S TYLE FILE 5 LOS ANGELES COLLEGIAN Wednesday, March 10, 2010 By Toi Troutman U biquitously, the jumpsuit is back for spring 2010. On last year’s runways, the jumpsuit made a splashing comeback that seemed more like a flashback from the 1960s and are the essence of elegant and effortless chic. After a brief comeback in the 1980s, they are now becoming a mainstream in everyday fashion. Everyone from Kim Kardashian and Cameron Diaz to Tyra Banks and Rihanna are rocking fabulous jumpsuits. Luckily, for men, unless you count the institutional variety worn by construction workers, auto mechanics, custodians, plumbers and prisoners, jumpsuits will not return to mainstream fashion. As for women, lengths range from thigh to floor—unless you are extremely brave and are willing to try the “cheeky” variety that barely covers your backside—the possibilities are endless with this fashion trend we thought had long left both the runway and our closets. Yes, it seems even the one-piece hot pants outfit in your mom’s treasure chest is quite wearable for spring and summer 2010, even if it’s made of gold lamé spandex. “I love jumpsuits! I have a brown one in my closet that I picked up from a thrift store. It’s like a onesie,” says Kristin Thomas, psychology major at Los Angeles City College. The jumpsuit comes in everything from jersey to silk or crepe in four basic cuts: bellbottoms; Capri; Skinny leg drop crotch (i.e. harem style) or the catsuit and lastly, the romper or short jumpsuit. Pick the cut that flatters you the most and go for it. More casual fabrics lend themselves well to casual occasions or for school or work. If you are going upscale, opt for silks and other high-end fabrics and cuts. Bottom line: the jumpsuit can go from the campus to the club or the boardroom to the formal dining room. “The trick to wearing a jumpsuit is to watch the volume in the legs, especially if you carry your weight in the hips and thigh area, like so many women do; many jumpsuit styles tend to be slimmer up top and have wide legs. Rompers (short jumpsuits) or those with slimmer cropped legs actually look the most flattering on most women,” says Cynthia Nellis, guide to women’s fashion for about.com. The Collegian has done the research so that you can wear what the starlets are sporting. Pick up the Vintage 1955 Jersey Smocked Tube Jumpsuit at your local Sears for a mere $19.99! If you prefer a name you can boast, pick up a major designer label by Norma Kamali at Wal Mart for just $24! If you have more to spend and really want to commit to the look, nab the mid-priced DKNY Belted V-Neck Jumpsuit for $245 at Neiman Marcus. At the top of the fashion food chain, we found the Derek Lam Silk Floral-Print Jumpsuit available at Saks Fifth Avenue for a mammoth $2,290—and ladies, get this: it’s a romper! Imagine what they would charge for full length. All-in-all, you can get the look in any style, color, fabric, length or price range you choose. Make the look work for you. Don’t work for the look. Go out and get the jumpsuit of your dreams and feel free to jump in head first. The look is here to stay—at least for now. Jumping Back Into Jumpsuits Jumpsuits, rompers, overalls or cat suits—anything that is one piece from top to bottom—is showing up on fashion-conscious ladies from the red carpet to the student union. Photo by Jordan Angulo/Collegian Emma Saakyan (left), a biology major, models a Newport News jumpsuit, and Vartuhi Oganesyan, a political science major, shows off a jumpsuit from Rachel Roy.