Students and teachers no longer have to worry about their outfit for school. With classes now on Zoom, they are experimenting with new clothing choices. Because the camera only shows the top half of their body, they have the freedom to wear whatever they want on the bottom half. Therefore, they can wear “school clothes” on top and pajamas on the bottom, without anyone finding out.
Being able to wear whatever you want to online class makes getting ready in the morning a lot easier, but it can make the whole day a lot less productive. When you’re in a pair of comfy pajamas or loungewear, it can be more tempting to curl up and watch a movie than start an essay. However, some students feel more productive because they are comfortable. Laila Elbakkal ‘21 says, “I mean I do feel lazier, but not because of the clothes. Whenever I have homework or other stuff to do I always change into comfy clothes.”
It’s hard to find a reason to dress up when you’re stuck at home all day. “Obviously, since nobody can see you I’m not really too worried about what I wear,” says Elbakkal. “Most of the time, I usually wear a tank top and sweatpants or shorts and a sweatshirt. I try to wear jeans sometimes, but we all know they aren’t as comfortable,” says Alana Foster-Smith ‘22.
While students are dressing down, they are still finding ways to express themselves. “My favorite quarantine outfit is my Billie Eilish sweatshirt. It’s white and I’ll wear that with shorts, sweatpants, or yoga pants,” says Elbakkal. Sticking to sweatpants or leggings on the bottom seems to be very popular, but wearing a fun top or sweatshirt can make the day a little more exciting.
While some love spending their days in loungewear, others are excited to wear non-casual clothes again. “Warm, cute, spring clothes are my favorite kinds of clothing items to wear, so I’m excited to wear normal clothes again. Also, I’ve been doing some online shopping for all the clothes I’m not wearing right now,” says Maggie Bowman. Spring fashion is an exciting thing, especially in a place like Minnesota where we spend most of the winter bundled up in sweaters and coats.
Since there isn’t really anywhere to go this spring except for the grocery store and a number of other essential businesses, it’s fun to think about fashion after quarantine. “I’m excited to start wearing normal clothes again. I miss going out and dressing up for certain occasions. Hopefully, this will all be over soon so we can get back to our normal wardrobes,” says Joe Miller ‘21.
It’s safe to say that many of us won’t take dressing up or even dressing in our normal clothes for granted again. However, we can still have fun with fashion while we wait for quarantine to be over. Try getting dressed up again just for fun or plan a couple of summer outfits to wear when you see your friends for the first time. Fashion is something that can still be enjoyed in your home, whether you’re wearing a new pair of pajamas or trying on a dress.
