Sure, the boiler suit is trendy: Giambattista Valli opened his show with one this spring, Hadids and Jenners sported them all summer, and Zara is stocking six iterations right now.
But the bigger reason to embrace the boiler suit is that it’s especially practical for early fall, combining the slip-on-and-go effortlessness of a favorite summer dress with enough coverage to keep you comfortable on cool October mornings. Here, four ways to wear the sneaky wardrobe workhorse.
Choose Cool-Girl White
Don’t be intimidated by the prospect of white coveralls. Instead, intimidate others — just the right amount — by stepping out in a Zara ecru option with topstitching detail. Pair the suit with slick patent leather boots, a minimal belt bag and sculptural silver earrings to complete the no-nonsense power play. (Rihanna, lover of a white boiler, would be proud.)
Zara cotton-linen jumpsuit with contrast topstitching, $69.90 at Zara, zara.com; Prada nylon belt pouch, $670 at ssense.com; Loeffler Randall patent leather ankle boots, $450 at needsupply.com; Jennifer Fisher silver-plated earrings, $450 at net-a-porter.com.
Embrace a Softer Side
For a surprisingly nonutilitarian look, opt for the latest boiler suit from the British denim line M.i.h. Rendered in a russet corduroy with clean lines and a coy exposed zipper, it skews more 1970s chic than factory-floor practical. Complement its bombshell vibe (Think: Farrah Fawcett on a date) with a ladylike bag and tortoiseshell aviators.
M.i.h Jeans washed corduroy boiler suit, $385 at orchardmile.com; Trademark faux crocodile bag with brass lock, $528 at trade-mark.com; Alumnae leather multistrap mules, $595 at Barneys New York, barneys.com; Ray-Ban aviators, $173 at ray-ban.com.
Make Denim Modern
Styling this Ralph Lauren denim number to give it a more fashion-forward feel — rather than Rosie the Riveter — may seem like a challenge, but with the right accessories it’s a cinch. Just reach for of-the-moment items, like micro sunglasses, a circle bag and these ultracool loafer-mule hybrids.
Ralph Lauren cotton-linen denim coveralls, $590 at ralphlauren.com; Nico Giani mini circle bag, $465 at shopbop.com; Everlane leather loafer mules, $155 at everlane.com; Adam Selman x Le Specs sunglasses, $119 at Opening Ceremony, openingceremony.com.
Dabble in Mixed Prints
Current/Elliott’s army green boiler is already spunky, thanks to those polka dots, but why not make it even more so? Slip a striped tee underneath, and add a metallic cross-body bag for good measure. Lace up a pair of Comme des Garçons Play signature heart-print Converse kicks, and your look will exude fun from the ground up.
Current/Elliott cotton-blend coveralls with polka-dot detail, $370 at net-a-porter.com; Kule striped cotton T-shirt, $118 at kule.com; Gucci laminated leather shoulder bag, $1,750 at farfetch.com; Comme des Garçons Play x Chuck Taylor 1970s sneakers, $135 at Nordstrom, nordstrom.com.
