We have long known the benefits of opening the doors of your wardrobe to friends and sisters as that means several times the outfit choices - and we have long understood the casual chic that boyfriend jeans exude, at least since Jennifer Aniston started wearing them. The next step is to put the two together, and open your mind to the possibility of opening your wardrobes to boyfriends, husbands and brothers, or really, just take a cue from what they're wearing and buy your own pieces for the sake of hygiene. What are we talking about? Perfecting the 'boyfriend' style of dressing.

When x meets y

One word: blazers. Only, you don't have to feel like a ballbuster to take your power piece cues from men. Look at Carey Mulligan: sharp in a blazer, and cute as a button. Wear them with a soft ruffled shirt, or throw them over a fun tee and jeans, pair them with skinny snakeprint stilettos - the possibilities, for each and every menswear item you invest in are endless.

A white shirt is essential to every single human being's closet. Tailored and crisp, or loose and soft, white shirts can be dressed up and down and look good for work and fun. However, step it up a notch and slip into a man's white shirt. Mary Kate Olsen nails the boyfriend style every time, even when she might look borderline homeless. Here we see how you can step into a comfortable white shirt that is flattering at the same time, and you can femme it up with heels and accessories.

Kristen Stewart may be a wallflower when she walks the red carpet, but leave her to dress herself up, and she looks happy and carefree in the best ways possible. Also, doesn't she look so much better when she's just doing her own thing? We know Cosmo will have you edge-up a floral dress with a badass leather jacket, but worn, as seen here, with a pair of dark wash skinnies and tee, the jacket looks every bit as stylish as it would on a lace prairie skirt or something similar.

Ties are a little tricky: do they make you seem hip, or tip you over the thin line between boyfriend chic to just 'boyfriend'. AnnaLynne McCord works all trends to her advantage, but she balances the look out here, with a soft-collared shirt and loose curls. If we were to pick one item that is not necessarily a 'staple', this would be it.

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