- Gen Z workers are being dress coded for wearing outfits deemed inappropriate for the office—and their inspiration could be coming from the wrong places. Experts say the young professionals may have missed out on one critical fashion lesson.
Young workers have been testing the waters with outfit inspiration from TikTok workwear influencers. Sometimes, it’s helpful—other times, it would get them sent to HR.
Gen Z is the first “digital native” generation to grow up with the worldwide internet at their fingertips. With ease, they can scroll through a mountain of information perfectly curated by their algorithms. But fall down the wrong rabbit hole, and they could be convinced by bad advice from content creators. Some influencers are pushing workwear content on Instagram and TikTok, passing off questionably office-friendly outfits as fashion gospel.
Young and impressionable workers are taking the outfit inspiration and running with it—straight into the clutches of HR. Some Gen Z have brought their experiences to the internet, questioning why they’re being dress-coded on the job.
“Gen Z pushes the boundaries in every way, and it’s not a bad thing at all. In some ways, the world is changing for the positive because they’re being outspoken,” Marina Santo, managing director of fashion staffing agency Fourth Floor, tells Fortune. “But some have this attitude of ‘the employer owes me,’ ‘I am owed this because I’m working.’ Sometimes they feel entitled to dress a certain way because of their attitude towards the workplace.”
Gen Z is dishing over getting in trouble for their workwear
Young workers are still trying to figure it all out. And for many people, navigating contemporary office dress codes can lead to sticky situations.
One young employee took to the internet to share her experience getting in trouble for her work outfit. Kiera Bohan posted an “outfit of the day” (OOTD) TikTok video from her office, showing off her white cropped sweater, green canvas pants, and chunky sneakers. Over the video she wrote “recorded this ootd at work and then got in trouble for having my [midriff] showing.” Bohan captioned the post “now looking back my outfit was not cute enough to risk it #ootd #9to5.”
Other creators have dedicated whole content series to analyzing the actual practicalness of workwear content. A TikTok user named Sunny Lena has made 24 videos that judge what users post as “office outfit inspiration” from an HR perspective. Clothing items are assessed in many ways: some skirts being too short, sleeveless tops are a no-go, blazers bring the simplest together, dresses should be the right length. Through her series, she has broken down influencer-led Gen Z workwear trends like the “office siren” look.
Experts tell Fortune there are a few common workwear mistakes young professionals make as they’re finding their corporate groove. Their usual office attire faux pas include crop tops, running sneakers, radical changes in appearance, and athletic clothes. But experts also contend that there are some instances where these items would be in line with a company’s aesthetic.
“Athleisure is probably the most common [Gen Z styling issue] that I see, because it’s turned into some people’s day-to-day wear. There’s a fine-line between athleisure and athletic wear,” Myka Meier, a modern etiquette coach, tells Fortune. “I have a law firm I work for and the workers are all in suits. They have sneakers on, but really nice leather sneakers, not athletic running shoes. That’s the difference.”
Santo says as a staffing professional, she’s also had to help some clients navigate Gen Z’s appearance at the office. Sometimes workers switch up their appearance once they get the gig, or take on some edgy fashion choices. They’re not always the best fit for certain businesses.
“Some people will get hired and then all of a sudden they’ll dye their hair blue,” Santo says, connecting their actions back to that “my employer owes me” mentality. ”If somebody starts off a certain way and then goes wild with their look, it’s kind of a shade against the employer. That’s when it sort of affects their job status.”
‘Corpcore,’ ‘office siren,’ and edgy business-casual fashion trends
As pupils of the internet, Gen Z are well-studied on identifying and following fashion trends. And there are a few that have resonated with young corporate America.
On Instagram and TikTok, there have been multiple iterations of contemporary office style: the “office siren,” blending button-downs with sensual makeup and tight skirts; “corpcore,” redefining traditional office clothes with unique tailoring and eccentric accessories; to even the obscure “corporate goth,” all-black attire with Addams Family-esque detailing.
