Since I work in fashion, you could rightly assume that I love shopping, find great joy in getting dressed and can list facts about clothing or designers on demand. (Did you know that Yves Saint Laurent's career began at Christian Dior? Or that Diane von Furstenberg didn't actually invent the wrap dress?) I’ve also been known to set up personal style challenges for myself (for fun) and have embarked on vacations purely for checking out the local shopping scene. But all of that has fallen to the wayside since mid-March when I hunkered down in quarantine in my comfiest pairs of leggings, a sweatshirt and...Crocs. Yes, Crocs.
Less than two months ago, I was frantically figuring out which summer trends I wanted to test out (shorts suit or waistcoats?), which strappy sandals I’d invest in and which too-small handbags I’d rock them with. But now, my only focus when it comes to getting dressed is comfort.
In fact, putting on a crisp pair of jeans sounds like torture—and that’s not only because I’ve added a daily chocolate chip cookie to my diet. I have no interest in trying on that cute oversized eyelet blouse I just got. Hell, I don’t even want to wear a sexy tank for a FaceTime first date. All I want is to wear are soft fabrics that are woven with forgiving stretch, and don’t you dare get me started on buttons and zippers.
We can all agree that the world feels like a scary place right now. Thousands of people are falling ill and dying due to an invisible virus, millions are out of work and a speedy return to normalcy (whatever that might mean to you) is an impractical dream. So for me, everyday fashion has become less about making a statement, and more about the small things that have the power to make me feel good. Yes, even if that includes embarrassing Crocs that are surprisingly supportive while working from a standing desk.