The 'done' Hollywood glamour of dresses has been eclipsed by
the all-in-one effortlessness of the jumpsuit
The jumpsuit matrix: from hot to meh. Photograph: Guardian Design
With the holy trinity of red carpet dressing – fairytale gowns, gobstopper jewels and up-dos worthy of Grace Kelly – Cannes always has the internet in a collective swoon. But this year there was something different. In among the floor-length dresses was a red-carpet rebel: the jumpsuit. Kristen Stewart and Jennifer Lawrence both wore them and former Bond girl Sophie Marceau was dressed by Giorgio Armani in a sparkly sequinned one. It was the style hit of the festival.
This is new – rewind to 2009 and the British Fashion Awards; designers Phoebe Philo and Stella McCartney both wore jumpsuits and it was unusual enough to be remarked on. In five years, the jumpsuit has gone from one of those trends that only fashion people wear – and everyone else laughs at – to being on the verge of becoming a staple for all. All of a sudden it's an acceptable eveningwear option, respectable attire for a wedding and strong competition for that looking-smart fail-safe: the dress. The jumpsuit is the Ukip of summer 2014 style – a curveball out to ruffle the feathers of the mainstream.
It's not just at the glossiest end of celebrity. Anyone who might appear on the sidebar of shame is giving them a go, with varying degrees of success (see our jumpsuit matrix, above). Breakfast TV presenters (Susanna Reid) and Saturday night entertainers (Alesha Dixon) have discovered the jumpsuit, and I'd wager that Cheryl Cole's return to X Factor will see her judging in one. With that old Hollywood glamour thing starting to look dead tired, and the dress a signature of Kate Middleton's Head Sloane look, the jumpsuit has gone mass.
Dree Hemingway, Kristen Stewart, Jennifer Lawrence Photograph: Rex, Getty
Asos reports that sales of jumpsuits have doubled since last year across all styles, and they sell well at Matchesfashion.com, too, where a Saint Laurent tuxedo style sold out in two days. At Whistles, the Lovebird jumpsuit – a strapless design, shown as part of the brand's show in September – has been a favourite, as well as the more casual Gracie, which was a brand bestseller for two consecutive weeks. Jane Shepherdson, CEO of Whistles and general oracle of what women want to wear, admits she was surprised. "When we put the Lovebird on the catwalk, we thought that it wouldn't translate into sales," she says. "However, it successfully combines elegance and effortlessness – two very hard things to carry off, and the perfect combination for event dressing."
It's that effortless quality that provided the light-bulb moment. Fashion is in a period where nonchalance is the most highly prized trait over glamour. Looking "done", like you spent hours on your outfit, is so 2011 street-style blog.
Once you have found the right one – the fit is crucial – the jumpsuit is something to slip on and forget about; the 2014 equivalent of the LBD. "I don't think it is about replacing the dress; it is about giving alternative options that break the rules of what eveningwear should be," says designer Roksanda Ilincic. "Today, women want to feel comfortable and confident, and aren't restricted by preconceptions of what glamour or femininity has to look like."
Wearable from eight till eight: Kate Moss wears a green boiler suit to the Unique show at London Fashion Week AW14. Photograph: Danny E Martindale/Getty Images
If jumpsuits are now officially bedded in as another option for after-dark, their next challenge is segueing into an off-duty look. This is where the jumpsuit's cousin, the boiler suit, comes in. The green Topshop one that Kate Moss wore to the Unique show this February looked cool and wearable from eight till eight. For a bit more of a utilitarian feel, Matchesfashion.com namechecks a loose khaki Raquel Allegra number as a bestseller and the site is launching a mini collection of denim jumpsuits next month. "The great thing about the jumpsuit is you can embrace the high-low method of dressing – wear them with brogues or heels," says buying manager, Suzanne Pendlebury. "They make an outfit in one, which makes life easy." When you put it like that, it's a no-brainer – and proof that fashion was right after all.
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