We have become boxed in...in more ways than one. We are boxed in by the walls of our homes where we spend most of our days now. We are boxed in by the invisible force field we have around us that deters individuals from coming within six feet of us, of course that is if we decide to venture out.
We are also boxed in by the numerous illuminated rectangles that make up so much of our daily lives. Wake up: phone. Eat breakfast: television. Zoom class: laptop. Lunch: television. Break: phone. Homework: laptop. Dinner: television. Bedtime: laptop (for Netflix). Insomnia: phone. All of these have four sides. All of these are boxes.
This quadrangular way of life was not uncommon to us pre-worldwide pandemic. It was there, it took up a lot of our lives, but it just was kind of second-nature, not super noticeable, just “the way things are.” Although we still own and use all of these products multiple times a day, a stark difference has been made visible between these two worlds: an interaction with other outside environments. With businesses closed, and stay-at-home orders in place, we are interacting differently with our technology. And I’m sure your Weekly Screen Report has already told you this.
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Now, if you have even the tiniest bit of creativity in your body, you can see where this lack of interaction with the outside world could be problematic. A lot of artists get their inspiration from going out, observing the world, and speaking to others. Now if you take someone who expresses their creativity through fashion, well, you can already see where the issue is here. Nowhere to go + no people to see = no real legitimate reason to get dressed. I hope you have checked in on your snappy-dressing friends...they are going through a lot of adjustments right now.
However, to be a member of the fashion community is to be an artist. And to be an artist, you must be creative. While I mentioned the struggle creative people are going through right now, there is also a beautiful metamorphosis going on, inside, none other than, “our box.” Artists, especially in fashion, have always been known to make the most of what they have, and to be crafty problem solvers than can turn a raggedy t-shirt into a to-die-for two piece set. In this day and age, we are lucky, as fashion lovers, to be able to find inspiration at the tap (or scroll) of a finger. While we are lucky to have our endless digital world of inspiration, from Instagram, to Pinterest, to the most recently renowned TikTok, this is about as far as our “box” lets us go when it comes to sharing fashion with the world right now. So, an activity that was so supplementary to a night out (“Ok we have to save time for pictures before the Uber gets here”), has become the only way to communicate our creative expression to the public. And to make things more difficult, there are no bars, clubs, parties, coffee shops, thrift stores, restaurants, beaches, etc., etc., to even take any pictures of an outfit.
THIS is where our crafty instincts come in handy.
I am writing about this from first hand experience. These are observations from a mind that is going through this exact test of fashion sanity. At first, it was nice. As a Taurus, I love my lazy, dress-down days in sweatpants, trust me. But after about a week, I was slowly spiraling from lack of serotonin from dressing up, putting on makeup, and going out. All felt lost in my funky, creative, fashion world that I thrive in. And my endless hours of screen time and the progression of this pandemic only darkened the tunnel. Everyone was inside. Everyone was in sweatpants with no make-up, even my most favorite fashion inspirations. Nothing was exciting. Everyone was in the same boat. And while that is comforting in a sense, it got instantly boring, like, brain-rotting-ly boring (made up words are condoned in this situation). I lost hope, as my once colorful New York life slowly faded to this sickly grey quarantined reality.
And that’s when I saw it, a light at the end of the tunnel. In the shape of, none other than, Miss Bella Hadid herself.
April 10th, we were graced by this post:
And at that moment, Bella Hadid was deemed queen of the quarantine fashion era. A Facetime photoshoot for Vogue Italia, embracing an at-home team and ditching editorial quality for pure creative genius. Who would have thought this is the content we would be seeing from the most world-renowned fashion publication. And after that, the trend grew, as luxury French brand Jacquemus released the first high fashion campaign fully shot on Facetime, which featured Hadid again and Euphoria star Barbie Ferreira.
Fashion decided to use this box we’re in, this life online, to work with them, not against them. Along with this reinvention of content creation, we’ve also seen some other major turning points in modern fashion, including an announcement from Yves Saint Laurent that they will not be participating in fashion week this year, instead taking
“ownership of its calendar and launch its collections following a plan conceived with an up-to-date perspective, driven by creativity,” as they put it in their Instagram announcement.
Whew, so much change in such a small period. What a time to be alive. Especially when TikTok exists. You can’t not bring it up, it’s probably the main reason why we’re all not totally losing our minds from boredom. And while it gets everyone up and dancing and getting creative with their humor, it also allows for a whole new take on fashion. Trend after trend is emerging from the app, from content creation ideas (hi outdoor mirror pics!) to a look inside some really trendy, but regular, people’s closets, who are just trying to solve their boredom, just like everyone else. I even dressed up for a fashion TikTok myself for my friend Greta, and I have to say, I get the hype. The app itself acts as a source of both creative release and inspiration, for fashion lovers and beyond.
