My commute from the Hudson Valley to New York City is about two hours and 15 minutes long, which means I have about 45 minutes in the morning (if I don’t hit snooze) to get dressed, eat breakfast, and leave in order to catch the 7:20 train and still get at least seven hours of sleep. Over time, I’ve streamlined a lot of my routine. Breakfast becomes throwing granola in a bag to eat on the train, and my lunch almost exclusively features leftovers from dinner. I even demoted my beauty routine from a full face of makeup and creating “effortless” waves to a one-minute face of concealer, mascara, and zhuzhing my hair with a conditioning mist. But when it came to outfits, I always struggled — until this jumpsuit.
The jumpsuit kind of fell in my lap. A representative from Outerknown emailed me about its newest launches for fall, asking if I wanted to try anything from the collection. It’s a sustainable brand dedicated to creating minimal waste and fair-trade fashion, which was a selling point for me, but after spotting this jumpsuit mixed in with flowy dresses and T-shirts, I knew I had to have it. I’ve seen other influencers, celebrities, and people I know wearing more and more of these utility-style jumpsuits on my Instagram feed, and I was intrigued. I rarely wear dresses because they never fit me quite right, and this option seemed to be the closest thing to the ease of wearing a dress that also suited my style. So Outerknown sent me one.
When I first got this jumpsuit and threw it on Monday morning, I felt like I had more time than I knew what to do with and I actually looked good. The jumpsuit itself is not made to hug your curves, but I don’t feel as though I’m wearing literal coveralls. It’s comfortable with breathable fabric that’s not stiff like other utility jumpsuits’, allowing me to wear it in the summer without overheating. I didn’t have that rolled-out-of-bed look even though it took me only two minutes to get dressed. With a pair of Air Force Ones, I actually looked sleek, and the next day, I wished I could just throw it on again because of how easy and comfortable it was. It was just much too soon to be an outfit-repeater. But on Friday, it was time. I pulled it off the hanger once more and styled it with different sneakers, bright-colored socks, my second pair of glasses, a striped T-shirt underneath, and my hair pushed back in a low bun, hoping no one would notice. Sure enough, no one did. It looked like a totally different outfit.
But when people do notice it, I get compliments. With a pair of statement glasses and lipstick, I can even look slightly dressy — in the kind of way where people ask where you’re headed after work. Then, in the cooler temperatures, layering a turtleneck underneath keeps me warm. The pants actually reach my ankles, which is rare for me (I’m five-foot-nine), but it looks cute cuffed if you’re a bit shorter, which is how a friend of mine who is five-foot-two wears it. I also appreciate that there’s ample room in the chest, so I neither look nor feel stuffed in. But most important, it gives me back time in the morning to do necessary things, like eat and pet my dogs. While it’s 30 percent off for Black Friday (which rarely happens), I plan to buy another (or possibly two more), so I’ll only have to think about my outfit twice each week.
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