The spectrum of fashion is a constantly changing and evolving concept, one that has particularly changed during the COVID-19 global pandemic, which severely impacted the fashion industry. At the time of quarantine, casual and comfortable clothing became the norm, given that people were bound to their homes and had little room for leaving the house. Yet, this has given people the opportunity to explore their fashion sense and get out of their comfort zones.
According to an article published by Vox Magazine, the same pattern can be observed in other moments in history, corresponding to what happens around the world. During World War II, for instance, women had to make adjustments to their daily routines and fulfill traditionally male-taken roles due to their enlistment. Consequently, this prompted them to abandon their traditional garb and wear more “masculine” clothes, like jumpsuits.
The shortage of goods and materials is also a similarity observable in both periods. Nicole Johnston, a curator at the Missouri Historic Costume and Textile Collection, explains that rubber and leather needed to be used for the war effort, which in turn prompted the U.S. Office of Price Administration to set a cap on these materials and create a restriction of alternative use. In turn, fashion designers had to get creative with their materials.
Quarantine has encouraged this same sense of creativity. Common accessories, such as high heels, were replaced with sandals and socks, and hoodies and sweatpants became increasingly used. According to retail data company Edited, the purchase of sweatpants increased by 80% in April 2020. The athleisure market also rose exponentially, and although it has been on the rise for several years before quarantine even started, Allied Market Research exposed that the market was valued at $155.2 billion in 2018 in the U.S. and is expected to hit $257.1 billion in 2026.
This value for comfort and dressing down could be a lasting trend, as it has become an increasingly important factor in the way people dress. They tend to combine different styles with casual clothing to achieve a fashionable but simultaneously comfortable style.
The pandemic allowed people to experiment with different crazy styles they would usually not try out due to fear of judgment or lack of free time. It gave them the chance to think about the way they portray themselves and try to express themselves through their style, aiding self-expression. Consequently, brands are adapting to match these new interests.
Kayla Roth, Gilk’s Columbia boutique’s store manager, says that there was a drastic increase in cozy clothes sales at the beginning of the pandemic, reflecting the search for this type of clothing.
The pandemic also brought several different styles into play, such as cottagecore, dark academia, indie, soft girl/boy, emo girl/boy, etc. All of these exist simultaneously and are often even mixed, giving people even more room for creativity.
It is impossible to know for sure what style will look like in the years to come, as it is reliant on not only worldly events and past trends but also experimentation. One thing is for sure, fashion style has always been a tool for self-expression and it will remain this way for many years.
Source: https://www.voxmagazine.com/magazine/pandemic-fashion-trends-quarantine-style/article_b42cd48e-86cf-11eb-9ab3-3388b13a7c42.html
https://www.goxip.com/gw/en/magazine/Dark-Academia-fashion-style
Featured image: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/stylinbyaylin/posts/0a3350c0-faf7-11e6-9fed-0242ac110002
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