Rise of comfort clothing in the time of coronavirus

Jaju launched the 365 Pajama collection Tuesday, backed by the soaring sales of its pajama sets. Shinsegae International via The Korea Herald/Asia News Network

SEOUL — The coronavirus pandemic has created a “new normal” in many aspects of our lives, as more people are staying in, spending more time at home than ever before, working from home and taking classes online.

Part of the new normal is the fashion trend of comfort clothing. More consumers are responding to the new lifestyle by staying in their pajamas.

While some companies require their employees to dress up in business attire during online conferences or meetings, there are also those who do not bother to change at all, staying in their PJs all day.

Shinsegae International’s lifestyle brand Jaju recorded a 318 percent growth in pajama sales during the first quarter of the year, compared to the same period last year.

Responding to the soaring sales, Jaju on Tuesday launched new unisex pajama line named 365 Pajama featuring organic cotton and a variety designs and colors.

Shinsegae Department Store, a department store franchise under Shinsegae Group, said Wednesday, the sales of Ellaconic — its private lingerie brand which offers loungewear from pajamas to robes — from March 1 to Monday had grown by 21.6 percent compared to the same period last year.

With pajamas in direct contact with the skin for many hours, cotton is the most often used fabric for pajamas as it is light and soft with a low probability of causing skin irritation.

However, silk pajamas have their followers, too. Though silk requires more care, silk pajama sets create a feminine and flattering look, hanging in a carefree manner on the body. The soft texture can provide a sense of luxurious self-care, too.

Moreover, silk pajamas can evolve into “one-mile-wear,” a concept of Japanese origin, referring to comfort clothing that one would wear within a mile of home.

Wearing pajama sets outside of home has been in trend for years, though the controversy over whether this is desirable still exists. Regardless, many urbane fashionistas have adopted this trend, consciously making a style statement with their pajamas.

Wearing pajamas in public does not mean wearing dirty, rumpled or stained sleepwear. It means putting on a pair of freshly laundered pajamas, while taking care of small details like the necklines of T-shirts and accessories, making the look appropriate for public appearance.

DJ Peggy Gou’s collaboration with online select shop Yoox last year is an example of how pajama fashion can be worn out to the street, the silk navy pajamas highlighted with yellow lines offering a stunning color contrast.

For those who are uncomfortable wearing pajamas in public, tracksuits, leggings and hoodies will do, and are appropriate even for home training. Knitted cardigans, cotton pants and skirts are other options for going for a short walk near home or quick trips to the supermarket.

Even athleisure brands are launching collections for the one-mile-wear trend.

Andar launched the second one-mile collection in its lifestyle category, following the release of the first collection last month. Andar’s sales in the first quarter of the year has increased by 200 percent year-on-year. Juicy Couture, meanwhile, has expanded its tracksuit line this season.