Because you deserve to be the best dressed homo in the office. Read previous posts here.
Header by Rory Midhani
If this column were called Lez Get Dressed For The Weekend, right now I would be telling you to get denim overalls. While I really think you should do that, I’ve brought you here to talk about what you’re wearing to the office, and you most likely shouldn’t be wearing your new weekend overalls. What you should wearing is the workday version of that: a jumpsuit!
Today I noticed a handful of people wearing jumpsuits in my office and they looked amazing, to the point that it inspired this entire post. The following is a list of reasons why you should look into investing in one. Or three. Unfortunately for my evening, there is apparently severe shortage of photos of queers rocking jumpsuits on the internet; the photos you see below will be mostly from brands. I’m sorry. It’s because you haven’t sent me a picture of yourself in a jumpsuit yet because you didn’t read this list yet. Anyway. This is why you should get one, like, now.
1. Jumpsuits are pants’ answer to dresses. Think about it: it’s an outfit out of just one thing, but it’s still pants. The leg can be as flowy or as skinny or as tailored as you want. Plus, since it’s summer and things are kindly being made in lightweight material, a jumpsuit will have similar body-cooling properties as a dress.
2. A jumpsuit is the ideal first layer. Is your office totally fucking freezing? Jumpsuits look great under blazers and cardigans, and you don’t have to worry about what shirt to wear since it’s built in.
3. You can wear a button up UNDER it. Worried a jumpsuit will show too much skin? Wear a button front or just a collared shirt (long sleeve, short sleeve, or sleeveless will all look great) underneath it. This will look amazing while being office-appropriate.
4. The aforementioned layerability makes it the perfect thing to wear to work if you have fancy plans after. Just shed the layers that make it work-wear.
via so stylish
5. It will look really good on you. Because this is just one piece of clothing, you don’t have to worry about tucking in or not tucking, or the gapping problem with button front shirts. It will flatter your curves or your not-curves, and you can find one that is as tight or as loose as you want.
Okay, have I convinced you? Why/why not?
Unfortunately, jumpsuits will never wear on me well. My bust is just way too big – anything tighter gets hoiked up and I get major wedgie/cameltoe, and anything looser just looks sack-ish on me.
Cryface.
Ditto! The only one that could work for me would be the first one (navy), but that’s a tad too much cleavage at work for my comfort level.
Busty girl problems *sigh*
Though I guess if you were really into it, you could just wear a little vest underneath for cleavage protection?
http://www.autostraddle.com/pointcounterpoint-rompers-garment-of-great-controversy-140245/
All things said about rompers are equally applicable to jumpsuits, pro and con. My only issue with jumpsuits is that peeing is probably difficult, and I drink a lot of water.
I would have filed jumpsuits right under “things that are never appropriate for the office in any way shape or form”. I guess it depends on where you work, but none of what you’ve posted would cut it in my office. And we’re not super formal either. I’d save it for the weekend.
it’s so interesting how different outfits work for different industries. i guess that’s a “duh”, but even how different offices interpret “business casual” OR how the same office can shift their perception when management positions change / new people come in with different expectations is fascinating. OFFICE CULTURE YOU GUYS. BLOWING MY MIND.
That’s a good point, Vanessa! It would blow my mind to work somewhere that a suit or less formal riffs on business wear wasn’t required. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll get a boss who loves jumpsuits and all the lawyers at my work will start jumpsuits made out of suit material. WHO KNOWS.
I don’t get an awful lot of time to pee at work, and having to take off a jumpsuit would really eat into that : /
Ugh, jumpsuits. :( I think they are SUPER CUTE and look great on the people who wear them, and I bet I would look super cute in a jumpsuit too… but I’m freakishly tall and lanky, so I’ve never been able to find one that didn’t give me painful camel toe, if I could even manage to get it on.
I felt the need to comment on how excellent your username is.
That is all.
gabrielle i love you oh so much but there is no way i will ever wear a jumpsuit anywhere, let alone to work. my boobs + my tummy + my short stature + trying to pee + i kind of feel like they look like dance costumes but that may be ptsd from all the awful dance costume jumpsuits i had to wear in my youth + my office is kind of casual + i hope to move to a farm soon = no.
i will totally take you up on that suggestion to buy denim overalls, though. hopefully in time for dyke march (!!!).