Retailers have even jumped on the trends; popular Gen Z brands like ASOS, Urban Outfitters, Boohoo, and Cider all have an “office siren” shopping tab. Everlane and PrettyLittleThing also have one for “corpore” clothes. Aritzia even ran an Instagram campaign writing “Tag your favourite office siren.”
As alluring and aesthetically pleasing as these workwear videos can be, their comment sections are often riddled with actual office workers questioning the appropriateness. Users joke that they wouldn’t last 10 minutes in-person without being dress-coded for those outfits, or that these styles reflect a fantasy version of working a desk job. Others point out that oftentimes these influencers don’t work 9-to-5 office jobs, and wouldn’t know what would fly in the first place.
“TikTok is full of career advice about what to wear. A lot of it, from my perspective, is very bad advice, because it really does depend on your industry. There’s not an across-the-board right answer,” Maria Amato, senior client partner of employee experience at Korn Ferry, tells Fortune. “It’s going to be different if you’re taking advice on TikTok from someone who works in a creative field, and you’re trying to break into financial services.”
It’s natural for Gen Z to turn to TikTok for advice—as the workforce’s youngest professionals, they’re the least privy to appropriate workwear, according to experts. Plus, this generation may have stunted knowledge of the corporate fashion rulebook. Employees typically pick up on office outfit trends during their internships, but many Gen Z professionals had their first opportunity during lockdown. It was much harder to get workwear feedback in virtual settings.
Twenty years ago, workers had a way easier time getting helpful workwear advice, says Meier. But today, contemporary TV shows and movies that feature corporate professionals, like Selling Sunset, have muddied the waters even more. Some young professionals are looking at what these real estate reality stars wear to their high-powered jobs and want to emulate that success through their style. Those outfits wouldn’t slip past HR in most offices—but there are exceptions.
“The girls on Selling Sunset look great for their audience and for the company they work for. It works,” Meier says. “If their boss is happy, their clients are happy, and they are happy, then I don’t see a problem. Is it considered globally professional? No. But they’re dressing for the brand of their industry, and they’re doing a great job.”
Gen Z’s most important fashion tip: Dressing to match the ‘vibe’ of a company
Experts tell Fortune that the best fashion tip for Gen Z workers is channeling the energy of their company in their outfits.
“The main advice I give Gen Z is that you have to dress for the brand and industry you’re working for,” Meier says. “If you work for a trendy marketing firm in New York City, then you probably can wear leggings and have navy blue nail polish. But if you work for a corporate bank, then that doesn’t work.”
And perhaps managers can do a bit of helpful steering. Santo currently oversees about 10 Gen Z employees at Fourth Floor, and says she’s been educating her younger workers on appropriate workwear for a decade. She endorses certain looks: minimal makeup, heels and flats, black and neutral colors. And her young employees have mainly stuck with the program, showing pops of their personal style with chunky jewelry and eye-catching accessories.
Juliette Quaranta, a Gen Z account manager at Fourth Floor, tells Fortune she’s adapted to the company’s specific style. Working at the fashion recruiting agency, she prefers laid-back luxury office staples. She rotates through cashmere sweaters and button-downs, throwing on an elevated sneaker or boot to match.
But she finishes the looks with thick gold hoops, rings, and necklaces that add some flare. She’s brought in touches of her personal style while acclimating to the office’s polished business-casual energy.
“The way my style evolved, it was also related to my comfort in the work environment. I started off being a little bit more afraid, wanting to be more professional,” Quaranta says. “Now it’s more of what I feel comfortable wearing, and what is appropriate.”
Experts say there is no silver bullet answer to the workwear debate—“corpcore” and “office siren” styles may mesh well with some professions. But overall, there is a consensus that some clothing staples will never go away. Button-downs, dress pants, blazers, flats, mules, and more will stay the golden standard.
“There’s more of an expectation today of individuality, of being able to show something about who you are through your wardrobe,” Santo says. “It’s important to know even though trends are happening, corporate attire should never really change.”
