Influencers & Office Attire
Some people believe that the office siren trend serves as a guide on how to dress professionally. Nine times out of ten this isn't the case.
The coquette aesthetic is so 2023. This year, it’s all about the “office siren.” Yet many Gen Zs entering their first corporate jobs are struggling to differentiate between the TikTok fashion trend and clothing that’s actually appropriate for the office.
Like most microtrends, the office siren aesthetic emerged on TikTok earlier this year and puts a Y2K-inspired, mysterious, feminine spin on traditional office attire. According to fashion publication Byrdie, it’s “business casual for hot girls,” and helps women become “the office crush.” Through fitted blouses, blazer dresses, short pencil skirts, or vest tops, people all over TikTok have been sharing their best office siren outfits. Fast-fashion brand Finesse has even created its own line of office siren-inspired items.
While some of these outfits are acceptable to wear to the office, the point of the trend was never to inform TikTok users how to dress for professional interactions. Unfortunately, some creators are taking this trend too seriously. As summer internships begin and a new class of college graduates enters the workforce, there has been an array of mixed messages as to what is appropriate to wear in a business casual office.
Recently, several influencers have posted videos sharing their fashionable office wear recommendations. In one video, a fashion creator posted a work outfit suggestion: a pleated mini-skirt, cropped tank top, and open-toed heels. Not every office has the same dress code, but generally, this would not fly in a casual office.
While these recommendations are already getting spoofed, fashion creator Brendalin posted a video addressing some of these off-putting recommendations.
“I have been seeing a plethora of videos on this app saying what you should actually wear to the office this summer,” said Brendalin. “I’m just here to tell you that a miniskirt, a minidress, a tube top, a spaghetti strap, a crop top are just not office appropriate.”
However, it’s already clear that the advice younger creators who are starting their first office jobs are struggling to dress appropriately. 20-year-old college student and content creator Victoria Argenzio has been documenting the start of her summer internship at TikTok in New York City. In a since-deleted vlog documenting her second day on the job, she posted a video featuring her outfit: a blazer, a pair of slacks, and a small cropped tank top.
In Victoria’s case, she may not have known better. After all, seeing influencers who have never worked a corporate job recommend how to dress for the office can have a large impact on someone stepping foot into their first professional environment. Over the weekend, a larger fashion creator Hannah Lizzy (who also starts her first corporate job this summer) posted a video about bringing “hot girl outfits to the office.” She tried on a buttoned dress she loved, but felt uncomfortable wearing because it was “too long.”
Much of these attitudes towards office wear are directly related to the rise of the office siren trend, and the desire to prioritize dressing fashionably for the office. While it’s okay for someone to care about their appearance in a work setting, it seems like many are missing the point of going into the office: to do work, not just dress up.
While much of Gen Z still has yet to set foot into an office, those who have done so are already changing the nature of the workplace. Employers have called out Gen Z employees for being too casual, acting entitled, and asking for too much money. Recently, they’ve also been accused of turning “quiet quitting” into “reseentism,” or continuing to work in roles they do not enjoy. It’s not a coincidence that at the end of 2023 was the rise of the “snail girl,” who is the opposite of the “girl boss” that millennial women championed. Instead, she prioritzes self-care and rest.
Although Gen Z has caused employers to think differently about the professional relationships they have built, unfortunately, this does not mean the office siren trend will serve as the blueprint for Gen Z officewear. If anything, it is a reminder that our digital and physical experiences are so intertwined, and it’s important to know when to separate them.