The power suit, the reserve of men's fashion till 1966, when Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) put a female model in a tux and called it Le Smoking, looks set to return to women's wardrobes - and seduce men - in spring/summer 2009.

Forget the overly edgy, gender-bender look epitomised by YSL in spring/summer last year. Or the emasculated version by the likes of Emporio Armani and Stella McCartney last fall, where lines were soft and details oh-so-pretty.

Designers seemed to have struck a perfect balance between tough and tender in the new season.

At the preview shows in September, labels such as Louis Vuitton and YSL sent models out in long, structured blazers paired with slouchy drop crotch pants.

Gucci and Loewe, meanwhile, tapered the sharp lines of a man's suit to show off a women's curves without losing any of the slickness.

Yes, the power suit of next season is empowerment at its best.

Rather than looking like you have ransacked your boyfriend's closet, the new look says 'I mean business'.

The new structured yet sexy look could not be more apt for the year ahead, where cinching your belt is no longer just about making a fashion statement.

Here's a closer look at the different ways in which various fashion houses have interpreted the look.

SUIT YOURSELF

Want to power up for spring/summer 2009? Here's how to get the look right.

• Go bottom heavy
  
  The key trouser trends for spring/summer 2009 power suits are wide-legged or harem-style.
  
  The two slouchy shapes are great for those on the pudgy side but not so for those who are short, so make friends with stilettoes and platform shoes.
  
• A shoulder to lean on
  
  As trouser silhouettes sag, jacket shapes smarten up with the likes of structured shoulders, stiff collars and sharp lines. The idea is to create contrast or risk looking more hobo than honcho.
  
  Alternatively, a fitted blouse or a cropped jacket will do the trick.
  
• Get tone on tone
  The colour palette matches the mood in stock markets, with most designers favouring monotone suits in shades of beige, brown, grey and black.
  
  Take heart. The safe colours will last you well beyond the season and you can always take a cue from Louis Vuitton and Gucci, revving up your power suit with colourful blouses and accessories.

LOEWE

Designer Stuart Vevers must have been listening to a mix of 1960s Elvis Presley, 1970s Village People and 1980s Dolly Parton while working on his second collection for the Spanish label.

Think super sexy, secretary-chic blouses paired with body-skimming pencil skirts and nautical-inspired wide-legged trousers (pictured above). Elvis lives on in stretchy straight-legged pants with a military flair and an all-white tuxedo.

A collection that brings to mind Britney Spears' 2008 girl power anthem, Womanizer, if you ask us.

BOTTEGA VENETA

Designer Tomas Maier was reportedly overheard saying at his show: 'It's not a time to be ostentatious with clothes.'

Which explains why his designs this season broke new grounds in the Italian label's trademark understated elegance.

The classic women's suit was cut some slack with a slightly oversized, slouchy double breasted jacket that, when paired with a pencil skirt and platform stilettoes, still cut a fine figure.

CELINE

Croatian designer Ivana Omazic seemed keen to leave on a high note - British designer Phoebe Philo of Chloe fame took over in October - with her edgiest collection for the French fashion house yet.

While conservative, her suits came with clever touches - a pencil skirt was given a slight bubble effect with layering, a jacket was cropped and given cap sleeves.

CHANEL

Trust Karl Lagarfeld, who once designed a collection's silhouette based on the letter K (for Karl), to churn out a trouser suit modelled after his personal signature look.

There was the crisp black blazer and white shirt with raised collar, adorned with a black tie.

He also caught on to the trend of baggier bottoms and cropped the blazer and tie to cutesy effect, creating a caricature of himself that was at once comical and clever.

GUCCI

Designer Frida Giannini has transformed one of the most loutish of men's suits, the 1970s gangster suit complete with Panama fedora, into one killer outfit for women.

Super-fitting jackets paired with flimsy silk blouses and her signature skinny slacks produced a suit that screams sexy. The refreshing tropical shades of the suits, which range from vermilion to aqua, add punch.

LOUIS VUITTON

Designer Marc Jacobs has proven that accessories can really make an outfit.

Oversized tribal-inspired necklaces and bangles, feathered earrings and thick obi belts jazzed up the likes of padded jackets paired with wide-legged trousers.

While the elegant suits seemed to have been overshadowed, style.com's Sarah Mower says the look was 'the pitch-perfect spirit of the will to dress up in tough times'. That, to us, is power dressing indeed.

YVES SAINT LAURENT

Designer Stefano Pilati continues the French fashion house's love affair with suits, this time turning to the kimono for inspiration.

Incorporating the elegant drape of the Japanese garment into jacket collars then pairing them with high waisted, drop crotch pants, the monotone suits are nowhere as sizzling as the original Le Smoking.

Their simple yet classy design, however, makes them just as classic.

This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times on Jan 2, 2009.