Dressing for the “new normal” begs many questions: Are you getting up to dress for your Zoom call? Or for an occasional drop by at the grocery store? Or perhaps you're preparing for very socially distanced situation at an office? Or maybe you're asking yourself, is what I wear even important anymore?
I guess if you ask Jerry Seinfeld he might say, “You know the message you're sending out to the world with these sweatpants? You're telling the world, 'I give up. I can't compete in normal society. I'm miserable, so I might as well be comfortable.’”
While nothing about society is normal right now, I can say with certainty that there are a lot of sweatpants making their way into my styling arsenal. I can also say there is definitely a new consciousness around how my clients are choosing to dress, and it isn’t filled with pressure or worry about how one will be perceived by the outside world. People are feeling free to dress more comfortably day to day with a newfound appreciation for special pieces, high fashion trends for special occasions, and more thoughtfulness around who and what they are buying.
Many say dressing up head to toe in something they would have worn pre-Covid provides a healthy dose of motivation, making them feel almost “normal,” but it isn’t every day and, in the end, they are happy to have less pressure to wear the hottest trends or brands and instead focus on what feels good and looks good.
Many professionals have opted to dress the upper half appropriately with makeup, hair, and a structured blazer, while the bottom portion is last night’s pajama bottoms, if that.
I asked a few of my closest fashionista friends and clients if they agree and here’s what we discovered.
Sprucing up while sheltering at home
Camilla Papale, San Francisco marketing guru of Madison Avenue Creative who transplanted from the high society fashion standards of New York, works primarily from home and finds herself opting for bodysuits, gold necklaces, a lip stain, and sometimes “a really chic pashmina that keeps me warm," she says. "A chic one-shoulder drape gives me all the statement I need via Zoom. When I’m in person or photographing a prospective client’s work, I will button up with a peplum blazer or even a pump, which I can’t wait to take off the second I get home. I really hope that never changes – I much prefer this new way of dressing. It is so freeing! Though I’ll definitely be down for a high fashion moment here or there.”
Papale says she has worn flats and sneakers to construction sites or more casual business coffee meetings, but her style has remained about comfort with an assertive edge and “getting the job done.”
Client Donna Young, Medical Group Regional Leader for Kaiser Permanente, says, “When Covid became our reality, we did everything we could to keep our employees safe and take care of the surge of patients who flooded our system. Even back in March, I continued my practice of selecting a few pieces from my carefully curated closet and my jewelry chest (thank you MGK Style!) every Sunday to anchor my outfit for each day of the workweek. Fast forward to this fall when I pivoted to regularly working from home. Initially, I found myself gravitating to a warm and fuzzy work-from-home uniform of comfy sweats and UGG slippers. But that didn’t last long because I really missed my Sunday ritual of planning my outfits. So every Sunday I still rummage through my jewelry for fun pieces that I haven’t worn for a while and shop my closet for tops that I want to feature that week.” Donna is hoping to manifest happy fashion days again by dressing for it even on a lockdown.
Leaning into the loungewear
There are, however, a select few who are quite happy with a long-term stay at-home wardrobe, embracing the cozy cashmere lounge set and fleece socks, hoping to never see another heel or suit again. Of course, a cashmere lounge set must still be somewhat presentable when you need to be optically ready for your boss’ weekly roundup Zoom, but fashion trends are lending us a helping hand with lots of luxe options that can be paired chicly with a killer blazer. Being professionally casual, even downright cozy is now more than acceptable in certain industries that have always called for more casual, workable garments.
Client Emily P. Wheeler, founder of her eponymous jewelry line, a bountiful collection of unique, eclectic, and multi-stone designs, has suggested that while her dressing has become progressively and impressively comfort-focused, she still piles on the jewelry with panache.
“I actually don't think my style has evolved," says Wheeler. "I've always had my comfy outfits. I work from home and I need to be comfortable with my creative process. While I might be in cashmere sweats, I always wear my favorite baubles for inspiration. Because I don’t have anywhere to go right now, I’m saving my high fashion moments for a rainy day. I am excited to dress up and dust off my favorite pieces for those special occasions hopefully in the near future, but I’m cool with my casual uniform in the meantime and I definitely think I’ll focus my purchasing power toward really thoughtful, versatile designers moving forward.”
Emily is not alone. Client Shauna Harden, co-founder of Sonoma Hills Farm and executive producer of Lady Buds, says her wardrobe has taken a dramatic turn, but one thing has remained constant — her obsession with jewelry. “I mix up my favorite chains and locks from Marla Aaron, my treasured rainbow necklace from Harwell Godfrey, along with special one-of-a-kind antique pieces from local jeweler Metier. Covid has shifted my center of gravity from our family home in San Francisco to our cannabis farm in Sonoma County. I’ve traded chic cocktail dresses for Levis and white tees on my office days and Dovetail for functional, get my hands dirty workwear. My shoe closet still calls to me, but who knows when I’ll be able to throw on a fabulous pair of heels again.”
Our Silicon Valley clients in tech have insisted that they’ve been on the precipice of a major fashion movement toward luxe casual for some time and the rest of the world is just following suit, thanks to this pandemic. One male client who wished to remain anonymous expressed, “If I could avoid investor meetings, I would wear my Levis, my Margiela white T-shirt, and a hoodie every single day from now until eternity. Sneakers, too, obviously. When I must, I’ll wear a blazer from the Row or maybe Thom Browne and call it a day. I hope that my uniform never changes and I don’t even have the new pandemic fashion standards to thank for this.”
What’s in store for our future wardrobes
The biggest question remains will this new way of looking at fashion as a means of comfort continue? Or will we see a resurgence of “dressing to the nines” once Covid restrictions are no longer? I think the answer may still be undetermined. While I certainly can see many people excited and ready to put on their best pieces as soon as things open up again, I do think the pressure to be on top of your fashion game will relent at least for a few more years. Designers and retail will also adjust accordingly, seeking to find pieces that are timeless and wearable for longer than one season. Makeup, hair, and nails will also focus on services that can last longer than a few weeks.
Joah Brown Oversized Jogger Pearl
People have changed and so have their demands — and it is refreshing. Client Diane Robinson, a Global Educator and Filmmaker in Miami says, “I, for one, like to wear color and pieces that flatter and uplift me. I definitely dress more casually; I am loving Joah Brown’s oversized joggers, but my desire to keep up my higher fashion game is still here. Even if I’m just at home working on my latest film, The Young Vote, I’ll still make sure to have on one piece that makes me look good and feel good. Understanding who you’re wearing and what you’re wearing is more important now than ever. Dressing with purpose is the end game.”
Diane hit the nail on the head. There is so much waste in this world and the fashion industry is not exempt from that, in fact, it is arguably one of the worst participants. In order to make a change for the good, support diverse emerging designers and protect mother earth, it behooves everyone within the industry to seek the production of garments that are sustainably made and chic by people who care about what they are making. Smaller collections, less mass production, and more focus on wearable, timeless and versatile clothing. I think dressing with purpose, whether it be super casual or a mix somewhere in between, will be the “new normal” and Jerry was right about one thing, sweatpants are really, really comfortable.
Mary Gonsalves Kinney is the CEO and Founder of her fashion styling company MGK STYLE with clients in Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle, Chicago, New York and D.C. Mary has been noted as the top stylist in the region and boasts a client list that is high profile, diverse and based almost entirely on referral. Her client list consists of some of the top executives and founders in the country from Global 500 technological companies, producers and directors of film, elected officials, actors, athletes, and high profile professionals in a wide variety of industries. Mary is an avid Intersectional feminist and activist, and is a freelance writer on fashion and political subjects.
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