Overalls Are the One-and-Done Summer Outfit Insiders Can All Agree On
It's not that they're coming back—it's that they never really went away.
Overalls have lived many lives in fashion. They were born at Levi's in the mid-1890s as protective gear for factory workers. In the ensuing decades, overalls were embraced everywhere, from the 1970s skateboarding scene to 1990s hip-hop style. Overalls still have some associations with light gardening or heavy-duty farming gear; they've also been lumped in with the breezy, Nancy Meyers-approved set dressings of a coastal New England summer.
Now it's 2024, and overalls seem to have reached their most straightforward form: a one-and-done summer outfit that isn't tied to a single aesthetic. They're less of a runway denim trend, like ultra-baggy jeans or denim-on-denim sets, and more of an underrated stalwart that's getting their due (once again)—appearing in celebrities' and fashion editors' wardrobes en masse.
The appeal is the same as ever: a full-coverage, functional jumpsuit that can be styled up or down to the wearer's content. Katie Holmes and Olivia Wilde have turned to overalls this spring when they've wanted to keep a low profile, with velvet Mary Janes and a chore coat (for Holmes) and a white tank and peep-toe sandals (for Wilde). What did Sofia Richie Grainge wear when she felt ready to debut her maternity style? Correct: a pair of military green overalls.
If A-listers want overalls' current style era to be laid-back, fashion proper wants them to have a glow-up. At fashion week, I clocked one Miu Miu guest whose take on double denim incorporated designer overalls, a jean jacket, a crisp white shirt, and a boxy leather bag. I've also seen women around New York City, Copenhagen, and Paris casting aside overalls' utility history to pair them with glittery Alaïa flats and frilly Peter Pan blouses. Overalls can still be easygoing—but there's permission to take them over the top.
Or to the kaleidoscopic festival circuit. According to a recent Google study, overalls were the most-searched clothing item in relation to Coachella outfits.
In terms of their tags, most still come from denim behemoths like Levi's (the founding designer) and workwear labels including Carhartt and Dickie's. Then there are the next-gen purveyors like Hey Gang. A favorite of Marie Claire editor-in-chief Nikki Ogunnaike, the brand makes unisex overalls and chore jackets in upbeat colors.
In April, I traveled to Paris with Nike for a chance to see its 2024 Summer Olympic kits and, unbeknownst to me, another moment where overalls would make fashion history. In a showroom filled with tiny track briefs and basketball jerseys, I was surprised to see a version of a Katie Holmes outfit staring back at me from one of the mannequins. It turns out that Nike decided to dress Team USA's skateboarders in overalls for the sport's second-ever Olympic games. It's both a nod to skate culture's impact on street style and a purely functional choice. When you're dressing to flip through the air, you want a garment that isn't going to fall or fold upward.
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It's too early to call this latest overall sighting the sign of a trend within the trend. (If "skater girl summer" does in fact take off, remember you read it here first.) It is another case for overalls' endless evolution. Through it all, they're a piece you don't have to overthink this summer no matter how hard you're working—or if you're working at all.
Shop the Overalls Trend for Summer
Halie LeSavage is the senior fashion and beauty news editor at Marie Claire, where she assigns, edits, and writes stories for both sections. Halie is an expert on runway trends, celebrity style, emerging fashion and beauty brands, and shopping (naturally). In over seven years as a professional journalist, Halie’s reporting has ranged from fashion week coverage spanning the Copenhagen, New York, Milan, and Paris markets, to profiles on industry insiders like celebrity stylist Molly Dickson, to breaking news stories on noteworthy brand collaborations and beauty product launches. (She can personally confirm that Bella Hadid’s Ôrebella perfume is worth the hype.) She has also written dozens of research-backed shopping guides to finding the best tote bags, ballet flats, and more. Most of all, Halie loves to explore what style trends—like the rise of emotional support accessories or TikTok’s 75 Hard Style Challenge—can say about culture writ large. She also justifies almost any purchase by saying it’s “for work.”
Halie has previously held writer and editor roles at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been cited as a fashion and beauty expert in The Cut, CNN Underscored, and Reuters, among other outlets, and appears in newsletters like Selleb and Self Checkout to provide shopping recommendations. In 2022, she earned the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence and innovation in fashion journalism. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Harvard College. Outside of work, Halie is passionate about books, baking, and her miniature Bernedoodle, Dolly. For a behind-the-scenes look at her reporting, you can follow Halie on Instagram and TikTok.
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