We’re Not in Kansas Anymore: How Has Office Attire Changed Since COVID?

The past two years have been a bit of a blur, especially when it comes to the changing work landscape. First we were having to very quickly adjust to no work at all, followed by learning to work from home, and the butterfly effect of residual modifications. One of the biggest changes we had to adapt to was the new outlook on work attire. We started out dressing up for Zoom meetings, but once we got a little more comfortable, the line started to blur. 

How many of you began the early pandemic Zoom meetings in full business attire, only to start wearing business on top and pajamas on the bottom? Don’t be ashamed to admit it, at this point we’ve all been there. We got comfortable at home, navigating the challenges of the change. Now we are changing directions again and finding ourselves going back into the offices. So, what else has changed? Yes, we’re back in the building, but a lot of stuff has transpired since we saw those desks so long ago. Now that we’ve allowed ourselves more comfort in our work environments at home, will the office attire fashion allow us a little more of that same comfort? 

Taking a look at the office attire trends for 2022 across the U.S., we definitely see a pattern of a more casual approach to business attire. With some rare exceptions, a lot of companies are opting to either have casual attire throughout the week or for a few days of the week,simply asking that if there is an important meeting, to bring a smart look to the conference room. What does it look like in your work environment? 

There are many reasons that companies are relaxing on the dress code. For one, we’ve all been through quite a rollercoaster over the past two years. It’s caused us to reevaluate our closets, perhaps put pieces up for sale, or just clear them out entirely. And let’s not even get into what stress eating may have done to our fabulous collection of work ensembles. For some, we find ourselves leveling up… a size or two in our cute outfits. And mostly, we’ve just become so accustomed to working from home in pajamas, sweats or just our most comfortable combinations. 

The bottomline is that whatever the reason, it just makes more sense for companies to switch their mentality on office dress codes. It makes it easier for the switch back into the building, and at the end of the day, every little bit helps us navigate our way back into the *new* new normal. 

Want to take a look at some great casual fashion ideas for going back into work? Check out our Pinterest, where we keep updating a board curated for office fashion. This article from Hello Magazine has been a big inspiration to us, as well as this article about “power casual” from the New York Times