I remember reading MIT professor, Sherry Turkle’s book Alone Together in college and being struck by her argument that our increasingly technological lives are leading to decreased emotional ones. In 2013, I found Turkle’s argument poignant and still I find it true, but in 2020, with the rise of the pandemic, technology really did serve as a lifeline to an emotional existence. In my own life over the last year, I’ve only maintained some semblance of normalcy through fitness classes beamed into my living room, virtual therapy sessions, and Zoom celebrations. I’ve remained connected to friends and colleagues through texts and calls and conversations on Instagram provoked by memes and intriguing images. Major movie or TV show drops on streaming platforms, like the Queen’s Gambit on Netflix, have given us something to talk about when every single day feels the same as the last. We were indeed alone together.
In 2021, the thrill of new virtual events and experiences are helping us ramp back up to normal life both emotionally and sartorially, giving us things to look forward to while fostering a sense of community and of course, staying safe at home. There’s a palpable anticipation for the release of new movies or upcoming livestreamed events like the Grammys and the Oscars because they are again tethering us to one another from our individual homes and giving us inspiration to shake ourselves out of a year-long sweatpants rut. In other words, it’s time to get reacquainted with our sense of style and fall back in love with fashion. Whether you’re celebrating by dressing up for the Inauguration or the Grammys, or you’re finding sartorial inspiration from a new Wes Anderson movie like his highly anticipated The French Dispatch or a new museum opening, there’s something soothing about knowing that millions of others are experiencing the same thing as you, even if you can’t physically be with them.
Vogue’s January Index features an array of virtual events and experiences we’re looking forward to in 2021, those of which will undoubtedly liven up our day-to-day wares. Here, these are the happenings that we’re actually getting dressed for this year, because there’s nothing like a little glamour at home to bring us all together from afar.
