2020 is the year of comfort clothing. Pre-quarantine, you could catch me in my favorite body-hugging skinny jeans, a great pair of heels (hello longer-looking legs!), and a silk blouse. I wore my signature shade of pinky-nude lipstick every single day. I couldn’t leave the house without it. I thought I’d found my look, my uniform—until quarantine changed all that.
Bye, Bye Style Rules
Then, the world came to a screeching halt: restaurants and bars shuttered, employees were laid off or sent home, and getting together with friends was put on hold indefinitely. For months, the only time I stepped out of my house was to walk my dog around the block. When the only people I was dressing for were my husband, my dog, and myself, my priorities changed dramatically—and, I think, for the better.
I wanted nothing more than to be comfortable throughout the day. No more sore feet from wearing my heels all day long.
No more squeezing into tight jeans or body skimming dresses, and no more daily lipstick thanks to mandatory face masks. I found myself reaching for leggings, sweatsuits, and sweatshirts every morning—items I usually reserved for exercise only. My sartorial decisions came down to what I was craving, physically and emotionally, and that was comfort. Being comfortable was my number one priority and it felt so good.
Shopping for Sweats
Though my social calendar was suddenly wiped clean, I didn’t give up my beloved pastime of shopping. I found myself shopping for quarantine-friendly pieces like t-shirts, sweatshirts, cozy cardigans, even slippers! While I did have some Zoom meetings for work, I would just throw on a blouse paired with sweats and slippers.
Here’s a confession: I had never purchased a sweatsuit before quarantine. Never. Really. I was not a Juicy Couture girl, and I’m starting to think I really missed out. Yes, I had sweatpants and sweatshirts, but never a cute, matching set like the ones that are now all over Instagram and on the landing pages of all of my favorite online retailers.
I’m going to let you in on a secret I discovered when I got my first lounge ‘fit: wearing a matching set makes you feel so much more put together than throwing on your old sweats and oversized t-shirts. It feels far more intentional and stylized to have a coordinated outfit with an eye-catching print or complementary color palette, no matter how comfy.
The Future Looks…Comfy
Now that businesses are starting to re-open and we are beginning to emerge from quarantine, my style choices are forever changed, with comfort being my main priority. Of course, I’ll wear my heels again, but I won’t be putting up with them on a daily basis anymore. Instead, I find myself more often reaching for flat mules or white sneakers. Let me just say that a pair of fresh white sneakers can transform your whole outfit and give the girliest dress a little cool factor. While I’m back to wearing jeans, I’ve gravitated more towards straight and relaxed styles, which are actually right on trend for fall.
Athleisure sales sky-rocketed during quarantine, and it’s a style that’s here to stay. Athleisure can be so chic when worn the right way. Try a leopard sweatshirt with matching joggers, and add a clean white sneaker. Tie dye sets are another fun spin on loungewear that will brighten anyone’s day, quarantined or not. So thank you, 2020, for changing my style forever.
Shop Our Favorite Quarantine Staples:
Cozy Earth Ultra-Soft Bamboo matching set: Top $88 (Click here)
Bamboo Jogger Pant $103 (Click here)
Abercrombie & Fitch Leopard Matching Set: Hoodie: $55 (Click Here) Sweatpants: $55 (Click Here)
Veja Vegan and Sustainable Sneakers: $152 (Click Here)
Free People Tie Dye Set: $168 (Click Here)