Universal Standard's Pick-Of-The-Month: The Kate Twill Jumpsuit
By: Amanda Richards
Technically, the Kate Twill Jumpsuit is the reason why I work at Universal Standard. Not the only reason, of course. But the jumpsuit is what brought me to our original showroom on Greene Street in New York City, and what led me to having a conversation with co-founder Alex Waldman that would ultimately lead to me making the decision to come work for the brand.
A fateful jumpsuit, if you will.
I was working as the senior editor at a magazine at the time, and Alex invited me to have an appointment at the showroom to see how the process of working with a stylist actually went (tl;dr: it was amazing). During the appointment, I tried on the Kate Twill Jumpsuit in what was my typical Universal Standard size (L). Our large translates to a 20-22, but I didn’t like how the jumpsuit fit. Considering the cut, I really wanted to wear it oversized. At most stores, I’d have to hope they had one size larger (which they usually didn’t) and walk out empty-handed. But in this particular situation, I was able to size up to an XL, or 22-24. I still didn’t like how that one fit — it was loose, but not quite the billowy, far-too-large feel I’d envisioned. Looking back, I think I was going for “gay divorce who lives in Bearsville, teaches pottery classes out of her home, and refers to her scoby as a pet.”
And again, as anyone my size or larger knows, there’s usually no option to just keep sizing up until the garment is as oversized as you want it to be. But, that day, I was able to size up to a 2XL and finally get the look I was going for. Alex and I had a long conversation about how the brand’s size range lends itself to that kind of creative, which led to her asking about what kind of work I love to do and, well, the rest was history.
I got the Kate Twill Jumpsuit that day, and now every time I put it on, I’m reminded of that conversation — and not just because it led to a total career shift. As silly as it sounds, the fact that I was able to explore a range of sizes to find what worked best for me — as opposed to settling for the first thing that fit decently well, even if it wasn’t exactly what I wanted — was an amazing feeling. It gave me the option to wear something how I’d imagined, as opposed to conforming my idea of how I wanted to look to whatever was available.
And hey, not for nothing: jumpsuits are hard. I don’t care if you identify as straight size, or plus size, or neither: finding a jumpsuit that’s comfortable and versatile and doesn’t give you camel toe or pull at the shoulders or gap at the buttons can be a challenge. The Kate Twill — made out of a super stretchy, thick twill fabric — has none of those issues. It also has some kind of magical temperature-regulating power (though the design team has not confirmed the presence of magic). I wear it in the spring with white sneakers, in the summer with Birkenstocks, in the fall with white sneakers (I am who I am) and in the winter, with boots. Somehow, it’s comfortable and feels amazing all year round.
It’s also one of those pieces that, whenever I wear it, I get asked at least 10 times where I got it, from people of all different genders and aesthetics. On social media, I’ve seen people wear it very oversized, just a little oversized, or tighter for a sexier look — and no matter what, it always looks amazing. To me, the ubiquity of the Kate Twill Jumpsuit reinforces what I knew to be true that day in the showroom: When you create a timeless piece of clothing in a wide range of sizes, it allows everyone to opt in and wear it their way — and that means no matter what, it always looks good.