Pajamas: All Day, Every Day

This past year has been filled with uncertainty, yet the one thing that has remained constant through it all is the comfort of our homes. The need for commutes, cross-country travel and in-person work had diminished to nearly zero. With much of the population constantly remaining in their residences, comfort has trumped all other fashion trends. Many WFH individuals have popularized the “Zoom shirt”. The Zoom Shirt is a working individual’s attire for their scheduled zoom calls and then is immediately swapped out for their comfort clothes as soon as the call has ended. This clever hack for appearing put together for colleagues and bosses has become a worldwide movement and has become the reality of how we conduct business. The trend is clear – people are valuing comfort over all else.

With comfort on everyone’s mind, it is no surprise that the pajama industry has skyrocketed this past year. This growth has amounted to nearly a 143% increase which can easily be inferred to be due to the increased amount of the workforce conducting business from home. Traditional pajamas and leisure sets have seen a massive increase in popularity. Many retailers have a “Leisure” category on their sites, directing shoppers to endless options to create their comfort paradise. The niche market of high-end pajamas has seen a large increase, as many consumers are willing to spend upwards of $2,000 to purchase luxury sleepwear. Other clothing departments have seen nowhere near this growth, with many declining rapidly as consumers are either not spending on clothing or are solely purchasing comfort items.

An emerging trend in Japan has been the “Pyjama Suit”. Unique to the Pyjama suit is the division of the sweatshirt that accompanies the sweatpants. The sweatshirt’s top half resembles a white button-down, while the bottom half is a sweatshirt. This suit has seen wild success as it is perfect for virtual meetings and looks as though you are dressed to the nines, yet in reality, consumers are wearing a sweatsuit. This product’s intent was to be humorous yet practical to address today’s working landscape. The suit has already seen massive success in countries all around the world.

Photo: The Guardian

The people have spoken, and pants/dresses are out – comfort is essential. Many trend forecasters believe the circumstances of this year have changed the common individual’s fashion preferences forever. In turn, this changes the fashion industry, and adapting to a more laid-back fashion style will be essential for retailers. Why confine yourself to starch stiff clothing? Live life comfortably!

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2021/feb/28/pyjama-suits-are-next-big-thing-as-formal-wear-is-hit-under-covid

https://www.wsj.com/articles/would-you-spend-1-000-on-luxury-pajamas-11617280679?mod=djemwsjmagazine