retrofitted – jumpsuits

As fashions from the past resurface with new generations, they summon a myriad of emotions, from excitement to dread. So, if you’re one of those folks who never quite hopped aboard the jumpsuit trend in the sixties and seventies (and even later!), you’re most likely not going to be buying one this year. Actually,  jumpsuits have made an appearance in almost every decade since the  early 1900s. Of course, they weren’t labeled jumpsuits then. They had a much more utilitarian name – overalls.

The first overalls were not readily designed for women. They were a unisex item, sold mostly in the men’s section of stores, and were tailored for farming, mining and other laborious jobs. After World War I, women were needed to work men’s jobs and couldn’t very well do that in frilly dresses. So they turned to overalls.

It wasn’t until the mid 1930s that overalls became an acceptable option for casual leisure clothing for women, and they were often made of lightweight blue cotton with white patriotic embellishments to mimic navy uniforms.

In the World War II climate of the forties, overalls once again grew in popularity, but this time they were better designed for women with a more fitted silhouette. They also donned big pockets and metal buckles, Rosie the Riveter style. 

Even though women’s overalls were born from an industrial need, in the swinging sixties and seventies they truly came into their own. The overalls from the past became jumpsuits. With flared legs. In flowing fabrics. Flirty, sexy, and very feminine. In fact, I remember the very moment I fell in love with jumpsuits. My parents were going to a Cotillion Club ball, and my siblings and I were being corralled into the den by my grandmother who was on babysitting duty. When my mother came out of her bedroom, I remember being mesmerized. Of course, it may have been the overwhelming scent of Avon’s Bird of Paradise perfume. Nonetheless, in my little girl’s mind, my mother looked like a movie star. I even remember the details of her outfit, a jumpsuit she had made herself. It was pastel lemon-colored satin with a chiffon overlay. Flowing palazzo pants, a round neck, and sleeveless. But the most stunning detail was a string of tiny fabric-covered buttons cascading down her back with a beautiful bow fashioned out of the delicate yellow chiffon. Her hair was in a french twist (naturally), and although I don’t remember her jewelry, I like to believe that her clip-on earrings dangled to her shoulders with rhinestone balls on the ends. 

With such a memorable impression of jumpsuits, it’s no wonder that I’m thrilled to see them make a comeback. And here are a few of my favorites in stores today.

I know many of you are still in the throws of cold weather, but since I’m wintering in Florida this year, I can’t wait to get my hands on a cute jumpsuit pattern and beautiful fabric. Who knows? Maybe I’ll even add some tiny covered buttons and pair it with some huge dangle earrings.