For the past year we have existed in the realm of sweatpants and loungewear, finding comfort wherever we can in a miasma of chaos. The world has been crumbling around us, so might as well wear comfortable clothes while it’s happening, right? And when we aren’t wearing the same pajamas for the fourth day in a row, we’re experimenting with fashion in ways we may never have expected. We don’t have to leave home, so why not try something wacky like three different clashing patterns or neon green eye make-up paired with bright pink blush and a dark purple lipstick. Basically, nothing matters anymore so why not wear whatever we want! You can see this on the hottest new short form video app, TikTok, where Internet personalities from all walks of life offer glimpses into their lives, which includes their sense of fashion. Crocs are now pieces of haute couture, skinny jeans are out, and plastic toys from our youth are fashioned into jewelry. Cohesion doesn’t matter anymore; it’s all about expression, comfort, and utility. 

Such a fashion sense is reflected in A Quiet Place II, a film about the apocalypse in a more literal sense as alien monsters with super hearing have taken over the planet. No longer are films like The Devil Wears Prada or Sex In The City portraying contemporary aesthetics. Now, in a world that has been ravaged by a global pandemic, films about the end of the world are now the fashion trendsetters, showcasing how we now wish to forego stilettos and tight dresses for loose jumpsuits and flowy sundresses. The Abbott family are simply trying to stay alive in a seemingly impossible situation, not unlike the world after COVID-19; we never thought this would happen, yet here we are, over a year later, trying to unlearn the survival instincts of months spent in isolation. Yes, we are much softer than this family, who don’t have Uber Eats or Postmates to bring them the essentials, yet we both are trying to adapt to a harsh new reality that has completely shifted our day-to-day lives. 

In the world of A Quiet Place II fashion is the least of anyone’s concerns. It’s merely about survival and dressing in a way that is both comfortable and sensible; what has pockets to hold more supplies or what offers the most mobility when running from a monster. Oldest daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds) wears a dark jumpsuit not unlike the coveralls worn by mechanics. It covers her entire body in a thick fabric that will protect her from thorns and sticks in the wilderness. It is also oversized, so not only is it comfortable, but it refuses to conform to an idea of femininity in Simmonds’ character. This distinction is key in showcasing a shift in her character, who has gone from longer flowy skirts to this jumpsuit as a signal of her growth into the leader of the family, as well as shrugging off any preconceived notions of gendered appearance. It’s the end of the world, there is no real need to present yourself as feminine.

Regan’s costuming reflects the contingent of TikTokers who wish to portray authenticity in more masculine presenting or typically deemed unflattering clothing, meaning baggy sweatpants and oversized t-shirts. These are not clothes for impressing the masses, but clothes for a time when the last thing on our minds is trying to look hot for the camera. We are tired, scared, and most definitely depressed, so why not embrace that ethos on our social media platforms? Sure, social media is a land of deception, but with these aesthetics more broadly accepted, it feels as if there is a new era of authenticity blooming online in the face of our own personal apocalypse. Everything is falling apart, so it’s time to just accept comfort in the face of chaos.

Then, unlike Regan’s jumpsuit, there is Evelyn’s (Emily Blunt) flowy sundresses and loosely braided hair that provide an almost unsettling pop of color to the dreary landscape. It would seem, at first, being placed in such a costume is putting Evelyn’s character into a very strict box, one that is defined by gendered expectations of the mother figure. While she is representing stereotypical femininity, within such gender presentation, she is still able to protect herself and her children while slinging a shotgun and toting around a baby in a box. It is not clothing that defines her, but rather her own mental fortitude, which again extends to the world of TikTok. Specifically, her character embodies the world of cottage core or high femme creators, both of whom wear stereotypically feminine clothing such as floral dresses, sun hats, and short skirts. These creators shun the idea of femininity and its expression as a form of weakness and use their platform to prove that point. Unlike those creators who look towards utilitarian clothing, these creators instead look to feminine fashion as a method of expression when all feels hopeless. They offer life advice and words of affirmation, they give make-up tutorials, they showcase their crafts such as cooking, foraging, and sewing, they are just authentically themselves. These creators wish to show the world that loving make-up and looking cute does not make them lesser than; in fact, their expression is how they are coping with the impending collapse of modern society. Evelyn is that idea taken to the extreme, a stereotypically feminine mother who may appear one way, but embodies a badass attitude that transcends aesthetics. 

Apocalyptic costuming in films such as Children of Men, 28 Days Later, and Dawn Of The Dead hasn’t always felt relevant. Grimy jeans and ripped shirts were markers of societal collapse, nasty reminders of what happens when the world ends; comfort is thrown out the window. But now, the apocalyptic film is feeling too close to home, as oversized clothing, combat boots, and mismatched pieces are seen in our daily lives, whether on TikTok or in our own homes. We’re moving towards a sense of fashion that is not only built on the idea of utilitarian comfort, but also on a lack of concern for cohesion as we ourselves feel like we are facing the end of the world. While we may not be living in the world of A Quiet Place II, we are still dressing for our own version of the apocalypse.

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