Why restwear is our favourite emerging fashion category
image via @sukuhome/instagram
words by daisy henry
Slumber party.
For most people, the news that it’s become socially acceptable to wear your pyjamas beyond your doorstep will be welcomed. And for good reason. Placing comfort front and centre, an emerging category dubbed ‘restwear’ sits somewhere between everyday clothing and sleepwear.
The parameters for what exactly constitutes this category are fairly loose. However, as a rule of thumb, it’s the kind of clothing that feels comfortable enough to wear to bed, out to lunch or in transit at the airport.
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Not to be confused with ‘loungewear’, which is more often characterised by drawstring pants and cashmere sets, restwear is somehow dressier, yet more closely resembling traditional pyjama styles. “Comfort is a huge driver, but it’s paired with a more intentional approach to quality and versatility,” explains Melbourne stylist Billy Chambers.
This can take the form of boxer-style shorts and oversized, floaty linen shirts, whimsical house dresses or more traditional pyjama-inspired pairings like button-downs and striped pants.
“It’s less about over-styling and more about creating contrast,” Billy adds. “Pair relaxed pieces with something more refined, like a crisp shirt with boxer-style shorts.”
Thanks to our inherant cultural penchant for relaxed dressing, an increasing number of Australian brands are tapping into the niche with their own modern takes on restwear. Take Suku Home’s latest collection, ‘Wildflower’, featuring hand-painted florals and soft Japanese pointelle cotton paired with lace details.
Or Byron-Bay label, Deiji Studios. No stranger to the restwear category, the brand has been toeing the line between public and private dressing since 2016. Its designs regularly adopt loose fits, cotton poplin and two-piece sets, all of which are just as likely to be styled in an urban cityscape as they are within a bedroom.
Key to this category is the right fabrication. Organic cottons, linens and cashmere are essential in sleepwear for breathability, and go a long way in maintaining that soft, cosy feeling – and the same rules apply for restwear.
At its core, it’s about staying in your softest, most comfortable outfit, throwing on a trench coat and calling it a day. “There’s something really appealing about pieces that feel effortless but still have a sense of style. It makes getting dressed feel more intuitive.”
Our favourite labels for restwear
Resting
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Resting is a newly launched label from the team at Sheet Society. As the name suggests, the brand is all about finding time to pause and slow down from the busyness of life. Proof that restwear can still be fun and playful, its collections feature statement prints and bright colours. Its matching cherry jersey set is a fan favourite in the FJ office for days when you want to look put together, but feel like you’re in pyjamas.
Suku Home
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Led by designer Christine Lafian, Suku Home’s tagline is ‘soft things for the everyday’. The label, also known for its playful take on bedding and homewares, has channelled that same sense of tranquillity into clothing.
Inherently comfortable, you’ll find styles you could easily wear out into the world, whether that’s to your nine-to-five, a gallery visit or to your local cafe.
Juem
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Juem has been making intimates and loungewear since 2018. Crafted with organic cotton, all of its pieces are soft and made to move with you. From T-shirts and scalloped-trim long-sleeves to its mid-length shorts and stretchy dresses, Juem focuses on foundational wardrobe pieces.
Deiji Studios
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Based in Byron Bay, Deiji Studios has been making clothing that blurs the line between pyjamas and outerwear since 2016. Its pieces move seamlessly between the comfort of your home and the wider world. Alongside linen bedding and accessories, you’ll find foundational staples with a thoughtful point of difference. Think asymmetrical cuts, frills, oversized collars and pleated details.
Hommey
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From bedding to signature towelling robes, Hommey are experts in cosiness. Sure, its clothing might lean a little more towards pyjamas than some of the others (like matching striped sets), but the cotton cashmere styles blend seamlessly into your everyday rotation.
Uniqlo x Needles
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Japanese-born label Needles’ recent collaboration with Uniqlo offers the best of both brands when it comes to comfort. Featuring Uniqlo’s signature fleece reimagined through Needles’ streetwear lens, its strikes the balance between comfort and wearable.
For more on the history of sleepwear, try this.
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