- Whilst the nation is undeniably excited about the roadmap out of lockdown, almost three quarters (71%) have anxieties about restrictions lifting
- People are most looking forward to seeing family and friends (45%), going on holiday (40%) and hugging loved ones (33%)
- Less than 1 in 10 are looking forward to dating, with 40% of singletons not planning to date at all this summer
- The majority (52%) believe that putting effort into getting dressed makes them feel good, but 39% no longer know what's on trend when it comes to fashion
LONDON, May 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With 17th May signposting a new sense of social freedom, and 21st June hopefully marking the end of all UK lockdown restrictions, there's plenty for Brits to be both excited and apprehensive about.
New research commissioned by leading clothing brand Tu* found that, when asked about lockdown lifting, one in three (33%) women were looking forward to shopping on the high street and returning to their favourite bars and restaurants, but almost half (42%) said they were looking forward to simply being able to hug their loved ones.
Whilst a large proportion (46%) of Brits agree that the enforced lockdown period helped them slow down and add balance to their busy lives, a third (33%) believe that their mental health has improved since the initial easing of lockdown restrictions in April, suggesting a positive mindset when looking forward to the summer ahead.
Although socialising is high up on the agenda, Tu found that 40% of singletons aren't planning to date this summer, proving that a pub trip with pals is more likely than a romantic meal for two. Spending time with friends and family (45%) came in at the top spot once social restrictions are relaxed, compared to only 20% prioritising nights out (20%) and only 4% getting back in the dating game.
After a year of the same outfit on repeat, and an influx of social events on the horizon, 14.9 million Brits plan to celebrate these engagements with a new wardrobe, as half (50%) also said* their style has changed over lockdown. A third of those surveyed (32%) admitted* to now not being confident when it came to clothes shopping and 39% confess* they no longer know what's on trend.
Despite this uncertainty, over half (52%) of Brits believe that putting effort into getting dressed is something that makes them feel good. Tu has also seen more than a 70% increase in visits to its 'Summer Shop' since 12th April as people proactively look to refresh their look for face to face socialising. Jumpsuits, jeans and cardigans were in the top 10 searches on tu.co.uk last week, as the nation still favours comfort whilst transitioning out of loungewear.
When it comes to work, a staggering 67% of Brits are worried about maintaining work-life balance in a post pandemic life, with the added time pressures of commuting, getting ready and having more social plans. Still, over 40% said that they are looking forward to making the move back to the office and half (49%) plan to socialise with colleagues at least once a week, filling the void of over a year without the 'work wife'.
Tu is looking to support the nation navigate through post-pandemic life by furthering the groundwork of its Dress Well, Feel Good campaign and partnering with wellbeing experts Honey Langcaster-James and Dr Sarah Vohra to offer customers advice. A series of fashion and lifestyle influencers will also be offering their styling tips to help those who feel like they may have lost a sense of their personal style, and all content will be available on Tu's Instagram @TuClothing.
Emma Benjafield, Head of Product at Tu comments: "As restrictions ease, there are so many things to look forward to, from getting away with family and friends, reinvigorating our social lives with barbeques and meals out, as well as continuing to spend more time outside as the weather improves. Whatever the occasion, we know that these small changes can spark joy and have a huge positive impact on our own wellbeing. Here at Tu, we want to inspire the nation to rediscover their wardrobes, remembering those old favourites and finding new ones, but always dressing in only what feels good for the summer ahead."
Chartered Psychologist, Honey Langcaster- James, and Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Sarah Vohra, both offer their expert advice - from over 25 years' combined experience in the field - helping to plan and prepare for the months ahead, and navigate the uncertainty.
Commenting on the months that lie ahead, Honey said, "We're facing a new period of adjustment and many people will go through a kind of reverse-culture shock as they re-emerge from a lifestyle that many of us could hardly have imagined before the pandemic. As resilient human beings, we gradually adjusted to all the changes we had to make, and these things became 'normal' but now it's time to shift things back again. This is bound to be unsettling for us all in different ways, but there are ways you can make things easier on yourself."
She continued, "You may experience feelings of anxiety as your brain and your nervous system go on hyper-alert. This is your brain's way of trying to protect you from things that may seem threatening. If you let it, this has the potential to hold you back from enjoying the summer. So, it can be helpful to learn a few ways to steady yourself and ensure you're feeling as strong and well-prepared as possible. The way you dress can actually have a big effect on how you feel, and that influences how you behave. Dressing well can indeed lead you to feel good, and that, in turn, can help you re-emerge with more confidence and a greater sense of overall security and safety when you're getting back out there."
Dr Sarah Vohra adds, "For some of us, lockdown has forced us to slow down, take time off that we perhaps wouldn't have allowed ourselves otherwise, and allowed us to spend time with family unapologetically. Many have reassessed priorities and so the easing of lockdown may well bring about anxiety, with many of us vowing not to return to the chaos of our pre-pandemic life, but fearful of how those around us may well respond as we put those boundaries in place.
