Next campus trend?

[hoosier]

FASHION TREND
(If this kid was a GLO pledge, his chapter would be in hazing trouble)

The student in the pajamas
By Mary-Kathryn Craft
The Sun News


Paul Robinson got a few strange looks at first, but now people are used to him strolling through campus sporting his bedtime best.

The Coastal Carolina University freshman, who admits he puts comfort before fashion, wears pajamas to class at least four days a week. Sometimes he'll change into a fresh pair before heading out the door in the morning, and other times he skips the hassle.

"It just depends on how much time I have," he said. "It seems a lot more people are going for comfort than a look. Everyone is just trying to be relaxed."

The casual clothing movement is reaching new heights as comfort seekers have begun bringing jammies out of the bedroom. The trend is popping up on college campuses and can even be spotted at gas stations, grocery stores and video stores.

Before starting classes at CCU in the fall, Robinson, 19, attended Catholic school in Long Island, N.Y., where uniforms complete with blazers and ties were a must. So when he got a chance at fashion freedom, Robinson chose comfy.

Americans crave comfort, seeking out something to spark relaxation daily, according to the survey "The State of Comfort in America 2003," released in November by Karen Neuburger, Ltd.

"For most Americans, comfort is one of the most critical elements of everyday life," the survey said.

Pj's made the report's top 10 list of things that give women comfort.

But style is also a factor in the recent pj's craze. These days you can create just about any look with soft, flowing flannel jammies. Women can now choose the once daytime capri and cargo pants in cozy flannel, velour or brushed cotton. Prints range from hearts and flowers to more personality revealing items like purses, frogs, pink flamingos, coffee cups and martini glasses. Men can go for ordinary or bright and wacky patterns. Places such as Old Navy and Target offer plentiful selections of red lips, penguins, cartoon characters or the more sedate pinstripes and plaid.

Robinson often opts for the loud. Sure, he's got the plaid pants, but he also sports dancing Twinkies, sleeping Scooby-Doos and bears playing violins.

"One kid around school calls me Scooby-Doo," he said with a laugh.

The 19-year-old art major said comfortable pajama bottoms, t-shirts and flip flops make the perfect outfit for his drawing classes, which meet for two hours three days a week.

"I've had girls say to me, 'I wish I had the courage to go class in pajamas and be comfortable,' and I say 'why don't you? It's this early, and no one's looking at anyone else'."

[decadence]

I can't imagine someone walking around in their pyjamas at my university. Doubtless the emergency services would be called and they'd be carted off to a 'specialist' hospital pretty quick.

[shadokat]

This is so funny, because I stopped at Taco Hell on Saturday to pick up something for lunch while running errands, and there were these three college age women in there, wearing their pj pants and sweatshirts. I wanted to say, "You forgot to get dressed!!", but then I didn't want to sound old

[33girl]

I love my flannel jammie pants more than life itself. But the only place they go outside the house is to the mom-n-pop convenience store down the block. I wore lots of sweats in college but I can't imagine wearing straight up jammies.

Of course one of my sisters went to Perkins in her nightie after a formal, but that's different.

[Angels&Arrows]

I can not ever imagine seeing students at USM in PJs... However, I see them all the time at Simmons College. The first time it shocked me... now I am use to it...

[KerriMarie]

Ha ha ha, I was a theatre major... I had classes where I was literally not allowed to wear jeans/cords/anything tight, restrictive, uncomfortable... so I wore PJs to school. It's a normal sight in the Fine Arts Building though, lots of weird people there. I wouldn't wear them all day, I normally changed just for class... but yeah, it's not a big deal. I also sometimes wore PJ pants to my bio class because it was too early.

[ThetaGrrl]

this was pretty common at CSU-

I never did it, but apparently us mountain kiddies are pretty laid back

[jhujenn]

Several freshwomen, yes that's what they are called, wear them at Trinity because thier dorms are on the fourth floor of the main academic building. It pretty much made sense to go down to the second floor where most classes are in your pj's.

[Tippiechick]

Well at Middle Tennessee State University, PJs are quite common. Also, people seem to enjoy coming to class looking like they never went to bed. One girl always comes to class with her make-up smeared from the night before. It's nasty.

You tend to either see one of three types of dress at MTSU: The business majors with their suits, the slackers with their pjs, and everyone else with "normal" casual attire.

[queequek]

It is common at Iowa State to wear pjs to campus, esp for morning classes, along with Carhart jacket.
But this is IOWA, though ...

Yeah, it's nothing new on my campus.

I was one of those that literally rolled out of bed, running out of the dorms, and showing up to class in PJs. It'd always be PJ bottoms and wifebeaters for me, but at least I brushed my hair and my teeth (!) before I went to class. Velour and scrubs were my favorite bottoms...ain't no shame!

[AOII_LB93]

It's not just a college fashion thing, the kids at the high school I teach at try and get away with it...but it's really not allowed. Get dressed and stop wearing your slippers/house shoes to school kids!

[thetanustew]

I teach at Coastal Carolina University...and I teach freshman English. Though a CCU student, the guy in the article is not in my class, but I wonder how my students would react if I wore MY pajamas!!!

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally posted by queequek
It is common at Iowa State to wear pjs to campus, esp for morning classes, along with Carhart jacket.
But this is IOWA, though ...

It was pretty common at Platteville too...including the Carhartt. I would wear pj pants around a lot there, but I would never do it here - ya gotta at least be in sweats or windpants.

I think a lot of it is that Platteville's campus is isolated, but Marquette's campus is in the middle of a city, so that businessmen, lawyers, prospective employers, are seeing you schlub around campus.

[DolphinChicaDDD]

Whoa, if this is a new trend, then I'm 4 years ahead of myself.

I started wearing my pj pants to class freshman year (its actually the only time I wear pj pants, i swear boxers to bed). I started because I would go from class to track practice and then to class again. I was not about the get all dolled up, only to change into track clothes, then shower and get all dolled up again? Nope, sorry too much work. I don't think my classmates in the class after practice even saw me with dry hair.
Then I had surgery, and my pants wouldn't fit over my cast. So I was back to PJs again.
This semster, I have a break before practice and no night classes, so I do find myself getting dressed to go to class.
But honestly, it was soooo much easier just to get up, put on pjs and go to class.