Cue the Smudgy Mirror Series!

Wearing Mango Polka Dot Jumpsuit

My original title for this article was going to be, “How to Quickly Look Put Together, Even Expensive, but Without Feeling Really Awkward and Uncomfortable“.

Words of wisdom I told myself and my mother whilst shopping one day, “If you got a pair of pants in a print or colour in a particular fabric and there is a matching top GET IT.” Straight up this could sound like a recipe for basically buying ridiculous head to toe outfits that one will never wear because one looks like one is in one’s pyjamas but not the fabulous striking pyjama look a la Gucci or Pucci or Celine but more like I haven’t got my crap together today and just left my house in my pyjamas because I am telling myself they totally look like a throwback to when velour tracksuits were so IN. No, not what I mean. Also, someone please bring back velour tracksuits. Sometimes, you get a pair of pants and they are FABULOUS and you just cannot wait to wear them, until, oh no, the heck do I wear with them up top. Get the set. When you wear head to toe of one print, fabric, colour, it is nearly always flattering. But sometimes sets can end up looking bulky because there is just too much fabric or they break the body up. When you get a jumpsuit that is all one colour, fabric, print the eye travels easily down the line and you end up looking elongated and better yet, you look put together.

I haven’t always worn jumpsuits, they can look quite overally and also depending on how they’re made, SUCH A PAIN to go to the loo. And then I remember I found this really slinky jersey jumpsuit in a deep dark navy. Two years ago (?) I wore that to a friend’s wedding with a pale blush blazer, 5 months pregnant. Soooooo comfortable and I peed twice easily, nobody guessed I was pregnant, it was THAT FLATTERING. I think depending on how it is cut and put together, the fabric finds your natural waist and then falls gently over your curves, swishing over everything. Last month I was in Singapore and I saw a girl wearing a crisp white jumpsuit that had embroidery all over the torso, it looked AMAZING on her. So crisp, breezy and fresh! The legs were almost like culottes. After that is when I turned to my mum and said, “I think jumpsuits are the way to go.” Hours after that we came across this Mango jumpsuit and it was love at first sight.

I was in desperate need for some quality sleep when I took this photo (I’ll get it when the baby goes to college, I know, it’s fine, momlife blah blah, I get it!) and I hadn’t done my hair or makeup but I felt sooooooooo comfy and happy. If only cameras could capture FEELINGS. We were rushing out to dinner in 15 minutes and I knew exactly what I would wear. If I really wanted to I could slick on some red lipstick. But I was pretty much DONE. For less than $100 I’m really happy with my Mango jumpsuit. The buttons don’t button anything but the fabric has a beautiful crepe like texture that is super comfortable and has enough give to make it breastfeeding friendly. I’m having a really silly issue at the moment though because it is over in Sydney and I’m in Jakarta. I have lost count the number of times I’ve considered getting another one so I can wear it NOW. Hahaha ugh. Is that stupid? Yes, ok, I know.

I have a lot of love to give when it comes to finding an easy to wear outfit so I found a few more options to love but they had to meet my list of requirements.

These are my requirements:

1. they need to be a comfortable fabric that is low maintenance (no steam cleaning or ironing)
2. they need to be good quality but reasonably priced (I went with nothing over $200 – there is a splurgey one but it’s SO AUDREY, but we will tell each other it is only to look at. I’m over buying something cheap that looks cheap after one wash cycle. It’s got to have staying power.)
3. wide straps and a clean neckline (you can wear a normal bra for better support if you want, but my main reason is this gives a cleaner look, easy to style and is universally flattering)
4. comfortable (NO CATSUITS! I basically want to be able to go to lunch and not feel like a button is going to pop . They also need to be easy to put on and off, you know, to pee or to breastfeed, hopefully not at the same time!)
5. easy style that won’t date (I do not want to come back to it next season and think “yikes, no thank youuuuuu!“. I’m after classic, everlasting, wardrobe staple type stuff which is why it can be a print but not a really crazy print.)

Clockwise from top left:

By Free People in black or purple also comes in red

Some reviewers said that the strap came off really suddenly but the majority said nope nothing like that happened. I wonder if it might just be a matter of how you put it on? 

By Eileen Fisher 

This is EXPENSIVEEEEEE. Very Audrey Hepburn though! I think if you were doing a total overhaul of your closet and sticking to a very modest number of outfits only (for the rest of your life haha) then this is one to consider. If it’s good quality and you’ll wear it often for a long time, then I think it’s alright. (Do not quote me) A good quality bag, shoes, maybe a scarf and that’s it. Oh and the big black sunglasses, of course. Not convenient for breastfeeding but not everyone has that as a consideration! I’ve worn something similar recently but it was a two piece. I felt comfortable and elegant, really! I’m including this jumpsuit but we’ll probably just leave it as a look not buy for now. 

By Eileen Fisher, a little more casual

You could still find ways to dress it up for evenings. A blazer or a jacket and smarter shoes would do the trick.

By Free People, this comes in a few colours

I like this creamy sand colour best.

What do you think of jumpsuits? Do you dig them?

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