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The Personal Style Blog and Other Dying Arts
At the beginning of the year when the world went quiet, behind closed doors multiple industries were falling into chaos. They were scrambling to rethink their business strategies; how to continue when their captive audience became quite literally captive in their own homes, far, far away from the front doors of their stores. One of these industries was fashion retail, which, while still somewhat floundering, was perhaps more well-equipped to deal with the unexpected turn of events than the rest. Influencing in a pandemic Already a well-established online industry – the rise and dominance of sites like PrettyLittleThing, Missguided and Boohoo are cases in point, to name just a few…
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Are Communities Within Fashion Thriving or is it Ruining the Meaning of Community?
Everywhere you look there is a community of fashion whether it’s a fashion brands community, an influencer creating a community or an app, you will never be alone in this industry. This is the beauty of fashion, you can have your own individual style but be apart of something bigger. Most of it you will find online, especially during the weird times of COVID however, Social media has been a life-saver of communication and has kept fashion thriving. Fashion communities can evolve from certain styles, ethical communities and their fashion or following a campaign such as the ‘Black Lives Matters’. Missguided have their own community of Missguided babes, anyone and…
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Will COVID-19 spell a change for the future of fashion?
The future of fashion is set to change, with the pandemic the catalyst. The increased need for technological advancements to aid shopping is more present than ever. There is now an inability to leave our homes without concern and risk. Thus, online shopping has become the more responsible and efficient way to buy. The growing trend of using machinery throughout the supply chain from manufacturing to final delivery also reduces the amount of human contact with the products so the risk of spreading the virus decreases. It also aims to quicken the production process. Will the online shopping trend continue post-COVID-19? Only time will tell, yet, it seems prudent to…
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All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go: Clothing in the Time of Covid-19
I’ve recently taken up learning Italian. Although, to say I’ve taken up a language seems a little frivolous, as if I could put it down again like another lockdown whim. The word recently, too, is somewhat deceiving. In actuality, I have been learning Italian for more than a year, but the slow process of rewiring your brain for a whole new process of understanding has an uncanny way of making you feel like a permanent beginner. What I have – so far – is a good grasp of the basics. I can translate simple children’s stories and it’s a thrill each and every time I do so at an almost…
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How Does Fashion Change the Way We Work?
Global affairs and recurring trends have always influenced fashion in a very noticeable way. One very noticeable trend being the movement towards sustainability and away from fast fashion. Yet we often overlook the everyday impact fashion has on our psychological mindset. How do you feel when you put on your favourite pair of jeans? Does wearing office attire feel the same way? The difference may be small, but the impact on our mindset has determined the business casual dress code for decades. Often without realising, the clothes we put on can impact the way we work psychologically and consequently how we work in the office. Yet recently the offices are…
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My Lockdown Transformation: Shopaholic to Conscious Consumer
My shopaholic realisation: Forty-three days ago, when all of this madness began, I, like most girls my age, was a self-confessed shopaholic. My daily hobbies consisted of scrolling through online shops for hours at a time and eagerly waiting for those glorious parcels to arrive at my door. So, as you can imagine, when news of lockdown broke out, I was delighted to have all the time in the world to be doing my favourite pastime completely guilt-free. Before long, I had overloading baskets sprawled across different sites ready for me to buy. “But what was I actually buying these clothes for?” I thought to myself. I had ‘going out…
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Fashion, Suppliers & the Global Crisis
The role of mainstream media during the Covid-19 global pandemic The media is undoubtably an incredible tool which allows news to be presented on a variety of platforms to the entire nation and beyond. Despite its positive implications, the delivery of news through media outlets can often cause negative emotions and provoke panic. This is something that we, as a nation, have experienced throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. There have been criticisms surrounding how Covid-19 news updates have been presented by the media. The focus has heavily been on the negative aspects of the pandemic, without a healthy balance. The positive aspects, such as communities coming together and showing a united…
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COVID-19: Consumer Behaviour and Sustainable Fashion
On the 23rd of March, Boris Johnson ordered a nationwide lockdown due to the growing rate of coronavirus cases in the UK. This lockdown demanded that for the foreseeable future, any non-essential businesses were to be closed to the public, and any non-essential workers now needed to work from home. While supermarkets have continued to serve the public and are struggling to keep up with panic buying demand, other businesses such as those in the fashion industry are struggling to stay afloat in the new climate. The pandemic has led to an estimated 40% drop in average market capitalization from the beginning of January to the end of March, and…
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Sustainability out the Window? Corona is the new Trend
How coronavirus is pushing sustainability to the side Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 back in January 2020, sustainability was becoming a major talking point among fashion retailers, but now Coronavirus has taken over every aspect of our lives. Consumers were becoming hungry for information from their favourite brands in relation to how garments were being created in the fast paced environment. But has COVID-19 caused consumers to forget about sustainability? Post-pandemic The fashion world prior to the outbreak was ready for a change, with big brands focusing on how they can incorporate more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices into their production and supply chain processes. This has come as…
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COVID-19: An Opportunity for Change?
How is the global crisis affecting consumer behaviours towards fashion? It seems an increasingly difficult question. Will the drastic changes we have seen in the short-term result in long-term positive change for the fashion industry? The complexity of our buying habits may need more than a month of lockdown to untangle the skein of consumerism. The complexities of aspirational culture: In an article on luxury fashion in China, the Journal of Retailer and Consumer Services looked at the relationship between the culture of aspiration which drives the luxury goods market and the economic reality behind its incessant growth. They look at fashion as a symbol and how this affects what…
