Look, I've come to terms with the fact that I'm probably not going to be a NASA astronaut, okay? For one, more than 18,300 people applied to be an astronaut during the space agency's last hiring period, and only about eight to 14 will get picked to be candidates. Oh, and I also missed the deadline to apply. Whoops.

Any proper fantasy requires some level of cosplay

But that doesn't mean I can't pretend I'm a NASA astronaut, and any proper fantasy requires some level of cosplay. Thankfully, Alpha Industries has the perfect NASA-inspired jumpsuit that I can use. Teen Vogue recently featured the orange getup, which looks very similar to the jumpsuits real NASA astronauts wear, in its June / July cover story of Anwar Hadid, brother of model Gigi Hadid. One of the story's photos shows Anwar in the jumpsuit, which features some sewed-on NASA patches for added authenticity. The whole ensemble can be yours for the price of $111, the article notes.

The story prompted me to head on over to Alpha Industries' site, where I found even more space gear on sale. The company has a whole section that includes NASA-inspired flight jackets, as well as orange and blue flight sites. Alpha Industries CEO recently told Complex magazine that these items have become very popular lately, probably due to a mixture of escapism and nostalgia. "What child doesn’t want to be an astronaut?!" CEO Mike Cirker told Complex, adding that "with all of the recent achievements and landings, there is resurgence in interest and ‘cool factor’ surrounding NASA."

I did notice that the NASA’s section was considered men’s clothes. Fortunately, clothes don’t care who wears them, and women have been sporting the company's space jackets just fine. Also, the fact that the NASA jacket is one of the top-selling products for the company shows how much people are connecting with space exploration these days. I grew up with two NASA engineers (Hi Mom! Hi Dad!), and throughout my childhood, I never saw as much enthusiasm about their work as I do now. And if people are looking for ways to express that enthusiasm, what better way than through fashion?

Meanwhile, my coworkers should expect to see me in an orange jumpsuit soon, counting down until takeoff at my desk.