Excerpt from a series called Curated Career Conversations: my interview with Sarah Johnston
A year ago, my professional “uniform” included shift dresses and pumps. With my new work-from-home lifestyle, I wear sneakers almost exclusively. Apparently, I’m not the only one who has said farewell to uncomfortable heels. According to the research firm NPD Group, dress shoe sales dropped 71% in Q2 2020, compared to last year. That’s not the only thing changing in the world of fashion. Makeup sales have sharply declined, Tailored Brand’s, the owner of Men’s Warehouse, and Jos A. Bank filed for bankruptcy, and athleisure sales continue to soar.
| Quarantine fashion: it’s the wild, wild west out there
I asked my friend and fashion expert, Monica Barnett, to help us navigate the new world of work fashion and virtual first impressions. Across Monica’s distinguished career as a wardrobe stylist, she has had the privilege to partner with major corporations to fine-tune their employees’ style and brand; and the opportunity to work with corporate executives, politicos, and world-class athletes. She has authored two books focused on the link and balance between personal style and business. The first book focused on how our dress influences our interactions, and the second is for female creatives who need to build their brands and use the closets to do better business! Monica is also the founder of the style school, an online resource to equip anyone with the fundamentals of style across various areas and career points.
