What Australian at home workers are wearing while on the job
Pyjamas, trackies and slippers have become the latest fashion trend for at home workers, including Vogue USA boss Anna Wintour – regarded as the doyenne of high-end fashion.
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It is the new no fuss work uniform – what you wore to bed.
While bricks and mortar shopfronts have taken a massive hit due to COVID-19, Australians are increasingly looking online to update their wardrobe with comfort top of mind and pyjamas or trackies with slippers the latest fashion trend for at home workers.
“Fashion was probably ahead of the curve because pyjama dressing has been a runway trend for a few seasons now, and it suddenly makes absolute sense,” Vogue Australia Editor In Chief Edwina McCann told Hibernation.
“I’ve got a pretty great Dion Lee pyjama-like pant suit which is getting a workout.”
Vogue USA boss Anna Wintour, who is regarded globally as the doyenne of high-end fashion, shocked her dedicated fans with a more casual approach to dressing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
A post on Vogue America’s Instagram page showed Wintour wearing red tracksuit pants, attracting more than 1100 comments on the image.
“I never imagined I would see Anna Wintour wearing sweatpants,” one user wrote, another adding: “OMG Anna Wintour in joggers. The world IS changing.”
Pyjama retailer Peter Alexander has closed his 120 stores nationally due to coronavirus but has seen an upswing in online shopping.
“We had to stand down all of the staff, which is just heartbreaking and sad,” he said.
“But our online is absolutely booming, probably four or five times more sales than we would normally have at this time of year. That seems to be keeping us afloat.”
Alexander noted with large numbers of Australians working from home, they are more likely to spend the day in pyjamas and loungewear.
“It just seems to be everyone is staying at home, having meetings on Zoom but they still want to look good in my pyjamas, which is great,” he said.
“Everyone wants to get rid of the daggy trackie pants and grubby T-shirts to look a bit smarter when they are confined at home speaking to people through cameras.
“Business is doing extremely well online but we are waiting for everything to get better because I want my stores to be open so my staff can get back to work.”
Designers Alessandra Eddy and Laura Hannan have run their “tailored-sleepwear” label Luna Atelier for three years this June.
“The new reality of working from home has enabled people to assess their wardrobe and make small updates,” Eddy told Hibernation.
“Comfort is key, especially at home and this new WFH status has some people getting dressed every weekday morning as a form of mental consistency in keeping with their working hours.
“Silk is the ultimate in comfort and style, so a silk PJ shirt works both for sleeping in but also for a Zoom meeting.”
Eddy continued: “I love the idea of luxury but comfort, feeling chic but relaxed, that is our brand ethos. Often our customers will buy separates and incorporate pieces into their existing day to day wardrobe, but we’ve found an uptake in sets and an increase in sales.”