Pajama pants trend grows among students at Kuorevesi School in Jämsä

At Kuorevesi School in Jämsä, pyjama pants are becoming a common sight among students. Thirteen-year-old Minttu Huhtinen explains her choice, saying, “There’s no need to put on other pants in the morning when I can just head straight to school.” For Minttu and many of her classmates, pajamas are casual, acceptable attire for school, although she admits they wouldn’t wear them to a funeral. She prefers her pajama pants to be baggy and relaxed.

Her friend, Selma Rannikko, notes that there has been some surprise regarding the pajama pant trend, particularly from older generations. “My mom doesn’t really understand,” she says. According to fashion experts, pajama pants have emerged as a key trend this summer, reflecting a broader shift in fashion towards comfort and everyday wear. Annamari Vänskä, a senior lecturer in design cultures at Aalto University, highlights the demand for clothing that is lightweight, comfortable, and easy to wear without restrictive features like zippers or buttons.

The popularity of pajama pants, especially among young girls who sometimes purchase them from children’s sections, has grown considerably. Traditionally, pajama patterns include stripes and checks, but newer designs featuring characters such as Hello Kitty are also gaining traction. Vänskä notes that the lines between nightwear and everyday fashion have blurred, akin to how t-shirts transitioned from underwear to casual wear over the past century.

This trend towards wearing nightwear in public may also serve as a form of provocation, echoing historical moments when clothing boundaries were pushed, such as in the 1980s when Madonna famously wore corsets in public. Overall, this reflects changing perceptions of comfort and casualness in contemporary style.