By Tim Werth
It’s no surprise that the way we buy and market clothing is changing, and it’s mostly thanks to the Millennial generation. Through online shopping, working remotely, and the ever-changing definition in the work-life balance, Millennials have given rise to a new era of clothing.
Millennials are some of the biggest shoppers out there today. Nearly half of this age group – 49% — prefers to shop in store rather than online. On top of that, ethics surrounding manufactured clothing and sustainability have proven to be one of the biggest influencers on Millennial shopping habits.
Despite the split on online shoppers, however, nearly 85% of Millennials aged 18 to 34 claim that their shopping habits are influenced by social media outlets. This method of marketing has proven to be more influential than online advertisements or spam, both of which cause distrust among the Millennial consumer.
But fashion isn’t just a personal decision. In this day and age, what you wear to work says a lot about you, at least in the eyes of your boss.
It’s estimated that nearly half of the senior managers out there believe their employees are dressing more casually than they did five years ago. The shift is incredibly drastic if you slide that timescale from decade to decade. Compared to 50 years ago, most Americans are practically in pajamas at this point. Though this might not be a deal-breaker for some employees, many others are deterred by America’s shift to more casual attire. This can be seen by the omnipresent trend of leggings and the growing outlet for athleisure products.
With more and more Millennials working from home, especially in big cities like New York and Los Angeles, it’s to be expected that comfort is vitally important for the consumer. While it isn’t recommended that a remote worker stays in their pajamas all day (you don’t want to be too comfortable, after all), this group of workers still puts comfort on a pedestal.
Over 57 million Americans work as freelancers across the globe. According to Fashionista, this number is only expected to increase over the course of the next decade; it’s estimated that the majority of Americans will work from home by 2028.
Millennials have proven that consumers want comfort and style, along with ethically-sourced materials. As Millennials continue to change the way America defines its beauty standards, there’s no telling where the next trend might take us.