Still Dressing Like You’re in Lockdown? Here, New Clothes for the New Normal

Just ask Nicola Roberts, who was caring for a newborn during lockdown. The London food stylist, 38, said she’s rediscovered the joy of getting dressed: “I’m trying colors, shapes and styles I never would have before.” Aimee Majoros, 51, has experienced her own reawakening. Before Covid, Ms. Majoros, a publicist in East Greenwich, N.Y., mostly adhered to a uniform of ribbed turtlenecks and jeans. But post-lockdown—and after being treated for breast cancer—she’s drawn to kaleidoscopic vintage dresses she once would have spurned. “Wearing color and prints made things feel warmer and hopeful for me,” she said. “I wanted to keep that feeling going once the world started opening up.”

Boredom, too, can catalyze a style evolution. During his stagnant time in lockdown, Jon Gabrus, 40, felt free to experiment with a look he describes as ’80s-movie beach bum. “I was dressing in a completely carefree way around my apartment,” said the Los Angeles comedian. Now he asks: “Why was I so hesitant to dress like this in public? The pandemic was like a rehearsal.”

“We’re seeing emphasis on self-expression and unique personal style,” said Sasha Skoda, director of women’s at consignment retailer the

RealReal.

Jenna Gottlieb, a shopping editorial merchandiser at Instagram, sees a number of factors at play: “There’s a mix of dusting off and rediscovering [and] buying new things because we have somewhere to wear them.” But not everything deserves revisiting. Some pieces are dated. Others aren’t fit for real-life interactions. And, as Rajni Lucienne Jacques, global head of fashion at Snapchat, put it, “We may want something to differentiate between pandemic and postpandemic style.” Here, fashion experts opine on what looks are best left in the past—and what to try instead.

TRENDS FOR WOMEN:

Instead of: Mom Jeans

Try: Long, Loose Denim

A prepandemic and lockdown favorite, “mom jeans”—with their high, peculiar-fitting waist and straight, stovepipe legs—should get shelved. “They can feel unimaginative and, at times, simply too casual,” said Instagram’s Ms. Gottlieb. Snapchat’s Ms. Jacques, meanwhile, faults their lack of comfort: “I want a jean that’s not so confining,” she said. Her swap: denim with a wide, elongated silhouette. “This season’s longer hems and roomy legs have a cool, louche vibe,” said Ms. Gottlieb, who considers them ideal mates for great boots. “They also beg for a belt, which is such a brilliant and often-forgotten outfit punctuator.” Play up these jeans’ protracted shape with a cropped or tucked-in top.

Instead of: Puff Sleeves

Try: A Different Way to Party on Top

The need for “Zoom shirts” overinflated the trend for puff sleeves, a style that epitomizes the “party on top” approach. It’s still relevant to prioritize above-the-waist fashion, said Aya Kanai, head of editorial at Google Shopping. “Hybrid work seems here to stay so having statement tops for video calls makes sense,” she said. But an updated approach is in order. “The puff sleeve is ‘Bridgerton’-esque and needs to be put to bed,” said Ms. Jacques. Plus: Such sleeves are awkward. Stylist Britt Theodora called them “tricky,” “not the most flattering,” and hard to stuff into a jacket. The swap? Statement knit tops in pop colors, prints and textures like mohair. “I love pairing [them] with a mini skirt and a low heel,” said the RealReal’s Ms. Skoda.

Instead of: Cottagecore

Try: Sleek Columns

Women who spent lockdown going down Zillow spirals, consumed with fantasies of buying country homes, gravitated to clothes that supported such pastoral dreams. Result: the rise of cottagecore, a crafty aesthetic that found expression in floral prints, billowing peasant dresses and a quaint, Laura Ingalls Wilder-ish nostalgia. While hankerings for the countryside persist, a smocked Nap Dress suits a bucolic weekend better than it does the office. Consider instead a sleek columnar silhouette, said Ms. Skoda—a look that can be structured or more fluid. The former pairs well with layered knits and flat boots; the latter, which ideally has more give, can be a nice counterpoint to a more fitted top.

TRENDS FOR MEN:

Instead of: Dad Sneakers

Try: A Smart Loafer

The sneaker game has lately been dominated by “the dad,” a clunky kick known for its comfort and offbeat, visually cluttered look. But Mr. Berkowitz believes the evolution of men’s pant silhouettes—from the sort of slim lines associated with skinny jeans and athleisure to “pants with more volume”—could render that bulky shoe irrelevant. He noted that, while skinny pant cuts lend themselves to hefty statement shoes, roomier trousers don’t. The update? Classic loafers revamped with novel hardware, prints and materials. “They’re a utility player and work for many situations,” said Mr. Berkowitz. Pairing them with slightly tapered pants and white socks, he added, is very of the moment.

Instead of: Fisherman Vests

Try: Pockets Inside a Bag

Pandemic fashion leaned heavy on utility, which led men down some absurdly “practical” paths. See: the prevalence of pocket-laden fishing vests. “A whole lot of pockets can feel functional but it can quickly get overwhelming,” said Ms. Theodora. If you still crave stuffability, why not shift your toting to an actual tote? “This past year we’ve seen increased men’s demand for handbags,” said Alex Tudela, men’s fashion lead at the RealReal, who welcomes this as a sign of a freer approach to personal style and “a nod to the collective effort of eradicating gender norms.” Justin Berkowitz, men’s fashion director at Bloomingdale’s, said “novelty is key.” He suggested two-tone bags and ones with cool hardware.

Instead of: Tired Tie-Dye

Try: Wild Patterns and Prints

For some, tie-dye isn’t just a style that proliferated during the pandemic but a signifier of the entire pandemic mood. “It triggers memories of peak boredom during lockdown and [making] DIY fashion to pass the time,” said Mr. Tudela. The swap: professionally produced garments in joyful colors and prints that are far superior to the T-shirt you tried to tie-dye but actually just turned mauve on a solitary Saturday night. Mr. Tudela pointed to Priya Ahluwalia’s knits in African-textile-inspired patterns and Dries Van Noten designs in raver-like shades and prints. Depending on your personal style, he said, you can pair tops in restrained versions of these prints with simple tailored pants or go for “a complete head-to-toe pattern clash.”

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