The world is unlocking and we are finally able and ready to hit the high streets again! Or are we…? According to behavioural studies, it takes 66 days to form a habit. With so many shops remaining closed over the last year, it is likely many of us will have lost the drive to once again shop in the way that we used to. Spending the day shopping with your close friend for that ‘must-have’ pair of shoes might be a thing of the past, as shopping online seems to have become the new norm. My shopping habits over lockdown have definitely changed too, and it made me wonder how it had affected others. To find out, I decided to interview a couple of families living in the Vale.

Andrew works as a curator; his wife Jo works for the Welsh Government. They have a young daughter and a baby son. Louisa is a primary school teacher and lives in Barry with her husband Chris and their 2 children. And this is what they had to say…

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Andrew

“To be honest, my wardrobe has barely changed over the last 25 years, so lockdown hasn’t had a great effect on the way I dress. As a bit of Mod/Ageing Indie kid, I still think you can’t better a good pair of trainers and a polo shirt.”

Jo

“I can’t say that fashion was at the top of my agenda over the last year as my son was just a baby then and needed to be carried in a sling most days. Practicality was key, as I had to also do some homeschooling with my daughter. When things opened up at the end of last summer however, I really enjoyed wearing different outfits. I particularly loved wearing my green jumpsuit which I bought in Oasis a couple of years ago. It made me feel like myself again!“

Louisa

“I made a conscious effort o exercise and improve my diet over the last few months and as a result managed to loose the extra weight I had put on during the first lockdown. I felt so much better for it! I took that chance to renew some of my wardrobe and got some lovely dresses online ready to wear for summer. I didn’t stop there either. I completely changed my hair style too- I went from long red hair, to a short bob in rainbow colours. Quite a daring move considering I am a primary school teacher, but I received a lot fo compliments and my confidence has gone through the roof! Life is definitely too short to worry, it is important to do what makes you happy!

Despite fashion taking a step back over the last few months in many ways, there is no doubt it has remained important to most of us. Regardless of the way we shop, be it online or on the high street, there is a general feeling that after months of dressing down, people want to dress up again and social occasions are giving us the excuse to do so. I certainly didn’t need much of one myself to put that pretty dress I has bought last week and meet up with a friend for lunch. It was such a great feeling but the best news of all was that I was still able to walk in high heels!