Can you rock a jumpsuit? The trend is back for day and evening

NEW YORK -- Awards nights usually are reserved for showstopping gowns, but Robin Wright resisted the norm in a backless Ralph Lauren custom jumpsuit done in ivory as a contemporary take on the lady tuxedo.

It was at the 2014 Emmys last August, when she was nominated for lead actress as the impeccably dressed Claire Underwood in "House of Cards." She didn't win, but her twist on the trendy jumpsuit earned her mega-votes for best dressed that night.

In this March 12 file photo, actress Caitriona Balfe wears a Bottega Veneta jumpsuit at the 32nd Annual Paleyfest: "Outlander" held at The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

Jumpsuits are back, for day and evening, at least on the backs of celebrities.

Bellamy Young, the first lady of "Scandal," donned a sleeveless one-piece in a black-and-cream print with a skinny belt when she met actual first lady Michelle Obama on "The Ellen Degeneres Show." Michelle Rodriguez showed up at a photo call for "Furious 7" in a white leather capri length version with a long front zip.

And Lady Gaga hit the streets of New York in a sheer, bra-exposing black jumpsuit from Fleur du Mal -- statement silver necklace, chandelier earrings and chunky bracelets in place.

Actress Robin Wright appears at the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards on Aug. 25 at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles. Awards nights usually are reserved for show-stopping gowns, but Wright resisted the norm in a backless Ralph Lauren custom jumpsuit done in ivory. (Matt Sayles ~ Television Academy via AP)

Not everyone is sold on jumpsuits, however, and among those who have gone there, evening jumpsuits can still feel risky.

"It had a beautiful lapel and the fit and fabrication were amazing," said New York stylist Kemal Harris of Wright's plunging Emmy outfit, paired with a slicked-back 'do, dainty diamond studs in her ears and a long silver chain.

Harris styled Wright for the look and dresses her routinely on and off her Netflix show.

"The open back lent it a dress-up red carpet vibe, but it does feel a little risky. She's very open to taking risks, but she also loves any excuse to wear a pair of pants," Harris laughed.

So do lots of us, but New York accessories expert Alison Minton, with two evening jumpsuits left untouched in her closet since the late '90s, isn't sold on one-pieces for the masses.

"If you remember 'Charlie's Angels' wearing the jumpsuits -- and I'm talking the show, not the movie -- then I don't think you should be wearing one," said Minton, accessories editor for the site Newyorksocialdiary.com and longtime blogger at Accessorygeneration.com.

"I'll give a little bit more leeway to the evening ones, only because they tend to be a little more elegant and they drape a little bit better," she said. "The evening ones look more like a dress."

Harris has worn a jumpsuit or two, lauding the old mechanic's style as it mounts a slouchy comeback. Some tips and words of warning from Harris and Minton on how to rock the jumpsuit:

Mind the fit

Wright and other celebs are lucky when they strut on red carpets.

In this Jan. 7 file photo, Portia de Rossi wears a sleeveless blue jumpsuit by Zuhair Murad at the People's Choice Awards in Los Angeles. Jumpsuits are back, for day and evening, at least on the backs of celebrities. Not everyone is sold on jumpsuits, however, and among those who have gone there, evening jumpsuits can still feel risky. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP, File)

They're often in custom or have ready access to expert tailoring.

Fit, Harris said, is ultra-important when it comes to the jumpsuit.

"Have it tailored, or make sure the fit is correct so you don't swim in it, so it doesn't lose your body shape. Because it is one piece, you have to make sure you've got some type of definition in the waist. And make sure the length is right," she said.

Minton cautioned there's "not a lot of wiggle room" in terms of fit when it comes to jumpsuits off the rack if you have no plans for tailoring.

Body types

In this March 11 file photo, Shelley Hennig wears a sleeveless jumpsuit at the 32nd Annual Paleyfest: "Teen Wolf " in Los Angeles. Jumpsuits are back, for day and evening, at least on the backs of celebrities. Not everyone is sold on jumpsuits, however, and among those who have gone there, evening jumpsuits can still feel risky. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

In this March 16 photo released by Warner Bros., actress Bellamy Young, from the ABC series "Scandal," appears in a Max Mara black and cream sleeveless jumpsuit on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," in Burbank, California. (Michael Rozman/Warner Bros. via AP)

Harris said a wide range of cuts and fabrics are now available, lending the jumpsuit to many shapes and sizes.

"The thing with the jumpsuit is you can play with the silhouette in so many different ways. You can have a halter style that's narrow on top and has a fuller leg on the bottom. That would flatter a pear-shaped body. Or if you want to streamline your legs, I've seen ones that have a wider dolman sleeve and a cigarette pant bottom. That would be good for larger bustlines," she said.

The short-legged or short-torsoed should beware, Minton said.

"I think they look better on tall, slim bodies than they do on anybody else," she said.

Print vs. solid color

Statement prints for jumpsuits might be dicey, Harris said.

"In general, solids will probably read better head to toe, unless you're that type of person that does wear a lot of print and can pull off a lot of print. It's a lot of surface, so I would err on the side of solids," she said.

Fabric is equal to color when choosing, Minton said.

For evening, go for drape in a silk or poly blend.

Accessorizing

In this Feb. 28 file photo, Lea Michele wears a Mason By Michelle Mason jumpsuit at the Family Equality Council Los Angeles Awards Dinner in Beverly Hills, Calif. Jumpsuits are back, for day and evening, at least on the backs of celebrities. Not everyone is sold on jumpsuits, however, and among those who have gone there, evening jumpsuits can still feel risky. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

Wright wore her Emmys one-piece with a pair of Jimmy Choos.

"You definitely need a great heel or a platform, because the beautiful part of a jumpsuit is they give a nice illusion of length in the leg. They elongate the body," Harris said.

Long, loose necklaces like the one Wright wore inside her lapels are a nice look for one-pieces, she said.