Trendsetter Maria Sharapova inspired as much talk about her outfit as her on-court play at this year's Wimbledon. The tennis star said of her tuxedo inspired ensemble from Nike: “I think it’s very flattering, especially on women, to be able to pull off a look that’s basically men’s wear. You know, from very tailored jackets to things that are a little bit oversized as well. You know, I love tuxedo jackets, I love things that are actually a little bit baggier and wide."

Maria along with fellow fashionista Serena Williams who walked onto the court in a short trench coat, seems to be spurred by the challenge of being creative while sticking to the Wimbledon rule of white tennis attire. "I thought, why not do shorts this year? I've never done it at a grand slam. You know, if there's one place to do it, it's here.  "… it was fun doing it because, you know, it's hard to do things different with white."

The tux jacket, shirt and shorts is a menswear look in women's fahion that actually can accentuate the femininity of the wearer. The straight lines and abrupt change of direction in lines - the angularity of the clothes can be a frame that highlights the curviness of a woman on some figures. The wide-legged look of the pants add the sweep and grace that says 'her'  and the sheer fabric of the blouse adds delicacy.

(Click on thumbs for larger photos)

I am not sure how this would fair on a very curvy woman but could be done with modification to the clothing combination worn by the tall and lithe Sharapova.

McQ - Alexander McQueen Tuxedo Short

Rag & Bone Tropical Tux Shirt

Sophisticated and elegant, strong yet feminine. Definitely a menswear look to add to your style inventory. Get inspired and adapt this look to your personal style and figure.  (Today Sharapova lost in a stunning knockout to  Alla Kudryavtseva, 6-2, 6-4, but she will always be a stunning fashion knockout, though I don't know how much consolation that would be to Sharapova after this surprising upset at Wimbledon.)

More pictures of Maria Sharapova on the tennis court and tuxedo inspired looks below…

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It's that time of year again! Wimbledon is on and all seems right with the world! Only one improvement would be if I could be there in person. But, alas I do get to blog about the fashion at Wimbledon, inline with the topic of this website.

Serena Williams is a tennis player by vocation and a fashionista by design. Though Wimbledon requires all-white attire in the player's outfits, leave it to Serena Williams to add flair within the boundaries of the rules of dress. She walked out in a white trench coat despite the sunny skies. The coat is part of the Nike collection, short and retro, and would go perfectly with a mini-skirt, jeans or trousers or a fitted longer skirt. 

The LaTimes has snippets of the interview in which Serena describes her choice of outerwear. 

"It's a very lightweight fabric," she said with vigor. "It's woven so it has a little give in it as well. On the inside it's stitched with gold. It has a little give on both ways. It's very movable. It's very light. It's just delectable."

Prompting sports reporters to delve into fashion reporting, the coat looked so very classic-movie-spy yet with a hint of Austin Powers, of London chic, very Peggy Lipton, very retro. One of her sponsors hatched the idea, and she briskly endorsed.

"You know, I absolutely love trench coats," Williams said for yet another of her stated quirks. "I live in Florida, where I probably have more coats than anybody. I just love coats. I'm always buying Burberry coats. I mean, I love coats. And I don't know why because I live in Florida. So it doesn't really add up."

Serena Williams prepares for the match in a white trench coat before her 7-5, 6-3 victory over  Kaia Kanepi of Estonia.

More pictures after the jump…

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Baby, its cold outside … but for the style-minded it also means the opportunity to add coats, wraps and scarves to our fashion arsenal.

Lindsay Lohan in a black hooded jacket worn with black bag, shoes, tights and scarf . The black acts as a frame for her rich blue mini dress. A splash of color that is even more vibrant against the black for an energetic, bold fashion statement. Sarah Jessica Parker and Jessica Biel both spice up their casual outfits with animal print scarves.

  Lindsay Lohan -  Santa Monica,  November 6, 2007

Jessica Biel - Los Angeles Airport, October 27, 2007

Sarah Jessica Parker - New York, November 8, 2007

Trench style coats and military accents are in this fall/winter. Jaime Pressly and Nicole Kidman wear the military look of double-breasted  buttons on their coats. Angie in a single belted single-breasted trench coat for a classic style.

