WHO says suits should be reserved for the boardroom? Get in on this season's tailored trend - we show you how.

By Lisa Haynes

NOTHING says you mean business like a suit. But give stuffy visions of Alan Sugar-style ensembles a wide berth and work this season's suiting instead.

Tailoring has got a stylish revamp for spring with sharp shoulders, natty waistcoats and tapered trousers featuring on the S/S (Spring/Summer) catwalks. Paul Smith, Yves Saint Laurent and Todd Lynn all put tailored chic high on the fashion agenda for this season. Their shows proved that smart tailoring doesn't have to mean all-grown-up and grey. Paul Smith's Harry Potter glasses - along with slouchy cuts - gave his tailoring a youthful edge.

Don't go all investment banker in style or expenditure but one thing you can put money on is the tailoring trend's staying power. This isn't a look that's set to bow out once summer draws to a close. Skirt suits were all over the A/W (Autumn/Winter) 08 catwalks too, meaning your new Miss Prim and Proper look will be anything but a one-suit wonder.

Put your best serious face on and work the suited and booted look for spring.

SUITS YOU, MADAM

If you're guilty of arriving to work looking like you've run for the bus even though you've just stepped out of your car, it's time to smarten up. Investing in a tailored suit will do wonders for your work wardrobe. Either spruce up your look with a crisp shirt or pare down with a cool white tee.

Whether you want to go for trouser, skirt, or even shorts for high summer, there's a suit for you to wow in this season. If you don't want to trawl the high street for tailored basics, a suit is the easy option for sharpening up your workwear ensembles in one effortless swoop.

TRY: Wallis Limited Edition white linen shorts, £30 (47 Euros) and white linen jacket, £85 (140 Euros), Principles ivory Bianca suit jacket, £69 (110 Euros) and ivory Bianca suit trousers, £45 (69 Euros), Gil Bret charcoal blazer, £165 (220 Euros) and trousers, £80.00 (105 Euros), Max Mara white contrast collar jacket, £275, and skirt, £140 at House of Fraser.

ONE-PIECE ADDITIONS

Don't fancy going top-to-toe dapper? You can still tap into the tailored trend with a couple of structured basics. A tailored suit jacket, super-smart trousers or a skirt are all you need to access tailored chic.

As British designer Todd Lynn said of his tailored essentials: "This isn't about looking masculine, it's about a great fit and a fearless approach to dressing, without the appearance of the old power suit."

For versatility and staying power, choose your tailored basics in neutral shades such as black, white, grey, ivory and stone. When trying on bottom half staples, take your fiercest high heels with you so you can gauge whether hemlines will be too short or long once you're in full tailored glory. This is not a look that will work with timid flats.

TRY: French Connection grey suit jacket, £105, New Look pinstripe jacket, £25. Marks and Spencer white high-waisted wide leg trouser, £35, Dorothy Perkins taupe herringbone trouser, £25, Next grey tulip skirt, £30, Topshop tailored mini skirt, £30.

CASUAL CHIC

Tailored look still turning your stomach? For those scruffy-chic fashionistas who can't bare to do smart, there is an escape route ... blazers, tuxedos and waistcoats are tailored staples that don't scream out super-smart. Think Kate Moss in her famous Jaeger star shirt, teamed with fitted waistcoat and tailored trousers.

Blazers - a big trend for S/S - are an instant way of injecting some instant-smart into your wardrobe and a great alternative to a more structured suit jacket. Though the Balenciaga must-have version would set you back a whopping £1,295, there are high street alternatives that are sure to fit the blazer bill, whether you go striped or neutral. A natty tuxedo is another tailored relation that will transform even grungy rock chick to respectable girl about town.

TRY: Warehouse tuxedo jacket, £70 (110 Euros), Todd Lynn for Topshop drop pocket tuxedo jacket, £85, Dorothy Perkins white blazer, £35 (50 Euros), Primark red and blue striped blazer, £15, BHS white waistcoat, £22, Matalan striped waistcoat, £14.

STOCKISTS

BHS - www.bhs.co.uk

Dorothy Perkins - 0870 122 8801/www.dorothyperkins.co.uk

Gil Bret - www.gilbret.co.uk

French Connection - www.frenchconnection.co.uk

House of Fraser - www.houseoffraser.co.uk

Marks & Spencer - 0845 302 1234/www.marksandspencer.com

Matalan - 0845 330 3330/www.matalan.co.uk

New Look - 0500 454 094/www.newlook.co.uk

Next - 0845 600 7000/www.next.co.uk

Primark - www.primark.co.uk

Principles - 0870 122 8802/www.principles.co.uk

Topshop - www.topshop.co.uk

Wallis - 0845 121 4520/www.wallis.co.uk

Warehouse - 0870 122 8813/www.warehouse.co.uk

CATWALK CAPERS

Pencils at dawn is nigh. The three designer finalists have battled it out on Sky One's Project Catwalk and Jasper Gardiva has stolen the coveted style crown. Over the past nine weeks, contestants were set briefs by style icons and divas including Nancy dell'Olio, Sophie Ellis Bextor and Kelly Osbourne, to become the UK's next big thing. Jasper has scooped an exclusive designer deal with online boutique Oli, £25,000 cash prize and a spread in Grazia magazine.

ECO CHIC

Parade your morals proudly on your chest with Magic Bean's quirky new range of "green" tees. The eco range includes witty slogans including "This T-shirt is Green", "Ethics Girl" and "More Trees, Less Bush". But it's not just the tongue-in-cheek graphics that have an eco-friendly edge, the fabric is made from a mix of naturally sustainable bamboo and organic cotton, making it 100 per cent biodegradable. Tees are available from £22 at www.magicbean.co.uk.