Desperately seeking (American) jumper

March 23, 2018 2:41 AM

I am looking for a particular clothing type that was popular in the 90's - does it no longer exist?

I've been watching a lot of reruns of Friends and Frasier lately and there is a particular clothing-type that seems to have been popular in the 90's that I'd like to find. It was worn a lot by the Roz and Daphne characters on Frasier, and Phoebe on Friends. It is what I (American) would call a "jumper" - a long pinafore-style dress*, sort of like this but with a little more shape and color. Searching online gets me somewhere close - but tends to be much shorter than what I want. Can you help me find this dress?

*I believe that Brits/Aussies call sweaters "jumpers" - that's not what I am looking for.

posted by Toddles to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (22 answers total)

Does searching for “90s slip dress” get you close? It’ll turn up fancier dresses, but also the kind of dress I remember everyone wearing over t-shirts in the mid-90s. They weren’t specifically meant to be worn as jumpers, it’s just what we did. Adding “maxi” might help.
posted by Metroid Baby at 3:04 AM on March 23, 2018

I think I know what you're referring too. Monica on Friends wore them sometimes too, particularly in the early seasons. I think you're on the right track searching for pinafore dress, but try adding "90's" to your search terms and you'll find a lot of boutique/etsy examples. I don't think it's a style likely to be found in more mainstream shops right now. I managed to find these examples on etsy: 1, 2, 3. Note that long dresses are often referred to nowadays as "maxi" length, so that might help you in your search too.
posted by katyggls at 3:08 AM on March 23, 2018

How about Ebay for "Midi pinafore dress"?
posted by like_neon at 4:41 AM on March 23, 2018

I had some similar to that; we called them sundresses. Searching for "90s sundress" looks like it gets some results, especially on Etsy.

Example
posted by castlebravo at 5:51 AM on March 23, 2018 [4 favorites]

I don't remember those shows that well, but I remember 90s clothing. I think you might be looking for 'babydoll' dresses. Try doing a google image search for something like "maxi babydoll dress 90s".
posted by methroach at 6:26 AM on March 23, 2018 [2 favorites]

In the 90s I would have called that an ‘apron dress’, at least it’s definitely not a babydoll or sundress.
posted by aiglet at 6:30 AM on March 23, 2018 [3 favorites]

I wore these a lot - my mom actually made them; the sewing wasn't difficult. Are you a sewing person?
posted by Ms Vegetable at 6:34 AM on March 23, 2018

Best answer: It's a bit hard to tell what you're looking for from the example. Not your fault! I'm just not sure which of two directions to go in.

Are these the kinds of things you're looking for? If yes, I would use the search terms "maxi slip dress" and/or "maxi tank dress."

Or are these the kinds of things you're looking for? In that case I'd look for "maxi peasant dress" and maybe throw the word "boho" in there.
posted by everybody had matching towels at 7:21 AM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]

My mom has always worn jumpers kind of like that (except maybe not quite as stylish) and so I was pretty sure they could be found online (at least I knew she'd bought a fair number over many years). I found several searching for "jumper dresses".
posted by ldthomps at 8:26 AM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]

Patterns for these often call them "bib jumpers" so that's another term to use in your search.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:27 AM on March 23, 2018

When I think jumpers today I think girls' school uniform, so you might try searching for that. You'll get a lot of plaid jumpers, at least!
posted by TwoStride at 8:28 AM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]

If you're not talking about the spaghetti-strapped slip dresses others have linked to, I'd search "overall" dress.
posted by kapers at 8:44 AM on March 23, 2018 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Is this the kind of dress you're looking for? If so, the description includes all kinds of useful search terms for more:
90s Jumper Dress / Overall Dress / Bib Sleeveless Dress / 90s grunge Overalls Long Dress / Summer Dress / Oversized Maxi Full Length
posted by Kriesa at 8:49 AM on March 23, 2018

To me, jumper implies that it is a dress meant to be worn over a shirt. I think you have the right term, they just aren't really easy to find outside of kids / teen sizes.
posted by WeekendJen at 10:34 AM on March 23, 2018 [2 favorites]

"Babydoll" was the term used for a lot of dresses. "Boho" wasn't a word yet. It would help to see more examples of what you're thinking of.
posted by Miko at 10:53 AM on March 23, 2018

Best answer: I know exactly what you are talking about. I wore them as a kid in the 80s and early 90s. Weekend Jen is right, the key element is that they are meant to wear over a shirt.

The Vermont Country Store has several.
posted by donajo at 11:32 AM on March 23, 2018

If donajo's is the specific kind of dress meant, yes, I was alive back then in the olden days and in the US we called that a "jumper." We joked it was what you "had" to wear when you became a teacher.
posted by Miko at 1:41 PM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]

Asos has a few of these dresses. You can find more by searching for pinafore.
posted by airplant at 2:27 PM on March 23, 2018

Just a fashion techinicality: both pinafores and jumpers are sleeveless, but a "pinafore" will typically be backless, while a "jumper" will have a back panel.
posted by Miko at 2:41 PM on March 23, 2018

Seconding “overall dress” - especially on eBay and Etsy. If I had one to sell, that’s the term I’d use - and I’m the same age as all the people you’ve cited.

I consider myself pretty well versed in the “what do I call this thing” selling arts, and I would never think of jumper or pinafore.

It is NOT a babydoll dress, nor slip dress of any kind. Those were other dresses popular at the same time.

“Bib dress” is a possibility. I also think of them mostly in denim and (especially) corduroy, if that helps.
posted by crankyrogalsky at 3:35 PM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]

Might be regional. I never heard "overall dress" but maybe that makes more sense to buyers today.
posted by Miko at 10:03 AM on March 24, 2018

These are almost exclusively what my mom and I wore in the 90s, we also called them a "jumper."

If you sew/are willing to hire someone to sew, this is still a fairly common sewing pattern.

For ready-to-wear, "jumper dress" is the search term I would try. "Catalog" type stores seem to carry more of them...Blair has some, Chadwicks has a few styles, Vermont Country Store is an excellent suggestion,

I have seen tons of babydoll dresses and spaghetti strap slipdresses in fast fashion lately, so you might also just keep an eye out at Asos/Target/Forever 21 as I'm sure jumpers will be back soon as well!
posted by assenav at 11:44 PM on March 25, 2018 [1 favorite]