The Bodysuit

As I’m sure you’ve heard by now, Donna Karan has said peace out to her namesake brand. And it looks like what we know as Donna Karan Collection will be peacing out as well. Before we say our final farewells, this seemed like a perfect time to dedicate a post to something Donna did so well and really pioneered the way for — let’s talk about the bodysuit.

It all started with the working woman — finding a shirt that fit properly tucked into pants or a skirt, and that still fit well under a jacket. The bodysuit does just that. But the bodysuit isn’t just for the working wardrobe…now, it’s hardly for the working wardrobe at all.

Yes, you can still find the bodysuits that look like a blouse on top and a swimsuit on the bottom (honestly, those weird me out for some reason). But I personally dig the ones that just look like a fitted shirt, and get the job done if you need some sort of fitted top with whatever you’re wearing on the bottom.

Now I can’t recommend wearing a bodysuit on its own, unless your Beyonce or Taylor Swift. You know I don’t like to tell you what to wear but this truly is a wardrobe essential, regardless of your personal style or lifestyle (and that is not something I say everyday!)

I say this because whether you work a 9 to 5 or freelance from your pajamas (and everywhere in between) it’s likely you’ll need the look of a fitted shirt to go with your pants / skirt / shorts. And instead of buying a fitted shirt you’ll constantly be tucking and re-tucking, the bodysuit gives you the look without the fuss. I personally love the bodysuit because regardless of the fact that I really despise wearing fitted things, this is the perfect piece that balances out something like wide leg pants. Would I ever go Kardashian and wear a bodysuit with skinny jeans? Probably not. It’s just not for me. But to each their own, right?

The one thing I’d keep in mind when shopping for a bodysuit is to make sure you find one that doesn’t look like a straight-up leotard. Besides Donna Karan, Wolford is another one known for their bodysuits. I do have one myself and honestly, it’s quite leotard-ish…so I hardly ever wear it. My favorite bodysuit I’ve found so far is surprisingly by Margiela. It’s comfortable (not too tight where I can’t breathe), it looks like a shirt (it’s the one I’m wearing with that crazy fringe necklace a few photos up) and the quality is amazing. Is it a crazy cool style like the one below? No. But it’s one of those classic pieces I’m going to have for a while and that I can wear with just about everything (except skinny jeans of course).

Another thing to keep in mind is make sure you get one with a snap crotch. I made that mistake with my first bodysuit (which I still love but can never wear because I drink too much water…) and unfortunately that’s why I never wear it. Most of them have this, but if they don’t, you basically have to get naked just to go to the bathroom…and to be quite honest, that just seems like a whole lot of work that could be avoided with just a SNAP.

So what do you think of the bodysuit? Do you consider it a wardrobe staple? Do you ever wear them? If not, feel free to vent about your bodysuit problems here. If you’re into them but haven’t found the perfect one, YOU KNOW I GOT YOU.

Images via Pinterest