Category: Fashion

Dressing for the office: post-pandemic

Olivia NolesBlog, Fashion, ,

When I first heard we were coming back to the office, it immediately sparked the question, “what am I going to wear?” Dressing for the office is intimidating for any recent college graduate, but when you tack on working full-time for the first time straight out of a pandemic, there’s an entirely new level of excitement (and a fear) that comes with it. On one hand, I’ve missed the creative process of styling new outfits every day, but on the other hand, having never experienced an office dress code I was completely lost. Black yoga pants and slacks are basically the same thing… right?

Return to business casual post-pandemic 

Working from home, it’s easy to go from looking like you just rolled out of bed (because you probably did) to office-ready by throwing a sweater on and brushing your hair. After over a year of just dressing from the waist up, the concept of a head-to-toe outfit is daunting. Especially considering there has been no need for professional pants or shoes in anyone’s wardrobe for over a year. 

I gave my wardrobe a bit of a refresh to come back to the office, and it was more difficult than I thought. It turns out I no longer know my size after more than a year of not wearing pants. I would order work pants only to have them not fit, and the pants that did fit didn’t go with any of my tops. I thought I needed a whole new wardrobe, but it got easier.

When all you’re ever looking for is a one-off “perfect outfit,” you have nothing to wear. But when you’re living in your wardrobe daily, it comes to life. You realize that the pieces you own aren’t bad, they just need to be reimagined. Coming up with new looks by styling the same pieces in new ways becomes a fun challenge. You realize that the top you wish you had returned pairs perfectly with the pair of pants you bought in March 2020 and suddenly you’ve got a brand new outfit.

Why you should be excited about dressing for the office

Over the past few weeks, I’ve realized that getting dressed every day does make a difference in how you feel. It prepares you for anything the day throws at you and actually increases productivity. Feeling confident in an outfit improves your mental health and helps you feel more inspired and empowered. 

5 tips for dressing for the office post-pandemic

If you’re struggling with your back to work wardrobe, here are 5 tips for dressing for the office post-pandemic:

  • Try on the clothes you already own and figure out what to keep and what to replace.
  • Style several outfits in advance and take pictures so you don’t have to think of outfits the morning of. 
  • If you find your wardrobe is lacking, purchase workwear that makes you excited to get dressed in the morning. 
  • Think about proportions when styling. If your top is flowy, slim-fit pants pair better. If your pants are a looser or straight leg, tighter tops pair better.
  • Find comfortable work pants and work shoes that are easy to style with a lot of your tops. Invest in multiple colors of each.

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The Future of Fashion: NYFW Goes Virtual

Clairemont InternBlog, Fashion, Public Relations, , , , ,

New York Fashion Week (NYFW), held in February and September of each year, is a chance for designers to showcase their latest fall and spring collections to buyers, the press and the general public. With the world still navigating public safety during COVID-19, New York Fashion Week is staying virtual this year for its fall 2021 lineup.

This season, designers will showcase their collections in digital formats such as livestreams, look books and video presentations in lieu of traditional in-person exhibitions. The event launched on Valentine’s Day with Jason Wu’s livestreamed runway show, followed by virtual presentations and videos from Markarian. Markarian has come into the public eye after receiving the honor of dressing Dr. Jill Biden for the 2021 Presidential inauguration ceremony.

Tweet from Hollywood Reporter Twitter account.

While holding a largely virtual event is no doubt challenging, it has led to some very creative PR initiatives. This season explored the future of fashion and how the industry is continuing to adapt during COVID-19 — all the while maintaining a healthy dose of inspiration and hope.

Vogue Magazine relies heavily on the fashion industry and its fans to stay in business. To create buzz for this year’s festivities, the outlet challenged its social media followers to recreate their favorite couture and share it online.

International modeling agency, IMG Models, was also announced as the official editorial partner of #TikTokFashionMonth. TikTok featured live and pre-recorded content across IMG’s TikTok channels throughout the fall 2020 shows, and the TikTok community will continue to have access to IMG’s content for the spring 2021 shows taking place this month.

