Some Americans are finding little comfort in returning to the office — with retailers reporting a rise in the sale of dressy clothing, including pants with buttons and zippers.
As New York and other cities begin sending employees back to work amid decreasing COVID-19 cases, sales of comfy knock-around duds that people have been wearing while working from home are taking a back seat to more professional gear, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.
“The fact that sales came back so strongly so quickly before offices [fully] reopened speaks to the need for people to dress up as they get out there and socialize,” said Haggar Clothing Co. CEO Michael Stitt to the outlet.
Haggar’s employees are currently working overtime to provide enough blazers and trousers to retailers, the company said.
L.L. Bean, Inc., told the Journal its sales of pants with zippers and buttons have recently begun outselling elastic-waistband ones.
And Saks Fifth Avenue reported peddling more formal women’s clothing — including dresses, sandals and blouses — than before the pandemic surfaced last year.