Don't underestimate the power of social connection as we come out of lockdown. The people we surround ourselves with, particularly in times of stress, can help us make sense of these stresses and reduce the effect it would otherwise have on us - so there is truth in the saying, a problem shared is a problem halved. For many of us, our "uniform" for the best part of 12 months may well have been loungewear or "dressing up top" for a Zoom chat with sweats underneath. As we begin to meet in person, naturally some of us may have some apprehension of "what to wear" and miss the security of our loungewear, being able to hide behind a screen, or having the option to "turn off our camera". Our inner self critic may well rear its head as we dust off old outfits or brave the shops to buy new ones as well as possibly firing up social comparisons with those around us when we meet up."
Honey Langcaster-James' top 5 tips for post lockdown life:
- Suggest real life meetings or walking meet ups with colleagues - there are huge social benefits that come from working alongside others
- Whether it's a haircut or a new outfit, the way you present yourself can put a spring in your step and make you feel more confident
- Focus on putting others at ease rather than worrying what others will think of you
- Take things one step at a time and only do things you feel comfortable with
- Hold on to pandemic positives such as cooking together more, or having cosy nights in
Dr Sarah Vohra's top 5 tips for post lockdown life:
- Book time out for yourself, in your diary as you would an appointment that you can't cancel
- When requests are made of you or your time, think about what's important to you personally, socially and from a work perspective and use these to guide your response
- When you experience a worry, ask yourself whether you can turn it into a problem to solve, if so, who or what might help you to solve it? Or are you worrying about something that might not even happen?
- Move away from the comfort of your loungewear and 'shop your wardrobe'
- Each morning over breakfast, get everyone in the family to share what they are "most looking forward to" and what they are "most worried about" for the day ahead and check in how they've got on come the end of the day
For more information visit tu.co.uk and @TuClothing, or contact tu@sciencemagic.inc
For images of Tu's Dress Well, Feel Good campaign - click here
For headshots of Dr Sarah Vohra and Honey Langcaster-James - click here
About Tu
Tu has been inspiring fashion confidence since its launch in 2004, offering design-led, excellent quality and great value fashion across womenswear, menswear and childrenswear. The sixth largest clothing retailer in the UK by volume, Tu helps customers fulfil their clothing missions everyday by offering everything from a broad range of lingerie, lounge and nightwear, the latest denim fits alongside key fashion pieces, everyday essentials, and school wear. Tu also offers a range of specialist sizes with its own brand Petites and Maternity offers, as well as working with selected partners to keep the whole family's wardrobe updated with fashion that makes you feel good. Tu is aware of its impact on the world around it and has stretching sustainability targets to achieve, from key raw materials usage to greater transparency in its supply chain - all measured using the Higg Index. Tu clothing is available to buy online at Tu and Argos as well as in over 400 selected Sainsbury's stores.
About Honey Langcaster-James
Chartered Psychologist & Broadcaster Honey Langcaster-James is best known as one of the UK's top Radio & TV Psychologists. Through her work as Director of Services at global psychology consultancy On Set Welfare and her blog "Life and How to Love It!" She helps people plan, prepare, and successfully manage periods of major life change.
LINKS: Honey's Website: www.HoneyLangcaster-James.com / On Set Welfare Website: www.OnSetWelfare.com / Honey's Blog www.lifeandhowtoloveit.com / Honey's Instagram: @Psychologist_honey Honey's Twitter: @HoneyLJames
About Dr Sarah Vohra
Dr Sarah Vohra is a Consultant Psychiatrist, Author of The Mind Medic and Speaker. Outside of the clinic room, Sarah is passionate about sharing expert, evidence based mental health advice in an accessible and digestible way to help us all lead calmer, happier lives.
LINKS: Website: www.themindmedic.co.uk / Instagram:@themindmedic
About Censuswide
The research was conducted by Censuswide, with 2006 nationally representative participants (1021 women & 985 men) in the UK between 05.02.2021 - 18.02.2021. Censuswide abide by and employ members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles.
* Combined 'strongly agree' and 'somewhat agree'
Appendix
Expert Advice & Top Tips on Getting Yourself Back Out There!
Honey Langcaster-James said:
1.Working 9-5… Can be a great way to make a living!
As we go back to work in the office and other workplaces, you're bound to wonder if you can cope with it all now after spending your life on Zoom. However, there is an awful lot you've missed out on, such as the huge social benefits that come from working alongside others. Once you get back out there, and people start saying "Good Morning" and "Thank you, Good Job!" or inviting you to have lunch, or go for that after work drink, you'll remember why working alongside others is good for you both socially and psychologically. Seeing your boss smile at you when you do well, or a colleague wink in your direction as you share an in-house office joke for example… there are all things we really need and have missed out on.
