Onesies: a surprisingly enduring trend

It seemed like a flash in the pan. Something to grace Grazia’s pages one week and then forever after featured in “What were they thinking” features. That may soon be the case but one thing’s for sure: onesies are having an over-the-top, high wattage fashion moment with the school-age set.

Move over, Cara Delevigne. The year 4s at our school are curating their own impressive collection of onesies. I thought this trend had burnt itself out (how long can these things last, you ask yourself), but in the past several weeks whenever I’ve gone with my daughter to school or kids’ events, it’s been a sea of them: fleecy, fluffy or knit, printed, bright purple and pink, tiger-striped.

Here’s what’s important: “They’re comfortable. They don’t fall down. I like the fluffy ones because they’re warm and cuter,” says one young fashionista I know. “Almost everybody has one with a hood.” The most popular style according to my, uh, market research, is tiger.

And as with all fashion, one must occasional suffer for style. “They are a bit annoying because when you go to the loo you have to take the whole thing off.”

But the places where you can wear them are practically endless…as long as it doesn’t embarrass Dad too much: Trampoline parties. School plays. Swimming pool. And this Friday for Red Nose Day, everyone is wearing pyjamas to school. I expect a onesie parade of catwalk proportions.

My daughter’s excitement about them reminds me of the way I felt as a child about:

• rainbow t-shirts and braces – thankfully died a death with the cancellation of Mork & Mindy
• culottes – not quite trousers, not quite a skirt, not quite an enduring trend
• leotards with wrap skirts – hey, A Chorus Line is back in the West End. Could these be far behind?

This Friday promises to be a seminal fashion moment. While the children will be raising money for good causes, they’ll also be creating a sartorial memory they can look back on with fondness and embarrassment for decades to come.

Check out our list of ideas for raising money for Red Nose Day.

About Jennifer Howze

Jennifer Howze is the Creative Director and co-founder of BritMums. She blogs about family travel at Jenography.net, tweets at @JHowze and Instagrams at @JHowze. Previously, she wrote the Alpha Mummy blog at The Times and as a journalist has contributed to The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Wall Street Journal, Travel & Leisure, Budget Travel, CNN.com, Allure, SELF and Premiere, among others. She won The Maggie Award from the Planned Parenthood Federation of America for a health article in Seventeen magazine.

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