2021 Fashion Trend Forecast | Looking Back at Sleepwear Trends and How the Fashion Cycle Works

Hi everyone, it's Emily! In this blog, I will share some of the trends of 2021 and highlight the ones that I am most excited about, including coordinating sets, oversized silhouettes, nostalgic fashion, and lots of bright color. I will also be looking back on sleepwear and how it has evolved over the past decades.

The CoVid-19 pandemic has had a great impact on so much of our lives, and it does not overlook  fashion. With the release of the vaccine, there is hope that we will be able to more comfortably leave our houses soon, but for many people, remote work will continue. Companies across every industry have been forced to pivot their daily operations remotely, and by now, many have grown accustomed to a new style of work – and dress. 

That brings me to the overarching trend of 2021- Comfort. As stated by Women’s Wear Daily report for Spring 2021, Comfort will most likely remain a key element in fashion this coming year — as it has been throughout the pandemic. We will see things that are easy to wear like coordinating sets, large pants, tunics, and easy knits, which encapsulate the larger message. We will see a sense of feel-good nostalgia emerging through ’90s crop tops, cable knit, transparencies, and crochet details. Along with hope for a more joyful summer, we will see bright colors and playful prints. Well into 2021, we expect to see a continued emphasis on leisurewear, from sweatpants to designer tracksuits and cozy knits.

Bright Colors and Prints

Here are some examples of bright colors and prints:

This very interesting geometric and bold color blocked print from Arthur Arbesser:

I love the color choice on this orange and blue dress from MSGM:

We can’t talk bright colors without mentioning Alice and Olivia in this unique multi print suit:

Oversized Looks

Here are some oversized looks!

This super easy to wear dress from Common Odds:

This puffer from Fendi:

This super comfy jumpsuit from Gianluca. Loving this aqua color, it is one of my favorite colors!

This oversized take on a classic garment from Valentino:

And this timeless tunic from Tory Burch. It almost has 70s vibes to it, but I could see women of all ages rocking this:

Coordinating Sets

Coordinating sets are going to continue to thrive in 2021. They are so easy to wear. Here are few that stood out to me:

This baby pink knit set from Chanel- a fresh new take from the classic Chanel tweed suit:

This Cynthia Rowley set. I would totally wear this! Sporty yet fashion forward and is an example of the oversized pant trend, too. 

This oversized set from Lutz Huelle has sleepwear vibes- another huge trend for 2021, which I will speak more to in a moment. 

Another oversized set in vibrant print from La Double:

Nothing says work-from-home like this ultra comfy, yet chic suit from Stella McCartney:

Nostalgia

As far as nostalgic looks, I’m loving this Gabriela Hearst set that has feel good 90s vibes:

This eclectic knitted piece of art cardigan from Alanui:

This one is so 90s and it embodies the coordinating easy-to-wear set trend I mentioned earlier from Ara Lumiere:

I absolutely adore this timeless cable knit set from Brunello Cucinelli:

It reminds me of a sweater my mom wears, and I know she has had it for ages! I mean that in the best way, Mom!

Sleepwear

Speaking of nostalgia, I stumbled upon an article taking a look back at sleepwear trends and thought it would be great to share with you. I would like to talk about sleepwear. You may not know, but NY Fashion Week will be largely virtual, so many people plan to watch in what else but their pajamas!

Before I talk more about sleepwear, I want to note that fashion trends come in cycles with five stages:

1. Introduction

At this stage new style or designs are introduced into the market. Their manufacturing costs are high because they are manufactured in limited quantities, so the price of the new fashion is high. You will see these trends on celebrities, in fashion shows, and advertisements. The images I just showed you from the runway fit into this stage of fashion. 

2.Rising Stage

The rising stage occurs when the trend is accepted by more people when compared to the introduction stage. The price will start to go down because production increases. You’ll start to see the trend duplicated with less expensive raw materials. 

3. Peak

When the new fashion is being accepted by a large number of people it is considered to be in peak stage. This is also referred to as ‘plateau’.

4. Decline

Decline stage starts here when consumers are getting bored of the style and start looking for new trends. The markdowns or discount offering starts here, but the leading retailers abandon the fashion and start selling new fashion merchandise.

5. Obsolescence

Obsolescence stage is that no more particular fashion exists in any market or stores. The next new fashion will be in the rise stage at this moment.

Sometimes we notice the obsolescence stage will last for a decade or three and then that trend comes back in style. 

Back to sleepwear!

With that in mind I’d like to show you the fashion cycle in action through this trending fashion category- sleepwear!

Here is a photo from 1976. This is model and muse Pat Cleveland in Ronald Kolodzie. The trend that sticks out to me here is the silk. I’ve noticed silk pajamas and loungewear more prevalent in the market through brands like Lahgo. They specialize in washable silk pajamas for men. They are very expensive but very luxurious. 

Next we have Bllie Blair, a model, in 1974 wearing corduroy fleece pajamas by Stan Herman. In case you haven’t heard- sets are huge right now! This photo stood out to me because Billie’s relaxed fit set is so timeless I could totally see it today. The construction is so unique with the diagonal seams and the front tie, which is sexy yet still classy. 

Here is something a little less sexy: 

This is Ariane Koizumi in Willi Smith in their NY studio. This is another new take on oversized fit because the construction is very unique on this onesie. I think the tucks on the yoke are so interesting. You can really see how the designer was thinking outside the box here, and it looks sooo comfortable!

This next photo is from 1977: 

This is a sunburst pleated lace trimmed lingerie dress. Honestly, I would wear this for the daytime with a few little tweaks. Back then that would be racy but now this lingerie dress could easily be converted into an adorable sundress. This definitely shows the evolution of what is accepted in fashion!

Next we have Lou Lou de la Faise in the fleece bathrobe with satin trim for Yves St Laurent:

This robe to me has not aged as well as the others. I think satin on a bathrobe feels very old school. But maybe it will come back. Like I said with the fashion cycle- sometimes it takes a few decades for something to come back-unless it is super impractical, but with the way that people are spending time and money in loungewear these days. I don’t think I would be too surprised to see this again. We shall see!! 

Lastly, I want to share this Calvin Klein lingerie from 1992 taken in their Manhattan HQ:

I love how this could have been taken today. It’s so timeless. The cotton robe is a little unique but very minimalist Calvin Klein. This is an example of something that is very practical and classic and will probably not go out of style anytime soon. It defies the fashion cycle!

Comment below if you’d like me to do more videos/blogs on trends, and let me know if you have any questions or specific topics you’d like me to cover. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and click the bell to get notified when I upload new videos every Friday!. Thanks for watching and have a great day!

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What to watch next? 

Watch this video on How to Make your Clothes Look More Expensive

Watch this video on How to tell Poor vs Good Quality Clothing with a Trip to Rodeo Drive

Watch this video on How to Make a Mood Board 

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Sources: CFDA, WWD

https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-trends/gallery/pajama-fashion-sleepwear-trends-over-the-years-1234647568/pajama-fashion-sleepwear-trends-over-the-years-17/