5 Fashion Trends That Simply Couldn’t Survive the Covid Pandemic

You might not have even seen this trend on the streets yet—but that’s because it never even had the chance to take off. In our pre-Covid lives, we actually needed a storage unit-sized bag to keep up with our packed schedules (and those of our partners and kids) which included hitting the gym, work and after-school activities. Now, if your purse has enough room for your wallet, extra face mask, some hand sanitizer and your iPhone, you’re pretty much good to go. Because, seriously, who’s running around that much these days?

Sometime between the sourdough boom and the whipped dalgona coffee frenzy, pants with an actual waistband became obsolete. And while denim and trousers have started their eventual comeback, the short suit may have met its untimely end. The two-piece set started off strong as a micro trend in 2019 and was poised to really have a moment in 2020. But, alas, even blazers have been relegated to the back of desk chairs and the far corners of closets. So, we don’t anticipate this trend having a third wind next summer.

For months we padded around our houses in fluffy slippers, which reminded us all just how comfortable it is not to wear actual shoes. So, the thought of squeezing into leather boots at the height of summer and incurring a handful of blisters after just a few steps? Yeah, we’ll stick with flip-flops, thank you very much.

Zoom blunders are real. Your toddler making an appearance in the big meeting; your boss forgetting how the mute button works; and a purposely shut off camera turning on while you discreetly try to take a bathroom break. *Cringe.* So why would you dress for a video call in a way that might make it look like you’re totally nude? Yeah, that might explain why the tube top hasn’t exactly become the item to wear this summer, despite its increase in interest in early spring. Turns out giving your coworkers the appearance that you’re naked isn’t the most HR-friendly way to start a Tuesday morning.

Listen, dad sneakers had a good run. After making their debut in 2014, they somehow became a shoe that was socially acceptable to wear with almost anything—from a flirty floral dress to basic leggings and, of course, light wash mom jeans. Perhaps it’s because they were a welcome reprieve from tall leather boots that pinched our toes or flats that hurt our arches. But you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone rocking this clunky footwear post-pandemic. While this trend’s downfall might not be directly tied to this moment in time, our sleeker, slimmer shoes aren’t mad about it at all.