No Boyfriend Required

| photography by Sandra Semburg |

The shopgirls are experts at adopting menswear styles into our wardrobes. I especially have some favorite menswear pieces that I reach for over and over again to define my personal aesthetic which I like to call "sexy feminine man."

The key is in styling and proportions (and sometimes a good tailor). A men's white shirt tucked into perfectly fitting jeans, or a men's boiler suit tailored for a better fit can add just the right casual je ne sais quoi to an ensemble. And I find the menswear styles can be higher quality, can last longer, and can be sometimes lower in price than like items found in womenswear lines.

| photography by Sandra Semburg |

| photography by Sandra Semburg |

| photography by Sandra Semburg |

| photography by Sandra Semburg |

When buying menswear I follow a few rules:

Size down - you're smaller than you think you are in menswear sizing. Sometimes a men's slim size is a better choice for a woman.

I think about whether the piece can be (or should be) tailored to fit better. Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith that something that's not quite right in the dressing room can be made just perfect with some alterations.

I focus on things that you would typically borrow from a man - a shirt, a jacket, a sweater. I also like to buy my cashmere socks from the men's department. Mens shoes or pants don't work as well because the proportions will feel off.

Pay attention to the shoulders. If something is dramatically too big in the shoulders, it's always going to feel off. You can fix too long sleeves with styling but there aren't any good tricks for shoulders unless you want to commit to only draping the garment over your shoulders french-style when you wear it.