THE JOURNAL
Every once in a while, a life event changes your style. Perhaps you start a new job that requires formal attire and realise that you actually like dressing smartly even at the weekend. Maybe weight gain or loss means your old clothes don’t fit, so you have to invest in some new duds. Or maybe a global, persistent pandemic locks you in your house for an unspecified, seemingly unending amount of time rendering your entire life’s effort at collecting interesting, fashionable pieces completely moot when the only one who’s seeing them is you, your cat and the fox that hangs out in your garden (he does love the Gucci blazer, though). Sure, maybe it’s the last one.
You don’t need us to tell you – because the internet is stuffed with stories of how the pandemic changed us – that the past few years have changed us. Some changes have been significant and some changes have been that we wash our hair a little bit less frequently. When it comes to the latter, you may find that you’re unwilling to go back to the way it was before. And why should you? Looking back is for the birds, and anyway, we like sweatpants; some are even appropriate for the office.
In that spirit, below are five items of clothing that we aren’t giving up on, and neither should you.
01.
The baseball cap
This Americana sports staple is simply the best thing for when you haven’t the time or the energy to do anything with your hair. It’s also, increasingly, stylish. We got deeply into hats when we weren’t able to visit our favorite hair stylists or barber during any of the many lockdowns and our hair was looking, well, awful. But why should we give up this accessory now that we’re able to keep ourselves fresh again? It’s sporty, it adds a little visual interest to our looks and there are about 4,072,304,945 good options to choose from this season.
Try these
02.
The baggy jeans
Sitting around the house in tight jeans has always seemed like a sociopathic move. But when you’re working from home? Something is not right. Lucky for us, roomy jeans are back in style having clawed their way back from the bowels of the 1990s. The most stylish new fits out there – from brands such as A.P.C and The Row – won’t cut off your circulation or show off your calf gains from the gym. These relaxed cuts are also more forgiving and versatile. You can wear them around the house, to the office and even on a date.
Try these
03.
Backless footwear
Slippers, slides and sandals are so easy to wear that anything with laces seems like a bridge too far. If shoes require that you sit down somewhere in order to tug them on, then they already have too many barriers to entry. We’re very into backless footwear now and we think we may have laced our last lace. Birkenstocks are the obvious heroes here – you could say they are the OGs of modern clogs – and Yuketen makes some excellent versions as well. But in the past few years, even brands the likes of Bottega Veneta have gotten in on the slip-on game meaning that you are spoiled for comfy choice when it comes to your footwear.
Try these
04.
Fun socks
We all have – or should have – socks in the top drawer that make us smile, but don’t necessarily make it out of the house. No more. Jazzy socks, cashmere socks, tie-dyed socks or stripey socks (and on and on and on) used to be relegated to padding around the living room or cuddling up in bed. But now they’re for wearing with your favourite trousers and low-top sneakers. Why? Because joyful clothing deserves its day in the sun, no matter how silly and small it might be.
Try these
05.
Sweatpants
Yes, we know. Sweatpants. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: you can pry these out of our cold hands. The brands and designers have heard us and they are making smart sweats in elegant fabrics and tailored fits. As we said above regarding baggy jeans, why would you willingly subject yourself to uncomfortable trousers when you can be blissfully cosy in a pair of velvet-trimmed trackies from KAPITAL, or cool tie-dyed classics from Champion? Everyone from Brunello Cucinelli to Fear of God makes a pair so everybody can find a tight-trouser alternative of their liking.