Jumpsuits for the farm are called “cover-alls” and they are amazing and will change your farming life! So I recommend them! Plus you can wear them tied around your waist like in Firefly, which is the best part.
omg yes want.
After I watched Firefly I spent a lot of time wondering if I could pull off the coveralls-around-the-waist thing (because Kaylee always looked so cute in them). I don’t have any practical reason to wear coveralls, though, so I am pretty sure I would look ridiculous. If I ever become a farmer or a spaceship mechanic, this will be my daily uniform.
I often feel like I don’t need to comment on articles because Vanessa just takes all the words out of my brain. This entire first paragraph is the perfect example. It’s really kind of scary and amazing.
Yes, I think you should definitely do a “lez get dressed for the weekend” thingie on overalls but jumpsuits? I’m still a little traumatized from the late 70s-early 80s.
And yes, Cuntess von Fingerbang, excellent name indeed.
No.
Took the words right out of my mouth.
OMG, Gabrielle, these are so cute! I feel like I’ve seen a bunch of graphic designers going to meetings in these this June with, like, blazers over them? Is that a thing? Am I making that up?
OMG! Everyone looks so comfy and cool (both literally and figuratively)!
So cute!
It’s funny that people above are saying they can’t wear jumpsuits because they’re too busty because I can’t wear them for the opposite reason! But maybe it’s actually the same reason – I feel like you have to be pretty equi-proportionate (not a word) to pull off a jumpsuit. I wear 2-3 sizes larger in skirts/pants than I do in tops so I’ve always assumed jumpsuits wouldn’t work for me. Is it possible that I’m wrong?
My high school girlfriend would get really excited about seemingly silly fashion things. The rest of us would make fun of her forever about them, but then a season or two later they would be everywhere … first it was gladiator sandals, then summer scarves, now the jumpsuit! maybe it’s her superpower.
I just invested in two jumpsuits and I look killer in both of them but they are impossible to remove quickly enough to make peeing practical. PROBLEM! I am not sure what to do, aside from hire a personal declothing assistant to follow me around and help me strip as necessary.
The strapless ones would probably be pretty easy to slip down and pee? Or…now I’m picturing jumpsuits with those flaps at the back so you can go pee quickly. Hmmm…not sexy.
even though a lot of people seem put off, i have a closet full of rompers and jumpsuits and i just ordered two more today. I LOVE THEM AND THIS ARTICLE. thank you!!
NEVER PUT OFF. just totally in awe / acknowledging it would never work with me and my body. but you keep getting down with your rompers and jumpsuits and bad self, PLEASE. for serious. :)
Rompers are a different story. I love them, and they’re great for casual summer days. I’m not a huge fan of jumpsuits though. Occasionally, I’ll find one that looks ok.
YAY
This whole jumpsuit dad reminds me of Sam’s Parisian Night Suit on Freaks and Geeks. To be fair, his dance is pretty much what I do every day before leaving the house:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAvKt0kuOhE
So I am loving this whole series, but I’m really struggling to see how to make all the outfits work for my body type (fairly curvy). Do you have any insight as to how to make them work for people who have a sizable butt and D cup boobs? I’d love to see pictures of women of all body types pulling these outfits off!
I love this! I would totally wear a jumpsuit to work and love that you related it to a dress– they’re similarly versatile… blazer over, blouse under, boots vs. flats = new staple item. I work at a nonprofit in SF and comfortability with a dash of creativity is totally appropriate. Thanks for the inspiration!
YES! We’re obsessed with jumpers slazy cousin: the romper. ROMP IT OUT!
Even if I couldn’t pull these off, I love the idea of professional rompers.
Gabrielle! I take it back.. This could totally work! (“reality checks be damned!”)
I saw it for myself, but i’m still not convinced I could rock it..lol
It was so amazing meeting and marching with you today, and I can’t wait to do it again! (C;
Hahaha yay!! And I think you could totally rock it. Thanks for marshaling :) it was awesome meeting you too!!
Can you wear a jumpsuit to a job interview ? An all black one or an all grey one for example with maybe a coloured blazer on top ? – please help