This year in 2020, fashion has been placed on a huge pause. Unlike many years of undying patience for the new new, we fashionistas had to create our own trend due to our unwanted guest Coronavirus. Personally I went from wearing designed jeans, blouses and my go-to chic boots to athleisure wear 24/7 as the world was placed on lockdown.
Fashion Week was cut short, companies had to close and designers had to think of other ways to share their creations. Major companies such as LVMH or Louis Vuitton donated millions of dollars to the Red Cross company as said in ELLE magazine. Giorgio Armani decided for the safety of everyone to hold his show via live stream. While designers quickly made many arrangements to keep their companies steady and everyone safe, it was up to us fashionistas and the world to move forward in the eye of fashion.
Not only did we create the trend for 2020, but we also brought back some unique apparel and have adjusted to this new lifestyle. As we were quarantined in our home with no place to go, getting dressed was definitely a hassle. For me, I would stay in my pajamas for three days and then change into a new pair. Eventually, my “bedroom style” became a drag and I switched to athleisure wear (sweatpants, T-shirts, yoga pants.) Anything that could keep me comfortable is what I was aiming for. Being home for a long period of time, my entire wardrobe had changed. I noticed I purchased more and more sweat pants, yoga pants, slippers and most importantly masks. It seemed as though everyone was getting into the habit of purchasing and wearing the same thing. This had me look into what the trends would be for 2020 since fashion had taken a turn.
I read an article by Abha Bhattarai, a writer for the Washington Post, as she interviewed Dawn Karen, a fashion psychologist and branding consultant. Karen as well as I analyzed the fashion of today and noticed the two most important items that are on-trend and constantly used are Crocs and masks. Crocs which are shoes in the form of clogs, but made of foam, have been extremely on-trend for their comfortable signature. Crocs have come with more colors, styles and add-ons, making this shoe stylish. Although anyone can wear them, it has been most popular within the younger generation. I’ve even seen medical workers choose Crocs as a comfortable and easy accessible accessory to their uniform. This shoe is affordable and comfortable. Unfortunately, I cannot jump on the bandwagon with this trend. Even though they come in amazing colors and have adorable add-on pieces I don’t like the shoe as much.
Bhattarai also interviewed Beth Goldstein, a footwear analyst for NPD. Goldstein stated that sales of stilettos/heels dropped by 11%. As I walk around campus I see many students rocking Crocs in their own style. We can definitely say that Crocs will be around for a while.
Crocs weren’t the only thing that changed the game in 2020 but face masks as well. Although face masks weren’t a choice in fashion this year, it has definitely made the tables turn. It became very difficult for me to find surgical masks in the markets or anywhere else, which was the same for almost everyone. Top designers and local designers took matters into their own hands by creating chic, trendy and cute face masks. Even I took the time to learn how to sew a pattern in order to make the masks. I’ve made my mother and me several masks in several different designs. Face masks are a part of everyone’s life, all over the world. With the help of many designers, we’re able to make our masks match any outfit, mood or style for the day. This pandemic has been stressful. I know I had a difficult time adjusting to this lifestyle. By staying on top of the latest trends, creating masks for friends and family and changing my wardrobe I’ve learned a lot about how one situation from big to small can impact a lot within the world of fashion. I recommend doing some research to see what trend of 2020 is your favorite and embrace your inner fashionista!