AWEAR | Be fashion aware: be awear.

The catwalk has shown plenty of lovely examples of how to wear a jumpsuit, but somehow when somebody tries it in real life, it just doesn’t work. Many of the common playsuits available look cheap and nasty, so unless you can afford to pay many hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars for designer versions, it really is hard to find a decent number. The non-designer ones generally come in three categories: really awful terrycloth, horizontal stripes, buttoned with a drawstring waist. Boring, non? The necklines also tend to be similar: strapless, spaghetti straps or crossover. No wonder they look horrid on most people!

Hot:

What makes these hot is the contrast between top and bottom. Ferragamo’s has the different stripes direction; Armani’s and Sienna Miller’s have the different colours; and the jumpsuit at Preen has an unusual neckline. Mara Hoffman’s number is a great look for winter and a good example of how to pair a playsuit with stockings. Most of these are also cinched at the waist so they don’t look like an extended boobtube.

Not:

These are the terrible ones seen on many girls during summer. Rihanna’s is original, but she looks like a clown or grandma. Nicole Richie seems to have a penchant for playsuits, but this one doesn’t work.

So what can we conclude?

1. Cinch the waist, but not with a drawstring
2. Contrast between top and bottom
3. Go for a neckline that’s a little different

By the way, I just discovered a jumpsuit is a full-length playsuit, but a romper is the same as a playsuit. I probably should have known that a long time ago…

Photos courtesy of New York Magazine, Just Jared, Birds of a Feather