A bodysuit is a top that is cut like a leotard on the bottom half. It has snaps on the crotch point to make trips to the loo a whole lot easier. The idea is that you wear a bodysuit like a top and not like a leotard or bathing costume. The model below shows what a bodysuit looks like on its own, and worn with pants.
Bodysuits come in all sorts of colours, solids, fabrics, patterns and silhouettes. Most are knitted, and some are woven. The leotard part on the bottom is always knitted and stretchy (like a pair of knickers). Bodysuits are most common in body-con silhouettes that cling like a second skin. But roomier blouse, shirt and knitted top versions are gaining momentum. Bodysuit sweatshirts and pullovers are coming through too. The collection below shows a wide assortment of bodysuits.
Bodysuits are a throwback to the early ’90s, and since the ‘90s are very much on-trend, we’re seeing more and more of them at retail. They’ve been a fringe trend for a couple of years, and my guess is that they’ll stay that way. It’s understandable that they are an acquired taste. They work extremely well with the tucking and high- rise bottoms trend, and are a slam dunk paired with flared skirts when you like wearing form-fitting tops. But if you don’t enjoy fully tucking tops into bottoms — and this is true of many of my clients and YLF forum members — bang goes the bodysuit trend.
I had many tight bodysuits back in the early ‘90s, and wore them a lot because they worked well with the high-rise-pleated pants styles of 1992 to 1996, and flared wrap midi skirts. They looked neat, tidy and polished. They were brilliant as long as the fit down below was right. The snaps had to be in the right place, and there needed to be PLENTY of derriere coverage if you didn’t sport G-strings. They couldn’t be cut too short in the torso either. I stopped wearing bodysuits as soon as the rises in the late ‘90s lowered. I spent the entire day pulling my bodysuit down and my low-rise jeans up so that you couldn’t see the leotard part and bare skin above the waistband. The combination of high-cut bodysuit paired with low-rise pants or jeans is one of the most disastrous of the ‘90s.
I would wear a bodysuit again if the fit and look was right because I’m almost exclusively in higher rises these days. I enjoy tucking tops so it’s a good match. In fact, why don’t I have one yet? I’d wear them tight, or fluid like some of the blouses and tops shown in the collection. The challenge is finding a style with ample coverage on the bottom so that they don’t creep up and give me a perpetual wedgie.
I thoroughly enjoy wearing styles I’ve worn in the past a second time or third time round. Why not! I’m a yay. Over to you? Did you wear bodysuits, and would you wear one again?
