Trouser Alternatives - The Fashion Jumpsuit, Playsuits and Shorts
Latest Fashion Trends for Spring & Summer 2009
As the noughties decade comes to an end, several important
changes are occurring in ladies trousers. Pants are
reinventing themselves as the fashion jumpsuit.
Spring 2009 sees a major fashion trend in the form of the
jumpsuit or playsuit.
Students of fashion history are always intrigued how styles of a
previous generation are recreated in a new form. What we
are seeing in 2009 is a fashion trend for trousers to join up with tops,
the result is the retro
all-in-one jumpsuit, flying suit or playsuit.
However, these latest jumpsuits are much more stylish than their
predecessors. Indeed, it is because of the popularity of
the jumpsuit in the
high street that this page is dedicated to picking out the most
important elements of fashion trends for
all-in-one
jumpsuits.
For 2009
narrow trouser legs have risen above ankle. High waist
bands and peg-top carrot shaping means what was lost at the
ankle has been taken care of above waist.
Looking at the big fashion picture, the new trouser fashions are still too
new to compete with the current importance of the dress. However, at least
one pair of new style pants is beginning to live side-by-side with the dresses
in a woman's wardrobe.
The new trend started when top designers such as Alexander McQueen
showed jumpsuits. McQueen presented both these glamour girl body-con jumpsuits, shown
above left,
at his spring summer
2009 runway show.
The fabric
McQueen designed with has been
Swarovski CRYSTALLIZED.
What this means is that the jumpsuit material has been embedded with
luxury crystal pieces that glimmer in a way that only top notch
Austrian crystal can. The result takes the jumpsuit into the
realm of exotic evening wear.
We mere mortals may favour
something more down to earth, but each one of us can admire the
figure-defining cut of both these jumpsuits which are most
reminiscent of knitted lace jumpsuits circa 1971.
Jumpsuits
were an enormously popular fashion trend of the late 60s/early 1970s,
and then again in the 1980s as flying suits. Each time the classic colours
for jumpsuits were initially black or
white, with white jumpsuits often being halter neck. Think Halston, think Studio 54. As the
fashion progresses so fabric prints, or two tone colours, always come into
play. In the late 60s vivid Pucci colourways and jazzy op-art
prints were a memorable sight.
This season amid many black, navy or grey styles you will find
plain bold bright colours such as the Santorini blue Miss Selfridge jumpsuit/playsuit
right. Another line in jumpsuits is satins and printed patterned fabrics,
especially floral fabrics with ditsy and dotty prints.
So let's see what the high street and a few designers have to
offer. Whether or not this jumpsuit fashion trend will make it into
the annals of costume history will depend on whether you the
public decide to adopt this fashion big time.
But face it, the jumpsuit is probably one
fashion garment which was not in your wardrobe last year, so
credit crunch or not, it may make sense to buy at least one version to suit your
shape. A girl has to wear something, so why not make it
fashionable?
The four fashion jumpsuits left are all from UK high street retailers,
they also all sell online. Each illustrates how the jumpsuit trouser legs can be wide,
cuffed, or narrow. You will also see variation in length from, floor
hugging, cut offs, play suits, knee length
or three quarter length. So this can be a fashion suited
to both short and tall girls, although shorter women should
avoid harem lines.
Above
Jumpsuit Details:-
First Left Above - Wallis Spring Summer 09, Navy halter jumpsuit
£60/€95.
Above
Second Left - Marks & Spencer Spring Summer 2009. Black
Portfolio Jumpsuit £55 - Due 3rd Feb and shown also immediate right on a
model. This is stunning and figure enhancing, it really shows those curves.
Above
Centre Right - Dorothy Perkins SS 09, Mink satin
jumpsuit with cuffed ankles, £40/€60.
Near Right - Dorothy Perkins Spring Summer 09. Charcoal
shoulder-drape jumpsuit £40/€60, also shown on the model left.
Don't be put off jumpsuits when you see a shapeless mass on
the hanger in a store. These are garments which need bodies
to fill them, and heels that
stride out, only then will the jumpsuit burst into life.
A fashionable jumpsuit has the advantage of meeting
evening/cocktail/occasion wear half way, and may well be the
solution for those moments when
you have no idea what to wear. Like the dress, jumpsuits are an easy to wear all-in-one fashion,
but if carefully chosen, have the advantage of being able to be
glamorous whilst enabling the wearer to pursue more active
pursuits discreetly.
If you are worried about your back view there are many long
line cardigans and trophy jackets that could ensure the
viability of this look. The sleek jumpsuit below from
Marks and Spencer has classic elements and looks well cut.
Note trends within this line up of fashion jumpsuits, moving from
full wide trousers, to reigning in that fullness with cuffs; and toward the
peg-top trouser/dhoti harem line with narrow tapering to the ankle.
Somewhere between the sophisticated jumpsuit and the 1970s retro
jumpsuit, is the softer
fashion playsuit. What we see here is a more fun version and which can be cropped or
designed as a shorts playsuit. Above Right - Jumpsuit - Warehouse Cares Recycled Silk
Jumpsuit - Spring Summer 2009.
