As we settle into this unfamiliar reality, those with the option to work from home are practicing social distancing in an effort to prevent the coronavirus’s rapid spread and protect those most vulnerable. Resisting the urge to stay in your partner’s oversize hoodie all day can be tough, but a cute at-home outfit may help you maintain some semblance of normalcy while attempting to be productive. Aside from staying in the mental space to get things done, you’ll appear polished for the dreaded impromptu video call from your colleague—even if there’s a pint of Ben & Jerry’s perched just right out of frame.
If you needed a reason to bring knit sets or sweatsuits into your everyday wardrobe for spring, here it is. Staying comfortable during this time of uncertainty can help quell anxiety, but changing out of your pajamas will keep your purpose in sight—even if you haven’t seen your friends face-to-face in weeks. We’re right there with you, which is why we rounded up chic work-from-home looks that are civilized enough for a quick run to the corner store, but comfy enough for a disco nap.
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There’s another subscription box in town. And this time, it’s from a place you already shop.
Earlier this year, URBN, the parent company of Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Free People, announced that it would be getting into the increasingly-more-competitive rental space. It wouldn’t be through an existing brand, though—rather, it went ahead and launched a brand-new entity, which would allow shoppers to rent from Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Free People, as well as hundreds of other labels, for less than $100 a month. Introducing: Nuuly.
Courtesy of Nuuly
“We see a real opportunity in the rental space and we wanted to invest in that accordingly, building out a true lifestyle brand with a broad, inclusive assortment, as well as its own distinct brand voice and web experience for our shoppers,” says Kim Gallagher, Nuuly’s Director of Marketing & Customer Success. “URBN’s brands are obviously an incredible asset to Nuuly and will be a key part of the platform, but we’re also excited to be bringing in over 100 additional third party brands, both well known and under the radar (think For Love and Lemons, LoveShackFancy, and Alice McCall), along with an amazing vintage assortment, which is something new for the rental space.”
For $88 a month, Nuuly will send you six pieces you pick out for yourself, from the thousands of products on its site, the majority of which are available in sizes 00 to 26. Some go up to a 40.
A floral Urban Outfitters dress that’ll be available for rent on Nuuly.
Courtesy of Nuuly
An Avec Les Filles trench coat that’ll be available for rent on Nuuly.
Courtesy of Nuuly
“We wanted to make sure we had a strong assortment of denim, athleisure, everyday clothing and occasion pieces,” says Sky Pollard, Nuuly’s Head of Product. “Our breadth of options will mean subscribers can find pieces they love for all aspects of their daily lives, whether that is for the office, a weekend brunch, or a night out. Our goal is to give our subscribers a way to experiment with new trends, fits, and brands without the risk of purchasing something that will only be worn a few times.”
You keep your Nuuly box for the full month, and then return. To get a new shipment, all six items must be sent back. Nuuly sends you a reusable bag and pre-paid label to ship them back in and will handle all the laundering. If you love something you’ve rented, though, there’s an option to buy; sometimes, it’ll be discounted from retail price, depending on overall demand and how many times it’s been rented.
When you’re lingerie shopping, you come across a lot of pieces so elaborate, just attempting to imagine an outfit you can wear them underneath feels hopeless. That doesn’t mean you exclusively have to wear simple nude styles in your day-to-day, though. There are plenty of lingerie trends that feel extra-special but aren’y overly complicated, so you can easily style them with your everyday clothes. Why have these sitting in your underwear drawer, waiting for a “special occasion”? From pastel lace to mesh, shop nine lingerie styles that’ll spice up all of your looks—regardless of where you’re going.
Reese Witherspoonjust clears 5 feet at 5 feet 1 inch tall, Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke just passes her at around 5 feet 2 inches, and Kim Kardashian barely tops them both at a whopping 5 feet 3 inches. Yes, they’re on the shorter side of the spectrum—or “petite,” to use the more common retail language. But that’s never stopped them from nailing a red carpet look. Same goes for influencers like Alyssa Coscarelli and Nadia Aboulhosn, who consistently show their followers how to master some of the most exciting, out-there trends regardless of size.
