The Romper Trend Is Here To Stay

Rompers and jumpsuits have been in stores for a while now. It seems, though, that recently rompers have hit a new level of popularity.

You can find them in virtually any store in any pattern, style or color you’re looking for. Not only are they comfortable and chic, but since it’s an entire outfit in one piece, a romper is a lazy stylish girl’s dream!

This trend seemingly popped out of nowhere and became a huge success. So that got me thinking, where did rompers come from? When were they first worn? Who wore them? What is the history of the romper?

After a little bit of research, here’s what I found.

The romper/playsuit first came about in the early 1900s. So while this trend may have just gained popularity, rompers have been around for over a century.

They started out as children’s clothing because their onesie-like design made them ideal for movement and playing. The relaxed and comfortable style of the romper came about in response to the more restrictive and formal children’s clothing of the Victorian Era.

image via babywallpaper.wnngroup.com

Rompers, while they began primarily as children’s clothing, weren’t always just casual clothing for the little ones. There are some instances of rompers being worn as dressier garments by some people in France.

Also, during the 1950s, rompers began their transition into women’s clothing. Women began wearing them as leisurewear and beachwear.

From there the romper trend only continued to grow in popularity. In the 1970s, the jumpsuit, a close companion to the romper, was worn by anyone who loved disco.

The trend somewhat died down after this resurgence, but as of 2006, the romper has slowly but surely come back in full force both commercially and on the runway.

image via aolcdn.com

The romper’s popularity hasn’t come without some negativity, though. Since this trend is very reminiscent of children’s wear and since it after all originated from playwear, many people find this trend to be inappropriate for anyone over the age of 5.

Because this style was originally intended for children, many critics of the romper or playsuit find them to be extremely unflattering on people with any sort of curves. Their argument is that rompers are meant for small children, not a fully grown woman with curves.

And sure, they look good on runway models, but this fact only further supports their argument because how often do you see a woman on the runway who is bigger than a size four?

Another critique from romper haters alike stems from the argument that rompers are an easy all-in-one outfit. These critics argue that a dress does the same thing and is ten times more flattering. They also offer up the question, “what is so difficult about picking out a top and bottom that match?”

While I do see some merit to these critics’ arguments, I can’t lie: I 100 percent, without any hesitation, love rompers. They are super easy to wear, and yes, putting together a top and pair of pants is easy as well, but a romper is an entire ensemble all in one. Who can complain about the easiness of that?

And while a dress accomplishes the same thing, I think rompers and jumpsuits are a fun alternative to the standard dress. And since rompers have gained so much popularity, now, just like dresses, you can find them in casual and dressier styles.

image via artfarmblog.com

As for the complaint that rompers are only meant to look good on children, I can’t say I disagree. Rompers can be very tricky to pull off.

I don’t think it’s fair to say that rompers don’t look good on anyone with curves. They may look better on thinner people, but that’s not to say that someone with curves can’t wear them. As long as you are aware of your body type and what looks good on you, then you can figure out if rompers will work for you or not.

Despite what all the critics have to say and despite your own personal opinion, it seems rompers are here to stay, at least for the time being. They’ve come a long way since the early days when they were just meant to be children’s playwear. They’ve graduated from that and have become a trend that’s taking over stores everywhere.