Warehouse introduced a range of organic jersey pieces last
year as the initial launch of Warehouse Cares. The new recycled
silk collection is the next stage of the Warehouse Cares project
bringing high quality and directional fashion with the focus on
production, fabrics and the environment.
The new collection is made from recycled silk fabrics; this
technique involves removing the old colour, then re-spinning the
fabrics into
new silks. Warehouse Cares in-house team then produce clean-cut
designs with a
modern touch. The jumpsuit and camisole have ruffle fronts to
add verve, and epitomise the desire for this season to have style with a unique
fresh look.
These black playsuits are fun, comfortable, relaxed and easy-to-wear -
all perfect for younger women who can get away with looking
cute.
Right - River Island SS 2009 star print black jumpsuit.
Near Left - Dorothy Perkins Spring Summer 09 - Printed playsuit
£35 €55.
Fashion rules remind us that the closer the style a new jumpsuit
is to one you may have worn in the 1980s (or before), the more you should reassess the fad as a viable
fashion for you Sometimes you have to know when to give in gracefully, however
good your legs may be. You know who you are... Do remember that old saying - mutton
dressed as lamb. No amount of Botox will prevent a
recurrence of the 1771 truism!
Short playsuits can show ultra sophistication especially when they are
like this plain silken aqua tailored playsuit and the floral
print halter
version.
These
short playsuits, below and above, show you how the style can be as formal or
informal as you wish. From sleek, semi-tailored, aqua satin to
everyday sporty cargo looks; through to a playsuit with natty velour kangaroo pockets.
Above:-
Left - Asos aquamarine jumpsuit - To be
confirmed.
Centre Left - ASOS.com Womenswear Spring/Summer 2009 - Floral
Jumpsuit £35
Centre Right - www.asos.com
Floral playsuit - TBC.
Far Right - Dorothy Perkins Spring Summer 09 - Charcoal zip-thru
playsuit £40 €60.
In the picture above, the third sun playsuit has
a distinctive
thirties film star appearance. Team it with the latest
sunglasses and you could have stepped out of a
Hollywood movie.
Near Right - Oasis satin playsuit - Oasis Spring
Summer 2009 - TBC.
Far Right - This playsuit by Jasper Conran
with a stretch towel velour fabric would be perfect for a lounging
around a beach or pool situation. It is from the J Jeans by
Jasper Conran Swimwear at Debenhams range - J Jumpsuit £25/€39 -
Debenhams Spring/Summer 2009.
The white shorts shown left are from Benetton,
and as such are a standard item in the wardrobe of many women.
Ever
since the 1950s film South Pacific, neat white shorts have been
a summer winner with women everywhere, especially where they show off
toned legs at sea resorts.
For 2009 shorts can be South Pacific or Bermuda
long. Any length is acceptable, but newer looks involve
the use of floral fabric or baggy full harem styling.
The floral shorts centre are from asos.com.
ASOS - Ditsy Floral Shorts £25.
If you want to wear shorts but seek a more formal look, try these taupe tailored Bermuda
style fashion shorts by George at Asda, they look just the ticket to take you
through a day at work and play after.
Many people like to shop online from websites that also
send out catalogues. In UK Boden is very popular with women of a
wide age range because their garments are quality led. One
feature I appreciate is that their website allows users to
comment on sizing - good or bad - which, in turn, enables others to gauge
a garment before they place an order.
Boden does casual looks that still manage to retain some
smartness, and here are two quite differently put
together shorts outfits below. The Boden Chino shorts left cost
£29 and the longer shorts right cost £35.
If you like
to order certain basics from a small company like Boden, (as I
do) then
take time in this year of the credit crunch to support these
favourite retailers, as a result both you and they will benefit
when we come out of the recession - as we surely must.
And you can even shop from UK Boden if you live overseas. They say on their website :- 'Just order
online at our www.boden.co.uk
website, call us on +44 208 328 7000 or fax us on +44 208 328
7001. Boden charge everything in UK pounds, so you may want to
work out the exchange rate. It's also worth bearing in mind that
local import duties may be payable on receipt of goods.'
This page has been about alternatives to styles of pants or
trousers. It has assessed the new 2009 jumpsuit fashion trend,
playsuits and summer shorts. Looks just like a year when you are
spoilt for bifurcated choice.
Mrs Bloomer would be so proud.
Copyright of images courtesy of prshots, Swarovski,
Oasis, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Miss Selfridge, New Look,
Debenhams,
River Island, Marks & Spencer, Benetton, Boden, ASOS,
Warehouse. Header jumpsuit image is from Marks and Spencer -
Portfolio jumpsuit £55.
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The fabric
McQueen designed with has been
These
short playsuits, below and above, show you how the style can be as formal or
informal as you wish. From sleek, semi-tailored, aqua satin to
everyday sporty cargo looks; through to a playsuit with natty velour kangaroo pockets.
Ever
since the 1950s film South Pacific, neat white shorts have been
a summer winner with women everywhere, especially where they show off
toned legs at sea resorts.
