“IN HERE” and “OUT THERE” – my thoughts on 8 new ways of behaving driven by lockdown living

We’re waiting with baited breath for Boris to tell us this Sunday when lockdown life will lift. I’ve had a think about how it will change life in the UK and come up with eight trends carried on or created as a result of this funny old* | unprecedented* | turning point* period. *delete adjective as desired 

There’s 4 “IN HERE” trends for home and 4 “OUT THERE” trends for in public that I anticipate us seeing. Until then, don't jump the gun: stay home, protect the NHS, save lives, obviously.

“IN HERE” TRENDS

1.    ExercisINg Gyms and fitness studios like The Box, Frame and SoulCycle have pivoted into teaching online. When they can re-open, people will no doubt flood back for a group beasting in person or that fix of hardcore pilates you just can’t get without being on the torture rack reformer machine. However, I reckon gyms have found a new revenue source and this will keep going when lockdown lifts. A live class with the instructor and people you normally train with has an edge over a YouTube video of any old coach. It pushes you to get off the sofa and join in whilst seeing familiar faces who will spur you on by name helps you dig deeper. The ability to do a work-out at home with your favourite instructor, without wasting time and money on travel is a new way of working out that I can see people still wanting in their lives. 

2.    Cybersocialising The same goes for socialising. Going out-out has become going in-in. If you know, you know: there ain’t no hangover like a Zoom night hangover. For parents or just people who prefer a guaranteed sofa seat and being able to hear each other, I reckon this will continue to catch-on (maybe not the hangover bit). Comfy seat, cheaper drinks, transcontinental catch ups, no need for a babysitter it’s a win-win. Why didn’t we think of it before? Watch for pivots being overtaken by new businesses, products and services popping up to accommodate it. 

3.    As-Live entertainment Talking of which, everyone’s wondered before why you can’t watch a live streamed theatre show from home. I guess the answer is they thought it would stop people going. In reality, from One Man Two Guvnors to the Midnight Gang, I think we’ve found out it could provide new audiences and new revenue streams. People who want to go IRL will continue to do so when they can. Those who can’t – or can’t that day – will happily take the opportunity to join by screen. Expect theatres, film distributors, festival organisers, conferences to embrace As-Live entertainment more than ever, appealing to those who can’t make it in person and those who don’t want to be in big crowds. (And with it will come the category disruption we’re already seeing).

4.    Flexible furnishings There’s much talk of permanent flexible working and reviews of ‘location strategy’. It’s going to have implications on our [already ever-shrinking] living spaces as work blends into them. I don’t know about you but I’m already feeling the effects of the new afflictions ‘Sofa-back back’ and ‘Step Count Zero’. Perhaps now the exercise-bike-desk and a bed that folds into a desk may catch on apace…

“OUT THERE” TRENDS

5.    Space at a premium As much as being in very close proximity with as many people you don’t know as possible (when eventually allowed) is likely to appeal (see ‘Raves’ below), I think we may also go the other way on this spectrum at the same time. A few years ago, silence was being [softly] spoken about as a commodity for the privileged. That privilege is likely to be replaced by space. Imagine the previous status symbol of a private room in a restaurant becoming the luxury of a whole, private restaurant to oneself or non-contact private restaurant rooms where you let yourself in with a code and the food arrives via dumb waiter. Imagine holiday destinations that you travel to without encountering anyone from outside your household and where resort numbers are strictly limited and distanced. Of course, these will come at a premium…

6.    Changing face of beauty. We’ve already seen face mask fashion, from Boohoo to beautiful Brighton label Sophie Darling. Given the increasing calls for mandatory face masks in public, next up is surely face mask beauty. From creams to soothe face-chaffing, to foundations that don’t bleed into fabric, a new sub-category beckons. Face mask masques to soothe a week’s masked skin here we come...

7.    Raves Talking of which, start making smiley-face-face-masks with that sewing machine you dug out. Mass musical gatherings are surely back on the horizon…the admittedly distant horizon. Having not been able to even hug people you know, being allowed to hug random strangers in a field at 3am will at some point - when safe to do so - feel like an incredible luxury. 

8.    Staycations For those who can’t buy a private holiday (see point 5), staycations look set to appeal for a while. We’ve already seen families recreating missed holidays at home. Watch out for 5 mile holidays where people stay at home but explore their surroundings more keenly (but socially distanced-ly) than ever before. Also watch out for Stayathomecations - tourism bodies’ equivalent of the current trend for restaurants (like Cote and Cin Cin) to send their out of home product to you. They’re gonna get creative.

One thing you can bank on at the moment is change...this may all change, come Sunday. We'll see....