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Brits bin the chance for new romance, in favour of family & friends. Survey by Tu at Sainsbury's
LONDON , May 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With 17 May signposting a new sense of social freedom, and 21 June hopefully marking the end of all UK lockdown restrictions, there's plenty for Brits to be both excited and apprehensive about.
New research commissioned by leading clothing brand Tu* found that, when asked about lockdown lifting, one in three (33%) women were looking forward to shopping on the high street and returning to their favourite bars and restaurants, but almost half (42%) said they were looking forward to simply being able to hug their loved ones.
Whilst a large proportion (46%) of Brits agree that the enforced lockdown period helped them slow down and add balance to their busy lives, a third (33%) believe that their mental health has improved since the initial easing of lockdown restrictions in April, suggesting a positive mindset when looking forward to the summer ahead.
Although socialising is high up on the agenda, Tu found that 40% of singletons aren't planning to date this summer, proving that a pub trip with pals is more likely than a romantic meal for two. Spending time with friends and family (45%) came in at the top spot once social restrictions are relaxed, compared to only 20% prioritising nights out (20%) and only 4% getting back in the dating game.
After a year of the same outfit on repeat, and an influx of social events on the horizon, 14.9 million Brits plan to celebrate these engagements with a new wardrobe, as half (50%) also said* their style has changed over lockdown. A third of those surveyed (32%) admitted* to now not being confident when it came to clothes shopping and 39% confess* they no longer know what's on trend.
Despite this uncertainty, over half (52%) of Brits believe that putting effort into getting dressed is something that makes them feel good. Tu has also seen more than a 70% increase in visits to its 'Summer Shop' since 12 April as people proactively look to refresh their look for face to face socialising. Jumpsuits, jeans and cardigans were in the top 10 searches on tu.co.uk last week, as the nation still favours comfort whilst transitioning out of loungewear.
When it comes to work, a staggering 67% of Brits are worried about maintaining work-life balance in a post pandemic life, with the added time pressures of commuting, getting ready and having more social plans. Still, over 40% said that they are looking forward to making the move back to the office and half (49%) plan to socialise with colleagues at least once a week, filling the void of over a year without the 'work wife'.
Tu is looking to support the nation navigate through post-pandemic life by furthering the groundwork of its campaign and partnering with wellbeing experts Honey Langcaster-James and Dr Sarah Vohra to offer customers advice. A series of fashion and lifestyle influencers will also be offering their styling tips to help those who feel like they may have lost a sense of their personal style, and all content will be available on Tu's Instagram @TuClothing.
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Chartered Psychologist, , and Consultant Psychiatrist , both offer their expert advice - from over 25 years' combined experience in the field – helping to plan and prepare for the months ahead, and navigate the uncertainty.
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For more information visit tu.co.uk and @TuClothing, or contact tu@sciencemagic.inc
For images of Tu's Dress Well, Feel Good campaign – click here
For headshots of Dr Sarah Vohra and
Honey Langcaster-James – click here
Tu has been inspiring fashion confidence since its launch in 2004, offering design-led, excellent quality and great value fashion across womenswear, menswear and childrenswear. The sixth largest clothing retailer in the UK by volume, Tu helps customers fulfil their clothing missions everyday by offering everything from a broad range of lingerie, lounge and nightwear, the latest denim fits alongside key fashion pieces, everyday essentials, and school wear. Tu also offers a range of specialist sizes with its own brand Petites and Maternity offers, as well as working with selected partners to keep the whole family's wardrobe updated with fashion that makes you feel good. Tu is aware of its impact on the world around it and has stretching sustainability targets to achieve, from key raw materials usage to greater transparency in its supply chain – all measured using the Higg Index. Tu clothing is available to buy online at Tu and Argos as well as in over 400 selected Sainsbury's stores.
Chartered Psychologist & Broadcaster Honey Langcaster-James is best known as one of the UK's top Radio & TV Psychologists. Through her work as Director of Services at global psychology consultancy On Set Welfare and her blog "Life and How to Love It!" She helps people plan, prepare, and successfully manage periods of major life change.
LINKS: Honey's Website: www.HoneyLangcaster-James.com / On Set Welfare Website: www.OnSetWelfare.com / Honey's Blog www.lifeandhowtoloveit.com / Honey's Instagram: @Psychologist_honey Honey's Twitter: @HoneyLJames
Dr Sarah Vohra is a Consultant Psychiatrist, Author of The Mind Medic and Speaker. Outside of the clinic room, Sarah is passionate about sharing expert, evidence based mental health advice in an accessible and digestible way to help us all lead calmer, happier lives.
