The COVID-19 pandemic changed many aspects of daily life for Americans – from the way we communicate and interact to the way we shop. It also affected the way we dress. Who hasn’t done a Zoom call wearing a blazer and sweatpants?
According to Hillary Stone, industry liaison and professor in 91ֿ’s School of Fashion, this preference for comfort during the pandemic has changed the way we dress out in public now too.
“When we went remote and we still had to move forward with our day-to-day operations, the casual office attire became the mainstream in-office dress,” .
As Americans got used to working in their pajamas for months on end, they found it hard to go back to the stiff and structured business attire that was expected before the pandemic. This has resulted in clothing brands creating traditional pieces, such as suit jackets, out of stretchy material that feels a bit softer and offers more range of motion, Stone said.
“The unconstructed suit jacket is really in right now, and the wide-leg pants,” Stone said. “They’re taking traditional conservative designs, and they're changing out the fabrics that we’re so used to seeing. … It creates a softer appearance. It creates a more casual appearance. It’s not as conservative. It’s not as stiff.”
But don’t think that means Americans don’t want to look fashionable, she added.
“Men’s fashion is exploding,” Stone told Voice of America. “What men want now, they want alternatives. And they want something that’s very creative, and they want something that’s clever and fun, and they want stylish.”
Leaning into comfort may have led to more forgiving fabrics, however, Stone says she is seeing workwear designs shifting back a little into more conventional looks for the office.
“It went into a casual dress code, and it’s moving slightly back most recently,” Stone said. “It is moving slightly back to — I don’t want to say a more conservative, aesthetic and appearance — but what it’s doing is becoming more formal. So, you’re seeing many dresses, midi length, you’re seeing longer skirts, you’re seeing the slacks.”