Jaime Pressly - L’Oreal Paris presents “A Night of Hope” to benefit The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund in Los Angeles, November 7, 2007

Nicole Kidman "Margot At The Wedding" Screening in NYC - November 8, 2007 

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie -  Beowulf LA premiere November 5, 2007

pictures: teddyandmoo; celebutopia

Cowboy boots aren't just for the boys. Cowboy boots, like jeans, are one of those rustic fashion items that can be femmed up, embellished or worn in all the glory of their original, traditional design and that also that can be paired with casual or dressy clothes. 

Jessica Simpson wears cowboy boots with jeans and skirt 

There are all kinds of western boots styles for different tastes and looks. Exotic skin cowboy boots, roper western boots (which are shorter and have a more rounded toe), smooth leather, distressed leather, retro design,  pointed toe or rounded toe designs and eye-catching hues such as pink and red are examples of the diverse styles. Also equally numerous are ways to pair this key fashion item with your outfit. Wear them with above the knee flowing dresses and skirts for a feminine look that also accentuates the boots. Skinny jeans tucked in cowboy boots or worn under boot-cut or flare jeans can be paired with almost any style top for different looks.

The appeal of western boots crosses international boundaries as can be seen from these style icons:

French fashion muse Charlotte Gainsbourg and British trend-setter Sienna Miller love their boots too!

A hit in Hollywood, western boots are favorites of American Idol winner Fantasia, Rachel Bilson and Jessica Alba.

For the most fierce fashionista western boots can add that needed flare to your duds. But let's not forget the boys. My husband is a 'fashionisto' and wore cowboy boots at our wedding with his tux and charcoal gray morning coat. I must say he looked nice! He loves well made shoes and cowboy boots are always on his gift wish list. 

Not intending to 'steal his style" I thinks he would love to get me a gift certificate for these beauties. I especially like the ones on the left, the Dingo fringed boot. The holidays will be here soon so I think am going to have to start dropping hints!

celebrity pictures: azcentral.com, thefashionspot.com, ivillage.com 

Paris was the birth place of couture when Charles Frederick Worth became the first fashion designer in that he dictated his clients apparel rather than simply following the lead of clients as would a dressmaker . It is no wonder then that French women are held in such high regard for their style.

The article French women don't get schlubby: Fashion divide comes down to classic over trendy, is a tribute to the fashion sense of the French woman. The article says that women of France are not 'fashion victims', that is slave to the latest trends, nor do they blindly follow a certain celebrity or mimic fashion ads. They focus on fewer, pricey albeit quality, classic pieces for their wardrobe and pair these with less expensive and vintage finds. They are simply better at finding their own style according to the author.

However they do have fashion icons though in a bit of a different sense from those in the US. French icons are fewer and more select. Coco Chanel, and  Catherine Deneuve, Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin are legends known for their style and Charlotte Gainsbourg, Vanessa Paradis and Audrey Tautou serve as mode mavens for the younger generation.

"The style seems very off the cuff," says Bourjois spokeswoman Celine Kaplan, a Parisienne-turned-New Yorker. "We don't have yet the 'celebrity' culture so fashion and style isn't dictated by celebrities who sometimes don't have the right taste levels."

Instead, French women take a few cues from fashion professionals but are even more likely to trust their own instincts, Kaplan says.

"French women don't try to look like anyone else other than themselves," says Frenchwoman Nathalie Rykiel, daughter of designer Sonya Rykiel. "They know who they are and make the most of what they have. Allure, to them, is more about a statement than physical beauty."

French life is slower and more glamorous as the article says and American life can be very fast paced and moderately to very casual (depending on the area of the country). And celebrity-stylists-fashion designers have formed a mutually beneficial relationship to fuel this consumer society. So we can look upon, be inspired by and even admire the Parisian's flair and ease of style but those same sensibilities would have to be translated to the bustle and mercurialness that is this young country's tendency. I applaud the 'effortless' fashion of the French and believe style inspiration can be found across cultures.

Tres Chic!

Jane Birkin and daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg

          Jane Birkin                          Charlotte Gainsbourg

 Audrey Tautou

Vanessa Paradis and partner Johnny Depp

pictures: 1 2