A sure fire way to get your style to grow a pair is to follow in the footsteps of some ax wielding members of the fairer sex and take some liberties with a few classic men's wear pieces. Here are the 5 ladies of punk, rock, pop, and hip hop that are going to show you how it's done.

[caption id="attachment_67261" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Janelle Monae busts down the doors to the smoking room in a black velvet jacket like this one from Alexander McQueen"][/caption]

Nothing allows you to explore your louche side with none of burning sensation the morning after better than a black velvet blazer. As the always and forever dapper Ms. Monae demonstrates keeping it short and trim, like this excellent 2 button option from Alexander McQueen, ensures there will be no Hugh Hefner comparisons made. Skip the matching trousers until you start selling out venues or your home includes a conservatory and instead pair yours with dark, slim denim.

[caption id="attachment_67263" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Francoise Hardy proves she's nobody's old lady in a cropped leather jacket like this one from Schott"][/caption]

France's Taylor Swift did have a darker side as evidenced by this leather on leather on Honda ensemble. Classic leather jackets like this Schott Perfecto still carry all the connotations they had in the '60's: speed, sex appeal, and general moral lassitude. Wear yours like you would a favorite black blazer, with a shirt and tie during the week and jeans and a white tee on the weekend.

[caption id="attachment_67293" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Alison Mosshart of The Kills goes horizontal without laying down with a striped shirt like this one from Penfield"][/caption]

Just like Mick Jagger before her, the Y half of the Kills chromosome knows sometimes all it takes to start arena riots is a wide, horizontal striped shirt and an incendiary head of hair. A modern twist on classic knitted sailor sweaters, these shirts perform best when left unbuttoned and slightly loose. This version from Penfield take it to the next level with a half placket, popover model.

[caption id="attachment_67299" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Patti Smith takes tweed back for the kids in a blazer like this one from Black Fleece"][/caption]

Besides saftey pins through noses and the 30 second song, one of punk rock's most lasting gifts to us was taking all the outward trappings of respectabilty and flipping them on their ass. Take for example what Patti Smith has done here with a tweed houndstooth jacket that would be at home dusting honor's english blackboards: start with the most fuddy duddy (but slim!) blazer you can find, like this one from Black Fleece, and rough it up a bit with Ray Bans, a VERY open collar shirt, tapered, pegged denim, and a south of Houston attitude.

[caption id="attachment_67304" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Charlotte Gainsbourg gets in line to impersonate Bob Dylan in pleated striped trousers like these from Dolce and Gabbana"][/caption]

The Chelsea boots, unstructured tuxedo jacket, and striped, pleated pants mean that Gainsbourg the next generation is riding a serious Bob Dylan, Carnabie Street era, riff. Which is to say she looks timlessly rock n' roll. Pair some dark pleated pants like these from Dolce and Gabanna with your new, classic leather jacket and follow her down the road less traveled.

Evan Widhu is a men's wear buyer in New York. He wishes he looked one quarter as good in a bow tie as Janelle Monae does.