It is a well-known fact that the way we dress is linked to the way we live. That’s one of the reason women look for fashion advice on blogs like this. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted billions of lives worldwide and is still doing so in many countries. From history, we know that the most prominent disruptions in the fashion industry have not been by a fashion designer but by disrupting events like war and plague. One such example is women wearing pants after World War II so that they could finally work comfortably. Similarly, it will be interesting to discuss what changes the Coronavirus brings to the table for the 21st century.
Work from home culture
The work-from-home scenario is still in its nascent stages and has a long way to go. The potential is being unraveled during the pandemic; however, it will occupy a dominant position even after this pandemic ends.
Work from home has done away with suits, ties, and skirts. Attending a meeting in your pajamas is the new trend. Many people are prioritizing productivity over formality and are working in hoodies and t-shirts. The sale of sweatpants and t-shirts are soaring. The dressing down casual style and increase in loungewear will not end with the virus, and going to work in informal clothes will become the new normal. If you want my fashion advice, I suggest working on a capsule wardrobe.
Impact of recession
Many economists and analysts are predicting that the economic setback due to the closing of economies will be as bad as the 2008 crisis, if not worse. In 2008, people ditched branded and fashionable clothes and stuck to plain and simple clothes that were not trendy. Many also went to affordable clothing alterations tailor to get their old clothes altered to fit them rather than buying new clothes. As it is, people were switching to minimalism, and COVID-19 seems to be acting as the catalyst for that. Shoppers are already showing their tendencies towards less quantity but high quality. Women are more likely to look for recipes than fashion advice on the internet these days.
Impact on the fashion industry
The fashion industry was going through high rates of growth, but the virus has put a pause on all of that. Some fashion brands have even switched to making face masks, hospital gowns, and even sanitizers. Some of these brands include Gap and Coty.
The change from commercial activity in shops to e-commerce websites is phenomenal. Also though products like sweatpants are in high demand, the result for factory workers is dismal. Layoffs are happening like wildfire. Textile production is nil, and cotton farmers are suffering. My fashion advice would be to support the brands you love by continuing to purchase clothes from them as you normally would. If they are manufacturing face masks, buy those too.
FASHION Advice on what to wear
Nobody cares about fashion advice right now, and people are literally wearing the minimum required by law. However, quarantine has been going on for a long time, and the constant cycle of changing your pajamas may be getting old. The process of dressing up and trying to “look good” is a psychological process too. That is why you feel better if you wear cool or new clothes. Wearing formal clothes has found to have an empowering effect on some people. This concept is commonly known as ‘dressing up the brain.’ Wearing good clothes can change our general outlook on life. In the end, however, it is one’s individual choice on what to wear. So wear a bikini or a ball gown, or whatever you want in between. Our top bit of fashion advice right now is to wear what you want because your comfort and well-being should be the highest priority right now!
