Return-to-office mandates are forcing workers to spend more money revamping their wardrobes

Woman looking at a shirt in a store (Credit: Getty Images—Tom Werner)

People are pushing aside their old sweatpants for $150 Ultra-Soft Train Winter Knit pullovers. Lululemon and other retailers reported higher-than-expected Q4 sales yesterday, as shoppers spent more on clothes, shoes, and accessories during the holiday season—but it wasn’t enough to wow growth-hungry investors.

Cher Horowitz mindset: Mall darlings Lululemon, Abercrombie, and American Eagle bumped their forecasts for Q4, and Nordstrom raised its annual forecast after positive shopping data from the end of the year.