2021 Spring NYFW will extend beyond its typical 7-9 days to a month-long event. With many designers showing in late February and even a few waiting to reveal collections until April, this year’s “tailored” event is sure to bring joy to many as it rolls on throughout the spring season.

NYFW typically includes two types of shows: industry and open-to-the-public shows. Even in #BeforeTimes, it was typically difficult to snag an in-person seat; however, this year you can get a front-row view if you choose to join. Visit the official schedule to see what’s open to the public.

Curious about ways to amp up a virtual event to spark interest and engagement? Check out our blog on Effective Socially Distanced Events!

By Clairemont intern Maia Guterbock, a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill.

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Kate Spade Knew Its Audience

Clairemont InternBlog, Fashion, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , ,

“Our new logo. Our new label. Our new pink,” read the caption of a recent Kate Spade Instagram post alongside a photo of its new tag color. One spade motif at a time, Kate Spade dropped its spring 2019 line — and longtime fans sprang up with vocal feedback as they noticed the striking changes. But Kate Spade became a shining example of a brand that knew its audience and had a plan in place to ensure a successful debut.

As public relations practitioners, we know that a crisis with a strategic, thorough plan is always manageable. But in the age of social media, customers expect businesses to respond online with unprecedented speed. Kate Spade led a master class in customer advocacy, as the team anticipated questions its audience would ask ahead of time and was therefore adequately prepared with responses for each during the roll out of the campaign. Comment after comment, the brand tackled each fan’s issue with ease, consistency and aplomb on social media.

Here are some examples:

1. Fan: @rancatburtanog wrote, “I feel like ‘re-imagined’ is a word for ‘we’re phasing it out.’ I love KS and I have loved it for a long time but please do not turn this brand into a bunch of ‘signature’ collections like Coach and MK. They are everywhere and it makes the handbags look cheap and ordinary.”
Kate Spade: “@rancatburtanog we promise we are not phasing out the spade. You’ll see it featured in lots of products throughout the collection ♠️. We are excited to show you!”

Lo and behold, not long after, Kate Spade posted a few Instagram images featuring the use of the spade, such as the following:

2. Fan: @breeflan wrote, “I liked the green. It was more unique. Everyone associates pink with being girly, I’m sad to see this change. I really valued the fact that everything wasn’t pink pink pink. That’s Victoria’s Secret.”
Kate Spade: In a follow-up post, the brand captioned, “Our new gift boxes. They’ll have our new tissue paper inside, too. Each box has a different combination of our brand colors—the ones we call pink kiss (bright pink) to clover (dark green), cherry blossom (light pink) to honey bee (yellow). 5 days until we share all the newness that’s coming on January 28th. We can’t wait.”

3. Fan:@denise_caskey wrote, “Where is Kate’s trademark♠️? “
Kate Spade: “@denise_caskey hi! you’ll see the spade featured throughout the collection in new and exciting ways. we can’t wait to show you!”

There is a stronger feeling of loyalty that grows when a brand responds to you directly as an individual in a public forum. Remember, your brand is not your logo, colors or name. As author Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Your brand is simply how you make people feel, which in turn generates how they feel about your brand.


See the complete Kate Spade New York Spring 2019 collection!

Ultimately, being handed the reins of a big lifestyle brand like Kate Spade is a tremendous responsibility. But will the brand’s loyal fan base follow the newly appointed creative director Nicola Glass as she continues to push forward with Kate Spade? No doubt her goal is to bring new customers into the fold while still keeping those die-hard Kate Spade fans happy. It may be a high-wire balancing act, but Glass is acing it so far.

Brand revolutions can take many forms. For tips on approaching your own rebranding efforts, check out our Miss America: Brand Revolution? blog!

Written by Clairemont Intern Ru Wolle, a senior at NCSU.
Photos from @katespadeny [Instagram]

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For the Love of PR

Clairemont InternBlog, Fashion, Public Relations, , ,

Ah, Valentine’s. Stop and unwrap a few Dove chocolates (or Hershey’s Kisses … whatever your indulgence). At Clairemont, we are using this “season of love” to celebrate our everyday work. We love what we get to do for our clients, and here’s why!

