Last month, American actor Kaley Christine Cuoco wore a bridal jumpsuit on her wedding day. While The Big Bang Theory actor wore a white lace dress for the actual ceremony, she later changed into a lace jumpsuit for the reception. As for the jumpsuit, besides being a talking point, it has also become a new trend set forth by the megastar. The idea of a bridal jumpsuit saw a bit of a revival earlier this year when Pronovias, the popular wedding and cocktail company, debuted a super sheer naked design. The 2018 Wedding Report on Pinterest reported that interest in bridal jumpsuits rose by 178% .
It’s no wonder that Jane Fonda’s stylist recently called jumpsuits as “the epitome of a modern woman’s wardrobe”. Hours spent trying to pair outfits or colour-coordinating can all take a backseat with a jumpsuit. A decade or two back, the sight of jumpsuits was a rare occurrence. They made irregular appearances at some club or a street on a hot summer day. But over the years, it has changed, with the garment becoming a staple choice for most fashionistas. According to reports, global sales of jumpsuits are up and even though winters are usually the preferred month for this garment, they have become a summer favourite too.
The word ‘jumpsuit’ came from the one-piece flight suit used by pilots and parachutists during World War II. According to reports, Thayat, a Florentine artist and designer, created the first-ever jumpsuit in 1919 as a practical piece of clothing worn by parachuters and sky divers. That’s how the garment got its name—quite literally a suit for jumping. Even race car drivers and aviators sported it early on. Later, it was designer Elsa Schiaparelli, rival to Coco Chanel, who put the jumpsuit on the fashion map in the 1930s. The revolutionary designer shook up the Paris couture scene with her innovative designs.
Whether you call it a jumpsuit, a boilersuit or a coverall, the all-in-one is one of the most popular items on ramps right now. And it is an equally popular selling item on fashion streets around the world. It’s not just the women who are sporting this ubiquitous garment. Jumpsuits might feel like a relatively new addition to a man’s wardrobe, but they have a long history with style icons like Winston Churchill, Paul Newman, David Bowie, and Kanye West who have popularised it over the years.
The garment got its cult status with plenty of pop icons performing in jumpsuits. Be it Madonna in Papa Don’t Preach or Britney Spears in Oops! I Did It Again, the girls have glamourised the outfit. Katharine Hepburn gave the jumpsuit a touch of Hollywood glamour when she wore a monogrammed silk one-piece in her 1937 film Stage Door. But, of course, the jumpsuit wasn’t only for celebrities, it was a popular look for many people during the disco era. The flowing cuts allowed women to have the ease of pants, while still giving the illusion of a dress.
There’s a reason why trendsetters love jumpsuits. They are great for an evening out, workday wear, suit well for a date night and even for strolling through the market. They can be worn both elegantly and casually and can be flattering for most body types. Nothing is easier to wear than the jumpsuit and designers like Stella McCartney and Marc Jacobs know it too well, having sent at least one down the runway last season. In 2018, wearing a jumpsuit as evening—or occasionwear—is no big deal. It seems the jumpsuit has finally made a transition from a fashion statement piece to fashion staple.