2.Dress well, Feel Good.
If you're anxious about catching up with friends who you haven't seen in a very long time, or worried about what you're going to say to them after so long apart, try to ensure that you are at least feeling your very best before head out. The way you dress can put a spring in your step, so why not book yourself in for that haircut and get yourself a nice new outfit before you meet up. Believing that you are looking great can help you feel more confident, and it also gives you a little more motivation to go and meet people, even if you're a bit nervous.
3.Focus on putting others at ease.
If you're one of the thousands of people who have been dating online during this past year, and you're now about to meet someone in 'real' life for the first time, you may be worried about what they will think of you now that you're meeting in person. Remember, rather than judging you, they are far more likely to be worried about what you think of them, because social approval is something we all worry about. So, focus on putting them at ease and reassuring them, and they'll love you!
4.Take things one step at a time.
Some people are worried about their health and wellbeing as they come out of lockdown and this is understandable as we've been consuming messages about health risks now for over a year and your brain can't help but respond to that. Go at your own pace, take necessary precautions, and don't be afraid to say to family, friends and colleagues, that it might take you a while to adjust, so you might not want to run around hugging everyone straight away. Most people will completely understand and, one thing that's happened this year for the better, is that people have opened up more about their mental health and have focused more on their physical health. That dialogue can continue in the new, new normal.
5.Hold on to pandemic positives.
One positive thing many people have said about the pandemic, is that they've both appreciated family more, and had more time together as a family, if they've been lucky enough to have been locked down with others. You may be reluctant to give this up and may wonder how you used to fit everything in before. Try to remember though that as we come back out the other side, you can keep some of the habits you've formed, such as cooking together more, or having cosy nights in. Family life will change again, but it could change for the better!
Dr Sarah Vohra said:
1.Book time out for yourself, in your diary as you would an appointment that you can't cancel.
Think about what aspects of lockdown life and pace you wish to carry through post-lockdown. Rather than have these as hypothetical things that you'll get round to doing "if you have time", write them down at the start of the week, plug them into your phone calendar as an appointment with yourself that you can't cancel. Remind yourself why taking time to do these things is so important.
2.When requests are made of you or your time, think about what's important to you personally, socially and from a work perspective and use these to guide your response.
There is a temptation and pressure that as the world starts to return to some semblance of norm that we have to say yes to everyone and everything. Think about what's important to you in your personal life, within your friends and family circle and from a working perspective. Any request that is made of you or your time, bring it back to these core areas and if saying yes doesn't bring you any closer to them, have the confidence to say no, or at the very least that you'll think about it.
3.When you experience a worry, ask yourself whether you can turn it into a problem to solve, if so, who or what might help you to solve it? Or are you worrying about something that might not even happen?
Worry is a predominant emotion for us all at the moment and whilst there is the excitement of some semblance of norm, there is the anticipation over change, new routines and new ways of doing things that are likely to feel unsettling. Rather than allow worry to consume all of your time and energy, a useful question to ask yourself when you next experience a worry is "is this a worry that I can turn into a problem that I can solve" [example: I am worried I don't have anything to wear for a friend's BBQ can be turned into a problem to solve of "I'll go shopping at Tu by Sainsburys and get something"]. Or is it a might not worry, something that "might not" even happen - these can't readily be changed into problems to solve but end up consuming a lot of time and energy. If it's the latter, call it out and return to what you were doing or find a positive task to help distract you.
4.Move away from the comfort of your loungewear and 'shop your wardrobe'.
Getting dressed again, dusting off old outfits or shopping for new ones may send our inner critic in a spin; or see us instead reaching for that trusty loungewear set that has served us well this last year. If you find yourself honing in on negatives, or reasons not to wear something - challenge yourself to come up with a positive about the outfit and about yourself - the latter doesn't have to be a physical attribute but can be a quality, or trait. Studies show that individuals who practice regular positive affirmations are less likely to use how they look as the only means of valuing themselves.
5.Each morning over breakfast, get everyone in the family to share what they are "most looking forward to" and what they are "most worried about" the day ahead and check in how they've got on come the end of the day.
Everyone's experience of lockdown is likely to have been different; kids being off school, the juggle of homeschool and work for parents, being furloughed or the loss of jobs and sadly the loss of loved ones. Don't assume you know what or how those around you are feeling so encourage an honest, open dialogue in the home environment. A useful exercise can be at the bookends of the day to ask everyone in the family what they're most looking forward to and most worried about the day ahead and regroup come the end of the day to see how they got on. Breakfast and the wind down before bed lend themselves well to this simple exercise.
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1508978/Dress_Well_Feel_Good.jpg
