What is "comfort dressing" and why has it become a permanent trend in Indian fashion?

Comfort dressing refers to a fashion philosophy where comfort, ease of movement, and wearability take priority over structure, formality, and fashion-first considerations. It emerged forcefully during the pandemic years and has since become a permanent shift in consumer expectations.

How comfort dressing shows up in Indian ethnic wholesale:

• Elastic waist bottoms replacing drawstring or fixed waist in all categories
• Natural fabrics (cotton, linen) over synthetics in daily wear
• Relaxed or oversized silhouettes instead of fitted styles for everyday use
• Soft, non-structured kurtis over tailored or structured cuts for home and WFH
• Flat comfortable footwear replacing heels for most ethnic occasions below formal

What has NOT changed: Comfort dressing did not reach bridal and very heavy festive wear — these categories still prioritise aesthetics and occasion performance over comfort. The comfort shift is concentrated in daily, office, and casual festive categories.