Workwear predictions - YouLookFab Forum

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Workwear predictions

Tammyb

Since so many people are working from home for what seems like the whole year...

I wonder if, when we are back in our offices, in 2021, what are we going to wear? By “we” I mean everyone who has been dressing casually at home, maybe in loungewear for the past six months.

What do you predict? Will we be excited to get dressed up again? Or will we become an even more casually dressed culture? What will the retailers be selling?

i have no predictions but I am curious about what everyone else thinks.

Dressing

20 replies

Latest reply was from Penny

kkards

Veteran

I think its hard to but the genie back in the bottle, and we will continue with more casual workwear. But i do suspect that people will want to “dress up”, but that will be reserved for social occasions. I expect that retailers, will be cautious and unwilling to take major risks. I expect we will see lots of easy care fabrics in easy cuts

Anonymous

Easy care fabrics in easy cuts sounds good to me kkards!
When I have to go back to the office, I'll wear the business casual workwear that's already in my closet.
The main differences will be:
A mask, maybe a face shield
Stud earrings- because my normal bigger ones compete with masks
Lower heels- 2inch, I don't foresee returning to 3+ for daily wear anytime soon
My most formal workwear will probably not be worn this year, since I doubt I'll be doing in person networking events or presentations.

Liesbeth

Veteran

My workplace is pretty casual but I have always prefered business casual and have built up a really nice wardrobe with that. The few times I have been to the office since the crisis I actually really enjoyed 'dressing up' in my workwear and doing my makeup as I did before. So from my own experience I'd say things will go back to normal quicker than you think. I do think with fashion in crisis and most people slowing their spending, there won't be many new trends and our current wardrobes will not date as fast as before (insofar as you still consider this a concept in dyot times). I am actually hoping that my hings that looked current last year and languished in the closet this year will still feel fresh enough in 2021.

Liz

Veteran

I"m guessing people will continue to want to dress in ways that they enjoy the most or feel most natural to them. People who enjoy dressier clothing will be excited to wear their nice clothes again. But lots of people don't enjoy that clothing and won't go back to it if they aren't required to.

If I were a clothing retailer, I would be watching buying trends very closely, because I'd have a keen eye on doing whatever it took to stay in business.

always trying

Veteran

From talking to a few of my friends who are now working at home, they are thinking this will continue far into the future. I am predicting anything not comfortable will not get worn. This is an individual thing. Some find jeans uncomfortable, some find anything but sneakers uncomfortable, etc. So I think for those who work outside the home will wear "comfort for them, whatever that is.
Since social distancing and no social events for so long, at the end of the pandemic social gatherings will boom-we will all drag out our things we love and haven't worn for so long.
I also think individuality will play a big part of how women dress.

unfrumped

Veteran

I certainly don't know, but I would predict it will be harder to squeeze back into uncomfortable or marginally uncomfortable shoes, and heels of much, if any, height.
What I don't know is whether workers will want to express themselves with more fashion-forward looks and colors--an example might be white or bright sneakers or typical obvious logo ones, vs wearing dark sneakers that sort of overlap with "work shoes".
Because if you look hard enough, you can find somewhat conservative clothing in more comfortable fabrics and fits--ponte pants, knit blazers, elastic waists and still put together even more than business casual outfits.
When I recently reviewed some of my black workwear pants, I recognized that in addition to quite tailored wool pants, I also had 2 pair of ponte pants with wide stretch waistbands, a cotton blend elastic waist slim pant, and an elastic waist slim wool pant. I used to work a lot of weekends and holidays, but did not "dress down" significantly, so these items were often FFBO. I can see that they also may prove to be good "keepers" as versatile even for pretty casual wear (not hiking!), travel, quick dress up with a jacket, and as comfortable as more casual pants, and more so than jeans.

Or will people want to just wear their regular T shirts and sweatpants?

anchie

Veteran

I am back in the office after 6 months and can report that I don’t see much difference in what people are wearing now compared to what they used to. Except masks which are mandatory when not at your desk.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I predict that DYOT will be stronger than ever. You will see IT ALL everywhere.

