Posted: 00:03, 5 September 2022 | Updated: 00:49, September 5, 2022
Covid restrictions brought a new way of life as we started working from our kitchen tables and finding ways to have fun without leaving home. But that trend appears to be reversing, as analysis of the country’s shopping habits shows that our brief love affair with comfy velor suits has faded just as we’re renewing our taste for office suits. The changes were spotted in John Lewis’ annual How We Shop, Live And Look report, which is based on department store sales and searches on its website. It shows demand for non-wired bras has fallen this year as women return to working life, with sales of clothing and wired bras booming. The store referred to the post-lockdown trend of customers going into the office at least three days a week, saying: “Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we were back in the office and dressed the place up.” Sales of Ugg boots have increased by 700 percent in the last year. But overall, John Lewis’ annual How We Shop, Live And Look report showed that comfortable clothes are losing popularity as people increasingly return to the workplace (stock image) Demand for non-wired bras has fallen this year as women return to working life, with sales of clothing and underwired bras booming (stock image) John Lewis’ How We Shop, Live And Look report showed that trends are changing Although many people still work from home several days a week, all the evidence points to a return to normal working life. John Lewis no longer offers wall-mounted desks, which many people installed in hastily built desks during the pandemic. In contrast, sales of laptop bags are up 20 per cent and personal organizers – such as Filofaxes – have seen a revival as Brits try to juggle their busy work and social lives. As the nation has emerged blinking from the pandemic, sales of smart menswear have risen by 60 per cent and irons by 19 per cent. Puzzles have fallen out of favor as the end of the lockdown meant families no longer had to stay in all day and soup makers were put on the back burner, with sales down 12% as workers returned to buy meals in move. Personal organizers – such as Filofaxes – have seen a revival as Brits try to juggle their busy work and social lives (stock image) The return of weddings and other celebrations has led to an explosion in women’s “occasion” hats (stock image) Puzzles have fallen out of favor as the end of the lockdown meant families no longer had to stay in all day (stock image) John Lewis no longer offers wall-mounted desks, which many people installed in hastily built desks during the pandemic (stock image) The return of weddings and other celebrations led to a boom in women’s “occasion” hats and an 88% increase in sales of champagne flutes and wine glasses. Chunky changing bags are flying off the shelves as more of us get into swimming, and with people finally able to book holidays, sales of travel adapters are up 300%. In fashion, there was an 85 percent increase in sales of women’s skinny boyfriend jeans and a whopping 700 percent increase in Ugg boots. Sales of microwave ovens are down 13%, while soup makers are a close second, with sales down 12% as workers return to buying meals on the go (stock image) Another kitchen item that has taken a hit is bread bins, with sales down 42 percent (stock image)
