How COVID-19 Changed Consumption

Graphic by Agnes Lee

There’s an old story of how a man (the COVID-19 pandemic) walked into a bar (the ultra-capitalist United States), and the economy imploded. 

Thankfully, with vaccines and maskless gatherings on the horizon, our economy —and our sanity— is in recovery. People are eating out and engaging in the entertainment that they used to. Our work and play are inching ever so slightly towards normalcy. However, it’s unlikely consumer behavior will ever be the same again.

Global consulting firm Mckinsey published a report on how consumer behavior is expected to change post-pandemic. The report brought up some fascinating insights from a number of sectors (35% of subscribers use Netflix for educational purposes), but for the retail sector, the insights only offered the conclusion that our shopping will be increasingly digital and low-budget. 

As a shopping addict who spends far too much time focusing on what others wear, I knew the changes in retail consumer behavior extended far past these conclusions. An entire nation simultaneously adopted tie dye sweatpants, Revolve marketed their clothing as vaccine-ready, and TikTok became a more widely used fashion resource than Vogue.

Here are six different ways I have seen our consumer behavior change:

1. We Went Maximalist

Remember pre-pandemic when everyone was vibing with a minimalist groove? Marie Kondo and dainty gold jewelry ended abruptly. You might expect the minimalist tendencies to continue as we spent a year alternating between three pairs of sweats, but the trend cycle jumped the other way. Bright greens, pinks and blues are in. We’re decorating our homes with funky shaped furniture and our bodies with colorful beads, geometric nails and contrasting patterns. Home decor inspiration content on social media is filled with little trinkets, from wacky candles to unnecessary mirrors and bright colored couches. After a year wearing nothing fun, we’re going to spend the next year wearing everything fun.

Danish pastel-inspired home decor. Image via Pinterest.

Chunky rings and geometric nails. Image via Pinterest.

2. Crafts Grew Up

With all of that newfound free time in quarantine, some of us discovered a passion for arts and crafts. As adults, we outgrew macaroni frames and friendship bracelets, so we learned to tie dye our clothes, bake bread and embroider our jeans. Some creatives upcycled old clothes or launched online businesses. I personally have turned old shirts into crop tops and learned seven different ways to make a silk scarf into a shirt. As we emerge from the pandemic I predict that these clothing hacks will endure, and sewing machine sales will increase. 

A scarf five ways. Image via Pinterest.

An upcycled blazer. Image via Pinterest.

3. Dressing For The Occasion

We used to have cocktail dresses, formal dresses, work pants, home pants, going-out tops and staying-in tops. With all those scenarios a distant memory, we developed new occasions to dress for. For example, sleeping pajamas versus daytime pajamas. Or gym masks versus the cute mask you wear to a treasured outdoor gathering.  The fashion industry even found a way to monetize vaccinations with off the shoulder or cold shoulder tops. One day we might go back to dressing for the occasion. But for now, we’re making do.

Dolly Parton donning a cold shoulder top for her vaccine. Image via New York Times.

4. We Are Not So Easily Influenced

The influencer titans of 2019, such as Arielle Charnas and Danielle Bernstein, are long gone. Early in the pandemic social media users took back the power of influence by recognizing privilege and rejecting ultra-curated content. Instead we gave our allegiance to a new influencer class: the au naturel. TikTok creator Victoria Paris quickly built a community of 960k dedicated followers by posting around 30 daily videos chronicling every ordinary event in her life. Because of this refreshing and timely authenticity, the TikTok unfiltered mini-vlog replaced the aesthetic, branded Instagram post for top influencer status.

Influencer Victoria Paris. Image via Pinterest.

5. Trends Froze In Time...

No one got to plan for the pandemic, least of all the trend cycle. When quarantine started and I was no longer able to show off my new favorite trends, my heart broke a little. However, as vaccine distribution has increased and allowed us to finally venture outside, we’ve picked up last year’s trends right where we had left them. Bermuda shorts, unfortunately, are still around, as are chunky colorful knits, crochet crop tops and leather pants.

Kendall Jenner in Bermuda shorts. Image via Pinterest.

6. But Also Trends Accelerated

Although some old trends came back to life, some new trends quickly lost relevance. With TikTok dominating the fashion scene and trends becoming more democratized through the internet, we faced an unprecedented trend cycle speed. Corsets, which were the tops to have in January and February, surrendered their status to halter tops and hawaiian prints dresses in a matter of weeks. Fast fashion e-commerce sites like Shein and Ali Express made this microtrend cycle easier than ever. 

Hawaiian print halter dress Image via Pinterest.

As always, trends change. Things become hot and not. But COVID-19 hasn’t just changed trends. It has changed the way we consume. In time I believe we will come to view this as a consumer revolution akin to the Roaring 20s or the post-war boom of the 50s. History books won’t mention chunky rings or bermuda shorts, but for the fashion industry these consumption trends will likely have a significant impact on the way companies produce and alter their products and shopping experiences.