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Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

novamc1 — Sun, 02 May 2021 14:35:20 GMT

Americans update their closets as they emerge from pandemic--by Anne D'Innocenzio, April 25

NEW YORK (AP) — After a year of being stuck in sweatpants, pajamas and fuzzy slippers, Americans are starting to dress up and go out again.

Levi Strauss is seeing a resurgence in denim while demand for dresses at Macy’s, Anthropologie and Nordstrom is going up as proms and weddings resume. And teen retailer American Eagle Outfitters said sales are rising due to “pent-up” demand for its fashions.

During the three months ended February, market research firm NPD Group said jeans and casual pants began to cut their previous declines by more than half, indicating consumers are gearing up to spend more time out of the home. And more than half of U.S. consumers plan to buy clothing in the coming months, catapulting it back to the top category of anticipated spending, followed by footwear and beauty products, according to NPD’s consumer survey.

“My plan is to dress up and enjoy the things in my wardrobe,” said Beth Embrescia, 51, an executive fundraiser who for the last year paired dressy tops with sweatpants and Birkenstocks for work Zoom calls but recently bought collared shirts and loafers with a wedge heel while on a recent vacation in Florida. “I will not be going out to dinner in joggers.”

Such signs of renewed interest offer a much-needed boost for clothing sales, which have been in the dumps for a year. They also serve as hopeful indications of a strong economic recovery as Americans show more willingness to travel and dine out as President Joe Biden’s vaccination plan proceeds ahead of schedule.

Major transactions at full service restaurants rose more than twofold this March compared to year ago, though down 25% compared to two years ago, according to NPD. Hotels are making a comeback too, with demand during the week ended April 11 surging more than fourfold compared with a year ago and up 10.9% compared with the same week in 2019, according to Koddi, an advertising technology company.

Through the first 20 days in April, the Transportation Security Administration screened an average of 1.4 million people per day, a significant climb from a year ago when the number was just under 99,000 a day. But travel is still off from 2019, which averaged more than 2.3 million people a day over a comparable period.

The data on clothing sales is preliminary, and retailers and designers are still trying to figure out how a year of being homebound will change the way people think about dressing up. Casual wear was already strong before COVID-19, and many experts believe the pandemic only accelerated the trend.

A year ago, Los Angeles-based fashion designer Kevan Hall quickly moved away from his trademark gowns and cocktail dresses to caftans, tunics and pull-on pants. Now Hall is adding back some dressier looks, but he’s eliminating the full skirts and scaling back the beading in favor of simple gowns and dresses in knit and tulle fabrics.

“I don’t know whether women will ever want to go back to being with so much structure,” said Hall, who has been getting calls from clients and stores in recent weeks asking for dressed-up looks. ”I think people are going to lean into comfort even more — even when they are getting dressed for evening or galas.”

Retail executives are also looking at how business attire will change. While some corporations are starting to re-open their offices, many are extending work-from-home indefinitely or moving to a hybrid model, eliminating the need for office wear five days a week.

At the onset of the pandemic, sales of clothing and accessories cratered when non-essential stores were forced to temporarily close. But now business is starting to rebound above pre-pandemic levels . In March, spending at clothing and accessory stores rose 18.3% to $22.86 billion from the month before, according to the Commerce Department’s most recent monthly retail report. That was almost double compared with the same month in March 2020 and up 2.3% compared with March 2019.

Retailers, burned by the sudden switch away from formal looks last year, are being cautious about how much to add back.

Janice Elliott, a buyer for designer clothing boutique Gus Mayer’s Nashville, Tennessee location, says she’s optimistic about people’s return to going-out-clothes this spring and fall, but she’s staying away from ordering items like structured sheaths and leaning toward flowy cotton dresses.

Before the pandemic, more than 50% of the business at Gus Mayer was in formal clothes; during the height of COVID-19, that fell to less than 10%.

“I think there is going to be a pent-up demand, but I still think there will be a more relaxed way of dressing going forward,” Elliott said.

Deirdre Quinn, CEO and co-founder of upscale clothing brand Lafayette 148 New York, says her team is designing multi-purpose items like blouses that can be worn from day into evening.

She noted that business was down 30% last year from a year earlier and this year has started out weak. Quinn hasn’t seen any pickup in dresses yet and believes sales won’t rebound to pre-pandemic levels until 2023.

“I don’t want to rush back to where we were,” she said. “I am going to control how quickly I grow. It is a reset time.”

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AP Business Writer David Koenig in Dallas, Texas, contributed to this report.

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

deepwaterdotter — Sun, 02 May 2021 14:39:01 GMT

This is a good sign. I was happy just to unpack the warm-weather clothes I had stored over the winter. I hope they still fit.

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

Abrowneyegirl — Sun, 02 May 2021 14:39:43 GMT

This is interesting.

I am in the NE and have noticed the opposite. A surge is causal, or even causal chic.

But clothing is very comfy, soft and easy to wear.

I would not mind more dresses and nice clothes, I just happy when I see college students NOT wearing PJ's in public.

