Boiler suit style? Why it's time to re-visit the all-in-one
Call it what you will – a boiler suit, an all-in-one, a mechanic’s overall usually reserved for the dustier corners of the garage – this super practical men’s hybrid garment has, as is so often the case, been embraced by that most curious of churches: High Fashion.
Ralph Lauren has created a version that runs to four figures this spring, following on from Prada’s range of all-in-ones last year. So is it time to eye up yours? Before you slam your newspaper shut in disgust, hear me out. True, the all-in-one has had some bad incarnations. In 2017 a brand called “RompHim” offered grown men the chance to dress in full-size toddler romper-suits. Best forgotten. Not that the men’s all-in-one shouldn’t have a show-offy side.
Its peacocking brother, the skinny catsuit, was the stuff of Seventies bohemia, championed by Bowie, Mercury and Jagger; fabulous in that context, but not for everyday wear. But the all-in-one can be both sleek and rugged, with a touch of action man heroism.
It was Winston Churchill who, after observing the easy nature of the overalls his workmen wore, commissioned his Mayfair shirtmaker, Turnbull & Asser, to create a variant in chalk-stripe wool; the siren suit was born. The jumpsuit evolved in aviation as a “flight suit”, the easy, slip-on, slip-off garment synonymous with a certain Top Gun swagger.
And while we wouldn’t recommend taking to the streets in military attire, the cut and silhouette of the military all-in-one – purposeful rather than slovenly – is perhaps the most accessible way to approach it. It was the appetite for functional, utilitarian all-in-ones that sparked the revival of historic brand M C Overalls, which started life in 1908 to outfit the new century’s working man, and was re-established two years ago.
If you have one languishing in an attic, have it tailored to nip in at the waist so as to not look unkempt. One point, however, and despite the Churchillian connotations – it’s an outfit that looks best on a slender frame. As to how to go to the bathroom while wearing one, we’ll leave that instructional manual for another day.
Tracking the trend
Churchillian splendour
Taking a tip from workmen doing maintenance at Chartwell, Churchill’s siren suit was created in chalk-striped wool, which he paired with smart shoes, a bowler hat, a cigar and a no nonsense approach to Jerry.
Action-man swagger
Sean Connery’s Bond, the most dapper of all 007s, opted for a more playboy variety of the jumpsuit in 1964’s Goldfinger, donning a cropped towelling number to lounge around Miami. It’s called a shortall, in case you’re wondering.
On the catwalk
Designers such as Ralph Lauren have cleaned off the grease and re-energised the all-in-one in smart, elegant iterations. This is dressing for Gstaad après ski rather than for Kwik Fit.
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