A onesie (/ˈwʌnzi/) is a type of loose-fitting casual jumpsuit in adult sizes made of knit cotton (as used in sweatshirts), fleece, or chenille. They were mostly intended as loungewear or sleepwear, but have gained significant popularity as stylish streetwear, especially in the United Kingdom and Australia, becoming increasingly popular during the late 2000s and early 2010s as a street fashion. In 2016 the onesie also appeared in Switzerland. After onesies lost importance, in the UK the onesie made a comeback in the 2022 energy crisis to save heating costs as a warm and comfortable garment.
Etymology
The term onesies (with an s at the end) is a brand name for infant bodysuits that is owned by Gerber Childrenswear LLC, and the term is used generically for infant bodysuits in the US. There is little in common between the infant onesies and an adult onesie: the former is usually sleeveless and legless and snaps or buttons at the crotch. In 2008, when casual jumpsuits became increasingly popular, the press started discrediting them as "adult onesies," and the name seems to have eroded to a generic word, dropping the final "S" in the process.
Kigurumi
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A type of onesie known as kigurumi (着ぐるみ), or 'cosplay pajamas', emerged as Japanese street fashion and spread outside Japan in 2009. Kigurumi can also refer to a costumed character, and these types of clothing resemble various types of animals, similar to a mascot costume. They became popular worldwide, in particular following a viral video of Miley Cyrus twerking while wearing a unicorn kigurumi. Historically, the term kigurumi has been used in Japan to refer to the use of full-body mascot or masked outfits in performances and costume play, predating their use as pajamas. A more specific term to differentiate kigurumi masks is bishoujo kigurumi, sometimes incorrectly referred to as the mistranslation artifact animegao-kigurumi.
See also
- Siren suit, the 1940s precursor to the onesie
- Union suit, one-piece underwear invented during the mid-19th century and worn by cowboys and American Civil War soldiers.
- Blanket sleeper, an infant garment similar to an adult onesie
References
- "onesie | Definition of onesie in English by Oxford Dictionaries". Oxford Dictionaries | English. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
- The Guardian (2022-10-07). "Hot sellers: onesies are back as Britons try to save on energy bills". Hot sellers: onesies are back as Britons try to save on energy bills. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
- Adult Onesies: The Dress Like A Toddler Trend Claims Further Victims. Archived 2012-10-14 at the Wayback Machine Blog entry in The Fashion Police dated 2008-09-08. Accessed 2013-03-09.
- The Fashion Police Archived 2013-11-07 at the Wayback Machine
- James, Caroline (9 August 2013). "Animal onesies a booming market". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2013-08-09.
- Haruka Jibi, Kazunori Sugiura (2018). "アニメ顔着ぐるみマスク制作マッチングサービスの構築 : マスク受注販売事業「キグルミ屋」の活動を通じて". Keio University Media Design Research Department. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
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