Nights in Brickell, out to dinner or meeting up with friends warrants a put-together outfit. Running errands, going to an 8 a.m. class and getting some work done is all about being comfortable.
What once was blouses, polos, jeans and sneakers, is fading into hoodies, sweatpants, flannel pants and Uggs.
“Cute-Comfy” is the trend of this decade. It dates back to 2020, the start of the Covid-19
pandemic. In an era when leaving the house was limited, pajamas became an all-day outfit.
The University of Miami isn’t exempt from this trend. Seven out of eleven interviewed students believe this is part of the reason daytime loungewear is ideal. Instead of waking up earlier to pick out a nice outfit, a hoodie and sweatpants is the perfect solution for saving time and energy for plans later that night.
Helena Lopez, the president of University of Miami’s Luxury and Fashion Club, says, “brands started to respond more and more to this by releasing sets, pajamas and loungewear that met consumer’s wants, and it became a feedback loop.”
Brands like Skims and Comfrt establish their identities as loungewear brands, creating a new market for their audiences. Skims, founded in 2019 by Kim Kardashian, Emma Grede and Jens Grede, sells a wide range in a small niche.
The umbrella of pajamas and loungewear is large, though. It’s not just matching sets and nightgowns.
Almost exclusively just shapewear, underwear, loungewear and pajamas, this brand has been a catalyst for the cute-comfy trend, especially given that it’s founded by a Kardashian, an instant trendsetter.
Comfrt is another growing loungewear clothing brand, targeting a different audience within the same niche. This company, founded in 2022, offers a selection of hoodies, loungewear and athleisure for both men and women.
Both brands were created within the past decade, a testament to the timeline of the trend.
Out of the11 UM students, nine of them reported that they have worn pajamas in public spaces and plan on continuing to do so.
Many of them come to the same consensus, including sophomore Alex Serrano, who says he wears loungewear “half the time because it’s easy to put on and is comfier than a polo.”
Lopez also notes that “this trend goes hand in hand with the trends of wearing silk and embroidery, where shorts, tops and dresses can be confused with house dresses or night gowns.”
This implies that the trend may only be a passing fad, given that preferable looks and materials swap every few years with the influx of newly-desired aesthetics.
However, in terms of comfort, convenience and expense, the more realistic component of fashions, loungewear may be here to stay.
A study conducted this year by Industry Research found that 65 percent of global consumers prioritize comfort in their outfits while only 18 percent of consumers prefer traditional daywear.
“I see it as something permanent, at least in the US, because it’s been normalized through the years that people dress down in sweatpants and comfortable clothing for everyday errands, airports, school, etcetera.,” Lopez said.
Although it appears people would much rather wear comfortable clothes as much as possible, there are still limits – just different than the previous limits of wearing them exclusively to bed.
Eight out of the 11 interviewed UM students don’t think it’s appropriate to wear pajamas to class, and all of them agree it’s inappropriate to wear them to work.
Where it gets hazy is in the classroom and running errands. Eight out of eleven students wouldn’t wear pajamas to class, but they would wear them to run errands or travel.
The U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, even got involved in the debate, saying “dress up to go to the airport, help a stranger out, and be in a good mood” in an interview with Fox Business.
He includes this in his Civility Campaign, which introduces the idea that dressing nice equates to a demonstration of respect.
“I think your personal presentation says a lot about your demeanor and work ethic,” Lopez said. “Dressing well and put together can sometimes make a difference in other people’s perceptions of you.”