Waking up at 6 a.m. and rushing to pick out an outfit for the school day was a routine for senior Vivian Tran.
Picking out a skirt, blouse and matching accessories while getting prepared for her classes became a huge time crunch and left her barely any time to grab food for the start of her school day.
However, for many students like Tran, spending those extra minutes picking and contemplating over outfits is no longer common for those who have chosen to remain home to learn during hybrid learning since students can choose to only show themselves from shoulders up or not at all on Zoom sessions.
This situation has led to a boom in Zoom fashion in the form of PJs.
“I would describe Zoom fashion as very laid back and lazy-casual since everyone’s in the comfort of their own homes,” Tran said. “I’m usually known at school for my outfits and prefer to stand out than fit in since that’s what fashion is all about,
“However in online school, since other people can’t see me during passing periods or breaks, it gives me leeway to be lazy and dress like I would at home.”
Tran switches between cotton sweatpants and plaid pajama pants with an oversized shirt or hoodie at home compared to a variation of casual dresses, skirts and a full face of makeup, which she would normally put on before arriving at school.
Some students mix and match their normal style with comfy pajamas; this includes senior Emma Suh, who might put on a casual top rather than a hoodie when she feels motivated to dress.
“On days that I’m feeling a little fancy or when I try a little harder, I’ll wear an oversized T-shirt or a crop top for that streetwear look with some jewelry for the soft edge,” Suh said. “However, I always resort to my red and black plaid pajama pants because they’re so cozy.”
I would describe Zoom fashion as very laid back and lazy-casual since everyone’s in the comfort of their own homes.
— Vivian Tran
Right in the middle of these two fashion styles lies students like junior Meghan Lee, who opts for a comfy and casual fit — a perfect balance between pajamas and school wear.
“I’ll usually wear a pair of comfy sweats or shorts and go for a crop top paired with an oversized jacket or a sweater,” Lee said. “Comfort is definitely my No. 1 priority, but I also want to look clean, especially when I’m on camera.”
While Zoom fashion may come off as lazy and not very stylish, junior Brandon Parra believes wearing casual and comfy clothing is a definite need for online school.
“Wearing pants to online school sounds very uncomfortable, especially since we’re sitting down for five to six hours in front of the computer,” Parra said. “We’re also limited to a small camera that barely shows our shoulders, so I would rather opt for comfy sweatpants than jeans.”
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Despite having the option to dress comfortably, a small handful of students, like junior Darshil Sheth who wears a pair of jeans and a casual top at home, still prefer to dress up like they normally did for school.
“Wearing clothes apart from the pajamas serves as motivation and discipline for me to focus on my classes,” Sheth said. “The clothes help me feel like I’m at school, which in turn helps me avoid distractions at home.”
Even though she had established a reputation among her peers for dressing up for school, Tran still prefers the comforts of online school fashion.
“Although I do miss the excitement of planning outfits or coming to school excited to show off my outfit, I really enjoy staying in my cozy pajamas,” she said. “ Zoom fashion is all about staying comfortable, especially during back to back classes, and I think pajamas are the exact thing we need right now during online school.”
