Social distancing meets fashion
We never would have expected to be here. Well, writing a fashion article maybe. But writing a fashion article locked down from the rest of the world? Absolutely not. But in our new normal of lockdown, restrictions and endless, non-distinct days, one happy thought is it’s almost as if fashion predicted social distancing with some timely trends that’ll help you out. From extreme puff sleeves to exaggerated silhouettes, these will force everyone to keep well, well away from you (but fully appreciating your fashion sense from afar, of course).
The puff sleeves
Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images Entertainment / Getty Images
Spotted on the street style set back in 2018, we naively thought puffy sleeves were just merely a styling hack to keep Milanese punters cool on their way from fashion show to fashion show. How wrong we were. In the spring/summer catwalks last year, the puffy sleeve came out in force and it’s taken over our feeds ever since.
This summer, the sleeve turns more sculptural than ever. Marc Jacobs took the trend to blossoming proportions with layer upon layer of delicate florals. Richard Quinn’s OTT sleeves featured Victoriana details and glossy, sheen finishes while Louis Vuitton went for voluminous balloon varieties. And the trend shows no sign of abating with the autumn/winter 2020 runways presenting more sleeves of epic proportions.
There’s something empowering about a gigantic sleeve (they were historically used to denote status after all) and something super fun. Both of which we most certainly need right now. They photograph well (consult the #makeitrotate hashtag for proof), add an element of drama and mystery, and for the twenty-first century social distancer, provide the perfect, fabric-based barrier so no-one will dare come any closer. If this year’s awards season is anything to go by, the pouffier the sleeve, the better (isn’t that right Beyoncé?).
The exaggerated silhouettes
Photo by Thierry Chesnot/Getty Images Entertainment / Getty Images
Fashion of days past used to all be about the wide skirt. Bustles and hoops, Dior’s ‘New Look’ in the 1940s, the swing shape of the ‘50s, fashion favoured a full skirt. But now we’re all about the ‘90s slip dresses and bra tops which, regrettably, do nothing to help us out in times of social distancing.
But, fear not, for recent catwalks have shown murmurings of extreme silhouettes. Balenciaga went for power shoulders on their Spring/Summer 2020 runway, and gowns with skirts roomy enough to fit three, if not four, of the models inside. Virgil Abloh sent Gigi Hadid down the runway for Off-White AW20 in a beautiful but humongous white skirted dress. Comme des Garçons AW20 featured fantastical, hooped creations.
In old life, we would have laughed at the impracticality. But now? What a handy way to ensure that 2m social distancing.
The metallic leather
Leather is not the most friendly of fabrics. Just ask Ross Geller. If there was ever a substance of the sartorial variety that would say ‘stay away’, it would be leather coupled with the piercingly reflective nature of metallic. And so, it just so happens that, fortuitously, the two are trends seen on the runways for this summer.
JW Anderson’s futuristic, shiny trench would keep anyone at bay (magpies excluded). Coach’s sheeny trousers as sported by Kaia Gerber, similarly. Toga’s mac so reflective passers-by will fear for their sight, the same. Any of these afford you the chance to saunter around, worry-free, with a very wide berth around you indeed. Plus, they actually do look really cool.
While we didn’t expect to be socially distancing, we also didn’t expect summer’s fashion trends to be so handily here to help us. From bulbous shapes to merciless fabrics, it’s almost as if the designers knew.