Pajamas: the New Norm?
The time is 7:40, and class has just begun. Ms. DeLuca-Hawk, a long-time English teacher at South Kingstown High School, begins her lesson as students hold back yawns and it seems like some students missed the pajama day memo. There’s only one problem: it’s not pajama day–it’s simply another typical day at South Kingstown High School.
Ms. DeLuca-Hawk said she often looks around the room and informs her students that “Pajamas are not pants.”
Slipping on a pair of pajamas, however, has become the norm for many students in high schools and colleges across America. Dressing up for school, in fact, appears to be no longer a part of many students’ routines as dress standards have lapsed in recent years, especially when it comes to classroom attire.
Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to notice the shift. Daniel Edwards is an international student from Liverpool, England who attends the University of Rhode Island. Edwards said he noticed the changes when he first arrived in the States.
“The unofficial uniform at URI seems to be a Dunkin’ Donuts coffee paired with sweatpants or pajama pants,” Edwards noted.
Unlike his American peers, in the winter months, Edwards said he typically wears turtleneck sweaters, while in the warmer months, he usually dresses in button-up shirts. As for pants, Edwards normally wears flared trousers, dress pants, or jeans with cowboy boots.
“I dress the same for class as I do when going out,” Edwards said. “I dress for the day which means wearing appropriate clothing to class and out of the house.”
When Edwards attended high school back in Liverpool, England he said that he wore a uniform up until his junior year, known to Brits as year 11. At that point, he said, students were allowed to wear what they wanted, yet he added that they were still expected to dress appropriately.
Edwards says that no one ever wore sweatpants or pajamas.
In fact, Edwards thinks that wearing pajamas to class leads many teachers and professors to believe that students are not fully engaged in the class and are still half asleep. He especially finds that it is disappointing when the professors are passionate about teaching a class and the students show up in pajamas, which he believes indicates that the students don’t really care about the class or how the professor views them.
“I think if you want to do that then do it but I couldn’t do it because it makes me feel gross and like I am in bed. That is not comfortable for me. I feel better wearing appropriate clothing.”
As a film/English major, however, he adds that no one in his major wears that kind of thing, yet he often sees people in pajamas in his General Education classes, which raises an interesting point.
Do some students just dress this way for classes that they don’t care about? Or are there some students that dress this way for every single class?
Liz Wicks is a senior at South Kingstown High School and doubles as a fashion icon. Wicks dedicates most of her mornings to putting her outfits together and making herself look presentable. Her everyday outfits usually include skirts or dresses, sweaters or blouses, and Mary Janes or Oxfords.
“When I feel good about myself and what I am wearing I feel that I have the drive to do my best.”
Wicks does not think that other students need to dress up as much as she does for school but she thinks that wearing pajamas demonstrates “a lack of respect for the school itself along with your peers.” In Wicks’ opinion, most teachers are desensitized to students wearing pajamas because they already act like they don’t care about school so their dressing like they don’t care is simply another layer.
Wicks, herself, said that she would never wear pajamas to class. In fact, she said that she made a pact with herself when she returned to class after COVID and she has yet to break it.
Wicks says that the pajama wearers, “typically have the audacity to make fun of what I wear.”
Wicks believes the recent pajama trend is not the result of Covid shutdowns but instead started with athletic teams at the school
“It seems like the majority of kids that do sports have the ability to constantly wear athleisure and this is what has caused the trend,” Wicks said. “Athletes have always been on top of the social hierarchy which has led to this trend trickling down to everyone else.”
Mrs. Galoob, a science teacher at South Kingstown High School, has been teaching since 1997 and she said that she began noticing the pajama trend about five years ago, prior to COVID.
In Galoob’s opinion, wearing pajamas to class sends a lazy message, that the student is not invested in learning or that the students are “too cool for school.”
Galoob attended Norman High School and Oregon State University before moving to Rhode Island and said that she sees herself as having a very open mind. Nonetheless, Galoob added that “your clothing and environment help you take care of different tasks in your life” and “it shows respect when you dress nicely for school.”
