When the pandemic began and the instructions to stay at home came into place, a simple question arose: how will you keep busy? Some spent their time learning how to bake or knit; others refocused their efforts on recreating artistic masterpieces with their dog. And the very best of us donated those extra hours to those in need, volunteering to deliver medicines and food to neighbours and communities.

Our new lives also gave us the opportunity to reflect. What were we going to do differently when it was over? What would we change? What would we wear? Trivial as it may be, isolation from the outside world spurred a period of sartorial contemplation for the MR PORTER Team. There’s no doubt that being cooped up indoors has altered our clothing habits, but our takeaway (no, not that kind of takeaway) from the experience is that it also changed how we dress for the better. Here are the style lessons we’ve learnt on the way.  

I’ve been operating on a rotation of T-shirts, pyjama bottoms and a few pairs of running shorts (without the running) for the past few months, so I’m looking forward to being forced to dress like a real person again. What with the world grinding to a halt and the fashion industry doing some serious soul searching about what comes next, I think a lot of us are reconsidering how we “consume” clothes. For me, I’ll be seeking out more well-made clothing that I can see myself wearing years into the future. This beige shirt from one of my favourite brands, The Row, will just about do. It’s classic, understated, and was made in France from impossibly soft cashmere. Which is exactly what I could do with more of in my life right now.

Having spent the past few months (years?) locked up with two pre-schoolers, with only sporadic ventures into the wider world, I can tell you this much: camouflage is your friend. Not only will it – and this applies to all botanical-based prints – disguise a multitude of stains ranging from jam and egg to sand and mud, it also comes up trumps when deployed in the theatre of war, or, as it is more commonly known, hide and seek. Anything for a few minutes’ peace and quiet spent skulking in a bush.

When I left London in a hurry more than three months ago, I threw a bag together, not knowing how long we’d be gone. Deciding which pairs of sneakers would be selected to see me through, and which would be left on the bench, was something I agonised over. I went for experience – a beloved pair of adidas ZX 500s from around 2004, which have served me loyally for many years. Now, it pains me to say, their days are numbered, despite my desire to coax them through to a well-earned retirement. So, I will be using this moment to close one era and begin a new one with another pair from the brand’s archive, which will look good with shorts this summer.

I have worn shoes roughly once a week during lockdown. Do I miss them? Not really. While there’s undoubtedly a certain pleasure in lacing up a pair of proper shoes, I’ve found that I can derive just as much enjoyment from wearing socks. Who’d have thought that such a simple, underappreciated element of a man’s wardrobe could bring so much joy? This is especially true of pairs such as these from Connolly, which are made in Italy from finely knitted cotton and ribbed to keep them in place on my foot. If I could afford it, I’d replace my entire sock drawer with them. As it stands, the one pair I own is reserved for special occasions, such as leaving my bedroom.

Now, as ever, I am a complete and total house cat. I live in PJs and slippers. What’s different about our present reality is that we have to perform, live and direct from home – on Zoom, on Instagram Live. And as much as I’d love to go on-air in a dressing gown, I have, so far, kept it a little bit jazzier: meaning, I throw on a wild camp-collar shirt. This absolute masterpiece of a jazzy shirt from Dries Van Noten is like a psychedelic trip to a garden centre and I love it.