The global pandemic has upended various aspects of our lives—from work and healthcare to beauty and fashion. People have to rethink how they spend their financial resources and focus more on the essentials such as food, water, shelter, and even healthcare.
Unfortunately, the fashion and beauty industry is among those greatly affected, as it isn’t deemed a priority. However, there’s no sign of slowing down for this industry. In fact, people’s relationships with beauty and fashion have evolved, and new trends have emerged out amid the COVID-19 crisis.
That said, here are top fashion and beauty trends to watch out for in the midst of a global pandemic.
1. Back to the basics
Last year, commercial establishments such as malls were forced to shut down, especially during the lockdown. Even gyms, esthetician clinics, and other beauty outlets had to close due to the pandemic. But as most of these businesses have reopened this year, expect them to just get by and stay afloat. This is because consumers and even retailers simply spend on basics and neutrals due to financial constraints. Retailers merely stock up on items such as T-shirts, jeans, joggers, and leggings and expect consumers to purchase only such items.
2. More casual wear
Before the pandemic, corporate employees were seen putting on formal wear in the workplace. However, the lockdown forced businesses to have their employees work from home. But as companies have reopened this year, employees have gone back to work. This time around, they swap those blazers and ties in favor of casual wear and athletic outfits. Hence, expect to see a mix-up of dressing up and dressing down this year.
3. Skyrocketing sales on eye makeup
Did you know that the sales of eye makeup have gone up during the pandemic? Surprisingly, false lashes topped the list with a 15-percent sales increase back in May. On the other hand, the sales of lip products decreased by about five percent. This statistic makes sense as people are wearing masks whenever outdoor. Also, people are now looking for ways to express themselves behind face masks. And apparently, eye makeup can be their best bet.
4. Online shopping
In recent times, e-commerce business has become increasingly popular. And even before the COVID-19 crisis, a lot of people resorted to virtual shopping. However, the pandemic has compelled people to heavily rely on online shopping, as they shop for products online and even get discounts. Businesses also create virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to enhance the customers’ virtual shopping experience. There’s even what we call now touchless beauty, where consumers are allowed to have a touchless sampling tester.
5. The rise of fashion influencers
It’s easy to see the rising popularity of fashion and beauty influencers across digital platforms. Whether on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or even Tiktok, you’ll see them flexing their clothes, makeup, and even fashion style. In fact, even ordinary fashion-forward individuals can increase their following and soon take the spotlight. The global pandemic has all the more given these influencers more exposure and recognition. This is because most individuals stay in the comforts of their homes, get hooked up online, and follow these influencers.
6. Minimalist wedding
When it comes to weddings, you can expect to see a minimalist approach. Due to restrictions of the pandemic, weddings are smaller, more intimate, more local, and more personalized. The preferred wedding venue is open with an emphasis on going green, eco-friendliness, and sustainability. As far as fashion is concerned, expect the focus on health and safety where you can see couples and their guests wearing masks. Finally, as most of these weddings are going local, some are going virtual as well.
7. Sustainable fashion
In this time and age, there is so much focus on sustainability. The fashion and beauty industry now considers how it will affect the environment while fostering aesthetics, designs, and styles. One perfect example is fashion from upcycled plastics, where some companies have started recycling fabric and gone vegan to cater to the needs of eco-conscious consumers. Another fashion trend is compostable couture as a way to unclog the landfills and reduce global wastes produced by the industry.
There’s no sign of stopping for the fashion and beauty industry. As outlined above, expect to see trends such as going back to basics, more casual wear, increasing eye makeup sales, online shopping, minimalist wedding, the rise of influencers, and sustainable fashion. While the industry has somehow subsided due to the pandemic, expect evolving and new trends to emerge out in the years to come.
