My Hunt for Non-Babyish White Overalls
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Incollege, I worked at Urban Outfitters, where employee perks included discountedgoing-outtops and first dibs at the returns. One day, a pair of white overalls from BDG came back, and I claimed them before they could re-hit the racks. They weren’t perfect — they had rose-gold buckles, required a few too many roll-ups at the ankle, and majorly gaped in the back when I sat down — but I brought them back to the sorority house nonetheless. I went on to wear them all summer long and discovered that they paired well with a darty and a $6.99 bottle of André. Seven years later, I still have the overalls but have been wearing them only once or twice come warmer months. While they remained too long and too gape-y, I couldn’t bring myself to say good-bye.
When I went to pull them out for this season, though, I noticed a stain set in on the back of the leg. Like much of what remained of my college wardrobe five years out, it was finally time to retire and, in this case, replace them with something that felt more suited for being a working 20-something. Now, overalls are tricky. There’s a fine line between a pair that evokes my vision of a relaxed,sun-kissed, sun-hat-wearing woman strolling through her garden barefoot, and a pair that makes you look like a toddler. The fit is crucial. I wanted something relaxed in the leg, not baggy (or god forbid tight). The hardware could be silver or gold — just notrosegold.
As I searched, and as you’ll see below, theshade of whitebecame quite the distinguisher; after trying on a few, I quickly realized I wanted something a bit off-white, like eggshell, cream, or ecru. I was envisioning aclassic denimbut was open to exploration. Each pair would also need to pass a sit test; it was imperative that they did not part too much in the back and flash my future fellow picnicgoers. And then the pockets: I love overalls’s quintessential bib pocket. Back pockets are a plus, as are ones further down on the leg, like you’d get from carpenter pants. It’s all about the illusion of utility. (In reality, they’ll probably store lip gloss and a few crumpled receipts.) With all this in mind, I got to work.
My top picks
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Virtually perfect, thanks to the relaxed but fitted feel, creamy white color, and three-pocket bib.
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I enjoyed the adjustable grommet straps, warm ecru shade, and raw hem.
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100 percent cotton and very lightweight. I liked the whimsical knot straps and sunglasses pocket.
The ones that didn’t quite cut it
The ones that weretoowhite
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It felt natural to start withLevi’s, where, call me a traditionalist, I begin many of my denim searches. Slipping into this pair, I immediately knew the white was a bit toopure, closer to the shade I want my teeth to achieve after a round of Crest 3D White Strips (which I guess I should have surmised given the Tooth Fairy White color name) than what I had in mind for overalls. That said, I loved the relaxed, straight fit through the legs, the silver hardware, and the gray Levi’s badge front and center on the bib. Also, for being non-stretch denim, I found them soft and movable. Fortunately, they have these available in three other washes.
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TheGaphad many overall options online, but only this one in white. Similar to the Levi’s, I liked the relaxed, loose fit and square neckline. What I didn’t like was howwhitewhite it was, especially against the contrast stitching in a sand-colored thread. The supersoft fabric and plethora of pockets were redeeming, though: The front bib had two layers of them, and the side had both a standard slant pocket and a smaller pocket accompanying it above.
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The hardware on these caught my eye. Whereas most others used these buttons as branded real estate, this pair from Alex Mill played it cool with a crest of three stars and an olive branch. The front bib pocket on the left was separated out into three quadrants (for small essentials you want to keep close to your chest, say your favorite ballpointpenfrom Goods for the Study), and I’d give them a B+ on the sit test. Unfortunately, not only were they too bright white for my taste, they arrived with a few gray smudges on the leg, and I just don’t believe in having to pull out stain remover before I’ve left my apartment.
The ones that were too dark
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Whereas the above were too white, this Free People pair was perhaps a little too dark. My Goldilocks pair must be out there somewhere … I’m also usuallya barrel-legenthusiast but felt like I was swallowed up by them in this format (my working theory is that barrel legs should be paired with a fitted top). These were also the heaviest fabric of the bunch, and the back swooped down just a bit too low for my liking. The search continues.
The ones that were surprisingly thin
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While shopping around theWest Villagethis past winter, a friend introduced me toLeset. A five-day-a-week officegoer, she claims she wears the Rio High-Waist Flare Pants at least once a week, “paired with a kitten heel and a desk nap.” I may workfully remote, but comfortable, put-together garments are always appealing, so I gave Leset’s overalls a shot.
These were a departure from the rest of the overalls in cost, but also in weight and feel: They wereverythin. This was great for how breathable and cartwheel-able they felt (especially given the high back), but less great given you could see non-skin-toned undies through them. Leset makes pants and shorts in this fabric, which I’d love to investigate in a darker color for the summer.
The runners-up
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My eyes first went to the ring/strap/grommet situation up top. Fun! This second pair fromFree People’s in-house label had two strap lengths to choose from and, while the thread was a similar sandy color to the Gap ones, I quite liked it here against the warmer ecru shade. The raw hem on the cropped leg was also satisfying, something I feel like the gardener on my internal vision board would like. Ultimately, my group chat thought these were a bit too baggy for my frame and that the empire waistline leaned too toddler. After further contemplation, I agreed.
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This lightweight, 100 percent cotton pair from Terrain —Anthropologie’s green-thumb sister brand — featured a uniquely knotty take on the adjustable straps. (Although, to make them tighter, you need to artfully tie the straps to avoid excess fabric hanging down.) The inverted V-shaped bib pocket with vibrant-orange horizontal stitching provided a dose of whimsy, and these were the only pair with a pocket lower on the thigh, shaped to hold a pair of sunglasses perfectly. This pair was fun and a top contender, but I wanted something a bit more classic.
The winner
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A creamy white color. Crisp silver hardware. A bib pocket with three sections for when I bop around bagless, storing all the essentials (i.e., lip gloss, keys, my rose-water-scented hand sanitizer). I can see myself wearing theseQuinceoveralls to the farmers’ market on a Saturday, to patio drinks, or just for a day of virtual meetings at home, pairing them with an assortment ofteesandtanks. They have a similar fitted-yet-relaxed silhouette to the Alex Mill ones I tried on earlier, but they also have a slightly higher back so they weren’t as problematic when I sat down. All under $60, too.
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