At the start of 2020, if the fashion world had predicted that sweat pants and pyjamas would be in and high-end fashion pieces would be out, there would have been chaos on the runways. But, with so little going to plan this year and, thanks to a global health pandemic, many of us having to stay at home for prolonged periods of time, fashion has changed drastically over the last 6 months. However, with lockdown measures easing, it is becoming clear just how much fashion has changed in 2020.
Tailoring is no more
Due to social distancing and lockdown, employees soon found themselves having to work from home and no longer having to adhere to strict office dress codes, meaning that the need for smart tailoring has all but disappeared in the last few months. With very few employers insisting on smart corporate dress for home working, sharp suits and shift dresses have made way for comfy hoodies and leggings.
Is this the end of jeans?
After months spent wearing leggings, joggers and loose clothing, it’s easy to see why so many people are not happy with the thought of going back to regularly wearing skinny or tight fitting jeans. What was a wardrobe staple just a few short months ago, sales of jeans began to decrease during lockdown, however, since measures have been lifted slightly, more and more of us are turning back to our trusty denimwear. New styles continue to emerge post-lockdown, with mens spray on jeans and womens flared jeans coming back into fashion as quickly as they left.
New beauty rules
It’s not just clothing which has changed during lockdown. Many of us have used this time mostly spent at home to make changes to our hair and makeup regimes. With hairdressers having been closed until fairly recently, people have made changes to the way they look in the meantime. Whether its their hairstyle, colour or just giving it a break from styling, the majority have enjoyed the time away from the stylist’s chair in favour of a more relaxed style.
In terms of makeup, a lot of people have enjoyed being fresh-faced whilst at home, giving their skin time away from daily applications. Paying close attention to skincare, moisturiser and just simply letting our skin breathe appears to have started a new trend of minimalist makeup.
Staying in is the new going out
With bars, restaurants, cafes and cinemas closed for months on end, plenty of people had to get used to entertaining themselves, especially over the weekends. Thanks to Zoom, quizzes, parties and even virtual dates were still able to go ahead and allowed people the opportunity to dress up and enjoy their weekend as usual.
However, as well as this, loungewear and comfy clothing also became very popular in the months of lockdown. Mens twin sets and womens joggers became a key wardrobe staple for many people who were looking for both style and comfort whilst they stayed at home.
Shopping pattern shifts
After lockdown, the biggest change to emerge may not be what we wear, but how we shop. With a vast majority of bricks and mortar stores closed during the pandemic, many people were forced to shop online instead or look for new ways to find clothes. Whether it be shopping in their own wardrobes for clothes they hadn’t worn for a while to organising socially distanced swaps with friends, keen shoppers were still able to find ways to get their fashion fixes.
