Bloomer Report
from my personal collection
In March I wrote about how I was excited to Get Dressed again post baby - this took a little bit longer than anticipated, but I’m finding my way. Lately, I've mostly been wearing bloomers (am I inspired by my baby’s style? is it that all of my dresses have been rendered obsolete for the foreseeable future due to breastfeeding?). Bloomers of various styles have been a staple in my closet over the last six or so years, some pairs in constant rotation, others had been packed away and recently pulled back out. All of them are substantial enough to wear outside.
Below, my bloomer collection and some styling ideas:
Starting with the latest and greatest before going back to the beginning: egg’s ‘bella’ ruched trousers. These were a Mother's Day gift to myself after wanting them for literal years. When I shared a teaser for this post, a friend replied that this specific pant is her 'white whale' for bloomers, to which I completely agree. I had even considered them in white to wear to my wedding (I ended up pairing a silk Cawley blazer and skirt). I also adore them in pink, but when I saw them produced in black (onyx) this year I felt these would be the most practical for everyday wear (no worries about grass stains). They arrived in a brown (waxed) paper package all tied up with string and upon opening they curiously emitted a beautiful, clean aroma! I was so intrigued by this that I emailed to inquire about the scent - it turns out that sometimes the orders are packed alongside their pebble soap. How lovely. Anyway, these pants are the lightest, crispiest cotton, the volume is incomparable, and they, to me, go with everything and can be worn for any occasion. I wore them out to Dairy Queen the other night (Turtles Blizzard) and can attest that the breeze flows through them most refreshingly.
Here they are again, pushed up to masquerade as a big balloon skirt:
I think the moment I first became bloomer curious was in 2017 when I saw this image of a cream pair designed by Eva M. Nelson.
Divine. I had inquired about them but they were one offs and sold quickly (as they should have!). These may actually be my bloomer white whales. Then, in 2019, three pairs of bloomers finally entered my wardrobe: a ‘wild silk’ pair from Baserange, a black cotton poplin pair from A Détacher and a white ruffled short from Comme Des Garcons.
The Baserange bloomers were part of a larger ‘clown suit’ (see how I wore it then, here - see a similar suit, this time a one piece navy number, here). Lately, I’ve been wearing the bottoms, mostly at home, so I can feel slightly put together - it helps with the mood. I like wearing them with various button downs, especially this gorgeous ruffled shirt from Caramel London (it turns out they make fabulous clothes for adults too, not just babies).
Next, a pair of A Détacher bloomers, from designer Mona Kowalska’s final collection. I bought these from Fawn in Toronto (they currently have a pair of Black Crane culottes that are bloomer-adjacent). The cropped pants have drawstring bottoms to adjust the the level of bloomer you would like, or alternatively to be worn open. Below I am wearing them at maximum bloomer:
I’ve seen a pair recently on The Real Real (sadly sold at time of writing), but that means they are floating around. Lauren Manoogian has a similar, beautiful cinched style this season. Or you can check the cotton stall at St. Lawrence Market like I did for these pregnancy pants (they are not actually pregnancy pants).