HOT OR NOT? Women in men's clothing

The androgynous look has been in this season with womenswear being inspired by men's clothing. Take a look if you don't believe us!

Androgyny in fashion isn't something new. As a matter of fact it was the great fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent who first encouraged women to wear trousers more than three decades ago. Sure, menswear is probably more practical and comfortable but few would disagree that the sight of a woman in men's clothing is indeed sexually provocative.

It is, as the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Robin Givhan points out, almost as if the 'woman was embracing something forbidden'.

If there is one trend that is standing out the most at the Summer-Resort 2013 edition of the Lakme Fashion Week it is androgyny. It is almost impossible not to notice the number of palazzo pants, shorts and jumpsuits going around not just on the ramp but also off it.

Almost every other major designer showing at the fashion week's primary venue has had at least a couple or more of androgynous outfits in their collections.

We bring you some of the ones that have caught our eye so far.

The safari suit that is almost seen as a relic of the '80s and associated with security guards running around our politicians made a pleasant comeback on the ramp in Nupur Kanoi's show.

Complete coverage: Lakme Fashion week - 2013

Amalraj Sengupta has always had a soft spot for structured garments. His 2010 collection was inspired by World War II and last year he sought inspiration from the chessboard.

Even so, this year, you couldn't help notice that there were a lot more women in the young designer's show who stood out head over shoulders over their male counterparts simply by wearing clothes that haven't been traditionally designed for them.

Yet another design from Amalraj Sengupta's latest line called Tailor that boasted of bespoke suits for women and men.

Masaba Gupta, arguably one of the country's most promising young designers, also couldn't seem to resist getting Candice Pinto in this pair of yellow embroidered culottes.

Manasvi Mamgai in a bodysuit with a pair of cropped pants by India's foremost luxury beachwear designers Shivan Narresh.

Designed originally for the man who likes to get his hands dirty, the jumpsuit has since come a long way.

It was appropriated by the women's liberation movement courtesy Rosie the Riveter the American cultural icon who was a symbol of the working women during the war and wore the jumpsuit with a polka-dot headband.

Today, in high street fashion, the jumpsuit is a garment worn almost exclusively by women, on the ramp, to the beach and even at work.

This one is part of Anupama Dayal's summer and beachwear collection that can be viewed here.

The jumpsuit also made an appearance in Nikhil Thampi's line that was inspired by the works of the American painter, sculptor and illustrator, Richard Artschwager.

Designer Asmita Marwa who showed on Day One of the Lakme Fashion Week, sought inspiration from the gypsy woman, with some of her silhouettes being free-flowing, flirty and androgynous at the same time.

Even as he made a statement against the establishment seeking to control the thoughts of the populace it rules over, you couldn't help notice the androgynous silhouettes of Narendra Kumar's womenswear.

The high-rise palazzo pants also popped up in Nikhil Thampi's collection on Day Two.

This muslin sleeveless t-shirt teamed with a pair of crepe short and a muslin shirt dress made an appearance in Nishka Lulla's collection that sought inspiration from and designed for the boho-chic traveler.

See more images from the show here.

Also made sexy were the grandfather trousers, as Nishka Lulla paired them with a crepe shirt in her show on Day Two of the fashion week.