The last few seasons have taken the jumpsuit out of the "most sought after vintage find" category and placed it in "can't wait to see what version my fave Canadian designer will be inspired by this season!". The glorious rise of comfort and simplicity in design makes jumpsuits particularly well-suited to satisfy our sartorial needs. Combining the dressed up feelings of wearing a dress with the ease of pants, the jumpsuit is ruling our world!

Taking a moment to pause on the jumpsuit's history makes it even more interesting to see the nods to the past our designers are making with their jumpsuit designs:
  • In the 1920's, inspired by aviation wear, Coco Chanel named her version the "all in one". No doubt she would have deep appreciation for Noemiah's Samuel.
  • Jumpsuits (or rompers) were once the only swimwear option for women wanting to swim, fish or sail. With their wider and shorter legs they were often called 'Lounging Pyjamas' or 'Beach Pyjamas'. Dagg & Stacey definitely made my lounging dreams come true with the Hill, which is now newly restocked!
  • Originally intended as aviation or race-car driving wear, the jumpsuit easily morphed into workwear. When women took over factory work in massive numbers during WWII they also morphed the workwear to fit their needs, which meant cinched waists and closed wrists and ankles. Oneself's Jade jumpsuit (which is machine washable and now comes in black as well as white!) is similarly functional but stylish.
  • Probably most emblematic in all our minds is the disco era, with the era's most glamorous women busting out new moves on the dance floor in killer jumpsuits.  From Eve Gravel's Island Life to Birds of North America's Sparrow, on the dance floor may be the jumpsuit's true home!
Did I skip over any important iterations of the jumpsuit from the past? Oh yes I did. Jane Fonda's lycra-era jumpsuit as workout wear definitely has a place in all our minds, but thankfully not our closets - for now anyways!
June 12, 2017 — Ainslie Lahey