Even before the pandemic started, I was never really into spending money on clothing. Now, however, I’m elated to experience the reality that I don’t have to present myself to the public. The pandemic created an unclothing revolution, so I (and many others) no longer need to spend money on clothes. Sure, I spend an excessive amount of money on other things. However, since I no longer go out every weekend, I don’t need to spend money on food, drinks, and of course, new clothes to go out in. The pandemic saved me so much money and stress in the long run.
The new (un)clothing revolution that the COVID-19 pandemic caused is liberating.
On the days when I don’t need to use my camera for work, I can roll out of bed ten minutes before I log in. I forget about makeup (even more so than I did before the pandemic), so I can finally rub my eyes without smudging all of my hard work. In fact, I can even choose not to wear a bra.
I never thought that my favorite go-to work outfit would be athletic wear, but the pandemic allows us to dress however we’d like. My athletic wear is a comfortable motivational tool that sets me up for the rest of my day. It reminds me to go out for a run either before or after work.
COVID-19 quarantine also affects our hairstyle choices.
Even if you personally couldn’t go long without making a haircut appointment before the pandemic, the aesthetic choice to grow out your hair is another money-saver. If you chose to grow out your hair, you have more freedom to style it (or throw it up in a messy bun for your Zoom meeting). No one will lecture you for your hairstyle because since so many of us work from home now, messy buns are back in style.
The past year’s pandemic taught me that the future of our work life is changing, including office dress codes. Because more companies will ask employees to work both from the office and from home, the way we dress for work will never be the same post-COVID. Perhaps this is the perfect opportunity for millennials to create new office fashion trends that prioritize comfort over style in the workplace. Of course, professionality will always be important. Still, though, after sitting in front of the computer and stretching out in precarious positions, it’s going to take our bodies a long time to readjust to rigid desks and chairs. Wearing stretchier clothes will help us to get back into the routine because our bodies will have more room to breathe.
Although thinking about returning to an actual office excites me, I also look forward to seeing workplace fashion trends shift from stiff to cozy. I hope that this pandemic “(un)clothing revolution” will help workers feel more relaxed at work, which will ultimately make the work environment a lot less stressful.
Feature Image by BRUNO EMMANUELLE on Unsplash
