The Fashion Shifts of 2020: a Covid Masterpiece

As we all know very well, COVID-19 has had countless effects on the world as we knew it. From hobbies, to education and employment, to mental and physical health, and a multitude of others.

One of the major changes that I, personally, have been seeing everywhere, are the changes in fashion trends and statements that come with the pandemic.

It's no surprise that, once lockdown began, people would generally want to get easy access to more comfortable clothing; that desire was so great that in April, the purchase of sweatpants increased by 80%. (source)

On top of that, the trends of 2020 may have a longer-lasting effect than we expect. This is similar to how fashion permanently changed for women during WWII when they started wearing pants and "men's clothes" as they took up men's jobs while said men fought in the war — this is actually the main reason that it is more socially acceptable/normal for women to casually wear pants out and about today. (source) Though people will still enjoy and partake in dressing up, comfortable clothes may be worn more openly and shamelessly in public in the future.

Face masks, as much as some people like to gripe about them, have slowly but surely become a fashion statement and even a part of the outfit as a whole for some, not just a required piece of cloth to put on your face. (source) For example, some have taken to tie-dyeing their masks themselves, or making a custom mask that will go with a certain ensemble that they like to wear.

Speaking of DIY projects, they have gained much more popularity over the course of the quarantine (source); people were stuck at home with nothing to do, and it turns out, they can get quite creative.

There was, of course, the make-your-own-bread rage, and the cut-and/or-dye-your-own-hair crisis, and how could I forget the terrifying few days (or was it weeks? Months? It felt like an age) during which no one knew whether or not the things around them were actually made of cake.

I myself was a part of the cut-and/or-dye-your-own-hair crisis, and my hair wasn't the only thing I cut — a few items of clothing in my closet have been subject to the merciless snip-snipping of my scissors.

So, yes, the population has collectively been through quite a lot — though you don't need me to tell you that — which was probably the reason that a major theme of 2020 was, unsurprisingly: comfort over trends. (source)

That theme may hold within the coming months and maybe even years. The fashion industry will experience many changes in the post-lockdown era, and that includes things such as comfort wear that can still be stylish; masks becoming a fashion statement with different quotes, images, and prints (though I think that ball has already begun to roll); and clothes that make it easier to shift between working and relaxing (source)—that's only to name a few.

Now, before we part ways, I'd like to make a couple of honorable mentions of the ridiculous things people came up with in 2020 (source):

• A face shield released by Louis Vuitton that cost nearly $1,000; it could also double as a visor.

• A mask with a hole to stick a straw through for drinking, created by an Instagram influencer in New Orleans; like "condoms with a hole to urinate," as said by a Twitter user.

• Last but certainly not least, face masks made from real (18 karat) gold threads.

All of these trends do, of course, depend on what the consumers have to say and what they want to buy and wear post-pandemic; "Moments of global crisis create the opportunity for major change, but how it plays out depends on the values of everyday consumers." (source)