2017 Flashback, #5 - The Jumpsuit

Hi darlings, I hope your Christmas went just how you dreamed it would. I spent the day with loved ones and I had the most special time, certainly the stuff of my dreams. 

But just where has 2017 gone?  It feels like it's flown by, New surprise really as speeding trim seems to be one of life's little gifts bestowed rather cruelly on the old.  And as the calendar counts us through to the end of December, I thought it would be nice to look back to the most popular posts of this year.  

My post on jumpsuits (here) inspired some to share their experiences of this challenging piece of clothing.  I'm sharing it again with you today.

6th September 2017

Hello, my dear readers.  Just thought I'd touch base with you to check in with my jump suit try on, whilst I busy myself making some sense of my many cruise pics.  It's a full report so get yourself a cup of tea!

You may recall me being lured recently by a certain little black jumpsuit here, the intention being to wear it on my cruise.

When it arrived, I excitedly put it through its paces, for a jumpsuit had not touched my skin in 30-odd years.  My previous one-and-only was what can loosely be described as a Sting-inspired blue boiler suit.  I think I felt closer to my idol each time I wore it.  So that was often, then!

What am I looking for in a jumpsuit in the teensies?

Well, here's my 6 step testing.

1.  Fabric-hang.  

I think the first port of call with a jumpsuit is that the fabric must be cool but heavy enough to hang well, smoothly sliding over the curves bumps.  

Tick.

2. Simplicity.   

It's line and colour/pattern must give me versatility.  This is black and a very simple cut, so a good vehicle to change mood with accessories.  It's the epitome of a blank canvas.

Tick.

I was a-feared it may sag at the waist and I go a-tumbling on a hem snag.   So here I added a plaited Peacocks belt; it blended with the gold trim and the jumpsuit itself.

And though it comes with its own adornment, it's not a permanent fixture.

Allow me to talk you through this gold trim. I don't want to be constrained by the one look the gold trim dictates.  I'd decided it needed DIY if it was a keeper.  

Well, the clever Roman Originals peeps had already done that for me; the trim is attached to lobster claws which fit discretely on ribbon hooks under the neckline folds.  Oh how I love that little touch!

3. All-season suitability.  

I added to the mix an evening version of my cardi staple, a little black jersey shrug.  It creates a nice line for chillier evenings.  I say evenings but I reckon with the right accessories I could wear it day-time too.

Tick.

I played around with a second belt.  Just look at my concentration!

This v. old (30 years?) black soft leather studded tie belt seemed to blend in better than the plaited belt.  Doesn't break the line.  What do you think?

And what did The Photographer think? Well, of course by this stage I was hearing his negative  "sack tied in the middle" grumblings, the worst fashion faux pas in his universe; I chose to ignore this.

But then, without fanfare to attract his attention triumphant gloating, I slipped it off.

4. Shapely line.

So, without a belt.  The elasticated waist (perfect for a gluttonous cruise!) is firm enough to hold up on its own and the suit looks sleeker this way, yet shapely. 

OK, you just may have been right this one time, TP!

Tick.

5. An accessory playground.

I played around with turquoise and silver jewellery. 

It would be a great vehicle for scarves, belts, cardis, overshirts and jackets.  Oh, my mind is a-whir with the playmates I can find for it!

Simply put, it's a black jumpsuit - it can play with any thing and any colour, including itself for a chic Left Bank look.

Heavens, I can see it accessorised with wellies, headscarf and corgis - it's fit for a queen on her Sandringham break!

So that's a big royal Tick!

6. Little room accessibility.

It's paramount that a jumpsuit passes this stage in the testing!

Well, after putting it through its clinical paces in the Pout Laboratory with a few ons-and-offs, I gave it the keeper rubber stamping.

So I wore it on my cruise for our posh night.  

The real test eventually arrived.  I needed "to go" in the casino.  Well, that was the perfect, albeit not typical, place to see how this baby performed.  The loo cubicle was generous in size.

 I managed to unzip with ease in that generous space, without a cry-out for sister's help. 

And you know, although my rolled-down jumpsuit didn't quite hit the floor tiles, I wouldn't have minded if it had, so clean and shiny were the facilities.

Re-zipping wasn't a biggie, even with the inflexibility of age, 

though the elegant fabric-covered button at the neckline was a tad laborious and tiresome without help.

And off, I went, back to the roulette table ... to watch!

So, despite irritating button work, that experience was as good as it can be for a jumpsuit, so accessibility too is a relieving Tick.

And that, my dears, is my black jumpsuit testing  - A Big Fat Jumpsuit Tick!

What do you think?

A la perchoine.