Dressing for Ourselves
As we came into January 2020, there was already a significant shift afoot in the way many people, especially women, were dressing. In November, 2019 WGSN trend service, reported on how Millennial women (those aged between 25 and 39 years old) were dressing. They identified in their analysis that for this age group, “Uncertainty is their version of normal…Cash-strapped and financially conscious, they’re streamlining their looks to adopt uniform-style dress codes….” Specifically calling out “As they steer their careers into new chapters and build families of their own, (they are)… embracing mid-life with new mindsets and new styles.” “Staying in is the new going out for Millennial homebodies faced with stress and pressure from environments outside of the home.” “With people spending more time at home, style needs are changing. Brands are launching ‘work from home’ collections that prioritise comfort and ease when it comes to the aesthetic and care of the garment.”
Little did everyone know that by March, 2020, staying at home would no longer be a desire, but a reality due to the pandemic caused by Covid-19. With that, EVERYONE immediately stepped inside of their homes and started to reevaluate many things in life. When things seem to be out of control, it’s natural to look for ways to regain control. Clothing is a very fundamental and accessible answer to that need.
It was not only women, though, who were reevaluating the clothing they wanted to wear before March, men were too. It is significant that even with the intense disruption to retail between March and July of 2020, a new brand launched on July 29, 2020, called Highsnobiety STAPLES. The brand is grounded in street-wear and the pieces are all wardrobe staples, as you can imagine, simple solid colors, silhouettes that are gender inclusive and comforting, known and loved fabrications. They said, “2020 has put a lot of things in perspective. And … this has resulted in a rethink…Launching today…is a collection of quality-first, timeless pieces, born out of a desire to re-prioritize our lives.”
There is a strong indication as to if this new way of “comfort dressing” is going to stick, in the statements made by Jian DeLeon, the editorial director of Highsnobiety. His statements transcend this particular line of clothing. He said, “Outward validation, it seems, has taken a backseat to a more self-assured sense of taste.”
With everyone being seen largely only from the upper chest to the top of their head by work peers, priorities shift from dressing for others to dressing for oneself. What is professional, yes, but what is comfortable and comforting? The answer we are finding in our wardrobes are birthing this new hybrid of Athleisure, which was already a beloved and accepted style of clothing that blends true performance fabrications with lifestyle colors and designs that allow for comfort and easy movement. This new style is called Biz-Leisure, a perfect combination of business and athleisure attire.
Finally, the founder of Tokyo-based label Auralee, Ryota Iwai, said this, “I believe people are seeking essentials,… While trends are volatile and speak to a moment in time, great materials, quality, and earnest craftsmanship will be necessary and relevant in any era, and people will always have an eye for this. People will start dressing for themselves again.”
I think this is the TRUE reason that this new way of dressing, where we are choosing a blend of business appropriate key items that have been reinvented in the comfortable fabrications of performance gear, is here forever. What we put next to our skin matters to us and we are choosing those fabrics and fits because they are comfortable and comforting TO US. That matters more now than ever. We are dressing for OURSELVES now.