The Body Oddy Oddy
Fashion & Beauty

The Body Oddy Oddy

Do you remember bodies?

Not like, actual bodies, we all have those. I’m talking a bodysuit. Those things like swimsuits with poppers at the crotch that we all wore in the 90s.

I have some disturbing memories of bodysuits. I remember not being able to get the poppers done up in the bathroom, and I remember the fact that I have a long body meaning that with some of them I got to spend all day pulling them out of my butt and feeling like I was slowly being chopped in half.

On one memorable occasion I went to the cinema (I think it was to watch Lethal Weapon 3, fact fans) and failed to remember to sweep the back part of my bodysuit out of the way when I went to the toilet, which meant I then had to try and wash and dry it in a sink in the cinema, without taking it off, which led to some super fun gymnastics that I don’t think I’m up to at 37.

With that in mind you will understand why I have, until now, eyed the return of the bodysuit with some suspicion.

Then, a few weeks back, I was in the pub and a friend of mine was wearing one. I liked how it made a nice clean line where her top tucked into her skirt. I started to consider the idea that I might, you know, actually try one again after 25 years.

So I did.

Black Bodysuit summer outfit

I even went for shoulder ruffles.

I thought the ruffles were going to be far too flouncy for me, but I don’t think they look flouncy at all and I think it’s the smooth lines of the body that stop the flounce. The ruffles also cover my upper arms, which aren’t my favourite bit of my body (My shoulders are, in case you were wondering. Double win for the off-shoulder bodysuit)

I’m glad I took a chance and tried it.

But, is it comfortable?

Well, it’s not as comfortable as just tucking in a top. You definitely know those plastic poppers are there and I wouldn’t want to go for a long walk wearing it. However, I think it looks great and I think I’ll be getting a lot of wear out of it this Summer. Hopefully that traumatic experience in the toilets of the Stag theatre in Sevenoaks at age 13 will save me from doing that ever again.

Black Bodysuit with Hell Bunny Anchor Skirt

Ruffle shoulder bodysuit

Speaking of Summer, I’m afraid that despite how lovely it looks in these photos it is not here yet.

I was emboldened by the 22 degree weekend we had a couple of weeks ago into believing that sunshine meant warm.

I even went and stood in our (sheltered) garden to check how warm it was.

The sunshine says June, but once you’re out of the shelter the bracing winds seem to be hanging around from January. At least I did remember to take a jacket, but my legs were cold.  I hardly ever get cold legs. I can go out in bare legs in a snow storm, but that wind was bitingly cold!

This whole outfit was a bit of an adventure for me because I picked it out courtesy of the Simply Be Holiday Shop.

Thanks to that email I discovered several things. First up, is my foray back into the world of the Body. Secondly I learned that Simply Be stocks my size. I had always assumed that as a site focusing on plus-size styles it would start around a size 16, but actually it starts from a 12. A whole new world of shopping just opened up to me. Thirdly I learned that Simply Be stocks one of my favourite brands for novelty prints, Hell Bunny, so lets just take a moment to drool over that anchor print skirt.

Drool.

Ruffle Bodysuit & Hell Bunny Skirt c/o Simply Be ♥

 

7 Comments

  • Grey Dove April 19, 2017

    I adore my body suits (still have them from the nineties!) and have often wished I had more. I never found a wide selection of them but now with online shopping a whole new world may have opened up to me. I always loved the way they stayed put, didn’t untuck or rumple, and did make wearing a fitted skirt or pants much more attractive. Thanks for bringing their return to my attention!

  • Janet April 19, 2017

    I’m long in the body too and have equally traumatic memories of the bodysuit. Razor wire wedgie? Check. Straining poppers unpopping themselves one by one until they all come undone, resulting in an attractive “tail” working its way out of the back of your skirt or trousers – yep. Yours looks good though!

    • Gemma April 19, 2017

      Oh my, yes, the tail! Who could forget!

  • Ewa Macherowska April 19, 2017

    Great skirt! 😉

  • Jessica April 20, 2017

    I was just thinking the same thing about bodysuits! I recently bought one, and it’s kind of crazy how often I reach for it – it’s really comfortable, it stays tucked in, and it always looks nice and tidy and polished. It’s a bit of a production in the bathroom (it takes me longer than I care to admit the wrangle with the snaps sometimes), but I’m really thinking of picking up another at some point.
    Loving this look on you. The print on the skirt is ridiculously cute, and I think you’re spot on about how the sleek lines offset the shoulder ruffle a little bit, so it’s not too froofy. That last photo is really charming – perfect twirl!

  • Will April 21, 2017

    This is a great look! In Brighton there is a big Retro trend right now, especially in the 50s era where there are a key group of people rocking this sort of style. There are some great shops there too like Dirty Harry’s and Beyond Retro that you can get great stuff from.

    Will – http://www.brightonstreetstyle.com

  • Ellie O April 25, 2017

    I love this ensemble! I’ve been seeing bodysuits around a lot lately and it brings back similar memories of complicated toilet visits and an uncomfortable undercarriage. This one looks so good on you though, maybe I’ll give them another chance!

    I’d also recently noticed that Simply Be started at a 12 but hadn’t given it another thought. I shall have to check them out too. Thanks for the inspiration!

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