“Even for teachers,” Galoob added, “putting on certain clothing psyches you up to be a certain way, it sends a message that you are trying.’ Galoob said that back in Oklahoma students were not wearing pajamas when she was in high school, nor in college at Oregon State. In the past couple of years, Galoob said that she has thought about clothing more. The science teacher and South Kingstown resident said she loves second-hand clothes and thinks that most Americans have too many clothes and that shopping sustainably is important.
Clothes are part of an aesthetic, according to Galoob, and she says putting together outfits is enjoyable. Galoob typically wears a lot of long sweaters, boots, and “fun” earrings. Galoob also added that she loves, “seeing different kids’ styles, it’s a fun part of being a high school teacher.
“Pajamas,” she added, “are not a style that is appropriate for school.”
English teacher Ms. Gannon shares a different perspective on the pajama trend.
“Personally, it doesn’t bother me when students do it,” Gannon said. “It means they are comfortable in my classroom.”
However, Gannon does believe it is important for students to learn how to dress appropriately. For example, when it comes to a presentation, Gannon said, students should be a little dressed up to demonstrate that they are prepared and ready.
Gannon said she attended a Catholic high school that had a dress code, which is why she is more understanding of students wearing pajamas or comfortable clothing. In the mornings, Gannon also offered that she spends a lot of time getting ready and picking out her outfit.
“When I am wearing formal clothing I feel more like a teacher,” Gannon said. “Going to Catholic school prohibited me from having a nice wardrobe and now I feel lucky to have so many clothing items to choose from.”
Ms. Gannon admitted, however, that she has been noticing less students wearing pajamas recently and believes the fad is on the downturn.
Much like Edwards, some teachers and students believe students in general education classes at SKHS, such as Biology, Chemistry, English 9, English 10, Algebra, etc., also are more likely to wear pajamas to class. Some say this may be because the students are less engaged in these classes because they are forced to take such classes regardless of their interests.
Students can also be found wearing pajamas due to school events such as SKPades or athletic competitions. Recently juniors were expected to be at the school until 9:00 pm every day to rehearse for SKpades. Also, pajamas sometimes are worn by athletes in order to let their classmates know that they have a home game that day. Others argue, however, that team unity is lost when everyone else is wearing pajamas as well.
Julia Reid is another senior at South Kingstown High School and she takes clothing just as seriously. Reid often may be seen strolling the halls wearing a sweater, Converse high tops, and black yoga pants or jeans.
“It looks stupid and lazy. Yoga pants are lazy but I don’t wear them to bed.”
Reid said that glam is not necessary for school, just putting on different pants than the ones the person wore to bed shows effort.
“When you look put together you feel put together,” Reid added.
The SKHS senior agrees that people should be able to wear what they want but said that pajamas are different. Reid added that she takes pride in her appearance and does not want other people to view her as lazy. She also made it clear that she would never wear pajamas to class.
“I don’t want to look bummy, I want to look cute. I don’t want to be known as someone that doesn’t care.”
“People have always been wearing pajamas but it has become more normalized now,” Reid said. “So many people have fallen into a lazy-looking outfit pattern.”
Micaela Smith is a junior at South Kingstown High School and usually wears jeans and t-shirts but she admits that sometimes she does wear pajamas to school.
Smith thinks that teachers, “probably feel disrespected by students wearing pajamas to school because they have to dress up and look professional for their job, and students put no effort into what they wear and they wear pajamas.”
“If I do wear pajamas to school it’s the ones I wore the night before.”
The time is now 1:00 and Ms. Deluca-Hawk instructs her last period class. Students shake their legs, anticipating the end of the school day. The lesson appears to be going in one ear and out the other. Pajama pants can still be seen under almost half of the desks.
Ms. DeLuca-Hawk wonders that “since they don’t have to change into pajamas before bed, they can use that extra time to get their reading done.
“Yeah, right,” she added.
The students that are wearing school-appropriate clothing sigh as they realize that they are becoming the minority. Pajamas are being more normalized each day as students continue to hop on the trend.