  1. We never have a dull moment. Nope, never bored in our world! With all that PR encompasses – media relations, brand management, crisis communications, content development, social media management, influencer marketing and the list goes on – it’s endlessly fascinating. No work day is the same, and we love that.
  2. We love to learn. Over the years, we’ve worked with a bunch of great clients across a number of industries, including British nobility, pepper festivals and chocolate factories. Our job is continuously evolving. To keep up, we have to always be learning. From the latest social media platform, analytics tools or creative trends, our team loves to dig deep and dive in to new ventures.
  3. We stay on top of trends!  One of the many things that PR pros are renowned for is being “in the know.” And we love to dress the part! From breaking news to the latest fashion trends (yes, ruffles and white boots have become popular again!), we’re always switched on to what’s going on in the world.  (Remember that time we jumped on the palazzo pant trend?)
  4. We commit! PR is one of the best businesses for building relationships. The job gives us countless opportunities to network with spirited co-workers, clients, members of the media (news anchors, print journalists, bloggers) and even celebrities! At Clairemont, we love finding new friends and turning them into lifelong pals.
  5. We love to save the day. PR pros are like ninjas. We think fast on our feet in even the most challenging of crisis situations. Even more, we love making a difference in the community; the Clairemont team takes pride in planning and implementing community events and nonprofit initiatives to improve the lives of those around us.

In PR, what we do today can make a difference on what tomorrow will bring. Revisit your own list of things you love often and revise it as you develop your own goals.

What do you love most about your work?

By the way, on the topic of love, Clairemont “speaks” the five languages of love.

Written by Clairemont Intern Ru Wolle, a senior at NCSU.
Photos from Canva.

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The Intersection Between Fashion & PR

Clairemont InternBlog, Fashion, The Clairemont Team, , ,

Made in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

I resided in the rolling hills of sunny California before making it to the water tower town of Holly Springs, North Carolina. I’ve always repped the West Coast, but these days my heart is set on staying in the East. Maybe even to the “Concrete Jungle Where Dreams Are Made” — New York City, the fashion capital of the world.

When people say “I love fashion” I’m always curious to know why. Let’s be honest; fashion is a world on its own– a vast universe filled with dreams and goals but also a cutthroat industry that can get quite superficial.

Here is why I love fashion:

Beyond allowing me to be who I want to be, fashion has always reflected and supported our culture and identity politics throughout time. Contrary to popular belief, fashion can be intellectual, from adapting suits for women to wear as they entered the male-dominated workplace in the ’80s, to providing an outlet for different subcultures to express themselves, and even to deconstructing gender binaries with unisex clothing.

As a public relations major, I’ve learned that millennials and Generation Z are the current driving force in the ever-changing apparel world. This new generation of shoppers are seeking out meaningful experiences and finally placing their trust in designers to deliver authentic and organic marketing.

Five years ago, I discovered what I wanted to do with my love of fashion. I was 19 and living in Los Angeles. Fairfax Avenue, the mecca of street culture, became the go-to shopping destination for my friends and me. To any visitor, the iconic street exudes a generation of muralists and skaters making their mark on the city and entrepreneurial shop owners coming in to capitalize on the mainstream of its aesthetics.

Although these new successes on the block parallel the increasing success of streetwear as a whole, I noticed a void. Streetwear brands don’t cater to women, while the very few that do make the mistake of trying to interpret the look for women, when women are attracted to wearing it the way it existed in the first place.

The more I learn about fashion, I realize that the culture still falls short of inclusivity. As someone who has a voice and understands the impact of PR, I want to amplify the voice of the profession. I want to pursue a career in fashion PR and align myself with brands that ultimately create meaningful relationships with younger, cause-driven consumers. Millennials aren’t just more likely to shop ethically; they’re also more inclined to purchase garments that visibly champion their beliefs. In a digital age of personal branding, fashion exceeds mere aesthetics and propels us towards empowerment.

Written by Clairemont Intern Ru Wolle, a senior at NCSU.
All photos from Canva.

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