The Loungewear Revolution
by James P. Outreach & PR ExecutiveToday’s shopper is prioritising one thing over anything else
these days—comfort. And when something that is comfortable is also trendy,
fashion-conscious shoppers get a double whammy. According
to reports from the Guardian, we Brits are working harder than ever
before. Long, hard, weeks at work are made marginally better through
comfortable clothing that we can relax in, which is resonating with us when
we’re working from home.
Even before the majority of us were working from home, there
was an increased demand for loungewear. An increase in flexible working hours
and a growing freelance workforce helped drive this demand. The
global loungewear market is forecasted to grow nine per cent—$19.5bn—from
2020 to 2024, with the year-on-year growth rate predicted at 7.6 per cent at
the end of 2024. There have been a number
of brands that have been launched with this in mind, with
athleticwear designed to be exercised and relaxed in.
With loungewear soaring in popularity, it begs the question—which
loungewear takes the crown?
Comfort starts with shoes
Just like we need to keep our feet warm to avoid being cold,
our feet must be comfortable so we are content holistically. Comfort starts
with our feet and shoes. Imagine walking barefoot over pebbles or venturing
around in eight-inch stilettos all day. You’d be incredibly sore and restless.
Comfortable, flat shoes
are taking reign at the moment, with our research finding that trainers and
slides have soared in popularity.
Google Trend data showed that searches for “how to wear
trainers with dresses” and “best shoes to wear around the house” increased 600%
and 800%, respectively, over a year, with comfort taking priority for today’s
fashion. Interest in slides increased 19.7% over a five-year period, showing a
steady but consistent increase year-on-year.
Market research agency Mintel found that women in the UK are
choosing to buy trainers rather than heels, with 37% investing in trainers and 33%
opting for high heels. With luxury brands cashing in on this lucrative market,
finding comfort that is stylish has never been easier.
Loungewear dilemmas
We explored Google data to find out what people are
searching for the most when it comes to styling loungewear. We looked at the
average monthly searches and how much these have increased from July 2019 to
July 2020.
According to the data, “two-piece lounge sets” had 4,314
monthly searches, up 650% from the year before. This was followed closely by “women’s
loungewear set” with 3,929 monthly searches up 494%, and “ribbed loungewear
set” with 3,700 searches up 60%.
Popular celebrities who are influential of the fashion
industry, such as Gigi Hadid and Kim Kardashian-West, are helping drive high
fashion loungewear adoption. Kim Kardashian-West recently released her own
SKIMS brand of loungewear and underwear in the UK. Dubbed
the ‘Netflix and Chill’ generation, many younger people are less about fear
of missing out and more about the joy of missing out. This follows conversations
around mental health and self-confessed introverts choosing to stay in as a
form of self-care.
With the rise of androgynous identities in fashion, unisex
clothing and gender fluidity is rising. The relaxed shapes of loungewear aligns
with the gender-neutral movement.
We’re not surprised to see the rising popularity of trainers
and flat shoes with casual fashion taking the world by storm. There is less
need for suits and high heels and more for flat shoes and snuggly loungewear. Which
do you prefer?
Sponsor Ads
Created on Nov 2nd 2020 10:51. Viewed 424 times.