It’s been over six months since the start of the Lockdown Clothing project, and everyone’s lives have changed considerably since we first began collecting stories of how people are dressing under lockdown and quarantine. Cassie Rae answered the original questions back in May 2020 and this is what she told us when we checked back in.
1) Can you describe how your daily routine and/or social life has changed in recent months?
From Lockdown in March to October I worked from home. My work routine became my home routine. Eventually I got to work back in the office as one of 6 across two large floors so we are super safe and I have a sense of normality again. So my routine simply changed locations, with some flexibility of being able to sleep in a little minus the commute at home.
I was actually excited to go back to work for some social interaction because it had become next to nothing. My bubble always consisted of my household and my Nan (carefully planned each time just in case) so physically, my friends were zoom only and other family phone only or standing outside their houses occasionally waving. It got better for a while and we started going to local pubs outside together when we could but I guess we are back to the beginning again now. But there we are, we do as we must.
Very fortunately I did manage an isolated hotel room stay and a camping experience as holidays between all the chaos and during the easing but even then, it was very bizarre. I did get to dress up on my own and pretend things were normal though.
2) Has your approach to clothing changed since you submitted your story to us?
My clothing has gotten more comfortable. We are allowed causal dress down in office now so I tend to stretch between pyjamas and tracksuits at home and soft dresses and jumpers at work. And when I was at home I took over pyjamas and tracksuits/joggers entirely.
I definitely realised from the pandemic I did not have enough loungewear. Bring in the jogging bottoms and silk pyjamas!
3) If you feel that your personal style and/or self-perception has changed since lockdown, can you describe how?
Lockdown is the first time I’ve really suffered with my self perception through my physical appearance in that I’ve noticed my body change. I am still petite but during lockdown I put on weight a lot faster than normal because of the dramatic change in lockdown. It made me very hyper aware and ashamed of myself for a long while so I actively had to challenge the reasons and ultimately the stigma of why I felt that way. Society teaches us to hate weight and ultimately, I realised that it wasn’t my body that was the issue it was the way society had wrapped my thinking. With that realisation, I accepted what is and I don’t intend to challenge it.
My style has essentially simplified. I’m more loose, comfortable and relaxed although my penchant for dresses and a little up dressing remains to a degree. Just … more chilled. A loose dress with tights instead when I want to go out or a smarter co-ordinating jogger set.
4) Is there anything that you wear now that you didn’t wear when you submitted your story? If so, why?
I actually didn’t wear joggers at all. I guess I associated them with being ‘a slob’ when the reality is, they are simply quick, versatile and easy and I was just being judgemental. I owned one set that I didn’t really wear and lockdown has really had me fall in love with jogging sets. Being able to be as comfortable as pyjamas but also dressed enough to pop to the shops for essentials or to my nan’s house has been ideal!
All hail the joggers.
5) Has your approach to purchasing clothing changed as a result of lockdown? How so?
I haven’t purchased anything aside from a new cheap jogging sets. I don’t really plan too. Usually towards Christmas I’d be getting excited over buying extravagant party dresses but I don’t even get that luxury this year. I’m simply going to save pennies and maybe splash out on some more things next year when I know more about what I can do and where I can go!
Leave a Reply