If you, too, are part of this select group who will never use the top shelves of their closets, read through for the biggest “it” items for summer 2019, according to the petite fashion pros (plus our picks for how to shop them).
Universal Standard has a big mission: beyond offering minimal essentials in an unprecedentedly inclusive range, or sending you a mystery box filled with goodies, their goal is to “create a new normal” in the fashion industry. One way of doing that is to help other brands expand its sizing thoughtfully. First, it partnered with J.Crew. Now, Universal Standard is helping transform the super high-end, super-ethereal, super-exclusive aesthetic normally reserved for those with red carpet access (or very deep pockets).
Universal Standard is teaming up with Rodarte, the L.A.-based brand helmed by sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy that’s incredibly popular among the celebrity set. (Rodarte’s flowery, fantastical designs are often spotted on the likes of Kristen Dunst, Rowan Blanchard, and Brie Larson.) Prices are typically well into the four- to five-figures—and, historically, its sizing has been just as limiting.
Universal Standard’s co-founder Alexandra Waldman tells Glamour that she and her co-founder Polina Veksler took a very strategic approach to their latest partnership. “We sat down and decided that we wanted to bring the consumer a taste of stuff they’ve never had access to before,” she says. Together, they made a list of brands that that they felt had a unique point of view, would bring something new to the Universal Standard shopper, and offered product that was different from anything it already had in stock. “There’s no point in collaborating with someone who’s exactly like you,” she says. Rodarte was at the top of that list.
Through this collaboration, the world dreamt up by the Mulleavy sisters will open up to a much broader audience. Universal Standard x Rodarte consists of four pieces that marry playful design with inclusivity: available in sizes 00 through 40, in four different colorways, for under $250.
Courtesy of Universal Standard
“We came together immediately and started talking about what this could look like: what were the pieces and why were the pieces [that way] and how we were going to do this,” Waldman says. Universal Standard brought the expertise in creating size-inclusive clothing, allowing “Kate and Laura to exercise their creativity.” There were a few things that Waldman and her team made sure to include in the collection—like a monochromatic color palette (so the shopper could see the “easy usability” of each piece and “plug it into her own wardrobe”) and freedom of movement (so that “everyone, in whatever body they live in, feels great about these clothes on them.”) But Waldman says the vision for the collection was all the Mulleavys.
“When we went to Laura and Kate, we really wanted them to do something that was very Rodarte,” Waldman continues. “The ethos of our brand is to work with like-minded brands to open as many doors as possible, and to let the fashion industry see that this is can be done—and done beautifully.”
Courtesy of Universal Standard
This marks Universal Standard’s most luxurious partnership to date. Since it launched three years ago, the brand has collaborated with Danielle Brooks and J.Crew. In the latter case, Universal Standard helped the company extend sizing permanently. To now align itself with a brand of Rodarte’s caliber is a major achievement in expanding sizing in the luxury space.
Waldman’s still believes there is a lot of work to be done. “I think that the world is changing tremendously, and I think that fashion world is not keeping up, if I’m perfectly frank,” she says. “It’s very unfortunate because there is a revolution coming—not just a revolution of the individual, a revolution of aesthetic in general: what’s considered beautiful, what’s considered worthy, what’s considered inclusive. And the more we include and we diversify, the more beautiful things become. I think that it’s really important to break those barriers, open those doors, and just invite people in. They want to be there. You need them to be there. It’s a win-win-win.”
Last week, I received a package I’d ordered from Savannah, Georgia, and inside was a $19 vintage metallic blouse with 1980s padded shoulders and a retro “David Hayes for Saks Fifth Avenue” label inside. The measurements on Etsy said it would fit my current frame, which—thanks to pregnancy—is undergoing some adjustments.
