Comfortwear, oversized clothes big hit in pandemic | Economic Times

In 2012, “fashion therapist” Tim Gunn tweeted: “When it comes to dressing, comfort is overrated. A little discomfort probably means your clothes fit and they’re not pajamas.” Zoom (pun intended) into 2020, when PJs are the fashion fatigues. It was around the end of March that, most of us, turned our hermit modes on. The fact that comfortable can be chic — and profitable — is witnessed in the rise of the 2018 “ugly sneaker” or “dad shoe” trend that refuses to wane. Globally, sneakers are the fastest growing segment of the footwear market that was $365.5 billion in 2020.The same comfort is evident in clothes, says Preeti Verma, designer and founder of mindful fashion brand Runaway Bicycle. A reason why oversized fashion, distinct from plus-sized fashion, is growing big. Verma says that their design philosophy has always focussed on how comfortable the clothes are — and that seems to be the way forward, with more brands adopting the boxy silhouettes in formal clothing as well. She adds, “There is certainly a growing popularity for oversized clothes and we attribute it to a changing expectation that people have from their clothes. The bigger influence has emerged from the wider conversation around how fashion is viewed by the world and more importantly how women themselves view the clothes they wear.”Design has moved beyond just pleasing an aesthetic sense by also answering to the comfort and movement of the person wearing it. In 2020, comfort became a major factor in buying decisions, with trend forecasting agency WGSN noting that as people move into “survival mode,” they gravitate toward products that “reflect a sense of safety and security”. US-based resources and research company Cotton Incorporated’s 2020 Coronavirus Response Survey found that 75% of the respondents said that “wearing comfortable clothes helps me feel better right now”.With the rise of fashion icons like Billie Eilish (who always wears oversized clothes) and the growth of streetwear, brands are not asking, “Can we make it bigger?” but “How big?” And the answer: The bigger, the better. 80304740Sanya V Jain, creative director of a gender fluid fashion brand Smoke Wear, says, “Consumers have started to opt for exaggerated proportions, relaxed fits. It’s time to scale up to bigger things in wardrobe — or our life. With the current pandemic lifestyle, oversized clothing is a mere reflection of comfort. Even if the consumer is out, they will like to wear something oversized to feel at home.”Since spring 2018, brands across the board have been opting for roomier fits. It’s like skinny jeans never happened. In fact, denim in general had a bad pandemic worldwide. Verma says, “Comfort is not just limited to form and fit but extends to aspects like the fabric and ease of movement.” Roomy pockets, elastic waistbands and pleated silhouettes are all part of this ethos.Relaxed tailoring, baggy pants and streetinspired cuts are the hallmark of these clothes but they have to be purposefully oversized. Meaning: the items should be oversized in the right places, like the shoulders and the waist. Yadvi Agarwal, founder and designer at Yavi, says people, especially women, are now demanding more such clothes. “It’s more about choosing comfort over some painful fashion. Promoting body positive content and making people more comfortable in their own bodies will make people want to experiment with oversized.” 80304744Designer Mrunalini Rao says that before oversized clothes, people would buy clothes that are two sizes larger but now all brands and designers are making them for your size. “There is a certain style, fall and fit associated with it while designing. When you wear oversized clothes, your clothes basically either sit on your shoulder or on your waist. The more we make and promote, the more people buy,” she says.Designer Pallavi Shantam of Buna says that the pandemic has made us realise the joy of living in unrestricted and easy clothes. The best bit? “You can wear it season after season, year after year, as it is not so size restrictive. The sensibilities are still moderately niche but the Indian market is warming up to the trend. We see a lot of kaftans and tier dresses emerging as kurtas,” she says.Designer Shruti Sancheti agrees but attributes the success to the pandemic as well as to the cyclical nature of fashion. The thumb rule? “Always remember oversized does not have to be sloppy, it can be well-constructed and well-finished. Certain clothes like hoodies, sweatshirts, sweaters and shirt dresses look good only oversized and the beauty of these clothes is that they can be used as a top layer and can be versatile,” she adds. Designer Sonam Modi of SVA Couture notes that oversized has a powerful appeal that makes it a bold statement. In a 2018 Vanity Fair article, writer Cazzie David — prompted by the impractical Fall-Winter lines for women —wrote “Why do fashion trends allow men to be comfortable while women don’t even get to wear functional shoes?” All that is changing now.HOW TO WEAR OVERSIZED 80304712Know the occasion. For instance, it doesn’t work as eveningwearThink oversized, not big. Buy a piece that is designed to be big, not clothing in a bigger size than yoursAdd balance. Don’t go all in, start with one oversized pieceOversized works well as a top layer. Also, oversized top works better than oversized bottomStick to neutral colours Even accessories can be oversized. Go big on embellishmentsDon’t be shy. Wearing oversized is all about confidenceWHAT YOU CAN OVERSIZECoatGo for neutral shades like grey, white and navy. Wool lends itself to this trend.T-shirtSkatewear (part of streetwear) is all about baggy tees and is the trend du jour among the masses. The oversized hoodie is part of this style. 80304718TrousersThis one is tricky. Go for a thicker fabric in a cropped style. Pleated trousers work best. 80304724JumperThe easiest oversized item to wear. After all, who minds getting cosy under a huge knit?ShirtA longline shirt can be worn with a slimmer jacket. Stay away from formal shirts. 80304730SuitAn oversized suit follows the basics of good tailoring — jacket should slope down the shoulders and sleeves should finish above the top of your wrist bone. A boxy double-breast works well.