LOUNGEWEAR IS THE NEW LUXURY

By Pamela Valdez (Fashion Business Management, ‘24)

It’s a Friday night, you’re trying to find your favorite pair of jeans in your closet and your friends already texted the group chat that they’re going to be outside in five minutes. You can’t wait to spend the night out, forget about school and stress for a little while and just be in the presence of your friends. Then before you knew it, everything got shut down. Everyone was forced to stay in their homes for months in quarantine and no one knew just how much our lives would change in a matter of months. Now instead of spending your Friday nights and weekends out and about with friends, getting ready to find a new spot to eat at or shopping for your next look to take some Instagram pictures, you have found yourself wearing sweatpants and a random t-shirt or hoodie every day. Quarantine and COVID-19 put a new perspective on the idea of sweats and how cute you can make them.

Many celebrities have been announcing their new clothing lines or brands that have been in progress in the past year. Within these companies, you’ll see that sweatpants and sweatshirts have become much more popular to sell and common to wear. Before, it would’ve been crazy for someone to see you in such a gloomy outfit if you’re going out to get groceries or hang out with friends. Now, if you are seen with a matching sweatsuit in a popular color or with a well-known brand’s logo on it, you’re considered fashionable! How did this happen? An example of this would be Kim Kardashian’s loungewear line called SKIMS. She sells pieces of clothing from bodysuits to shapewear, bras, underwear, and more. Some are priced more affordable than others, but her zipped-up sweaters go up to $78, sweatpants reaching $68, and even her robes at a whopping $108! As someone who did receive a piece of SKIMS for Christmas, I do have to say that the comfort of the shorts I have are amazing and they’re one of my favorite shorts to wear at home. But for the prices of other items, what makes SKIMS any different than Target sweatpants or something from H&M and Forever21?

Kanye West also began to make this style of oversized clothing, neutral earth tones and slides as shoes a type of everyday outfit. It’s something that I definitely would not have seen coming several years ago. Style, outfits and accessories have evolved so much. Even model Emily Ratajkowski now has her own swimwear line called Inamorata Woman where she sells loungewear, too. It has become much more common for brands that sell any type of clothing or outerwear to now include and start selling loungewear. Her pricing is higher than SKIMS’, and she has her sweatpants at $95 a pair, while her hoodies go for $115.

SKIMS (@skims)

The question that many people ask though and wonder is how loungewear has become more normalized, and why is it now a new luxury? I believe that COVID played a huge role in why this has happened. If it weren’t for the pandemic forcing us to stay home and not having to wear work clothes or a professional outfit every day, then we would’ve never had the idea that it’s okay to go out and have a sweatsuit on because they’re trendy! I remember when I used to be in high school, and I would only wear sweatpants and UGGs on a day where the weather was going to be gloomy, it was going to snow or it was a day where I wasn’t feeling my best. That gave people the impression that you’re either having a bad day or didn’t want to try and this has been that impression for several years now. But as celebrities continue to release more loungewear with a higher price tag and the idea that it’s “luxury” because of that price, people and consumers will only continue to destigmatize loungewear.

Another great thing about loungewear and how it has made a comeback is that it can be dressed up or down. You can always pair it with a matching top and some sneakers if you’re going for something cozy and casual no matter what you’re going to be doing. But if you’re going to spend the day out and maybe want to hang out with friends or grab lunch somewhere, I have seen outfits of people making a sweatsuit much more luxurious than it actually is by pairing it with expensive sneakers or a handbag, a lot of layering with accessories and wearing your hair done. This is a common look on Pinterest and Instagram that has been much more common.

Social media is also a place that is either very toxic or a great community and a way to connect with others from all around the world. Unfortunately, it has been a place recently where a lot of negativity has surfaced including celebrities when they would wear looks that were considered much more casual. Sometimes when I go on Snapchat and see the articles that are written about celebrities, they will have a picture of a Kardashian or something who is well known in the media and give them a terrible headline making fun of their body in loungewear, their outfit or something else about their appearance. It is something that needs to stop in general but also when celebrities have an outfit that is much more comfortable and relaxed, such as biker shorts and an oversized sweater with sneakers. But now, the press doesn’t typically give it as much hate as it did a couple of years ago. This is also because of the way the pandemic shaped style and fashion over the many months of being inside.

Quarantine and COVID-19 put a new perspective on the idea of sweats and how cute you can make them.

No matter how much more fashion continues to evolve over the years, it is always going to be criticized and called out by others. Many will either agree or disagree with the way people are dressing, but the best part about fashion is that there is no right or wrong way to dress. The way you are comfortable in an outfit and the way you dress is one of the first ways that really show off your personality, and I love that. Fashion is supposed to be fun and no matter what it is that you’re wearing, whether it is sweatpants and a hoodie to go out for brunch or a dress, heels, and handbag for going to run errands, make the most of life because the pandemic taught us that life is precious, and it’s never promised. Have fun every day with what you wear and don’t be afraid of the judgment coming from others.

Inamorata Woman (@inamoratawoman)