A lifetime of Onesie Adventures

Posted on: 05/06/2019

A lifetime of Onesie Adventures

One of our German All-in-One family members has found fame in his hometown with his bespoke Onesie creations!

Over the years, Torsten has been a creating his own Onesies, coming up with amazing, bespoke designs. Becoming quite a celebrity in his home-town, Torsten was interviewed by a local newspaper to talk about his love for his All-in-Ones.

"Torsten Dümke almost has celebrity status in Holzgerlingen thanks to his unusual everyday clothes.

In Holzgerlingen he is known as the proverbial colorful dog. Although he didn't appear as that yet. Instead as a sheep, a leopard or the devil. With his onesies, Torsten Dümke calls into question the rules of fashion and transcends them. The reactions? Differently.

HOLZGERLINGEN. It is a normal Thursday evening in Holzgerlingen. Torsten Dümke quickly wants to run some errands in the city. The butter has run out, and a little cheese. On his bike, that looks more like a Harley Davidson than a boneshaker with its three wheels, the comfortable reclining seat and the headrest, he heads of to his trustworthy supermarket. As he walks through the rows of shelves he immediately attracts the glances of the other customers. Or rather: his outfit. Because today he chose it suiting his mission: A onesie made of yellow fleece with uneven black circles is reminiscent of a piece of cheece with holes. Even a plush mouse with a pointy nose and a golden button in the ear looks out of one of these.

"At first, people eyed me up and down because of my onesies, now I'm known like this in Holzgerlingen", says Torsten Dümke, who still owns jeans, suits and ties but hardly gets them out of the depths of his wardrobe. He prefers his about 50 jumpsuits who serve him as everyday clothing. Whether made of cuddly-warm teddy fleece, jersey fabric or wind and waterproof textile fibers - Torsten Dümke is prepared for every living and weather situation. He owns a remarkable collection, that is steadily growing since many years. Besides quite inconspicuous examples of blue sweatshirt fabric with white dots, some might just about sort into the category "everyday use", all kinds of curiosities can be found too.

A onesie of squeaky green, fluffy soft fleece fabric with a yellow Belly part for example. If Torsten Dümke slips in there, his face sinks almost under the wide hood with the squinting table tennis ball eyes. Fastly he slips on the corresponding gloves and socks and suddenly the 70-year-old became a human frog. "I designed this onesie myself and had it made to measure by a company in England which specializes in these onesies" says Dümke.

Equally animalistic is the variant in leopard-optics, with funny cat ears on the hood. With this one, he dared into the Sindelfingen park to pose for the camera on a tree. "I just have fun with it and sometimes, you just have to make a fool of yourself."

He is aware of the fact that he stands out with his choice of clothing - but it is not his intention. "I don't care what people thing about it. Of course, I'm pleased if I'm adressed and get positive feedback. But Torsten Dümke can cope with negative reactions too: "Even if people are laughing at me, they had a little fun."

The man from Holzgerlingen doesn't want his onesies be seen as dressing up or costumes. Rather as comfortable all day clothing that might be a bit extravagant. "It simply is extremely practical. You jump in, pull up the zipper, don't have to squat down and are completely dressed." And in the Swabian spirit the Lübeck-native found out another advantage. Since the onesies are so warm my heating coasts dropped considerably. On top of this he can do without ironing. "I hang them up stretched out and that's it." He just wants to give one advice to potential imitators: "You should wear one piece underwear under a onesie. Otherwise it rolls up and starts to pinch."

The 70 year old can't remember, how far his passion for one piece clothing goes back. However a black and white photograph from 1952, that shows him at the age of three mischievously smirking in a romper let's us assume that it is something he was born with.

His first creation arose in the 1970s. The time of the jeans jumpsuits. "Back then they weren't available for men. So I designed one myself and made a pattern out of a shirt and a pair of trousers. Back then his mother converted his idea into practice on the sewing machine. Nowadays he regularely becomes a tailor himself.

However he still gets most of his beloved onesies from online retailers. For example the red Santa Clause onesie with the long pointed cap, which gets into action during Christmas time. Then he visits the children of the forest kindergarten and brings them little presents. And to be even more authentic next year he already lets his white beard grow. So in the end his clothing becomes dressing up a bit after all, at least for one day."

Have you been inspired by Torstens story? you can Create-your-Own Onesie on our 3D Onesie Builder.