It began as a subtle reposition on the runways, a few daring red-carpet choices, a nostalgic nod to ’80s power dressing. The jacket-and-tie combination has fastened itself as one of the defining fashion facts of the moment. A once-rigid emblem of masculinity, the tie has long oscillated between corporate necessity and countercultural rebellion. Women donning the look are neither borrowing nor imitating. They are reinterpreting, and revisiting what it means to dress with authority.
At London Fashion Week, designer Tolu Coker sent out oversized leather blazers paired with satin ties, injecting a punkish energy into tailoring. Thom Browne, a designer known for subverting standard menswear codes, showcased patchwork jackets with sharp ties at New York Fashion Week, proving that structure and softness can coexist. And, in a moment of pop culture synergy, Sabrina Carpenter took to the Grammys in a glittering Dolce & Gabbana ensemble — an ultra-feminine showgirl look complete with a tailored blazer and tie, blurring the line between elegance and edge.
It’s about timing. “When gender norms are increasingly fluid and women are reimagining authority on their terms, the tie serves as both armour and adornment, a signifier of confidence without the constraints of outdated masculinity,” says designer, Deepika Khatri.
What makes the jacket-and-tie medley so relevant? According to Dhruv Vaish, a designer known for his sharp tailoring and reimagining of classic silhouettes, the answer lies in the evolution of power dressing itself.
“For decades, the power suit for women meant mimicking men’s corporate wear; boxy cuts, padded shoulders, a rigid silhouette,” he shares. “But, women are wearing the jacket and tie in ways that feel entirely their own. It’s not about blending in. It’s about standing out.”
We’re beholding a major recalibration of what tailoring represents in fashion. Suits now offer a new kind of rebellion; one that doesn’t seek to reject femininity but rather clasps it on fresh terms.
Take, for instance, Doechii’s Grammy look, a cropped Thom Browne jacket paired with exaggerated wide-leg trousers and a classic tie. The silhouette defied every established expectation; the tie is no longer a static accessory but a tool for clever self-countenance. Nicole Kidman’s YSL tuxedo, Rihanna’s penchant for oversized, razor-sharp tailoring, and even Billie Eilish offering ties as official merchandise, denotes that the aesthetic is making its way into everyday wardrobes. Activewear designer Kejal Lokhande from STRCH believes that the look’s resurgence speaks to a larger trend of blending structure with ease. “What started as a stiff, strictly corporate uniform of structured blazers, trousers and crisp ties has been reimagined over the years in many ways,” she says, adding, “Think oversized blazers with sneakers, ties worn loosely over relaxed silhouettes. The idea of the ‘stiff suit’ is fading; people want movement, fluidity, a mix of sharpness and comfort.”
It’s also evident on social media, where Gen Z and Millennial fashion enthusiasts are styling ties pairing ties with denim and cropped tees or layering over knitwear. In high spirits, its expression takes precedence over rigid dress codes.
If the jacket-and-tie look has validated anything, it’s that tailoring in 2025 is not
about adherence to tradition but about rewriting it. Once a symbol of uniformity, the tie is now a marker of individuality. Whether worn with an oversized blazer a la Vicky Krieps or as a glittering Dolce & Gabbana accessory on Sabrina, it signals a redefined relationship with confidence outwitting pattern. Fashion writer Derek Guy deciphers in his column, “What once defined masculinity is now being interrogated. The length, the proportions, the cut — women’s tailoring has always played with these details. The interpretations challenge old distinctions entirely.”