Ghostbusters? On the Style pages? Bear with us. The 80s classic might not seem like the most fashionable of film references but, with its 30th anniversary prompting a rerelease this year, and a new film looming, it’s time to reassess the sartorial influence of the guys who saved Manhattan from the Marshmallow Man. Forget Sigourney Weaver’s line in possessed seduction, or Janine the secretary’s collection of statement earrings, and focus on the boys. It’s all about the boilersuit right now. The work uniform of Venkman, Stantz and Spegler is the insider choice to adopt this autumn.
Yes, we know what you’re thinking – we’ve been here before. The jumpsuit and all-in-one has gone from something edgy to become a fashion staple in the past decade. They’ve been written about here and worn by celebrities with wildly varying personal styles, Victoria Beckham to Lena Dunham. But the boilersuit is different – it’s cooler. Less like an evening option for people who prefer to wear trousers, the loose fit and industrial colour palette make it a trickier sell. And what does that mean? It’s far more fashion.
Boilersuits have become the secret sign of cool on the front row. Kate Moss, always ahead of the curve, wore her khaki one at Topshop’s show last season. Kate Phelan, contributing editor at Vogue and creative director at Topshop, wore hers paired with flat sandals at the couture shows in July. They were also on the catwalk – with Raf Simons’ Nasa-influenced collection for Christian Dior, and Chloé’s loose denim shapes perfect for laidback French people. Celebrities have started to take them up, too – Susan Sarandon and Chloë Sevigny included, two symbols of don’t-care-what-you-think dressing.
The boilersuit was originally an outfit made for wearing while working, popularised by women in munitions factories in the second world war. Now, with associations from astronauts to painter-decorators and parapsychologists, it, erm, suits the workwear mood currently in fashion. Function is in, fuss is out.
Whistles has always been at the forefront of the all-in-one in fashion – and its jumpsuits are consistently as popular as its dresses. Jane Shepherdson, the label’s CEO, brought the boilersuit into the collection this season partly because it’s what she wants to wear now. “The boilersuit is the dress for those of us who fear showing our legs or can’t bear the thought of tights,” she says. “It suits the punk in me as it feels slightly anti-establishment.” As Shepherdson suggests, the boilersuit has previous in the trends of the early 80s, when fashion adopted workwear (see also: Bananarama and overalls). Devo made the boilersuit their own, and edgy London designers including Katharine Hamnett were fans. We’re enjoying that same androgynous style once again.
Sofia Prantera, the designer behind streetwear brand Aries, has been a fan for years. “I designed my first boilersuit when I was still at school,” she says. “Every collection since has included a version of it. It’s my default outfit: simple, elegant and effortless.”
Prantera’s latest interpretation of those attributes is currently on matchesfashion.com – she has designed a range specifically for the online store. “We worked with Aries on an exclusive capsule that felt very modern,” says buying director Nathalie Kingham. “The boilersuit captures an eternal coolness that can be styled in a very versatile way.”
Personally, as an overgrown tomboy, I prefer them casual, with plimsolls or Stan Smiths. But all those asked insisted the boilersuit has potential to go the way of the jumpsuit – beyond exclusively the days when you feel like dressing like Venkman to something a bit more dressy. “It can be glamorous or utility,” says Shepherdson. “It is the wonderful one-piece clothing that can be dressed down for day, then with heels and a clutch for evening.” Shepherdson always practises what she preaches – for an event in April, she wore the brand’s Phillipa boilersuit and simple strappy sandals, and looked very chic indeed. Kingham recommends wearing them with your own favourite things. “Customers can wear it according to their own style – whether more boyish with trainers or rolled with heels,” she says. Top tip: jewellery helps and a bit of exposed collarbone. Jewellery is banned on any production line so that instantly brings a fashion slant to this most industrial of clothing items.
As you might expect for a unisex trend, this is not just for women. Prantera points to Winston Churchill, who apparently “had one made in velvet for special occasions”, and matchesfashion.com’s new Raey range (launching in January) includes a denim boilersuit for men. Louis Vuitton’s men’s style director Kim Jones is a master at blinging-up utilitarian pieces – and the silk and mirror-studded boilersuits at his spring 2015 show were a case in point. Designer Richard Nicoll puts them on the catwalk regularly and wears them himself as something of a trademark. “I personally like the disciplined uniform like feeling that wearing a boilersuit evokes,” he muses. “I guess for me it’s a modern alternative to a suit and makes me feel focused and professional.” And, added bonus, they’re great for protection against ectoplasm.
