I was browsing the racks at Oak’s factory store in L.A. when I burst out laughing. What I’d believed to be a faded-denim jacket had turned out to be a faded-denim romper. It had frayed edges, pockets all over, no waist, and a silhouette like a brick of cement. It was ugly in a charming way, a delightfully ridiculous combination of denim trends usually relegated to the “don’t” sections of dress codes. The tag said A/OK (the name of Oak’s house brand), which only made me laugh harder.
A shapeless denim onesie is the perfect outfit for summer: The material is sturdy enough to withstand wet grass, sandy beaches, and patio furniture that would snag a flimsier fabric. The roomy silhouette is barbecue-friendly, breeze-circulating, and comfortable over swimsuits. When I take it off to sunbathe, my faded-denim onesie rolls into a perfect beach pillow: thick, soft, and impervious to crinkling. (By the end of the day, gauzy beach tunics always look like wadded-up Kleenexes when I’m wearing them.)
It can survive getting shoved in and out of tote bags, too — but I don’t carry bags when I’m wearing my A/OK romper. I treat my denim onesie like a utility apron, dropping sunglasses, sunscreen, bottle openers, and small books down the broad patch pockets on the chest. (And the smaller-but-still-sizable pockets on the hips and butt.) My big, boxy romper is designed to embrace bulk. It’s functional, comfortable, and easy. It’s so anti-chic, that it does a 180 to chic, again. Or at least, that’s what I tell myself when I look at, say, country-club guidelines for “jeans in good taste” (no ripped jeans, no frayed jeans, consistent color jeans) and realize, with pride, that I have chosen an outfit that will never touch a human named Muffy. If it violates the dress code at Mar-a-Lago, you’re doing something right.
But there are plenty of other denim rompers out there to love, each with its own situation-specific qualities. Here are a few others I enjoy.
For when you need to roll up your sleeves and get down to business … at looking cute.
The flap pockets and gold-thread detailing give this denim a classic vibe.
Bell sleeves and flared shorts give this onesie an hourglass silhouette.
If you hiked up your jeans to your boobs and added overall straps, you’d get this wonderfully weird contraption. Aggressively faded, spacious, and shapeless — I have to have it.
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