A dress is a one-piece garment containing a skirt. What's the word for a one-piece garment that looks like a dress, except it has shorts instead? Are there any qualifiers depending on the length of the shorts?
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11Actually, "skort" is a garment that starts at the waist, it's not a whole-body garment like a dress, @PhilSweet– Kristina LopezNov 2, 2017 at 22:03
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7I think any question about names of clothing articles needs to clearly specify if they want answers for BE or AmE, because the answers will most likely be different.– T.E.D.Nov 3, 2017 at 10:33
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3@T.E.D. there are many clothing terms that have different meanings in AmE and BE. Commonly known examples are jumper, pinafore, and pants. In AmE it's perfectly acceptable to walk out in public with your pants showing. In BE, not so much.– Robert ColumbiaNov 3, 2017 at 15:10
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5 Answers
It is called a 'Playsuit'. If the length of the shorts increases enough that they become trousers, it would become a 'Jumpsuit'.
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7In the US in 2017, only children wear playsuits, regardless of what the garment looks like.– 1006aNov 3, 2017 at 2:11
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2@1006a: Well, children, and Taylor Swift, as the Wikipedia article shows.– sleskeNov 3, 2017 at 9:10
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9@1006a - Yeah, this is clearly a BE answer. "Trousers" isn't a term used often in the US (its "pants"). I believe here its called a "romper" (Kristina's answer).– T.E.D.Nov 3, 2017 at 10:33
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1@sleske That link is to a Daily Mail article, though, which I'm pretty sure is a British rag. La Swift herself didn't call it that.– 1006aNov 3, 2017 at 14:36
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1@AytAyt their online branch has quite a large US staff, so some American influence creeps in. But not in this case– Chris HNov 4, 2017 at 20:08
The one-piece garment with shorts is sometimes referred to as a "romper", as shown here - from a recent online catalog in the US:
Thanks to @RaceYouAnytime's generosity, here are some additional notes regarding "romper":
The OED describes "romper" as originally referring to a garment worn by children, but it can also refer to adult garments of this sort.
2.a. A one-piece garment covering the trunk and all or part of the legs, worn esp. as a playsuit by a young child; (subsequently also) an all-in-one outer garment for a baby.
2.b. An item of clothing of related design worn by adults: spec. (a) a fashionable, loose-fitting woman's garment combining esp. a short-sleeved or sleeveless top and wide-legged shorts
answered Nov 2, 2017 at 22:18
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2Woops, I didn't live up to my username this time, you beat me. +1. Nov 2, 2017 at 22:24
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9@T.E.D. Oh god. I hope that doesn't catch on - the word or the style...– MichaelNov 3, 2017 at 11:07
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1@JanusBahsJacquet - Then you (and Michael and his 8 upvoters) had definitely better not go to twitter and look at the #romphim hashtag– T.E.D.Nov 4, 2017 at 0:12
I've always heard that referred to as a jumper
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5I've heard 'jumper' when it ends in a skirt, and 'romper' when it ends in shorts. When I was in school we had a uniform and the girls outfits were called 'jumpers', it was a dress-like outfit worn over a t-shirt. (US English)– MMAdamsNov 3, 2017 at 18:14
In Australian English this item of dress is a jumpsuit.
This fashion website lists jumpsuits for sale
The length of the legs does not change the name of the item. The defining feature is that it is a slim-fitting top and bottom in one piece. Slim-fitting in that it is not a 'onesie'. Top and bottom in that it is not a overall/coverall/dungaree that requires a separate t-shirt underneath.
I believe these items were last fashionable here in the 1970's and have had a recent resurgence in popularity.
If the lower part is full length and it is a functional garment (rather than a fashion garment), it could be called a coverall (or coveralls). If the top of it is a bib rather than a sleeved garment, it would be called overalls or (rarely) dungarees.
