While Millennials take credit for introducing a more relaxed dress code to classic office wear, Gen Zers have tested its limits, with some job seekers apparently burning their chances at work because of their poor clothing choices.
In a video shared on TikTok on Wednesday by @thesleepydm, the poster, Abby, said that some Gen Zers are getting in trouble at work because of their "inappropriate" attire, which she blames on a particular category of people currently popular on social media.
"The reason that all of these kids are getting in trouble for the clothing that they're wearing to the office is because they're getting their inspiration from content creators, not from actual nine-to-five workers," she says in the clip.
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"There are so many fashion creators that are creating like 'nine to five working inspo' that have never touched an office in their lives."
According to the poster, who works in an office, the best thing to do when seeking office wear inspiration is to stop looking at content creators who create looks based on fashion and follow office content creators with more in-depth knowledge of office settings.
@thesleepydm Corporate America demands you dress respectfully. If you want to enter that world, I’m begging you to follow the guidelines. #corporate #corporatelife #corporatetiktok #genz #officewear #corporatefashion
♬ original sound - Abby
"Get a cute pair of slacks that fit you well, get a couple of nice tops, wear fun shoes, get a fun bag, get some fun accessories, but your Shein mini skirt is not the thing you need to be wearing to the office. Open-back tops should not be touching your admin office. Wearing a blazer with nothing underneath can get you fired," she said.
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Moreover, she explains that a quick rule of thumb when getting ready for work is to think about the rules of modesty that you had to follow when you were in school and apply them to work wear.
"Do not destroy your possibility of [working] at your internship because you want to wear a cute little top that you found online. I know you want to be the change, but you're an intern; just dress how your boss wants you to," she said.
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Abby's video comes amid the "Office Siren" trend going viral on TikTok, which features outfits like tight-fitting, short pencil skirts and tailored blazers paired with statement glasses.
The popular office wear trend has recently sparked a surge of interest among Gen Zers, who are criticized at work by those who consider this type of clothing too provocative, according to HR Magazine.
But the criticism doesn't stop in the office; it affects job interviews, too. A young woman went viral on TikTok earlier this month after revealing that a recruiter turned her away because of her outfit, which consisted of a blouse and shorts. In her opinion, the outfit looked "neat and professional."
By 2025, Gen Zers may comprise more than a quarter of the global workforce and have different priorities than previous generations.
While they are the generation least likely to leave a job because of money, according to McKinsey Quarterly statistics, they expect flexible working, career progression and a purpose in their work.
Camille Bradbury, Director of HR Communication at Matchr.com, told Newsweek that it is important to allow employees to express their individuality at work—with taste.
"Taste, meaning modesty and business professional attire," she said. "This means avoiding showing too much skin at work, like low-cut shirts that expose lots of cleavage or chest hair, or short skirts. I think there's a way to express our individuality without being sexual."
According to Annie Rosencrans, People & Culture Director at HiBob, a company's dress code is an important indicator of its values and tells candidates what they can expect from you as an employer.
"Making allowances in this area is a great way to attract talent, but in today's post-pandemic climate and increasingly multigenerational workforce, the idea of relaxing dress codes goes beyond talent acquisition," Rosencrans told Newsweek.
"If you consider the changes that have taken place in cultural standards over the last few years, evolving office dress code policies to match the times is worth considering as an important part of a company's employee value proposition."
Rosencrans added that beyond allowing people to be more comfortable, which inevitably drives employee satisfaction, when people can express individuality through fashion and bring their authentic selves to work, you're engendering a culture of belonging, particularly from a DE&I perspective.
"When it comes to cons of a relaxed dress code, generally speaking, they tend to revolve around people wearing attire that creates distraction or conflict, such as when employees wear something that is either intentionally or unintentionally offensive to someone else: things like rude language on T-shirts or crude images are the obvious ones.
"It can also pose a challenge for managers to enforce stricter dress codes to meet certain occasions like client meetings or special events."
The video quickly went viral on TikTok and has received over 1.6 million views and 196,400 likes.
One TikTok user, Morgan Elizabeth, commented: "Not to mention like they'd be SO COLD in most of those office siren outfits."
"From my office worker aunt: dark academia and corporate goth attire is 100% considered business casual and is office appropriate (I showed her both)," said commenter Lex.
"The best thing I was ever told about office wear was 'start conservative, observe for a week, and READ the ROOM," TikToker Baciccol wrote.
Newsweek reached out to @thesleepydm for comment via TikTok comments. We could not verify the details of the case.
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