After I shot this TikTok of myself in this outfit that I would much rather be strolling around New York in instead of my room, the inspiration struck. Bella Hadid and Vogue Italia paved the way for at-home, digital fashion creation, and TikTok built off of this idea. Being the Y2K-obsessed individual I am, I opened my Macbook and opened my Photobooth. This was the result:
And that’s when I knew that we were in a whole new realm of fashion content creation. After this realization, I knew I had to confer with my favorite local fashionistas (who I am also lucky to call my friends) about their experiences with adapting to living online in the quarantine era as a fashion-conscious person. I have gathered them to share their thoughts on how they, and their closets, are coping during this weird, uncertain time. Meet ChloĆ«, Maddy, Valerie, Makenzie, and Maddie, starring in their own digital fashion campaigns, shot on their Macbook’s Photobooth:
How have you creatively stimulated yourself, fashion wise, in quarantine?
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| CHLOĆ
ChloĆ«: “It was maybe a little blessing in disguise for me. This semester I was at art school as a fashion design major, so thankfully a lot of my school work involves creativity. This keeps me extremely motivated and has worked as an amazing creative outlet! When I’m not working on my brand, collection and sketches for school I’ve been making a ton of mood boards, painting (jeans and canvases) and using my closet as inspo ! You never know what hidden gems you might have in there that you’ve forgotten about!”
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| MADDY
Maddy: “I’ve been playing dress up and trying new makeup looks constantly just to pass the time. I actually made a little outfit video on my Instagram because I was finding so many fun ways to style my closet while inside! Also, I make a ton of moodboards which really inspire me and make me so excited to get out quarantine so I can throw looks!”
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| VALERIE
Valerie: “I’ve been online shopping A LOT, which probably isn’t the most financially responsible option, but I’ve been trying to plan what I’m going to wear post-quarantine. I’ve also been prepping a lot of designs for my brand which I’m planning to start making prototypes for.”
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| MAKENZIE
Makenzie: “I have [been] creating looks from my closet and dressing up. Dressing up and doing fun makeup makes me feel like the world isn’t at a stand still right now. It takes my mind off of everything that’s going on.”
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| MADDIE
Maddie: “Honestly, TikTok has had a huge impact on how inspired I’ve continued to be towards fashion and creating during quarantine. There’s a lot of amazing quarantine fashion content being made.”
Has this time changed how you view your personal style?
ChloĆ«: “I think it’s made me appreciate it even more...I think being alone with my thoughts more has really helped me accept more of who I am and a big part of that is my own style and philosophy. I’m never going to be those girls in my mood boards but that’s ok. The best decision you can make in your life is to choose to be yourself, unapologetically.”
Maddy: “This time has made me realize how much of my identity is represented in what I wear. I take a lot of pride in my closet and appreciate good clothes and vintage. Fashion is how I keep sane so without dressing up, I’ve definitely found now I want to be bolder than I was style wise post quarantine.”
Valerie: “YES. I’ve had a lot of time to stare at my closet and realize that I’ve outgrown a lot of the pieces I own. I want to minimize the clutter in my closet and fill it with more versatile pieces that I won’t get rid of in a few months. Quality over quantity.”
Makenzie: “With all this given free time we’ve been provided with, it really gave me a great opportunity to experiment with looks that I would usually not wear out! Experimenting with prints and color is functional for all seasons, especially spring!”
Maddie: “ I think it’s given me a great deal of time to rethink how I see my style. Stepping away from the pressure to get ready everyday made me think about what I want to wear or experiment with in the future.”
How have you adjusted to creating content during this time?
ChloĆ«: “It was definitely an adjustment as my room in my family home hasn’t changed in...maybe 5 years. It’s been hard living without my own space I’ve curated in my apartment in NYC, and even more so without the rest of my closet. With that being said I think this has pushed me to be even more creative and to think outside of the box...even if that includes me laying on a bench outside in my front lawn with all my neighbors to see as my mom helps hold up a mirror. Anything for the vision sis!”
Maddy: “Like I said, I made a fashion video and I would love to explore more with making videos about my clothes. Also, using every inch of my front yard as a photo op has been interesting but I think I make it work lol."
Valerie: “A lot of my content is created at home to begin with because my brand is predominantly run by me. I’ve been having a lot of fun experimenting with makeup which is why
I’ve been posting so many selfies lol. The only thing I miss is going to new places for inspiration and better outfit backdrops.”
Makenzie: “ During this time, I’ve been feeling a bit unmotivated. But also, looking at the upside of things, I’ve had a lot more time to be alone with my thoughts and think of ideas to keep myself occupied, like learning to play the piano or reading more books.”
