Jumpsuit Fever

"Anyone can get dressed up and glamorous, but it is how people dress in their days off that are the most intriguing."

                                                 -Alexander Wang

Jumpsuits have made a comeback the past few years and are still going strong in the land of high fashion. The adult onesie has been around for the past century and embraced by luminaries such as Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and Audrey Hepburn for its style and comfort. Even Winston Churchill was famous for his "siren suit" that noted London tailors Turnbull & Asser custom made for him in blue, red, and green velvet. The one-piece-wonder is not only fashionable, but is also worn for its practicality by skydivers, race car drivers, and stage performers.

Yigal Azrouël Spring 2015 RTW

Along with other online luxury fashion retailers, matchesfashion.com has a great selection of jumpsuits for fall 2014 including designs by Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, and Rag & Bone. One of my favorites is a Saint Laurent wool-gabardine tuxedo jumpsuit listed for $3,291 that is currently sold out. "The great thing about the jumpsuit is you can embrace the high-low method of dressing – wear them with brogues or heels," says matchesfashion.com's buying manager, Suzanne Pendlebury. "They make an outfit in one, which makes life easy."

Others think the jumpsuit is giving the LBD a run for its money. It is versatile and easily transitions from day to evening. It is even being seen as a replacement for gowns on the red carpet at award shows. There is something utilitarian about the one piece look that acts somewhat as a uniform and feels empowering to wear.

With New York and London fashion weeks behind us and the beginning of fashion week in Milan, we have already seen a multitude of jumpsuits walk down the runways for spring 2015. Marc Jacobs showed loose fitting one piece militaristic pantsuits in shades of green while Yigal Azrouël opted for a more feminine lace version.

This week I designed my first pants jumpsuit. I've made one piece shorts playsuits before, but never attempted pants. As I just tweaked the pattern I recently made for a black and white top, it was quick and easy to construct the top portion of the jumpsuit. I added some blue piping and included four blue buttons down the sides of the cuffs for a pop of color.

Constructing this garment was all about measurements and getting the proportions just right for the perfect fit. It is a great transition piece for fall and will lessen the time I have to spend picking out separates in the closet (although more time spent zipping back up in the ladies' room).

Made in Colorado