Though two years have passed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it still shapes our everyday lives. One of the most significant shifts was the newfound centrality of one’s home. With in-person activities almost going extinct, we had to grow accustomed to spending most of our time at home. Hence the rise of remote working.
In the beginning, it was strange. Walking up, having breakfast and brushing your teeth to have a meeting in your own living room? It’s not the most natural thing to do. Or at least it wasn’t. Because by now, it has become the new normal.
However, with COVID restrictions significantly relaxing and many going back to the office, remote working might seem like a thing of the past. So, was it all just a response to the times? Or is it here to stay? In a field as visual as fashion, one might wonder how that shapes the path of the industry as a whole. Indeed, what changes have zoom-office had on fashion? And what might the future hold?
Fashion & The Home
A More Comfortable Look
There’s no question that being trapped in one’s own house does not exactly inspire looking good. Because what is the point of dressing cute if no one is going to see you? Surely, remote working led to the almost universal adoption of a most comfortable look.
At the beginning of the pandemic, flip-flops and pijamas became the unofficial uniform of the working class. And being stuck at home for so long, people have taken the aesthetic of convenience to the streets. Therefore, from Dakar to Rio, even the most die-hard fashionistas have transformed their idea of what is acceptable to wear outside.
Slides, tracksuits and loose dresses have seamlessly integrated into the general sartorial vernacular, marrying beauty with comfort.
The Growth of The Athleisure Market
Of course, when people change their minds, so does the market. It’s the law of supply and demand. Henceforth, it is no wonder that the athleisure market has grown in the past couple of years.
Gaining a chokehold on fashion sales in late 2020, athleisure has experienced continuous growth ever since. Its economic impact has been so deep that luxury brands have attempted to get in on it. Brands like Gucci and Stella McCartney have made significant profits by implementing activewear lines.
Fashion’s Move Into the Digital
Discussing the effects of remote working on the fashion world, it is essential to mention the move into the digital. Working online not only normalized wearing comfortable clothes but also recurring to the digital for our everyday interactions.
Certainly, such a phenomenon was already in existence when the pandemic rolled around. Yet even the few things that we used to reserve for the physical suddenly manifested on the digital plane. Evidently, work was one of them. So by the time virtual fashion shows came about, no one was really surprised.
Today, it seems somewhat normal to watch models strut down the digital runway. Fashion Week’s digitization then accelerated the rise of virtual fashion and NFTs. Now talk of fashion in the metaverse is far from uncommon and the NFT Birkin is a thing. In general, remote working could be argued to have been the first step in fashion’s adaptation to the 21st century.
Knowing the consequences of remote working might be useful for a plethora of reasons. But what about the thing itself? Does it have a place in the future?
Remote Working: What Might the Future Hold?
The Negative Side Of It All
Before contemplating whether or not remote working is here to stay, it would be important to highlight its negative effects.
First, though capitalism might create the illusion that it is, a lot would agree that working more is not desirable. Incidentally, this is precisely one of the most prominent effects of remote working. A less clear separation between the home and the workplace makes it more difficult to unplug, to take breaks. This disrupts the work/life balance that so many wish to keep.
Next, there is the diminished amount of socialization that staying at home brings with it. The online workspace makes watercooler conversations practically impossible, meaning that relations between coworkers are much harder to maintain.
Of course, there are also the increased distractions and the limited visibility that the screen confers to the employee. This surely hinders the possibility of upward mobility within a company,
Finally, remote working can lead to isolation. That one speaks for itself and goes to show the importance of the physical office space. Still, and perhaps puzzlingly, some argue that remote working is not going anywhere.
But People Seem to Love It
As of 2020, 94% of employees considered remote working to be either better or the same as working in person. Though this might seem shocking, the reality is that it’s rather self-explanatory.
People like spending time with their loved ones, who are usually at home. Additionally, being at home is significantly more comfortable than going to work. One does not need to go through the hassle of transportation and getting fully ready in the morning.
Moreover, staying at one’s house means that one does not need to participate in the attitude test of the workplace. Because getting promotions is often about social skills, not doing a good job. The barrier of the screen somewhat democratizes the workplace in the sense that it highlights the work itself, not socialization.
In fact, the reason why so many are so opposed to remote working is precisely that. The focus on the product threatens the privileged position of the manager, whose job is mostly based on supervising.
However, the reality is that hybrid models of work are taking over and there isn’t much we can do. Perhaps the ideal is to learn to deal with it in the best way possible.
Some Tips & Tricks for Remotly Working
Now that remote working seems inescapable, it’s time to lay out some tips for making the experience more productive.
Rules are perhaps the most critical aspect of it all. Because without rules, little can work. A real schedule—with a morning routine and breaks in it—gives structure to what otherwise can feel untethered and disorganized. It allows one to have some sense of routine, which can be healthy.
Though perhaps contradictory with what was previously mentioned, taking care of oneself is also essential. Yes, it might be nice to stay in pajamas all day. But looking good makes one feel good, meaning that it can contribute to productivity and better performance overall.
It’s also important to keep in touch with what once was because there are clear benefits to that. Make sure to socialize and go out (even to walk your dog), as it can serve as a distressing factor.
Finally, decorating the workspace to make it more inspiring, using plants as catalyzers of creativity, might be helpful. What is important is that you make an effort to make your experience the best it can be. For, as we have previously discussed, remote working is not such a hassle after all.
Like this article? You might enjoy the importance of maintaining high self-esteem while working online.