Maddie: “It’s definitely not easy, considering lack of privacy, space, and use of location. But I think it made me a lot more aware of how I can make content in my room with myself, and still be proud of the outcome!”
Do you find yourself more or less inspired during this time? Why?
ChloĆ«: “I think for me having to come home from my semester abroad, I had just been so overstimulated with inspiration that this time has let me pause and let all of that sink in. It’s made me slow down and appreciate the experience I was able to get from the time that I was there. I think this inspiration lingers still and I’m trying to make the most out of it.”
Maddy: “Hmmm...depends on the day. Like on Tiktok or Instagram inspiration pages there is so much saturation of teens posting outfits and there are times where I’m like: ‘Is this outfit actually cute? Or is it just what Madison beer wears? Like....is a crop top and jeans enough for me anymore?’ Idk if that makes sense but yeah.”
Valerie: “I definitely find myself less inspired. I need to be able to experience things in the flesh in order to become truly inspired. Being inspired virtually only works on a superficial level. Being truly inspired requires me to be social and interactive with my environment. Being surrounded by the same things all the time makes me become more and more fixed on the mediocre regularity in my surroundings.”
Makenzie: “I feel a bit less inspired during this time, mostly because I am home in Jersey. When I’m home, I focus more on family and friends. When I’m in New York, I focus on my craft. So it’s been hard to stay motivated.”
Maddie: “I think it’s a great balance of both. I spend time wavering between being inspired and not feeling much at all. It’s definitely important to not expect too much of yourself during these times. Social media becomes a special tool when it’s the only way we can interact and express ourselves.”
How has the lack of going out and wearing outfits affected your viewpoint on fashion/dressing up?
ChloĆ«: “It’s made me look forward to doing it even more now!! I think dressing up is still fun inside and I think a lot of us used to do it that way starting when we were very little. I’m definitely channeling that inner little girl in me now. Being home and with my family has really reminded me of my roots and where my support in becoming who I am now really started. It's reminded me why I loved doing all of this in the first place, from being in my room and deciding to wear a full-on cheetah coat to high school because I can, to my mom and I sharing our favorite pieces we had bought while I was abroad and she was home thrifting and hunting for deals... as we Felopulos girls do!”
Maddy: “I miss it so much. But blasting music in your room and creating tons of outfits out of the clothes you already own can be pretty fun though. I value the art of being in public now...I don’t want to waste time not using fashion as self-expression anymore.”
Valerie: “Fashion is a product of its environment. Many brands are shifting towards comfy-friendly clothes and matching sweat suits are becoming more and more in trend. I think fashion is highly based on circumstance for most people. I still love dressing up at home but I don’t get the same enjoyment out of wearing a leather trench coat in my bedroom versus wearing it to brunch in San Francisco.”
Makenzie: “The lack of going out and wearing outfits affected my viewpoint on dressing up in that, you don’t need to go out to dress up! Getting pretty and wearing a great outfit just to drink a glass of Pinot in my living room has been my brand.”
Maddie: “It made me realize how amazing fashion is. Dressing up and being able to show the world how you feel on the inside with styling is so important! It’s also made me realize sometimes you’re forcing yourself to dress a certain way and life is too short to try hard to fit in.”
Go-to quarantine outfit?
ChloĆ«: “I can’t lie, a good groutfit is what I’ve got on on the reg. Something about gray on gray makes the fit even comfier. Throw on a baseball cap and a trench and you got a look to hit the local Dunkin drive-thru or take the dogs for a lovely social-distancing walk!”
Maddy: “Bare faced, with french braid pigtails, wearing either my Set Active workout set or a bikini. Laying out in the sun is what is making quarantine not feel like I’m trapped.”
Valerie: “Baggy sweats, a crop top, middle part bun, and my crocs that say “#1 bitch” in jibbitz.”
Makenzie: “My go to quarantine fit has been glowy makeup, matching sweatsuit, and cozy slides.”
Maddie: “Obviously sweats, with the occasional dress-up-to-make-myself-feel-better day.”
Looks like these girls have mastered the art of fashion in insolation. If they’re not your queens of quarantine after this, they all have lovely Instagram pages that I’m SURE will convince you. As you can see, there is LOTS going on inside everyone’s walls, well, those of the fashion community. Even with a worldwide pandemic, the grind never stops. Thanks for living in my online world for a sec, now back to your own box!
“FASHION IS THE ARMOR TO SURVIVE THE REALITY OF EVERYDAY LIFE” - Bill Cunningham, American fashion photographer.
Much Love,
G.A. ♡ |
