FASHION Editor Clemmie Fieldsend is sick of seeing cartoon clothing on grown-ups and asks psychologist Emma Kenny why adults just can’t seem to get enough of the childish clobber.
What do Moana, Bluey and Shrek have in common?
Grown-ups are going ga-ga for cartoon-covered clobber, pictured Kourtney Kardashian sporting a Mickey Mouse T-shirt[/caption]
Many adult ranges look like they’ve been designed by kids, pictured a George at Asda sweatshirt[/caption]
Aside from being characters aimed at kids, they all have adult clothing ranges.
“Who is buying that?” I hear you cry, just as I did.
But it turns out a lot of grown-ups are going ga-ga for cartoon-covered clobber.
In recent years I’ve seen an increase in Disney, Pixar and Marvel-themed clothes for adults.
It started at Christmas time — families wearing matching PJs in tribute to kids’ favourite cartoons.
Whether you found it cute, or nauseating, the ranges quickly flew off shelves.
And the shops aren’t to blame. They’re businesses and if the customers love a product, then they would be crazy not to provide more.
Then came the Harry Potter paraphernalia.
I love a cosy winter evening on the sofa watching Harry Potter as much as the next person, but seeing an adult in a Gryffindor sweatshirt feels wrong.
Meanwhile at Primark you’re likely to see clothing that looks like it’s made for kids, in the women’s section.
The company’s Hello Kitty collaboration, to celebrate the Japanese brand’s 50th birthday, included adult onesies, pyjama sets and sweatshirts.
They’ve had huge success with it — and with other collaborations across the cartoon stratosphere.
And it’s not just Primark which is cashing in on customers’ cartoon cravings.
Character Clothing, as it’s labelled on George at Asda’s website, can now be found just about everywhere from supermarket to high street.
George sells collections from the likes of Winnie The Pooh and Snoopy, from £3 to £27.
And Next, Tu at Sainsbury’s and GAP all have ranges featuring kids’ films or TV shows.
Along with “Shrekmas” accessories and clothing, as it was dubbed by fans, in December Primark released a 100-piece Grinch collection.
Some of its stores even had Grinch-themed pop-up cafes.
One customer’s TikTok video showing the range inside a store got 642,000 views, and hosts of comments like “WANT” and “NEED”.
But do you really need it?
Because I can’t get my head around why any adult would want or need to spend their hard-earned wages on looking like an oversized toddler on their way to Disneyland.
Fair enough, lots of character-themed clothing is loungewear or pyjamas, so you are less likely to see people walking down the road while wearing it.
But I often see people out and about with their Minnie Mouse handbags or Lilo & Stitch jumpers, and can’t help but think “Oh, grow up”.
And I’m not alone. Remarking on a Primark Hello Kitty video on TikTok, one shopper said: “Can Primark just do normal pjs. I don’t want novelty crap. I’m in my 40s, everything in there is so childish.”
‘Safety and simplicity’
Fair point. So why the roaring success on the high street?
It’s no secret that fashion is a form of self-expression.
If you’re confident or want to be noticed, you’ll wear something racy or bright to make a statement.
Disney and Harry Potter themed clothes are in abundance across the high street[/caption]
Psychologist Emma Kenny believes the surge in childish clothing could be a response to the pressures of adult life[/caption]
Likewise if you’re trying to blend in and go unnoticed, you’ll opt for plain or dark clothes.
So what does it mean if you’re hellbent on parading around in a Disney onesie?
Psychologist Emma Kenny believes it could be a response to the pressures of adult life.
“Childhood characters often symbolise safety and simplicity, two things we crave when life feels stressful,” she says.
“Donning a Lilo & Stitch onesie, or a pair of fluffy Grinch slippers, can provide a comforting reminder of times when our worries felt smaller.
“It’s like a gentle form of self-soothing — a way to momentarily escape the daily pressures and reconnect with a playful part of ourselves.”
According to Emma, cartoonish clothing could even be good for our mental health.
“These items can boost mood, reinforce fond memories and even encourage a shared sense of fun, especially when friends or family join in,” she says.
“They also allow people to express individuality without rigid dress codes, helping us celebrate our quirky sides rather than hiding them.”
So maybe I’m being a bit harsh.
“If someone is going through a bad time and wants to wear Mufasa’s face across their chest, who am I to judge them?
But Emma does warn that, there could also be potential downsides.
“If someone relies too heavily on nostalgic clothing to avoid confronting adult responsibilities or emotional challenges, it could become an unhealthy coping mechanism,” she says.
“Embracing nostalgia can be uplifting, but it’s important to ensure it complements, rather than replaces, healthy adult self-expression.”
A comforting hug from big Scully, from Monsters Inc — albeit in the form of a onesie — sounds like a nice way to make yourself feel better after a bad day at work, or if the kids are testing your patience.
Just don’t use it as a crutch — and maybe don’t wear it outside the house.
In December Primark released a 100-piece Grinch collection[/caption]
Cartoonish clothing can be good for our mental health[/caption]
‘My Disney outfits in boardroom’
By Alley Einstein
PSYCHOLOGIST Jenni Dootson is a Disney superfan who has spent more than £5,000 on cartoon-themed clothes for herself, her husband and their daughter.
The family have some 400 items of such clobber, including pyjamas, skirts, T-shirts and shoes, and Jenny, 39, even wears some of it to work – and into boardroom meetings.
She says: “I am an organisational psychologist and one day I might be training ten hospital intensive-care consultants or surgeons.
“They expect to see someone in a corporate suit but I walk in with a Betty Boop-style skirt on and a Disney T-shirt underneath a plain jacket or blazer.
“It makes them smile and I make an impact doing my job.
“It knocks people off guard and helps me do my job better. Disney is now a key part of my ‘work wardrobe’.”
Jenny, from Manchester, has been made for the House of Mouse from a young age.
She say: “Growing up I was a Mickey and Minnie Mouse fan, and I always loved the Disney movies.
In 2009, she and husband Ali, 49, who is an AI computer consultant, took ten months off to travel around the world and . . . visit as many Disney theme parks as possible,
She says: “We visited Disney parks in Japan, Hong Kong, Florida, and California.
Impressive collection
“Disney is our happy place. We love walking through the gates and being able to leave our troubles and grown-up jobs behind us.”
It was during their travels that the couple started amassing their impressive clothing collection.
“At each Disney theme park we would spend more than £300 on T-shirts, hats, or hoodies to remember the trip,” says Jenni.
When Primark launched Disney-branded collections in 2011, Jenni says her addiction exploded.
“I thought I had died and gone to Disney heaven,” she says.
“It meant that rather than spending £40 on a T-shirt at a Disney store, I could get one for a tenner.”
In September 2013 Jenni and Ali welcomed their daughter Harriet, now 11, who left hospital in a Disney onesie.
“Having a newborn fuelled my love of Disney-themed baby clothes. I bought her Disney-themed bibs, bodysuits, pyjamas, and dresses,” she says.
“She became the absolute ‘Disney baby’ and her life can be measured in Disney clothes.
“She has been through the Mickey Mouse phase, the Princess phase, the Frozen phase and now she is Stitch-obsessed.”
For Jenni and her family, with all their Disney clothing, it’s not just about the designs themselves, it’s about how the clothes make them feel.
“Disney means family fun to us,” Jenni says.
“The characters represent joy and love.”
