How to find your clothing style ‘post-pandemic’
We try to figure out how to navigate "style" after being locked in our houses for months... Plus, we give an update on our Crowdfunder.
Happy Thursday paranters!
This is my last newsletter as sub-editor as I’m moving on soon, so thank you for all your support!
I’m grateful for everyone who’s read and interacted with the news, lifestyle, explainers and hot-takes I’ve shared with paranters over the last six months.
I’ll be handing the newsletter back over to editor Sophia, so watch this space for more content coming very soon!
Thanks! Felice x
While we’re on the subject…
While we’re talking about style this week, why not relax in style with one of our old issues?!
Not only are there spare stacks of them in editor Sophia’s house, you can get all of the product recommendations right the way from Issue 1 to our latest digital edition!
We’ve achieved a lot in a year, and we’re still learning. We hope you’ve enjoyed each Issue so far—give us a review if you can.
And now… For the best bit!
How to find your clothing style ‘post-pandemic’
Words: Felice Southwell. Images: as credited.
Now the Government is forcing us all to “live with COVID-19”, many of us are feeling an urgent need to find our clothing style now we’ve been ejected back into the Outside.
We know the pandemic isn’t over for any of us; cumulative COVID-19 infections are still rising and many people are still shielding and grieving.
But the pull for us to emerge and rebuild our lives is strong; not only are the editorial team at Paranting feeling it, but we’ve seen many people on social media ask the same questions.
Remembering how to feel good, confident or stylish is hard considering everything that’s happened.
And the first thing to remember is…
It’s not just you - we’re all struggling right now.
After the last few years, we’re all dealing with new issues that affect how we view our bodies and how we dress them.
Whether, like me, you've gained some weight and old eating issues are resurfacing, or whether new health problems have cropped up, changing your tolerance for uncomfy clothes—things have changed for us post-lockdown.
Our editor and publisher, Sophia, told me that she’s struggling to find herself again after putting on weight in pregnancy, losing it all when breastfeeding for two years and then piling it back on when she stopped due to her mobility issues with her chronic disabilities.
“Like… Who even am I anymore?!” she jokes.
Things aren’t helped by the fact that all we’ve had while in isolation is Instagram, where everyone puts their best foot forward; hiding the ugly realities of lockdown.
Issue 3 cover star and founder of The Style Attic, Leigh Unwin, told Paranting: “I’ve found that post-lockdown style has gone two ways.”
“Some women have become used to feeling comfortable and content in daily casual wear, having spent the past two years dressing down,” she said.
“Rather than spending a huge amount of time worrying about their wardrobes, these women simply enjoy being more focused on other parts of their lives because ultimately how they look isn’t as important as it once was.”
“On the flip side, others feel that they’ve spent so much time at home hibernating, and without being cliché, have realised that life is not a rehearsal,” said Unwin.
“Now they wear their best attire everyday. They don’t just keep the special occasion dresses for special occasions, instead they choose to dress them down for everyday wear,” she explains. “I’d say these women are really making the most out of their wardrobes.”
There might be a lot of things stopping us from feeling good right now, but style shouldn’t be one of them.
It’s not about what you used to look like; it’s about feeling good
It’s pointless and traumatising trying to regain what you “lost” in your body over the pandemic.
That’s a hard truth to hear, but my experience as a bra fitter has shown me just how much your confidence in yourself changes when you start to accept your body for what it’s done.
Like the way pregnancy changes a body, our bodies got us through the pandemic and we deserve to feel good in our own skin, no matter what it looks like.
Feeling good in our bodies is difficult, but it’s also rebellious. Style is one of the ways in which we can start to reclaim that “feel-good” power.
Unwin agrees, saying: “With everything that's gone on over the last few years, many women—of all ages—have realised that it doesn't matter if you’ve gone up or down a dress size because your appearance is your least interesting thing about you.”
“I believe a lot of people have found out who they are over the last couple of years, and as much as fashion and getting dressed up can be a real part of your self care journey, it’s not that serious—it should be fun and if you do feel stressed, don’t!” she said.
“Mostly, I hope that women realise that their appearance and dress size is really not that important,” said Unwin. “Feel confident and comfortable in whatever you wear, dress in a way that suits you and not what you feel others expect from you.”
Style is forever, fashion fades
This is where I rant about fashion, and to be honest I, like Tan France of Queer Eye fame, couldn’t give a rat’s arse about fashion.
Fashion is for thin people who definitely don’t look like me, even though some brands are trying to change this.
Keeping up with fashion also becomes expensive, with cheaper, fast-fashion placing a ridiculous burden on the planet, whereas style is more classic and sustainable.
Unwin told us: “Throughout the pandemic we all had to shop differently, being encouraged to shop local or independent meant that consumers sourced items from new retailers.”
“Rather than heading back to the high-street, they have continued with this shopping habit. Which means that instead of buying loads of fashion items from retailers on the high street (such as Primark), they make the wardrobe work better for them with fewer, more durable pieces. It really is a tale of two halves,” she added.
Style is simply about knowing what makes you feel good and following that.
If you’re looking for style “rules” we say: throw them out the window, you know yourself best.
However, if you’re really stuck on how to find out what style makes you feel best, there are some pointers:
Learn your silhouette preference
Be clear on what you don’t like
Have some signature/ all-time/ “never going to throw away” pieces
Find the colours you love
Don’t rule out a uniform - it’s just a formula for coming up with work outfits or casual outfits that you love
Here are some products that might help inspire you:
Crowdfunder Update
As we didn't near our target for the Crowdfunder campaign by the original date, we have now extended our deadline to June 14, 2022.
It’s an all or nothing campaign, so we are also looking to reduce the target and rearrange our plans for publication of Issue 5.
We’re still dedicated to serving LGBTQ+ parents with this Issue, so please bare with us while we figure out how to do that with the support we get from the Crowdfunder.
Anyone who would like a refund, please message us on hello@parantingmagazine.com.
Being an independent publisher in media is a constant learning process, and we hope you don’t mind sticking with us while we figure out the funding side of things.
In the meanwhile, please, get all your friends to contribute and share the Crowdfunder. It means the world to us.
Thanks.
There’s always more on our Instagram…
