How Working at Home will affect Fashion

As the world is facing a global health crisis many industries have been majorly impacted as consumer spending has dramatically changed particularly concerning the fashion industry.

The deadly coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc in all aspects of daily life.

Everyone is being urged to remain indoors to stay safe as well as keep everyone else safe.

Yet, numerous businesses are suffering as sales have drastically declined to cause the downfall of industries. The uncertainty further heightens the problem.

Working from home will certainly affect fashion as it can be tempting to fall out of touch with a uniform and instead opt for loungewear.

The thought of no longer requiring your best trousers and blouse or shirt can be quite daunting, however, it is our reality.

Despite this uncertainty, some people prefer to dress up to continue a sense of normalcy.

We explore the ways in which working from home will affect fashion.

Fluffy Slippers over Heels

Wearing heels whether for work or going out would leave the wearing feeling confident. Many people choose to wear heels for work as they make you feel as though you can conquer the day ahead.

Heels are a great addition to your wardrobe as they elevate your aesthetic style.

However, this has changed. Working at home has resulted in people simply wearing their slippers.

This is because it is convenient, comfortable and practical while remaining indoors. There is no real need to reach for any other type of footwear.

Due to this, footwear such as heels, shoes, trainers and more have not seen the light of day for quite some time.

DESIblitz exclusively spoke to 35-year-old Nagina who revealed working at home has led to her passion for heels ceasing to exist. She revealed:

“I was someone who would always reach for my heels. I love how they provide a sense of confidence and power. They also make me feel put together.

“However, due to the coronavirus lockdown, I am no longer reaching for my heels. Instead, I have been wearing my fuzzy slippers.

“This is a major change for me but I suppose it is giving my feet a rest from being squashed in heels for long periods of the day.

“Now I can roam around my house in my slippers, attend work meetings via Skype without anyone seeing what I have on my feet.”

She continued to mention how the lockdown has affected her spending choices. She said:

“Usually, I would always buy a new pair of heels every other week, but this has changed. I must be more money smart.

“Therefore, fashion which was once a major aspect in my life has taken a backseat. I cannot afford to indulge in such luxuries.

“I guess of the positive things about working from home is that not many people are concerned with what they are wearing as long as it’s somewhat presentable and comfortable.”

Loungewear

Loungewear is everyone’s haven in this uncertain and difficult time. It has become an astounding phenomenon due to its ability to provide the perfect chic and comfort for day to day life at home.

There are various types of loungewear to choose, from knitted co-ords, cardigans, slogan tees, shorts, hoodies, leggings and more.

For those who prefer to maintain a sense of normalcy, loungewear is the perfect option.

This is because it will allow you to get out of your pyjamas into something fashionable yet comfortable.

Working at home has seen the rise of people wearing loungewear to carry out their essentially new daily routine.

Formal wear is no longer a requirement as comfort takes over.

DESIblitz caught up with 25-year-old Sam who spoke about his new-found love for loungewear. He said:

“My job would usually require me to wear formal trousers, a smart collar shirt and tie. This was the type of outfits I would practically live in before the lockdown.

“However, since we are in lockdown and I have been working at home, my fashion life has changed. Instead of my trousers, I put on my joggers.

“I must say initially I did struggle with my fashion. I wanted to get out of my pyjamas but at the same time, I felt there was no point of getting changed.

“This did start to mentally affect me as I felt and looked unkempt and this was all new to me. So instead, I decided to pull out my loungewear.

“This was once buried in the back of my wardrobe but has now found its way to the front while my trousers and shirts sit at the back.”

Sam is certainly not the only person to feel this way. Both men and women have been affected by working at home, yet many want to get changed and as a result, reach for their loungewear something they may have done only on the weekend.

Dressing from the Waist Up

Many people are working from home amid the lockdown. When required employees must attend video calls.

As a result of this, people still want to look presentable in front of their colleagues. To achieve this, they will get dressed from the waist up.

This simply means they will throw on a formal blouse or shirt while keeping their joggers on underneath and no one ever has to know.

To adapt to this major change, numerous fashion retailers are targeting these types of consumers.

According to the major fashion retailer ASOS, “dressing from the waist up” is the latest fashion trend. On the website, it said:

“Now that our fits have shifted to all-day cosies, dressing from the waist up is officially a thing. If you’re getting on work calls, catching up with loved ones or having virtual house parties and want to step up your jumper/T-shirt/blouse style, look no further.”

This is just one example of how retailers have adapted their marketing strategies to suit the current global state.

With many people opting against spending a lot of money on fashion means the fashion industry has been hugely affected.

DESIblitz spoke to 24-year-old Ish who explained why she dresses from the waist up. She said:

“During the lockdown, I regularly have work meetings with my fellow colleagues. For my meetings, I’ll throw on some concealer, tie my hair up and wear a formal shirt.

“This allows me to look presentable like I usually would if I was at my workplace.

“I am certainly not the only one who does this. In my last work meeting, my colleague showed the rest of us his true state.

“He showed us that he was only professional from the waist up. Under his shirt and tie, he was simply wearing his loungewear shorts. This had us all in fits of laughter.”

Salwar Kameez

Desi outfits such as salwar kameez, sarees, anarkalis and more are extensively worn on various occasions like weddings, family gatherings and many others.

Yet, many people would wear casual salwar kameez on the weekend. This is because they are comfortable and keep you in touch with your Desi side.

However, working at home has changed this concept as many more people are reaching for their salwar kameez as home wear.

DESIblitz exclusively interviewed 40-year-old Jaz who revealed she wears more salwar kameez since working from home. She said:

“As a working mum of three, trying to incorporate Desi attire into daily life can be difficult.”

“Before the lockdown, I would wear office wear five days a week and on the weekend, I would wear salwar kameez.

“Now, however, being stuck indoors has led to me wearing salwar kameez every day. I prefer casual cotton wear as it is more practical and comfortable.

“I guess this is one benefit of working from home, as I get to be in touch with my Desi roots more. Even after this lockdown, I would like to stick to this and carry on wearing more Asian wear.”

Women have started to wear more salwar kameez at home. This could potentially lead to a revolution for this attire at home.

Undoubtedly, working at home has extremely affected fashion in ways we once did not think possible.

As well as our professional lives seeing a change so have our wardrobes. With no dress code to adhere to, people have relaxed their style to suit the lockdown.