The Item I Wear to Death: My 3.1 Phillip Lim Jumpsuit

In our biweekly series, editors share "the item they wear to death," whether it be a basic white tee or a super-trendy jumpsuit. Prepare yourself (and your credit card) for some guilt-free shopping.

I never thought I could wear a jumpsuit, let alone to a formal affair. (Except for the handmade one I once wore to a wedding in the '80s—not my choice.) At 5'1, I thought they only looked good on women with legs for days. I liked the idea of them: they have the ease of a dress (no figuring out which top to pair with which bottoms) and the comfort of pants. And whenever I saw someone in a jumpsuit at a black-tie party, I thought she was the chicest, sleekest, most confident woman in the room. As much as I liked jumpsuits, I just never envisioned myself owning one. Then one day at a Golden Globes party, I saw someone almost as short as me rock a Rag Bone one-piece and it made me think: maybe.

Fast forward to now, and I love my 3.1 Phillip Lim jumpsuit.

Here's how I arrived at the choice: I’m a pants person, and my go-to for bottoms is 3.1 Phillip Lim; any of the dozen-or-so pairs in my closet could be their own Item I Wear to Death column, with their frayed hems and bums nearly worn threadbare from overuse. So I bought a black sleeveless tuxedo style jumpsuit by the label. (After all, they’re just pants with a top attached. Or are they tops with pants attached?)

For a piece I thought was only for the statuesque, that I thought would wear me instead of the other way around, my doubts were unfounded. The unbroken line of monochromatic color makes me look taller (okay, four-inch heels help, too) and I like the combination of the masculine and feminine tailoring. And it has pockets!

Thus, the jumpsuit has seen me through fashion events, charity benefits, awards ceremonies, holiday parties, fancy and not-so-fancy dinners, and power lunches. It can be dressed up or down. (Check out Sandra Oh pairing a black jumpsuit with sneakers post-Golden Globes hosting last month.) I don’t have to sit like a royal worried about modesty, and—unlike some of the dresses I own—I’m free to eat whatever I want. I feel unrestricted and relaxed, and I wouldn’t want to go to a party feeling any other way.

In case I've convinced you to pick up a similar little number for yourself, here's one from 3.1 Phillip Lim—plus even more options:

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