How Loungewear Made it Mainstream Thanks to WFH-life
If you find yourself yearning for the time when you spent hours going from one Zoom meeting to the next in your pajamas or sweatpants, you are not alone. The push for social distancing and working from home has given birth to one of the most unyielding clothing trends the fashion industry has yet seen: loungewear’s inevitable takeover of the everyday wardrobe. Let’s find out how the work-from-home lifestyle made these cozy and heavenly comfortable articles of clothing enter mainstream daywear.
Loungewear and the WFH Life Are a Match Made in Fashion Heaven
The pandemic has created some of the greatest strengths and weaknesses of the fashion industry. Although the coronavirus industry shut down pretty much the entire retail sector, online shopping saw explosive growth, especially when it comes to cozy, indoor-friendly fashion. That’s also how loungewear turned from pieces to wear when lazing around the house to something worn every day, everywhere, and for virtually everything.
The rise of loungewear as part of the WFH lifestyle boom isn’t much of a surprise to most brands and designers. It’s the story of how a humble pair of sweatpants, pajamas, or joggers found their deserved place in fostering a sense of comfort and reassurance when the pandemic was growing seeds of fear and uncertainty across the world. Opting for loungewear during the start of the pandemic is much akin to a caterpillar curling up and going back to its cocoon. Call it going back to the fashion comfort zone if you will.
People couldn’t resist wearing their favorite loungewear while doing their DIY projects, binging on Netflix shows, nursing their potted plants, and joining Zoom meetings. WFH life and loungewear are indeed a match made in fashion heaven. These pieces are soft on your skin, uber-comfortable, and forgiving when it comes to hiding some of the pounds you may have packed while lounging around the house.
The trend of people wearing loungewear in their everyday pursuits may seem like bad news for the fashion industry, but it’s going to work out for the best of everyone in the long run. Numerous benefits come from embracing WFH-style attires like joggers and camo leggings. For one thing, loungewear brands that were on the brink of shutting down have made a comeback with better and trendier collections than ever, helping them cash in on the boom. And from then on, the loungewear trend has been on a nearly-unstoppable upward trend.
Working from home has made us rediscover the joy of online shopping and prioritize comfort & coziness in our clothing. Consequently, the loungewear segment of the fashion industry has seen a whopping 300% growth uptick from the pre-pandemic period. The sector’s explosive growth is picking up steam even as more and more people return to the office, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
As more people across the country adjust to going back to the office, one thing is certain: the WFH life has transformed wardrobes and fashion trends almost everywhere in the world, from the US and Italy to Brazil and India. Some items, like tough pants, have been shown the door, but it looks like loungewear-inspired fashion is here to stay. We aren’t complaining. Camo leggings and sweats are reasonably durable, easy to wear, ultra-comfortable, and very versatile inside and outside the home. Best of all, everyone, including men and women, is wearing joggers, camo leggings, and sweats.
“People have noticed that you don’t have to compromise on coziness and comfort to be fashionable. Loungewear has established itself as a distinct category, and the evolving consumer taste for stylish yet comfy clothing is what everyone is embracing,” notes Sanctuary.
The Gig Economy Factor
Working from home (or remote working) is not entirely the product of the pandemic. Even before the coronavirus crisis hit, the online gig economy had created significant traction among digital nomads, millennials, and even some Gen-z’s. That’s why it comes as no surprise that loungewear, as a WFH fashion trend, had picked up long before the pandemic along with the rise of the gig economy, as remote workers opted for comfort and cozy clothing.
The arrival of the pandemic helped douse the loungewear category with the much-needed fuel, allowing the segment to experience meteoric growth. Social distancing and other restrictive measures warranted by the pandemic lead to change in behavior regarding productivity and fashion.
Meanwhile, the pandemic pushed designers and lifestyle brands to optimize their supply chains and work hard on new designs to upgrade men’s loungewear sizing, colors, and styles. These changes, fueled by the pandemic, saw the birth of several exciting trends in the world of loungewear. For instance, men’s loungewear trends such as side stripes, flared bottoms, wide-leg styles, solid tapered lounge sweats, and coordinated marching sets in color blocks played a notable role in fueling the growth in the segment.
The Case for Keeping It Casual and Cozy
Most employers will not care what you wear when you’re working from home – as long as you are productive and get the job done. After all, staying cozy for a few days can do wonders for your productivity and mental health, particularly during the pandemic. If you are not up for dressing for WFH as you’d in the office, that’s totally justifiable and understandable in such a situation. And besides, it doesn’t hurt to cut yourself some slack to reinvigorate your mind.
Typically, dressing up for work plays a role in helping you prepare for the day ahead and go through the motions, but opting for effortless clothing can inspire productivity and free up plenty of time. This is especially true when you don’t have to interface on video with coworkers or clients. In this case, wearing some camo leggings or your favorite sweatpants can feel immensely relaxing and set you up in the ideal mood to get lots of work done.
All in all, adjusting to going back to the office after enjoying the coziness of working from home can be tricky. Most people would prefer to continue dressing with comfort in mind. It doesn’t matter what stage of your lifestyle you are in, the loungewear men’s fashion trend is here to stay.