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

nana59 — Sun, 02 May 2021 15:02:41 GMT

i know someone who is gonna get dressed up.....my granddaughter....bought her a senior prom dress yesterday....i'm crying happy tears...

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

queendiva — Sun, 02 May 2021 15:09:24 GMT

My warm weather go-to last year was knit dresses of all lengths. Cool, comfy, Perfect for running errands, walking the dog or staying at home all day.

My takeaway from last year, unlike this retail report, is that I had way too many clothes, shoes and accessories! As I am in the process of changing over my wardrobe now that it's May, keeping what works, donating what does not fit (too big-yay) and staying away from shopping more than I did previously. At present retail is not wowing me with anything. I have purchased just a few new items, all on sale and all needs, not wants.

I am seeing no one dressed differently in public from what they have worn for the past year- extremely comfy/ casual. That was OK for me during the winter (staying at home, under a coat when leaving the house) but I do not choose to go too "casual" now.

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

Love my grandkids — Sun, 02 May 2021 15:24:11 GMT

I haven't been living in sweats and/or jammies. Casual and intend to stay that way. I have no need to get a new wardrobe.

I've purchased a few new items on line but that's it.

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

RetRN — Sun, 02 May 2021 15:39:38 GMT

I have friends who are enjoying refreshing and updating their wardrobes after having spent much of their time at home for over a year.

Getting out more and dressing nicer is great mentally and emotionally for so many. Making a few fashion purchases can be fun.

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

CelticCrafter — Sun, 02 May 2021 15:47:26 GMT

I wanted to order two new pairs of jeans from LLBean - depending on the color, my favorite style are out of stock until June or August.

I guess there's a denim shortage?

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

Meowingkitty — Sun, 02 May 2021 15:51:01 GMT

It's nothing but shorts and tee shirt for me until November. After that it's comfy pants and a long sleeved tee shirt until next March. It's to hot to get dressed up for anything or anyone.

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

granddi — Sun, 02 May 2021 15:56:59 GMT

WaPost just had article saying soft dressing is not going away.

I think that is one of the reasons why Q has revampted their brands. I'm staying with knit wear, soft, unstructured.

I even lost 20 lbs over the last year and still dont want structured clothing.

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

Snowpuppy — Sun, 02 May 2021 17:10:03 GMT

I think these articles are wishful thinking. U of M graduated virtually this weekend. No proms, here.

Watching financial news they boast everyone is returning to the office!

I flip the channel to national network morning news, streets of Manhattan still a ghost town.

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

Oznell — Sun, 02 May 2021 17:11:06 GMT

Now I wish I had paid more attention to the clothes people were wearing today in church! (It was our first time back, after fully one year of attending only online services.)

As far as I can recall, people were no less or more "structured" in their clothes than pre-Covid. A majority of people have always been casual-- women wearing nice pants and tops, or long or short flowy skirts.

More men in polo shirts etc. than in dress shirts. The pastor favors quirky Hawaiian shirts except at Christmas and Easter. An exception to the casual rule is hubby! He always looks GQ in coat and tie. I had on a (structured) navy skirt, a sort of teal overshirt, and a lighter teal distressed, casual linen blend jacket. Things I've worn for years.

I like it when people are true to their own style, whatever that may be....

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

qualitygal — Sun, 02 May 2021 17:11:40 GMT

@Love my grandkids wrote:
I haven't been living in sweats and/or jammies. Casual and intend to stay that way. I have no need to get a new wardrobe.

I've purchased a few new items on line but that's it.

That's what I'd have written too.

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

santorini — Sun, 02 May 2021 17:16:58 GMT

I'm going back to the office in a couple of weeks and I can't wait to dress up again. I enjoy wearing heels and dressy office attire. I'm excited about getting back to normal.

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

Love my grandkids — Sun, 02 May 2021 18:52:14 GMT

@Oznell Your church outfit sounds lovely.

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

novamc1 — Sun, 02 May 2021 20:52:54 GMT

I'm going out to lunch next week to a private club with some women friends/neighbors. Plan to wear a dressy blouse bought a few months ago and am glad to have an occasion to wear it.

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

Nancy Drew — Sun, 02 May 2021 21:43:37 GMT

I noticed at church today people were really dressed nice. Not fussy or uptight just pleasant. It was already hot also.

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

lovesrecess — Sun, 02 May 2021 22:38:33 GMT

They had proms in one of my granddaughter’s high schools last week. Three of mine who graduated last year had no prom, no commencement, no nothin’! Am glad this year we will be going to a graduation ceremony that will be held outside....I have been looking through my closet and it has things I never wore or only wore a few times last spring and summer, so I am good to go except for a pair of white pants and some new tan sandals.
We will be starting back to church in person in a few weeks, so I will enjoy wearing some of my bigger jewelry again.

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

Oznell — Sun, 02 May 2021 23:46:42 GMT

Thanks, @Love my grandkids !

Re: Americans updating wardrobes after pandemic pause

SilleeMee — Mon, 03 May 2021 00:20:20 GMT

Not much is going to change for me in the wardrobe department. I've always dressed with the same kind of clothing...classic casual styles for retirement living.