Relaxed dress codes, people dressing up, lots of in-between, half way house, people dressing the way they use to before COVID, people evolving their styles to create a more comfortable look. Whatever and however people want to dress, is going to fly.

Personally, apart from sneakers, no wedding ring, no lipstick, and the addition of a mask, my daily dressing and grooming routine has not changed at all. I've continued to wear what I always wear. I have a rule though - no sneakers when working with clients unless it's the NAS. But I am re-thinking my own rule. I don't see the point at this point. But that might change.

celia

Veteran

Interesting question.
My guess is that this will be somewhat generational. From what I have seen in my calls older(and I include myself here) generations consider work from home still work so they have been dressing business casual adapted to the temperatures of their homes.The younger ones continued to dress more casually as before now with the certainty that no one will remark on the not-ok-for -the-office-tennis-shoes.
I hope people will be more willing to show their personality trough their outfits once they get back to the office.
For myself, the biggest change was wearing way more dresses than I normally would because they are easy to choose in the morning.
I will look for that feel of easiness when I go back to the office, but am also looking forward to my blazers and my heels.

Sal

Veteran

Our workplace is casual anyway but I think people are even more casual since their return. Hard to tell though with engineers who really don’t care.

I have had very few occasions to wear my dressier work clothes since my return. But I Hope in time they will return....

Lucy

Veteran

I'm back at work 2 or 3 days a week, and WFH the other days. At home, I am still on a reasonable amount of Zoom. Most people seem to be wearing a nice top for Zoom, and who knows what down the bottom! I have been wearing jeans, leggings and slippers (it's winter here).
But back at work, everyone seems to be dressing as they did before. I am in academia, so not a lot of people wore heels before either. I have gone back to the low and comfy heels I wore before the lockdown, and am happy in my skirts and dresses. I have mainly been in sneakers outside of work, but I haven't worn them to work.
Personally, the first week or two back I found it to be strange to wear shoes and dresses. A couple of days I wore jeans with a jacket. But now, after 3 weeks, I am really enjoying wearing my prior clothes!

Roberta

Veteran

These are probably personal-to-me trends, ha! I for one have EMBRACED sneakers as business wear. I kept dressing up when working from home because I found that it improved my (often dismal) mood.

I have also seen female friends doubling down on eye makeup because of wearing a mask - false eyelashes, bright eyeliner, new glasses, brows, etc. Same for highlights and Kool-aid hair when we could get back to the salon.

I also predict fabulous faux furs come cold weather. If I can go outside, I want to look like Liz Taylor.

Anonymous

I am hoping for a compromise, comfortable, easily coordinated styles in natural content fabrics of beautiful colors and prints.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Phoebe, you are fab. I really like the way you think!

Roberta, you made me laugh! I think I will be joining you. Business Casual....with sneakers

JPaul893

I think people would prefer casual.

Erica

Member

I think it is going to be hard to get people back into the swing of "dressing up" for work. But, I also think it will be a challenge to open some of the workplaces anyway, as they will see they are saving money on utility bills, etc.

Cee

Veteran

Pyjamas, onesies and ugg boots !

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

At some point people will want to dress up again - but what that will mean exactly I cannot say. Fancy sneakers?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Actually in Seattle, people dressing up again

Penny

Veteran

Fascinating thread!

I suspect we may see some changes to the extent that we change the way that we work long term. In my field of law, I expect many will opt to work remotely for at least part of the week after we return to normalcy, and I expect remote depositions and Zoom client meetings to be a long-term feature of my practice, to avoid travel expenses.

As an example of how this could shift my own sartorial choices, although I would never skip a blazer for an in-person client meeting or deposition, I feel perfectly comfortable and confident in a sleeved navy or black dress in those same contexts over Zoom. As a result, even while maintaining my professional wardrobe/style through the pandemic, when considering new work dresses, I will certainly prioritize dresses with sleeves that work well for everyday office wear and now also work well for Zoom events.

Looking forward to seeing what may evolve, and what we're eager to embrace again . . . I'll be glad to wear my bracelets and wedding rings more regularly, if nothing else!