As the new school year begins, we find ourselves in a very different predicament than when we left back in March. And just as our world changes, so do fashion trends and styles. 

Face masks, for one, are a new phenomenon brought upon us by the Covid-19 pandemic, and have had a large impact on the fashion industry as well as each individual’s style choices. English Teacher Roseanne Mitchell shared that she incorporates Covid precautions into her outfits. “I do try to match my mask, and I am a little embarrassed about it, but it usually looks good,” she said. 

Karen Goulet, family/consumer Science and clothing teacher, used to work in the fashion industry, primarily as a textile designer: “I frequently traveled to Taiwan and Hong Kong to work with production,” she reminisced. “It is a great field to get into and they need all types of talent to make a successful company.”

She shared that she also coordinates her masks with her outfits. “I bought my favorite masks at 5 Below: one is traditional camouflage; another is a small floral on black fabric, and I have a plain black one that I embroidered on.” Others opt for monocolor masks to coordinate with any color or pattern: “My go-to mask to wear is always black,” said Senior Ambiya Hussain.

In addition to masks, there are many new clothing trends in the fashion industry. Some of this season’s trends include plaid, tennis skirts, t-shirts over sweatshirts, and tying bandanas in your hair. Hussain shared, “I really like the oversized blazers trend,” which is usually worn with a pair of black leggings and a t-shirt, layered with various accessories. 

“I love the idea of making leisure clothes stylish and matching,” added Mitchell. She is referring to the trend in which people style-up comfortable pieces, like a sweatshirt and joggers, by wearing a matching set or adding accessories. Goulet said her favorite trend is tie-dye: “This year, the students and I discussed the popularity of tie-dye, which came about because of the quarantine and people’s desire to create things while at home. This is evident throughout the halls of LHS.” 

This year also differed from previous back-to-school seasons because it was uncertain if students would be back in school at all! “The retailers were not flooding the media with trending looks because we didn’t know what school would look like,” said Goulet.

As the seasons change, so too must our wardrobes. This includes switching from shorts to pants, and from t-shirts to sweatshirts. “I prefer cool-weather clothes because I like layering,” Hussain commented. Layering produces some very fashionable trends, such as one previously mentioned: t-shirts over sweatshirts. Layering can also refer to accessories, an easy way to make any outfit pop — from rings, to bags, to glasses, to scarves, accessories are always a winning look! 

Fashion plays a part in everyone’s life, no matter how large or small. The pandemic has shown us that even when the world is turned upside down, some things never change: the fashion industry will always bounce back.