Zoom meetings, conference calls and working remotely have altered the traditional style of everyday and work wear that we have known for so long.
Lipstick, foundation, skirts and dresses may not be present in women’s wardrobes anymore, but new, more comfortable trends are starting to emerge.
The “work from home” style that skyrocketed last year has enticed people to purchase more sweatpants and limited their wardrobe to lounge clothes and pajamas. People have been turning to comfortable pants paired with a nice-enough looking top to appear business-like for Zoom meetings, which usually only show participants from the waist up.
Rachel Trahan, of Peabody, said that she is now usually wearing comfortable pants, like sweats or joggers.
“For a top, I do try to keep it looking decently professional in case I do have to jump on a video call with a client or my co-workers,” she said. “I certainly don’t do my makeup every day, or put jewelry on, but I do make it a point to shower and not wear pajamas. I found in the beginning of the pandemic, when I did work from my bed without changing clothes I was not nearly as productive.”
The famous “I didn’t know you had your camera on” stories circulating on the news and social media have highlighted the difficulties of working from home and the casual wear that goes along with it. Videos of spouses walking in the background of a Zoom call wearing only their underwear, or a sibling or parent strolling through the kitchen in a robe in the middle of the day proves that the COVID-19 pandemic has stunted society’s style.
Women in particular are wearing less makeup and feeling more comfortable going out with a natural look.
Heather McLeod, of Marblehead, works in the cosmetics industry and has noticed that nobody is putting makeup on the bottom half of their face, due to the highly encouraged usage of masks.
According to Fortune.com, Amazon sales in the U.S. showed that “lip care and color” saw the steepest decline in retail sales of any segment, with sales falling 15 percent and prices falling 28 percent. Since lips are no longer visible, eyes have become the main focus. Data in a report by The Telegraph shows that eye makeup sales were up 204 percent over a three-month period last summer.
“We have lots of people being like ‘I’m just not wearing makeup anymore’ or people doing more semipermanent and permanent solutions like microblading,” said McLeod. “It’s interesting because then you also have people who are extending longer in between services because they aren’t seeing anyone. I used to see a lot more people every four weeks, and now it’s maybe every six to eight weeks. And some I’ve only seen for the first time recently since the shutdown in March.”
Jeans, bras and high heels have transitioned to special occasion attire, while putting on makeup and getting ready to go to the grocery store has become an event in itself.
Brianna DeLeon, of Peabody, said that she almost always wears leggings and a cardigan now. “I was in dresses and tights, all done up 90 percent of the time before the pandemic started,” she said. “I feel uncomfortable now in tights and a dress. I almost feel stiff if that makes any sense.”
Morning routines have become shorter and commutes from the bedroom to the living room allot for more time to sleep in. Genie Santiago, of the North Shore area, is a musician and has noticed that what used to take her hours to get ready, now takes 20 minutes.
“My performance outfits have definitely changed since they’re now virtual. I would spend hours on hair, makeup, and outfits,” she said. “I would also have to lug a bag with my outfit and beauty essentials to change into at the venue. I would even hire makeup artists. Now, I usually have sweats on (or underwear) and above the waist I’m wearing something gorgeous.”
Virtual meetings and conference calls have made minimal preparation more common. With the option to not even have a camera on, many people are finding themselves doing the bare minimum to appear ready for the work day.
“I don’t take as much time to do my hair and makeup because I’m not at an actual event for hours at a time,” Santiago said. “There are no people in my face, bright lights, or photographers.”
Unfortunately, Santiago doesn’t see this changing for her until at least 2022, as she believes that live music won’t return for a while.
According to a report done by CNBC, one in four people will continue to work from home in 2021. For those who are not, the physical barriers presented by masks leave people not really knowing what some of their co-workers actually look like.
Abby Papagelis recently started working as a registered nurse at North Shore Medical Center, and has discovered that she doesn’t know what anyone she works with looks like.
“We’re all covered head to toe,” she said. “I’ve been there six weeks and on my Valentine’s Day shift, I quickly ate a chocolate at the nurse’s station and my coworker said, “wow, I’ve seen your face now.”
She said that her co-workers in her unit have discussed having a get-together outside of the hospital to see what they all really look like.
This is a time in which people are experimenting with their look and style. Some are cutting off their hair, focusing on skin care and testing out a braless lifestyle. The pandemic has forced many to feel accustomed to appreciating the little things, like going out for a walk with friends or having a movie night with the ones you love.
The stress of finding the perfect outfit and spending hours on hair and makeup has dwindled significantly in the past year. Only time will tell if that trend will continue.
