Comfort over style

Changing scenario

Sometimes, a particular fashion clicks with people, not because it is trending, but because it goes well with one’s lifestyle. Adaptive or comfort clothing is one example of that. In an era where most people are conscious and up-to-date with the latest trends, many youngsters are choosing comfort clothing over stylish attires.

 Pooja Nagarkoti, a student of Army Institute of Fashion and Design, says comfort clothing is becoming a popular choice among students and adds that it is here to stay. “The sportswear meets streetwear is a big rage but a tricky one; one has to strike the right balance between the two. It came into limelight only recently and is certainly representing a bigger and perhaps a permanent sea of change in the fashion industry,” she says. Comfort wear, Pooja points out, makes one more confident and active while going about their daily activities.

With the growing competition and pressure at the workplace, dressing up in clothes that one is most comfortable in is the first thing that comes to one’s mind. And spending long hours in rather tight clothes is sheer discomfort; at times like these style always takes a backseat.

Shafi Shaik, a team leader at Sprinklr, says that since his workplace has a rather relaxed environment, he has the liberty to wear shorts and casual slippers or chinos with a casual polo T-shirt. “Jeans makes me uncomfortable after a point of time if I happen to wear them for a long period. One is anyway stressed at work so what is the point of adding to that burden? Besides being comfortable, athletic wear also adds a cool quotient to one’s look,” says Shafi.

He highlights that having worked in a couple of places before, he’s seeing a change in the work culture when it comes to the kind of clothes one should be wearing to work, especially at creative workplaces. “The culture has become more flexible I believe, unlike how it used to be a couple of years ago. People’s perception has changed a lot and they don’t make judgements about others, as they understand that somewhere being self-confident and comfortable can enhance one’s performance at work,” says Shafi.

Wearing trackpants, skirts, culottes, shorts or a pair of boyfriend jeans with a loose top and casual sneakers can be a good idea provided the workplace or college permit it. There are many who also like to dress up in oversized clothes as they feel comfortable in them.

Neela Pal, a community manager at a social media firm, says that she finds a lot of people in her office who walk in casual athletic outfits while some also come in gym wear. She highlights that with tight-fitting clothes, one is always conscious and held back which may hamper their productivity at work. Colourful shorts with loafers are becoming popular picks among men, she says. 

“For me, comfort has always been a priority over style. If I am not comfortable in what I am wearing, it reflects in my personality. There are days when I don’t want to dress up at all. On such days, I just slip into a pair of jeans and a light, loose top or a pair of ankle-length leggings and a loose ‘kurta’ with canvas shoes, bellies or flats,” says Neela.