We are living through a time like no other. The Coronavirus pandemic has completely shifted the ways that we go about our lives, and there is no doubt that some of those changes will stick with us forever. Specifically in the fashion industry, over the past 6 months, we have had to adapt and change the way we buy and consume clothes. The experience of living through a government-imposed lockdown could very well alter our perspective on dressing for the foreseeable future.
The largest and most noticeable change has come in what we wear and buy. After the first few weeks of lockdown, it could be seen that people were now purchasing more casual clothes as their main priority for working from home was ease and comfort. This was massively recognisable in many of the shows from London and Paris fashion week. There was a larger emphasis on loungewear like oversized t-shirts as well as sweat pants. Many brands showed how to mix casual clothes with more traditional business wear like blazars or tailored pants in a fun way.
Although the rise of loungewear had already been seen just before lockdown, the sudden homebound measures of the pandemic have propelled it into mainstream fashion. Gigi Hadid and Rihanna shifted to more casual clothes, starting a new wave of fashion. This trend is affordable and easy to replicate with the majority of things that you probably already have at home. And in a way, that’s the point. The aim of the loungewear trend is to be able to be comfortable yet still look your best. You can wear these clothes in so many different ways by accessorising and playing around with different colour coordinations of hoodies. In 2020 what people are most looking for is convenience, not another thing to worry about, and this has been perfectly reflected in what we wear and how we wear it.
Considering that many people are still working from home, and probably will continue to for most likely many more months to come, it will be very interesting to see how fashion will continue to develop once everything has somehow returned to what we once knew as being normal.