The shirt looked as I’d pictured it in some ways (the round neckline isn’t stretched out like some vintage styles; the puff shoulders—a small styling quirk I tend to think of as my signature—sat perfectly and looked just out-there enough to be cool; and the sleeves hit my true wrist buttoned, but also have a relaxed, loose charm when rolled up.) But the hem was too damn tight, something I’d normally remedy by tucking it into a pair of high-waisted jeans, preferably those with a wide, cropped leg and frayed hem, or maybe my favorite shiny spandex American Apparel pants—also high waisted—for a night out.
But there are not many nights out, and this otherwise perfect top looked ridiculous with the one pair of $29 Zara elastic waist culottes I’ve been wearing almost daily since I realized nothing in my closet that has a zipper, a snap, a hook, or anything that resembles a defined waist fits. Back to my regularly scheduled program of boxy tees and stretchy tops.
I am almost 34 weeks along, which is seven and a half months, and I’m tremendously bored with my own personal style. Picking out my clothes in the morning—and realizing daily that a new favorite no longer fits—is an exercise in patience, often one that ends with my not feeling like myself.
I understand this is a time to focus on dressing comfortably—everyone tells me that—but what happens when you’re most comfortable in fitted vintage tops and stiff jeans? Or things with buttons? Or things that remain the length they’re meant to be without riding up and exposing a sliver of what looks like a slightly pointed basketball, black line included? The truth is, I enjoy clothing, and the act of choosing what I put on has often been a soothing activity for me, like an elaborate skin-care routine is for other women.
As much as I appreciate the fact that I have carte blanche to show up anywhere right now—work included—wearing yoga pants and a loose knit cardigan, stretched-out sweaters that have been stuffed into a forgotten drawer all summer, or anything that resembles a tent, I also know I wouldn’t.
Still, I can’t rely on my own closet so since becoming pregnant, I’ve had to go in search of a few new things because no matter what anyone tells you, shopping is essential. About 75% of my wardrobe was unadaptable, except for some the aforementioned sweaters, extra-stretchy leggings, and two or three expandable “bodycon” dresses I’d been too self-conscious to wear over the years yet continued to purchase. However, I’ve taken care to buy things that check two boxes: suit my personal style and generally fall within an under-$50 price range.
I’m aware that, in 2018, there are plenty of modern, elevated labels designed for the chic pregnant woman, and they make some beautiful things, but I personally have a hard time justifying spending upwards of $200 for items that will be retired in a matter of months—especially when sites like H&M and Zara are stocked with pieces I’ve found to be perfectly worthy, and make me feel like I’m not fully settling or compromising my sense of style, which unapologetically feels a little trendier and a little more fleeting than some “classic” luxury maternitywear.
Below, you’ll find some items I’ve purchased—all around $50 or less; all excellent at most stages of pregnancy. Some are specifically cut as maternity wear—ASOS’ section is a godsend—but others aren’t, and are simply made from highly-stretchy material. Some pieces I’ve had to buy in much larger sizes, and others not so much, but all are things I’ve worn consistently.
And while I’m excited to get back into things like the vintage Etsy tops, I’m also glad I have a curated collection of comfortable pieces that feel somewhat reflective of my pre-pregnancy style and that didn’t set me back tremendously. I also do not feel these pieces, though bought from fast-fashion retailers, are particularly disposable, as most I’ll continue to wear postpartum.
I’d also like to point out that I’m suggesting products as a petite person—5’2 and generally pretty slim. I have found success purchasing non-maternity clothing in sizes larger than I’d normally wear, but I get this isn’t a feasible strategy for all women, as several inexpensive retailers don’t go beyond a vague size “XL” or 12 to 14. Some have been making strides in that department, and others offer plus collections, but I understand dressing while pregnant isn’t always as simple as sizing up. Which is why I hope more affordable brands create stylish clothing women actually want to wear in expanded sizes.