LINKS: Website: www.themindmedic.co.uk / Instagram:@themindmedic
The research was conducted by Censuswide, with 2006 nationally representative participants (1021 women & 985 men) in the UK between
05.02.2021 – 18.02.2021 . Censuswide abide by and employ members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles.
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As we go back to work in the office and other workplaces, you're bound to wonder if you can cope with it all now after spending your life on Zoom. However, there is an awful lot you've missed out on, such as the huge social benefits that come from working alongside others. Once you get back out there, and people start saying "Good Morning" and "Thank you, Good Job!" or inviting you to have lunch, or go for that after work drink, you'll remember why working alongside others is good for you both socially and psychologically. Seeing your boss smile at you when you do well, or a colleague wink in your direction as you share an in-house office joke for example… there are all things we really need and have missed out on.
If you're anxious about catching up with friends who you haven't seen in a very long time, or worried about what you're going to say to them after so long apart, try to ensure that you are at least feeling your very best before head out. The way you dress can put a spring in your step, so why not book yourself in for that haircut and get yourself a nice new outfit before you meet up. Believing that you are looking great can help you feel more confident, and it also gives you a little more motivation to go and meet people, even if you're a bit nervous.
If you're one of the thousands of people who have been dating online during this past year, and you're now about to meet someone in 'real' life for the first time, you may be worried about what they will think of you now that you're meeting in person. Remember, rather than judging you, they are far more likely to be worried about what you think of them, because social approval is something we all worry about. So, focus on putting them at ease and reassuring them, and they'll love you!
Some people are worried about their health and wellbeing as they come out of lockdown and this is understandable as we've been consuming messages about health risks now for over a year and your brain can't help but respond to that. Go at your own pace, take necessary precautions, and don't be afraid to say to family, friends and colleagues, that it might take you a while to adjust, so you might not want to run around hugging everyone straight away. Most people will completely understand and, one thing that's happened this year for the better, is that people have opened up more about their mental health and have focused more on their physical health. That dialogue can continue in the new, new normal.
One positive thing many people have said about the pandemic, is that they've both appreciated family more, and had more time together as a family, if they've been lucky enough to have been locked down with others. You may be reluctant to give this up and may wonder how you used to fit everything in before. Try to remember though that as we come back out the other side, you can keep some of the habits you've formed, such as cooking together more, or having cosy nights in. Family life will change again, but it could change for the better!
Think about what aspects of lockdown life and pace you wish to carry through post-lockdown. Rather than have these as hypothetical things that you'll get round to doing "if you have time", write them down at the start of the week, plug them into your phone calendar as an appointment with yourself that you can't cancel. Remind yourself why taking time to do these things is so important.
There is a temptation and pressure that as the world starts to return to some semblance of norm that we have to say yes to everyone and everything. Think about what's important to you in your personal life, within your friends and family circle and from a working perspective. Any request that is made of you or your time, bring it back to these core areas and if saying yes doesn't bring you any closer to them, have the confidence to say no, or at the very least that you'll think about it.
Worry is a predominant emotion for us all at the moment and whilst there is the excitement of some semblance of norm, there is the anticipation over change, new routines and new ways of doing things that are likely to feel unsettling. Rather than allow worry to consume all of your time and energy, a useful question to ask yourself when you next experience a worry is "is this a worry that I can turn into a problem that I can solve" [example: I am worried I don't have anything to wear for a friend's BBQ can be turned into a problem to solve of "I'll go shopping at Tu by Sainsburys and get something"]. Or is it a might not worry, something that "might not" even happen – these can't readily be changed into problems to solve but end up consuming a lot of time and energy. If it's the latter, call it out and return to what you were doing or find a positive task to help distract you.
Getting dressed again, dusting off old outfits or shopping for new ones may send our inner critic in a spin; or see us instead reaching for that trusty loungewear set that has served us well this last year. If you find yourself honing in on negatives, or reasons not to wear something - challenge yourself to come up with a positive about the outfit and about yourself – the latter doesn't have to be a physical attribute but can be a quality, or trait. Studies show that individuals who practice regular positive affirmations are less likely to use how they look as the only means of valuing themselves.
Everyone's experience of lockdown is likely to have been different; kids being off school, the juggle of homeschool and work for parents, being furloughed or the loss of jobs and sadly the loss of loved ones. Don't assume you know what or how those around you are feeling so encourage an honest, open dialogue in the home environment. A useful exercise can be at the bookends of the day to ask everyone in the family what they're most looking forward to and most worried about the day ahead and regroup come the end of the day to see how they got on. Breakfast and the wind down before bed lend themselves well to this simple exercise.
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1508978/Dress_Well_Feel_Good.jpg