If you’re a guy who follows fashion, you’ve likely seen a peculiar trend cropping up in menswear over the past year. A one-piece garment trend, to be precise. Seemingly all of a sudden, dudes are splashed across the pages of fashion editorials wearing “onesies” in all manner of cuts, fabrics, and styles. The athletic hooded romper. The iconic blue-collar coverall (or boilersuit, as it’s known in the U.K.). The rakish jumpsuit with its flattering shoulder-to-waist ratio. And it’s not just the usual suspects (Carhartt, Dickies, et. al.) offering these workwear-inspired garments. Even high-end brands like Fendi, Gucci, and Bottega Veneta have jumped into the jumpsuit game.
It’s undeniable that the men’s jumpsuit, when worn correctly, offers guys the best of both worlds: supreme comfort and effortless style. The question is, why has this garment been such an overlooked category in men’s fashion?
There’s a reason that these one-piece garments have been worn by cultural icons throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, including Paul Newman, Brad Pitt, Devendra Barnhart, Kanye West, Ashton Kutcher, the Beastie Boys, even Winston Churchill. These one-piece garments offer the comfort and convenience of sweats with the tailored structure of high-end selvedge denim or fine suiting fabrics. Plus, it moves seamlessly from loungewear to workwear, and offers timeless working-class style. You can let it all hang out but nobody will ever know. No wonder your girlfriend has ten of these in her closet.
Best Jumpsuits for Men
Buy at Dickies
The Don Draper of jumpsuits, this model from Dickies has it all: a generous fit in the shoulders and chest, a bi-swing back for full mobility, and elastic inserts at the waist that are quite forgiving. Built out of durable twill with brass hardware, this jumpsuit is just as durable in function as it is in form.
Asos Short Sleeve Boilersuit
The retro roots of this fitted jumpsuit are on full display with a nipped-in waist, tapered leg, and open collar. The perfectly proportioned fit makes it ideal for taking up parkour, dropping into a breakdancing battle, or just showing off the muscle tone and flexibility you’ve developed during lockdown. Along with the pale blue acid wash, we like the responsible sourcing of this jumpsuit’s material.
Tips for How to Wear Your Jumpsuit
Never belt! (Unless the belt is built into the jumpsuit, that is.) If you want a more structured look in your jumpsuit, choose a more fitted model or get your jumpsuit custom tailored.
Buttoning your jumpsuit up to the neck gives your look some ultra-mod polish, while folding up the leg cuffs and popping the collar makes you effortlessly debonair. For casual style with a little extra sizzle, roll up the sleeves to the elbows and unbutton or unzip enough to show a tank or tee underneath.
Mix up your jumpsuit’s monochromatic look with a bold striped tee underneath. If you’re feeling extra daring, roll the legs up to mid-shin and wear a matching pair of rugby socks pulled up high underneath.
Formalize your jumpsuit with a crisp collared oxford shirt, buttoned all the way up, underneath a partly undone upper half.
