How to style a boiler suit without going full Mario Brothers
Photos by Kaye Ford of Fordtography
It’s safe to say that I have an obsession with jumpsuits - there are currently five hanging in my closet. (One for fancy occasions, one for professional work situations, one for lazy days, etc, etc.) So when I found out there was a new and unusual jumpsuit trend sweeping through the market, I pretty much lost my mind. It’s official - fashionable boiler suits for women are now a thing and utility fashion is here with a vengeance baby.
Boiler suits really started to pick up speed towards the end of last year and it had a lot to do with Ganni’s pink denim boiler suit IMO, as it was seen pretty much everywhere at fashion week. They’ve continued charging on into 2019 as the high street have taken hold of the staple, with loads of places putting their own spin on the look.
Nailing how to style one of these beauties is a bit of a nightmare, so here’s a quick breakdown below…
How to wear a boiler suit
I naturally picked up a boiler suit, as my jumpsuit-loving heart couldn’t resist. I grabbed a pastel pink one from Urban Outfitters (which was a mission as I literally had to go on a pre-order waitlist for it), but it was absolutely worth it.
I love styling mine with a turtleneck top underneath. I’ve chosen here to wear a white turtleneck tee underneath, but I’ve also worn a muted patterned version before which I actually think looks much better - breaking up the wall of pink and taking the look into a more fashionable realm.
If you’re wondering how to style a boiler suit for cocktails or nights out, I usually skip wearing a top underneath altogether and bring that zip a little lower. (The scandal.) On top of that, I’ll layer a couple of necklaces from Missoma and wear a pair of heels to dress it up a bit.
Since my jumpsuit is sadly a little bigger than I hoped it would be, I usually belt mine. I’m a sucker for a pink and red high contrast look, so I went with a red leopard print skinny belt that I’ve had since I was 15.
On lazier days, I’ve foregone the belt entirely and just gone with chucking on a massive coat over it teamed with a pair of trainers. It was probably the only day I felt like I properly fit into Brick Lane in London, channeling that lazy cool aesthetic.
Utility fashion trend
outfit details.
Boiler suit
UO Rosie Pink Utility Jumpsuit, £79 at Urban Outfitters
Belt
Red leopard print belt, bought years ago at Argyle Centre in Hong Kong
Earrings
Statement earrings, gifted but from Monki
(Sad) turtleneck top
White turtleneck top, bought at Monki years ago
Of course, the fun doesn’t stop there. I’ve seen utility fashion come back in a big way. Bum bags that looked tantamount to a builders’ toolkit with multiple panels and pouches stomped the runways recently at fashion week, while shirts with pockets big enough to fit a tape measure or box of nails have started showing up in stores everywhere.
I think the real key to nailing the trend is focusing on keeping things relatively form fitted, so for instance pairing a utility blouse with some form fitting cigarette trousers and a belted camel coat. If you’re committing to the rigid structure of your piece, stepping the game up with some accessories is a necessity to avoid falling into Mario Bros. territory.
Ready to commit? Here’s some of my favourite on the market so far…
Boiler suits for women
My boiler suit
UO Rosie Pink Utility Boiler Suit
As you can see here, my boiler suit is actually a more washed out pastel pink than it looks like in my shoot above. I can vouch that this beauty is utterly comfy, but it might be worth getting a slightly smaller size because mine was sadly a little bigger than I hoped it would be.
£79, available at Urban Outfitters
Denim boiler suit
Miss Selfridge Denim Utility Boiler Suit
There’s a lot of denim boiler suits on the market, but this one is one of my favourites for its cobalt blue wash and slim fit. Also, the styling here with the white boots is just * chef’s kiss *
£39, available at Miss Selfridge
Topshop boiler suit
Topshop Black Denim Boiler Suit
Ticking all the trend boxes, this black denim boiler suit is a total winner and the contrast stitching is the cherry on top.
£59, available at Topshop
White boiler suit
Monki Utility Jumpsuit
This white boiler suit from Monki is one of my favourites, as it takes a more unusual route by scrapping the collar completely. It makes it look more modern IMO and the built-in tie belt is a nice touch.
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