Open reflections. How has life changed? How has your relationship to fashion changed? How has your relationship to digital media changed? Are you following any new hashtags (#ootdistancing? #wfh, work from home)? What are you seeing?
The new coronavirus pandemic has radically changed the lives of all of us. It is an event that has revolutionized society anywhere in the world and has put limitations that we were not used to. In the networks, many people explain that the situation in which we live seems to be that of war; in fact, they call COVID-19 a lot like World War III.
In this climate of uncertainty, fear, and isolation, fashion understood in the way we were used to is set aside to make room for more important issues, related to survival itself.
My relationship with fashion has changed because I no longer have to dress. It sounds strange, but clothes, after all, are still something that meets a need. This need is non-existent right now because when you are in quarantine, the most usual thing is to wear pajamas or tracksuits, something comfortable.
Fashion in coronavirus times is also affected by the economy. Many people are working less or have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Even though it can be bought online, now the most heard phrase is “it is not time to buy”. You only buy what is necessary and essential to survive: food.
Although the fashion world seems to be on stand-by in the face of the threat of the pandemic, social networks are becoming the center of life for all those who can not leave home and stay with their loved ones. It seems peculiar to me that many people who did not use TikTok regularly are now using it and sharing viral videos about the coronavirus and quarantine.
The only wear that is not experiencing a crisis at this historical moment is the masks since they are essential to prevent the virus from spreading. Medical masks in many areas are out of stock, so people are making their own cloth masks. The big luxury brands have already made a collection of face masks previously denouncing climate change. Now those same masks that range between $ 100 and $ 200 have become a must of the moment.
On TikTok, I have been able to see that, although people are not thinking about buying clothes, they do want to return to normal life and stop being in night suits all day. That is why many users dress as if they were going to go to work just to go shopping or take the dog out. From the attitude of these users, I realize that after all, the human being needs to express himself and teach his own identity, however superficial and physical it may be.
During the quarantine, I have been able to verify that boredom leads people to create challenges on the web and share them until they go viral. I am not following any specific hashtag because the coronavirus issue is getting too heavy for me and I prefer to think about other things. If the situation dragged on, I guess even I would start recording TikToks myself.
A Day in the Life 