Surviving lockdown in style
“Lockdown” has undeniably become the word of the year, as it has been affecting the way we work, shop, and socialize. Not only that, it has also changed the way we dress and how we present ourselves to the world. Just look at social media and see how cocktail dresses and ball gowns are fuzzy relics of a distant past, nostalgically revisited as we lounge around in sweats and pajamas.
Lockdown wear, however, need not be dreary. There’s the glamour and luxury of sleepwear, as the silk Paisley Liberty of London pajamas worn by Modern Family actress Elizabeth Banks while sipping a cocktail at home.
Model and actress Molly Sims wanted to stay comfortable for a video meeting, so she paired her DKNY red and white polka-dotted PJs with a blue Sandro ruffled blouse, navy Band of Outsiders blazer, and black fuzzy slides, which were a big trend for footwear at the recent SS21 fashion shows.
Wonder Woman Gal Gadot also wears fuzzy Ugg slides but in a leopard print, together with her black sweatsuit, as she tells her fans on IG that “Staying home is my superpower and yours!” and pleads to “Take care of yourself, your loved ones and us all. This situation should not be taken lightly.”
For Jennifer Lopez, her sweats carry a message, emblazoned with “Empathy” in bold letters. She rocks the look with custom Nike Air Force One sneaks and cool Ferragamo shades.
New York-based Fil-American model Kelsey Merritt, who was flown in to model for the Red Charity Gala show in 2016, is stylishly comfortable in a graphic sweatshirt with crisp white pants and Frame sandals. In another post, she is just as relaxed in an Alo Yoga ensemble.
Lady Gaga also made a plea to her fans to self-quarantine while luxuriating on her couch with her four pet Frenchies. Wearing Lululemon leggings and an off-the-shoulder tee, she elevated the look with a custom, hand-painted, studded leather jacket by Dust+Beau and rose-colored Le Specs sunglasses.
TV host Tracee Ellis Ross, daughter of singing legend Diana, upgrades her lockdown outfit of a pleated slate gray frock with statement shell earrings that fill the screen in a post titled “Shells n’Curls.”
Even if she’s at home, singer Alicia Keys dresses up like she’s going to a party. With a stunning holographic trench coat and thigh-high boots, she tells everyone to “Keep on shining, even if it’s from your living room.”
Canadian actress Shay Mitchell also goes thigh-high with her footwear matched with a furry pastel blue coat, aviator shades, and chandelier earrings while snacking on a slice of pizza on her kitchen counter. “Would you say this is an appropriate work-from-home look?” she asks.
When they do go out, celebrities set a good example by donning a mask. At the Venice Film Festival, Cate Blanchett matched her tie-dye sky blue jumpsuit with her mask, while Tilda Swinton was masked chic in loose beige sweatpants with an emerald blazer and purple slides.
Front-row couple Maisie Williams and Reuben Selby were twinning at the Dior show wearing the brand’s khaki anorak and trench as PPE, matched with rain boots.
Sarah Jessica Parker prefers to scarf it, as does Olivia Palermo, who wears a printed silk scarf matching her slides together with a bright blue bag and pink belt to add jolts of color to her olive and beige outfit.
Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, used a floral facemask by children’s clothing brand Amaia with her white Suzannah London midi dress for a volunteer project in Sheffield.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, were both mask-spotted in Beverly Hills. He was wearing a gray polo and jeans, while she donned a Magic Linen asymmetric dress matched with ballet pumps and Janessa Leoné straw hat.
With most runway shows canceled and international travel restricted, fashion aficionados decided to indulge in their own haute couture fantasy at home as a way of coping. “The idea is that quarantine queens can doll themselves up, Cinderella-style, with scouring-pad ball gowns, toilet-roll palazzo pants, and saucepan fascinators,” says George Serventi, a London-based fashion writer who created the hashtag #HomeCouture and started posting looks inspired by couture creations on his Instagram account, @skipdin.
Together with some friends, many of whom are Central Saint Martins graduates, they restaged some of the over-the-top pieces in fashion history, like the bulbous dresses of Comme des Garçons and the Viktor & Rolf bedroom looks, but recreated with comforters and pillows and Maison Margiela’s pleated dress redone with corrugated boxes.
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