On The Boil

The trend that is simmering in my wardrobe

 Just before lockdown I purchased a boiler suit. Assured in the heat of the moment by a young, cool sales assistant that I looked absolutely killer, in the split second that I looked in the mirror I actually thought I had hit my mark. It was only when I got home, I realised that in actual fact I looked like I was about to change the oil on a motorbike. 

I blame this rash and unflattering purchase in part on two things. One that the sales assistant must have really wanted to see the back of this particular garment, and figured it was very unlikely anyone else would buy it. Secondly whilst I was in the changing room my six-year-old was gyrating in a disconcerting way in front of the mirror wearing a sports bra, which was marginally distracting. I can’t blame it all on the sales assistant though, my judgement was definitely cloudy. I’ll admit that buried (not that deep) in my subconscious were the images of a Burberry boiler suit clad Irina Shayk looking nothing short of drop-dead fabulous as she strolled away, suitcase in hand, from her relationship with Bradley Cooper. She had thoroughly nailed the look – casual, practical, capable – yet still gloriously glamorous. I too want that confident, ebullient aura, my inner voice had whispered repeatedly, allowing me to picture myself striding purposefully across the playground at school pick up. Possibly the root of my style hiccup was not fully reconciling myself with the fact as a supermodel Irina has more than a slight upper hand.

Nevertheless, I’m not a quitter, and boiler suits are without a doubt a huge trend for 2020. And I will not willingly forsake a trend, even if it does mean looking like I work for NASCAR. Plus, the investment has been made, so now it’s about figuring out how to make it work. If, like me, you’re a fan of the jumpsuit, then the boiler suit really is the next natural step. For starters you’ll have already trained your bladder to minimal usage (nothing worse than the all-in-one strip down for toileting purposes). But more importantly you’ll know that the jumpsuit / playsuit / boiler suit is a really hard-working wardrobe piece.

The positives of a boiler suit are manifold. Its aesthetic appeal lies in its utilitarian look – and with that comes functionality; rest assured my boiler suit boasts a nook, cranny and pocket for everything from keys to hand sanitizer. As with any trend, there are a gazillion variants available, so it’s possible to find the correct cut and fabric to suit your figure. Mine has pockets across the bust, which is great as for me there’s not a lot else going on in that area. I like that mine is a practical cotton, and it definitely looks best as daywear worn with sneakers. My version is definitely more street than sophisticated. However, with the boiler suit versatility is the name of the game. There are some stunning evening wear options – particularly satin, which look equally amazing when paired with stilettos, block heels or trainers. The trick is to find the style and fabric that best suits your body and lifestyle, and then play around with accessorising. Because this is a look that really can be tailored to most occasions. Especially – in my case – ones that involve tyre changes.