Sajjad Ahmad
In the early months of 2020, the world stopped as we knew it. The Covid-19 pandemic reached a global scale, and everyone on planet earth was affected. Whether you were a teacher at your local high school, working in a fast-paced corporate office, or a stay-at-home mom, you were affected by the pandemic. For the first time in a long time, people across different states and countries were all on the same page. Let’s take a look at how the pandemic influenced our fashion and lifestyle choices for the better.
Less Became More
The pandemic gave us all a chance to slow down and realize that sometimes less is so much better than more. Most of us moved from physically working in person to working virtually at home. This gave many of us the opportunity to kick our high heels and work pants aside and enjoy spending more time in comfy loungewear. While dressing up is good for the soul, taking a moment to just enjoy the day in comfortable clothing and little makeup is also good for the soul.
The pandemic influenced our fashion by giving us the opportunity to work in the comfort of our own homes in cozy outfits that would not be appropriate for the office. And don’t get us wrong, while loungewear is great for lounging, it’s also super cute! So, no need to worry; you won’t feel like you’re in pajamas all day long.
Conscious Living
While at the office or living life on the go, working out and eating healthy may, unfortunately, be pushed to the back burner. If you’re in meetings all day and only have an hour to grab lunch, the nearest fast food restaurant probably became your best friend. And after a long day, working out may seem like the last thing you would want to do. However, the pandemic gave everyone a chance to evaluate all of their habits – the good and the bad.
The pandemic influenced thousands all around the world to incorporate healthy living habits into their daily lifestyles. And while most of us are back in the office physically, a lot of those healthy habits that we started at the beginning of the pandemic are still with us! We’re working out, spending more time enjoying home-cooked meals, reading books, going for walks, and so much more.
Inside and Out
Skincare routines were definitely influenced by the pandemic. Wearing masks on a daily basis became a factor, and “maskne” became a factor right along with it. While we were adapting to all of the new changes in the world, our skin was adapting as well. The pandemic gave us much more time to focus on our skin and, quite frankly, get to know it a whole lot better.
Prior to our new lifestyles, our skincare routines might have been pretty generic and straightforward. Our routines may have looked a little something like this:
- Wake up
- Quick skincare routine
- Put on makeup
- Leave the house
- Come home
- Remove makeup
- Quick skincare routine
- Repeat the following day
While doing all of this may have worked just fine, it didn’t give us a chance to address the fact that our usual routine was not providing us with the results we were hoping to see. The pandemic gave us a chance to test out new routines and new products. Getting to know our skin all over again with a fresh set of eyes was a refreshing opportunity that was very much needed.
Intentional Shopping
Spending more time at home made a lot of us realize that most of the items we own are totally unnecessary. Prior to the pandemic, having a cluttered space may not have been that big of a deal because we didn’t have to deal with it as much. But now, we can all really ask ourselves, “do I really need this much stuff?” If you have tons of items stuffed in the back of your closet or collecting dust in your media center, you’ve probably come to realize that you don’t need them.
While being a full-blown minimalist may not be your calling, having less clutter can definitely benefit you in one way or the other. Owning fewer things and being more intentional with your shopping habits can lead to:
- Spending less and saving more
- Having less stress because there’s less to clean and declutter
- Being more productive
- Supporting the less fortunate by donating
- Contributing to a greener earth
- Owning higher quality and more long-lasting items
- Creating more time for the things that matter
- Effortlessly displaying what you love most
Even if you love living a luxurious life, you can still practice intentional shopping. All it takes is making a conscious decision about your purchases and the things you currently own.
For the Love of Tops
While all-day loungewear may have been appropriate for some of us, others had to show their beautiful faces in virtual workrooms. The pandemic greatly influenced the love of tops for those who still had to dress up a bit. Bright colors, patterns, and unique designs were all the way in! Lounge pants, slippers, and sweatpants may have been at the bottom, but beautiful, classy tops were at the top.
Taking it Easy
The pandemic greatly influenced the entire world to just take it easy. While fashion and lifestyle choices changed, we all learned that taking life one day at a time is important. Many of us lost loved ones, had to make career changes, and maybe even felt defeated. Going from living every day as normal to being locked inside is not something that’s easy to do.
It’s important to remember that your feelings and thoughts are always valid. Dress up or dress down, workout at home or outdoors – the choice is totally up to you! Sometimes, the unexpected happens, and while it may be hard, we just have to do our best. Take it easy and spend more time loving yourself for who you are. Baby steps are better than no steps!
