How many of the items are hiding in your wardrobe?

How has your wardrobe changed over the past year? If you have traded in your skinny jeans for a boyfriend fit pair, invested in some vintage costume jewellery, or are wearing an underwired bra, as a fashion editor, I can confirm that you are very stylish. You are also, according to the bellwether that is John Lewis, probably middle class.

The retailer’s How We Shop, Live, Look report on clothing and accessories sales over the past 12 months, published this week, offers an illuminating insight into how our shopping habits and wardrobes have changed – and the items that are now symbols of status. How many are hiding in your wardrobe? These are the dead giveaways of being middle class in 2022.

Boyfriend jeans

We’ve officially ditched skinny jeans, while sales of boyfriend jeans – that’s denim designed for women with a loose, menswear-inspired fit – went up by 85 per cent over the past year. John Lewis attributes this to the fact that, for many of us, skinny jeans felt too restrictive after lockdowns spent in elasticated waistbands. Slouchy, nonchalant boyfriend jeans are a more comfortable denim alternative. However, sales of tracksuits are thankfully down. Now that we’re out and about again, comfortable homewear isn’t a priority.

A pink blazer

Hybrid working patterns have transformed the demands of the professional woman’s wardrobe. Enter the “capsule wardrobe” – two fifths of shoppers think investing in a handful of useful items that are as flexible as we are will ultimately save us money. The key items? Women’s blazers, with sales up by 75 per cent, and Mary Jane shoes, sales of which increased six-fold. If you’re buying a new blazer this autumn, consider the season’s hottest colour – pink. Sales of pink fashion items were up by 22 per cent this year, and pink lipsticks by 83 per cent. John Lewis attributes this to the buzz surrounding the new Barbie film, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, but we also have Valentino’s all-pink autumn-winter 2022 collection (which debuted on the catwalk in March) to thank, as the high street quickly tapped into the look.

Story continues

Meanwhile, for men, it seems reports of the death of the suit were exaggerated. Smart menswear sales increased by 60 per cent in the last 12 months, while ironing boards were up by 19 per cent.

Tweed blazer, £79.99, Mango; Ribbed t-shirt, £40, Jigsaw; Trousers, Raey, Tamara’s own; Suede Mary Jane shoes, £79, John Lewis; Vintage earrings, £38, Susan Caplan - Rii Schroer

Tamara wears: Tweed blazer, £79.99, Mango; Ribbed t-shirt, £40, Jigsaw; Trousers, Raey, Tamara’s own; Suede Mary Jane shoes, £79, John Lewis; Vintage earrings, £38, Susan Caplan

A Dryrobe

The Dryrobe – a towel-coat hybrid designed for warming up after a dip in the sea – became the most wanted outerwear last winter, after innumerable Britons took up wild-swimming.

Add in the switch to remote working and the blending of leisure into the working day, and the Dryrobe is now increasingly being worn as a mainstream accessory, at the supermarket or walking the dog.

Hit BBC television show Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof also contributed to rising sales of changing robes, which have doubled in the past year.

You may be hitting the local lido rather than risking a river full of sewage, but the middle-class obsession with cold water dips isn’t waning.

“Outdoor swimming is not only good for the body, but also for the mind,” says Jo Bennett, head of buying at John Lewis. “We have seen customers searching and shopping for the essentials; from waterproof robes and swimsuits to stylish goggles and winter warmers.”

The event hat

It wasn’t just the return of wedding season this year – it was Ascot, the jubilee and a summer of events which required a hat. Sales of millinery were up by 168 per cent, while searches for “wedding” on the John Lewis website were up by 21,000 per cent. We sought professional help as well; the store conducted more than 2,000 personal styling appointments. As one in five of us attended a wedding in the past year, you probably got good cost-per-wear value out of your new buys, too.

Shapewear and sports bras

We’re dressing up again, but not without the right undergarments, leading to shapewear sales tripling. Cast aside any memories of Bridget Jones’s granny pants – today’s body-sculpting underwear is much more comfortable and its purpose is more about smoothing than shrinking. Whether you’re a Spanx, Skims or Miraclesuit woman, shapewear is now an integral part of our formal attire.

The lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 offered women a chance to give bralettes and non-wired bras a whirl. I did, too – but if you’re over a D-cup and dressing for work or an evening out, nothing makes your outfit look better than a well fitting underwired bra. No wonder, then that non-wired bra sales have fallen by a third and underwired bra sales are up by 45 per cent.

Meanwhile, when Chloe Kelly scored that winning goal and England’s Lionesses took home the European Championship title, sports bra searches doubled online. Searches for football boots also spiked by 60 per cent.

Ugg boots

You can almost predict the middle-class dinner party thrift-boasting of autumn 2022: “You’re still buying BCI cotton socks at M&S? Well, Primark’s recycled cotton socks are £2.50 for five pairs.” Amid rising inflation, three quarters of customers now prioritise affordability when shopping for clothes.

But we haven’t foregone comfort altogether. Sales of Ugg boots were seven times what they were a year ago. The Ugg-naisance could be something to do with Gucci’s sheepskin boots that were worn by the likes of Sienna Miller last winter. But with energy bills soaring, many of us will be layering up at home, making the cosy sheepskin footwear essential.

Tamara wears: Dry robe, £299, Cape Cove; Organic cotton t-shirt, £30, Everlane; Le Garcon jeans, £249, Frame; Suede boots, £155, Ugg; Adjustable lead, £58, Found My Animal at Free People. Tamara’s dog wears: Vintage scarf, Tamara’s own - Rii Schroer

Tamara wears: Dry robe, £299, Cape Cove; Organic cotton t-shirt, £30, Everlane; Le Garcon jeans, £249, Frame; Suede boots, £155, Ugg; Adjustable lead, £58, Found My Animal at Free People. Tamara’s dog wears: Vintage scarf, Tamara’s own

Vintage jewellery

It’s the ultimate in smugness to casually mention that your dazzling earrings are a rare one-off, the likes of which can only be acquired by those who know where to look. Since John Lewis joined forces with vintage jewellery expert Susan Caplan, pre-loved accessories by Chanel and Dior can now be found on the high street and searches for vintage jewellery have tripled on its website. These included sales of Eclectica Vintage Costume Jewellery, with pieces ranging from the 1920s to the 1980s, up by 55 per cent, and vintage-look Casio watches, up by 81 percent.

...and a dog as well dressed as you

Sales of pet accessories doubled at John Lewis, little surprise given that 3.2 million households got a pandemic pet between March 2020 and March 2021. We treated our poodles, doodles and schnoodles to smart raincoats and cool collars, while pet insurance policies are up by 50 per cent.

Staples of the middle class wardrobe

Blazers

Check fitted blazer, £149, Mint Velvet Stretch jersey blazer, £110, Boden Recycled wool blend blazer, £249, Baukjen

Check fitted blazer, £149, Mint Velvet

Stretch jersey blazer, £110, Boden

Recycled wool blend blazer, £249, Baukjen

Boyfriend jeans

High rise cropped jeans, £90, Jigsaw High rise loose fit jeans, £34.90, Uniqlo Boyfriend jeans, £75, Hush

High rise cropped jeans, £90, Jigsaw

High rise loose fit jeans, £34.90, Uniqlo

Boyfriend jeans, £75, Hush

Basic tees

Scoop neck t-shirt, £35, The White Company Cotton crew neck t-shirt, £15, Arket Linen mix t-shirt with pocket, £49, Whistles

Scoop neck t-shirt, £35, The White Company

Cotton crew neck t-shirt, £15, Arket

Linen mix t-shirt with pocket, £49, Whistles