Hermès Spring 2021

Photo: Alessandro Lucioni / Gorunway.com

While the runway may have given this winning suit formula its stamp of approval, it is also trickling into other realms of fashion, like many powerful trends do. If you fancy an Instagram tail spin, you'll find that most of the fashion elite are not exactly donning tailored suits at the moment. So the silhouette has morphed into daywear in the form of casual separates—knitwear, shirting, etc. A cropped sweater paired with a metallic cargo pant. A tweed jacket matched with wide-leg denim. Even a blouse tucked into a pant to create the illusion of a cropped top. No matter your style, we've done the work for you by documenting the formal silhouette's foray into the land of the wearable.


A Canadian Tuxedo


Mix and Match Your Separates


Add a Belt to Emphasize the Waist


A Sweater in Lieu of a Jacket


Add Some Leather


Shop a Boxy Crop:

Button Front Cropped Blazer

Proenza Schouler
$1790 $1074

Lisby Cropped Wool Blend Blazer

Isabel Marant Étoile
$695 $486

Luxe Boxy Crop

Madewell
$35

Cropped Blazer

Acne Studios
$680

Cropped Pinstriped Blazer

MM6 Maison Margiela
$830


And a Wide-Leg Pant:

Equus Pants

The Garment
$369

Duda Linen Pants

Faithfull the Brand
$220


Top photo (from left to right): Courtesy of CHANEL; Courtesy of Tibi; Yiru Wang / Courtesy of Peter Do


Want more stories like this?

Hot Pants Are Trending—Are You Ready to Embrace the Statement Making Shorts?
How to Wear Your Sweatshirt Outside the Context of Loungewear
What It Means to Be Body Conscious in 2021

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