London - She caused a stir at the Oscars two years ago in a revealing dress slashed to the thigh.
But it was her decision to cover up her legs in a masculine style at this year’s Bafta ceremony that helped Angelina Jolie really stand out from the crowd.
And it seems the trouser suit trend, which has become a fashion favourite on the red carpet, has now reached the high street.
Women are following in the footsteps of stars such as Miss Jolie and Cara Delevingne and opting for smart trousers and a suit jacket rather than a dress for special occasions.
The style was recently seen at the Baftas and Oscars with celebrities from Dame Judi Dench to American chat show host Ellen DeGeneres opting for a tuxedo.
Hollywood actress Amy Adams and Madonna have also stepped out in a two-piece instead of a gown since the start of the year. Retailer Debenhams claimed celebrity wearers have helped send sales of trouser suits soaring by 157 percent.
Sarah Tennant, head of womenswear buying for the department store, said: “Trouser suits are definitely back. Sales have been up since January, making 2014 officially the year of the trouser suit. Women are enjoying wearing clothes with a masculine edge, but which also highlight the female figure with clever tailoring.”
Pant suits featured strongly on the catwalks in New York, Milan, Paris and London during their fashion weeks as well as being the favoured outfit of front-row fashionistas.
Mrs Tennant added: “The trouser suit knows no age limit with admirers of the combo ranging from Cara and Kourtney [Kardashian] to Angelina and Joan Collins. It’s a must-have for fashion followers all around the globe, with sales in overseas stores also on the rise.”
The celebrity trend has crossed over into everyday wear with sales of plain black and navy trouser suits, along with white shirts, more than doubling.
It was during the 1920s that the trouser suit was first seen on a growing band of women who adopted a masculine style, including pantsuit, hats and even canes and monocles. Long trousers for women became more popular in the late 1960s and over the next 40 years gradually became accepted attire for female office workers.
But trouser suits were often criticised as inappropriately masculine clothing for women.
Until the 1990s, women were not permitted to wear pantsuits in the United States Senate. But in 1966 Yves Saint Laurent introduced his Le Smoking, an evening pantsuit for women that mimicked a man’s tuxedo.
Miss Jolie wore an updated version of the design at the Baftas in London last month, matching partner Brad Pitt’s suit. - Daily Mail