Pandemic dressing in the next normal
Swati Rai
The world as we knew it was put on hold and in lockdown, thanks to the raging pandemic from its nascent stage in 2020 to its many waves, till almost mid last year. As we grew accustomed to the changing face of the masks and vaccine types, we also learnt to negotiate the WFH culture that fast moved to WFA, the acronym mutations as fast as that of the virus!
The next normal saw all kind of sartorial revolutions and disruptions – from Hollywood celebrities attending award galas in their PJ’s, to people ditching high heels, women giving up wearing make-up, to a news reader caught on camera with his pants down (literally) dressed waist up for a remote screen meet, as is de rigueur now.
The relationship one had with one’s wardrobe transformed overnight — with staying at home, meant looking for comfort and more importantly, that’s easy to wash, iron and get work ready! Just when we were getting too cushy with our gained weight, widening waist sizes hidden all too well by the leisure wear, it was time to head back to a socially distanced world of work.
A changed fashion etiquette at work reflected an altered reality, post the pandemic, in a world that had already been questioning a strict dress code, what with the startup work culture of sweatshirts, leggings and sneakers. Mixed reactions on newer sartorial work wear choices notwithstanding, there are a few ways to seamlessly transition from WFH work wear choices to the hybrid mode of work world that’s here to stay.
Dress up for yourself
Many people decided to follow the adage ‘Dress up and Show Up’ to the T in Zoom calls and continue to do so in a hybrid mode-what with a pall of gloom at the onset of the pandemic taking its toll on people’s productivity, coupled with the lack of time or space boundaries between work and life at home. Having Zoom outfits that made one look good were a sure shot pick-me-up and a perk up to provide impetus to the whole day.
Hybrid work wear hacks
The world’s move from Business Casual to Business Comfort dressing, was a swift and spiffy one. Making a basic top and button down shirt work in western garments, whereas a suit working with a stole remains a hit. Leggings and loungewear have given way to smartly tailored, yet comfortable pants, with a bit of an extra stretch stitched in. Of course, in Indian wear, one can never go wrong with a saree. ‘Zoom Tops’ is a legit clothing tag now for those semi formal upper body clothing that look professional and hide the fact that you could just have gotten up. Pairing these pants with tops flaunting innovative sleeves, such as bell and the balloon ones in neutral, pastel shades is the snazzy next normal professional look. Of course, many companies have now relaxed strict dress codes from the SOP’s but the caveat — ‘Use your discretion’ in identifying casual clothing, can’t be undermined. Black, brown and grey hues never go out of vogue, as also pairing loose fitting slack with a tucked-in shirt is a fashion balance moment of the decade!
Layering and accessorizing
A shrug, a throw, a stole a jacket or a blazer; layering is the new structured chic way of working. Not only does a summer coat or a blazer in winters lend clean lines to the frame, but it also looks professional and adds a tinge of alacrity to the whole demeanour. A shirt dress or even sweat pants in solid colours (avoid prints), can be enlivened with the right kind of bauble- a scarf, a vintage brooch, a silver neckpiece.
Plus, you can’t go wrong with a cardigan and a collared shirt, the difference now is that one can couple it with an athleisure bottom wear. A marriage of casual comfort with professional touch- the new way of stepping into the work world of Next Normal, where adorning formal wear , could well be the new way to rebel !
