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A whole of the year. Predominantly a personal decision for Wood, she explained that it was important to demonstrate to young women that a dress is not the only option should they want to look glam, although the fashion industry and media can often make it seem this way. Bisexual Wood has struggled with gender norms her whole life and regards the suit as that grey area in between things being black and white, which makes people feel uncomfortable. “Sometimes grey areas need to be embraced,” she explained. Other than serving as a powerful reminder of equality, her red-carpet moments have reinforced that suit dressing can be beautiful, feminine and striking as she rocked velvet and silk jaw-dropping creations by Altuzarra teamed with frilled blouses and plunging necklines. Many labelled Wood’s move revolutionary, despite the fact women have been wearing suits for decades now. Th ere is something about breaking away from the traditional image of femininity that makes our ears prick up and forces us to listen. What is it about a woman in a suit that makes us believe she must have an underlying message to be heard? Why must this choice of attire be politically motivated? Can’t women just wear suits for suit’s sake? Marlene Dietrich was the fi rst movie star to eff ortlessly pull off the suit in the 1930’s, defying sexual stereotypes as she openly talked about her bisexuality. By the 1960’s the female tuxedo became iconic thanks to YSL and ‘le smoking suit,’ which was both androgynous and sexy and immediately adopted by models of the era. It became the symbol for great change and breaking the mould. So powerful and important was the message of the suit that YSL has shown it in one variation or another in every subsequent collection. “It became the symbol for great change and breaking the mould." 18 woman’s place is no longer at home as we strive for equal opportunities socially, in work, and through education. But for all of our progress, just how far have we come to accepting the humble suit as part of a woman’s everyday wardrobe? A woman in a suit no longer shocks us, but it still remains a powerful way to deliver a message to the world. It is a statement of self-confi dence and self- acceptance, one it appears can’t be told with a simple dress. Never has the power of fashion been so noticeable than when a woman wears the trousers. 2017 has been dubbed the year of the suit by the fashion industry. Barely a collection was shown this year untouched by the presence of a tailored alternative to eveningwear, presenting itself in a multitude of guises. Slim cut, boxy, velvet or patterned, the female suit kicked off the year in a big way and shows no signs of slowing as we move into the fall season. On the runway Mary Katrantzou gave us velvet patterned blazers and matching trousers, whilst Marni’s suits had a more relaxed feel and came with eye catching graphics. Bigger is most defi nitely better, with oversized jackets and loose fi tting, bellowing trousers set to be everywhere this winter. On the high street print is key, with suits in brocade, fl oral prints and stripes dominating. For a dressier evening look, velvet and silk options will be in abundance, along with softer pyjama inspired styles following on from the summer. Echoing the runway trends, actress Evan Rachel Wood also found herself devoting the year to the iconic suit. She committed to a promotional run of red carpet appearances wearing only suits for the