Not in my lifetime —
I’d a been willing to bet —
Would this article of clothing make a comeback.
But “OMG,” I almost screamed when I spotted them in NYC a coupla weeks ago, “the romper has returned!”
The first romper I owned I made — bought a pattern and fabric and sewed the thing myself —
In our sewing room.
In 1977 I made a day-after-prom-brunch romper — grass green cotton with tiny white polka dots and three dainty little ties across the bodice.
This little number musta been “hot” back then — the shorts barely covered my 12th grade buns and the ties were functional as well as decorative, meaning the entire front was open —
Except where it was lashed together in three places across my chest.
Needless to say, it was the most uncomfortable thing I’ve ever worn. I couldn’t bend over, sit down, or reach for the butter without it shifting away from things that I typically wanted covered —
It was — as we said back then — “quite revealing.”
Alas, I coulda fared much better with the version of the romper my mother made famous —
The strapless terry cloth with the elastic above the bustline and at the waistline. One piece and it followed your every move —
She owned them in all the colors of sherbet —
Lime, orange, yellow —
And a couple more I can’t remember.
Wonder if she’ll be tempted to bring ’em back.
I think I just might —
Many things in life are better the second time around and the romper may be one of them.
JULIE ANN STEVENS 