Jumpsuits, the changelings of fashion... And yet...
I've been thinking of doing a post like this for a while but as you may know, Gertie has beaten me to it. But that's not going to stop me from adding my twopence.
As a child in the 1980's I think I owned and wore a jumpsuit. A pink one with buttons down the front, which my mother had made. As far as I know, I have no pictures of it. After that, jumpsuits went out of fashion and I never thought about them anymore.
In recent, more fashion conscient-years, jumpsuits have been inhabited the same black spot in my sense of style as those other 80's favorites: leggings and tunics (although I did still wear leggings in the early 90's, I haven't embraced their recent revival).
However, jumpsuits are not a one-era phenomenon. Gertie showed great examples from the 1930's, which were news to me. The were utilitarian styles in the 1940's (of course, those were meant to work in) and they were hugely popular in the 1970's.
That much is shown, not just by my thrift store find but also by their presence in the 1970's issues of Marion.
And by this denim number which I will be knocking off for a friend (the original isn't in her size, she sent me the picture last year and I don't know where it came from).
And now, it seems, the jumpsuit is back. Of course, it's been on the verge of a come-back for over a year. Occasionally one might be spotted in a glossy fashion magazine, or on the back of some daring person in the street.
And now, I want to make one.
Not one of the kind you see most, like this (from H&M, just one of many in the online store. which really shows just how big the jumpsuit is for this season). I'm not a fan of that overall baggy look... Although it does solve the biggest fit problem of RTW jumpsuits: torso length is way more critical than with, say, trousers or dresses. Having loose and blousy bits on top ensures no problems with that.
No, I prefer the kind of silky jumpsuits Gertie described. And as much as I liked a lot of her examples, she missed what I consider the best I've seen so far.
This one, from the Yves Saint Laurant spring/summer 2011 show. I might not be above trying to create a knock-off of that... Sleek, silky and glamourous.
Although, of course, none of that solves the real problem with wearing jumpsuits: the bathroom problem...
So funny! "The bathroom problem" is really my gigantic hangup about jumpsuits. I like the idea of one-piece dressing, and most look very comfy. That being said, the YSL version that you picked has to be one of the best ones I've seen in years. And I know you'll rock the heck out of it. :)
ReplyDeletejumpsuit big freaking yay for two reasons:
ReplyDelete1. your 5 euro find
2. if enough peeps say yay, maybe you'll draft another fabulous thing i can drool over.
I agree with you on the bathroom problem. I think jumpsuits can be sleek with long pants and playful with short pants (as a romper.) But the thought of having a bathroom emergency is where I draw the line with the jumpsuit. Dresses are much more practical. :)
ReplyDelete