We were locked in our homes during the dark days of quarantine. When social media became a way to connect with others, an Instagram photo of a woman wearing a bra made from croissants emerged. It was a “brassant,” to be precise. After being shared by the, the post became viral and spawned many about the designer’s unique design sensibilities.

Rooted in upcycling, she brings new meaning to the idea of a shirt, swapping sandwiches for bras, popcorn bags for vests. She deconstructed the idea of a top as a fashion statement, showing that anything can be worn. “I have made tops from fans, bags and lemon squeezers. McLaughlin told Coveteur that it can be literally anything. It all depends on your preferences, but I like multi-functional tops. This year, her bolder-is better mentality didn’t emerge in a vacuum.

Street-style photographer Johnny Cirillo also noticed a shift in dress–the physical manifestation of what he believed to be an evolving sartorial mindset–specifically through the example of sheer clothing. The trend has been here for years but previously was only worn with undergarments beneath. People found it comfortable to show off all underneath the mesh between the summers of 2019 and 2020.

“There’s always sheer. People love see-through. A girl wearing a sheer top and bra underneath would be my ideal look. He relates that he had 50 sheer tops for both boys and girls all summer, with bras underneath. ”

July 2020, a whole folder was made with no bras underneath. Because people were wearing a mask, it gave them anonymity. They felt a little more secure. I don’t know if it gave them more confidence.”

After multiple seasons of being a mega-trend, the scarf top is still a popular idea. The sales of scarves tops on fashion resale platforms saw a 76% increase between June and July. As summer approaches, we’ve seen the platform evolve into its own shirting options. You can also wear corsets or swimwear tops in place of blouses, button downs, and tee shirts.

As the pandemic was the final push in shattering outdated fashion rules, anything is possible. Any item that was worn as a shirt accessory can now be considered a top. Perhaps it was the anonymity that masks gave us or the newfound interest in upcycling. Maybe we’re all feeling more bold. Mclaughlin’s level in upcycling may seem daunting to most people, but the idea of repurposing seemingly unrelated objects as clothes is full of potential.