The COVID-19 pandemic changed many aspects of daily life for Americans 鈥 from the way we communicate and interact to the way we shop. It also affected the way we dress. Who hasn鈥檛 done a Zoom call wearing a blazer and sweatpants?
According to Hillary Stone, industry liaison and professor in 麻豆视频鈥檚 School of Fashion, this preference for comfort during the pandemic has changed the way we dress out in public now too.
鈥淲hen 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,鈥 .
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.
鈥淭he unconstructed suit jacket is really in right now, and the wide-leg pants,鈥 Stone said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e taking traditional conservative designs, and they're changing out the fabrics that we鈥檙e so used to seeing. 鈥 It creates a softer appearance. It creates a more casual appearance. It鈥檚 not as conservative. It鈥檚 not as stiff.鈥
But don鈥檛 think that means Americans don鈥檛 want to look fashionable, she added.
鈥淢en鈥檚 fashion is exploding,鈥 Stone told Voice of America. 鈥淲hat men want now, they want alternatives. And they want something that鈥檚 very creative, and they want something that鈥檚 clever and fun, and they want stylish.鈥
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.
鈥淚t went into a casual dress code, and it鈥檚 moving slightly back most recently,鈥 Stone said. 鈥淚t is moving slightly back to 鈥 I don鈥檛 want to say a more conservative, aesthetic and appearance 鈥 but what it鈥檚 doing is becoming more formal. So, you鈥檙e seeing many dresses, midi length, you鈥檙e seeing longer skirts, you鈥檙e seeing the slacks.鈥