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When searching for professional clothing on TikTok, you quickly come across videos in which young women showcase their office outfits. But don’t expect clothing that covers your body, because Generation Z loves sexy office attire. Short skirts, bare midriffs, and brightly colored clothing seem to have become the norm. Is it naivety, or will the business dress code really look different in the future?
Casual sexy office attire
Before addressing the above question, let’s first take a look at the videos in which young women display their work attire.
@mafegaluee Another one????????✨ this one is good #workoutfit #outfit #DuetDoWet #28DaysOfEucerin #fashion #outfitideas #ootd
♬ I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas
Although the ladies like to dress sexy, there are significant differences in styles and the ways they present themselves. In the video above, you can see how a twenty-four-year-old woman showcases what she wore to the office that week. Her clothing style is quite casual and sometimes a bit revealing. She particularly likes short tops, and wearing a mini skirt to work is no problem for her. It comes across as casual and certainly not provocative, but I find it remarkable.
As a personal statement
@okaykeelyy Replying to @lucypytrodriguez this is how I dress ? #fyp #corporatelife #ootd #workoutfit ♬ BILLIE EILISH. – Armani White
The woman in the above video is a teacher and also likes to wear sexy clothing. She regularly shows what this looks like on her TikTok account. Sometimes it’s more covered up than other times, but the clothing always fits closely to her body.
During an interview with the NewYork Post, she says she understands that her style isn’t very business-like. But she sees clothing as a personal statement and therefore thinks it’s fine to wear it to work. Good clothing makes her feel good, and that’s what she finds most important.
Fluorescent nudity
@daniklaric it’s giving business woman @savagexfenty #savagexambassador ♬ original sound – dani klarić
There are also young ladies who, in my opinion, don’t quite realize that clothing leaves a certain impression. The woman in the above video is a good example. Dani is an interior advisor and goes furniture shopping with a client. In the video, she shows what she wears when doing this. Her outfit consists of a suit with a mini skirt, a set of transparent underwear, high stockings, and flat shoes. Indeed, the blouse or top is missing.
At the end, she says she would also wear this clothing to the office. I find it ironic that she covers her breasts with her hands in the video. Apparently, she understands that showing a fluorescent transparent bra on TikTok is not allowed, but she would wear it to work.
She concludes with the quote “who’s gonna stop me?”. Well, with this level of self-confidence, probably no one. But it may not work in favor of every employer if you only wear a fluorescent yellow bra under your jacket…
Consciously rebellious
@jay.alexaa Its not my fault I look like this ?? #curvytiktok #slimthick #latinatiktok #coporatebaddie #fyp #ChewTheVibes ♬ Munch (Feelin’ U) – Ice Spice
Finally, there is also a group that consciously provokes. They make videos emphasizing that it’s not really acceptable, but they still wear the clothing to work.
Awkward choices and external influences
Anyone who thinks these outfits are limited to TikTok is mistaken. David Bradshaw, president of the Northstar PMO consultancy firm, has also noticed a change among young people. According to him, their clothing style is becoming more casual, which can cause problems.
Cindy O’Peka of O’Peka Human Resources and Consulting in California agrees with Bradshaw. She says she is in favor of a flexible dress code but often finds young people’s clothing inappropriate. During her work, she sees outfits more suitable for going out than for a professional environment. She believes young people do this due to a lack of knowledge and insight into the consequences of such clothing.
But young people also make choices based on what they see. Clothing stores play a significant role in this. In 2016, I wrote an article about the business clothing category at Zalando. They often appear on social media because they’ve added yet another bare dress to this category. But even the popular webshop FashionNova has special items in their Office Babe collection. The brightly colored suits are presented with nothing more than a bra under the blazer, and the skirts rarely reach or go beyond the knee.
Generation Z loves sexy office attire
In addition to the influence of clothing brands and the desire to be rebellious, upbringing and the spirit of the times also play an important role. We live in an era of increasing casualization, which makes more and more people feel like anything goes. Always and everywhere. That’s logical too, because more and more companies are relaxing their dress codes or abandoning them altogether. So, it’s not surprising that young people wear what they feel like.
Then there’s the upbringing to consider. What do parents impart to young people? Do parents teach them to consider their surroundings when dressing for a particular occasion? Is a bit of etiquette instilled in them or not? These are all factors that play a role in the choices young people make later in life. Of course, upbringing won’t always play a role. Some people just like to go against the tide or find the unwritten rules nonsensical.
However, I don’t think etiquette and dress codes will disappear. Just like fashion trends, this works in waves: at one point, people find one thing important, and at another time, something else. At the moment, we live in an era where clothing regulations are seen as a restriction of freedom. But humans are creatures who like structure and like to belong somewhere. And that’s exactly what clothing regulations can do well: they ensure that you are part of the group. So, I expect it’s only a matter of time before we return to proper clothing, and perhaps even the formal suit will make a comeback.
What do you think?
Greetings,
Aileen