Sagal Mohammed is a journalist with over seven years of experience in the fashion and pop culture space. She regularly writes for titles including British 

, as well as being content editor at Soho House.

Once a signifier of luxury or novelty, custom products and services are now within reach of the everyday consumer, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, algorithm-led platforms, and the COVID-era digitisation boom. Today, everyone wants to be the main character of their brand experience. 

Personal Worlds

As an increasing number of employers have issued return-to-office mandates since the end of pandemic lockdowns, Gen Z professionals have begun integrating personal identity into workwear. The trend has been highlighted across platforms like TikTok, where young people have demonstrated a significant shift away from traditional work attire in favour of dressing to prioritise comfort and showcasing their individuality. Social media hashtags such as 

 (which has over 527 million views on TikTok), 

 (1.2 billion views) are proof of this change in the workplace, spotlighting how young professionals add a sense of personal style to each office look while giving their peers tips on how to achieve something similar.

The lines between workwear and weekend wear blurred considerably during the pandemic as working from home became the norm. Experienced professionals around the world swapped out suits for sweatpants while a new generation of young employees were ushered into post-graduate careers with question marks around what ‘office attire’ really meant. “Our personal and professional identities are more intertwined than ever before due to a number of factors, including the tendency toward more digital-oriented work,” says Caitlin Begg, a psychologist and the founder of 

. “The boundaries between personal and professional life have blurred significantly since 2020, and blending weekend wear with workwear reflects this.” 

Interview with Caitlin Begg conducted by the author

According to research from InstantPrint, 32% of employers in the UK have adopted a ‘casual – I can wear what I like, but nothing inappropriate’ dress code since lockdown. 

PA Life

Meanwhile, job listings firm Adzuna analysed 27,000 postings across the US and found the proportion mentioning casual dress codes rose from 57.5% in 2019 to 69.5% in 2022. 

Bizwomen

 This relaxed approach to office dressing opens avenues for innovation in the fashion industry, reimagining what is considered professional and appropriate in the workplace. So, what are the opportunities to engage with a new market segment? And how can companies foster a more inclusive and individualistic work environment?

One of the key reasons young professionals are leaning into more personalised office attire is due to a prioritisation of individualism at work – they prefer standing out instead of being viewed as one of many. Gen Zers are rejecting traditional workwear and many will even don rare and unique pieces to avoid fading into the background. 

BBC Worklife

 “I wear mostly smart work trousers, a nice jumper, odd socks, and then I top the whole look off with my Crocs,” says journalist and cookery author 

. “I don't like being forced into wearing a uniform or adhering to a dress code to appease outdated social norms (especially as a woman regarding heels, tights, and skirts). But I also understand that it's not conducive to my own productivity to wear tracksuits all day because then it feels like I'm working in my pyjamas. A nice middle ground is good, although I don’t want to be at a workplace that dictates what that looks like for me.” 

Interview with Fliss Freeborn conducted by the author

For Freeborn and many of her peers, the freedom to choose is most important. Social media trends have further emphasised this, with ‘

 vlogs seeing young professionals sharing their diverse office cultures. “We've definitely seen Gen Z adapting a more stylised, social media-inspired aesthetic of the industries they're working in,” says Samantha Hornsby, the co-founder of 

, an app that pairs young creatives with employers across various brands and titles. “Young people who have just landed a job in publishing will dress very much in accordance to the #booktok aesthetic (bright colours, cosy jumpers, almost 'cottagecore'), or those who are working in games are inspired by a 'gamer' aesthetic (hair dye, oversized t-shirts, Dr. Martens/colourful trainers). They often want their office attire to reflect their passion for the industry they're part of because they're seeing other people doing the same online.” 

Interview with Samantha Hornsby conducted by the author

TikTok trends showcasing the creative potential surrounding work life demonstrate how much young professionals value individualism in their careers. By editing together clips of their day portraying themselves in a way that represents them, Gen Zers are taking control of their narratives instead of allowing others to do it for them. In fact, research has shown that they don't count on others to succeed at work – according to a 2022 LinkedIn survey, 61% of US Zers want more opportunities to move up or increase responsibilities, and 76% want more opportunities to learn or practice new skills. 

LinkedIn

This way of thinking falls in line with the general psychological theory of technology enabling individualism throughout history. As expressed by Dr. Jean Twenge, technological developments have a direct impact on society and culture, and for Gen Z, the development of social media and online communities has led to more focus on the self and less on others. 

Dr. Jean Twenge

 “Henri Lefebvre, the French philosopher and sociologist, in his 1941 

references the ‘atomised individual’, or someone who acts in an individual manner versus as part of a collective. Eight decades later, the presence of the atomised individual permeates everyday life. I notice it everywhere I go all around the world,” says Begg. “My research centres around technology’s effect on conversation and the future of work, and I notice that people speak less to each other and spend more time on their phones.” 

 This sense of isolation then breeds individualism.

Gen Z professionals often prioritise a sense of comfort when deciding what to wear – and not just in terms of the materials and wearability of clothing. In a 1999 interview with Charlie Rose, American fashion designer Tom Ford predicted that luxury fashion could potentially face a decline as technology evolved. “Life is changing. And we're working more and more at home, more and more from our computer screen, which in the future – I mean, there are several ways this could go,” he said. “A lot of people think fashion might just die because we're just at home. You can be working in your underwear and a T-shirt. Who cares? Who's going to see you?” 

Charlie Rose

 His theory seems to be reflected in our current reality, with a direct correlation between the rise of remote working and relaxed dress codes.

Some companies have reported that their employees are more productive and engaged when they feel comfortable in their work attire, which aligns with post-pandemic research conducted by Columbia Business School professor Adam D. Galinsky and doctoral students Erica Bailey and Blaine Horton. After experimenting with 400 remote workers from a broad range of sectors, they found that people were most productive working in their ‘home attire’. The research attributed this to improved authenticity and engagement as employees felt most like themselves – i.e. they didn’t feel like they had to dress according to some arbitrary rules. 

Be Offices

This is partly why many employers have relaxed their approaches to office dressing. Earlier in 2023, HSBC joined several other big companies by announcing a shift to more casual uniforms (including jumpsuits and jeans) for its 4,000 branch staff. 

BBC News

 It served as a clear example of how the desire for comfort, authenticity, and individuality is driving new norms within workwear and potentially resigning expensive suits and heels to the past.

The shift towards authenticity and individuality in workwear demonstrates an evolving office culture that values personal expression. “The crux of individualism is empowerment by representation,” says Hornsby. “Social change happens very quickly when you can see thousands, millions of other people online who are doing things a different way to how it was done before.” The idea of ‘dressing for success’ has changed as Gen Z refuses to subscribe to traditional office tropes, especially after realising that a rigid dress code doesn’t necessarily correlate to career success. “The rules were changing in the workplace even before the pandemic, but the COVID lockdown acted as a huge catalyst for normalising an 'anything goes' policy due to open conversations about people wearing no trousers on calls and others turning up to virtual meetings with cameras off,” Hornsby adds. “People who were sick and wearing pajamas were still appearing on calls at times, so traditional definitions of 'professional wear' just went out the window. Now that we're out the other side, it's really hard to force people to go back to how it was before.” 

Companies have also become more accepting of this change because it is of value to them. “From what we've seen at ERIC, Gen Zers don't want to work for a company that restricts them, and the way to get the best work out of this generation is to make sure they’re comfortable and feel able to express themselves, even in small ways like the way they dress at work,” says Hornsby. “Allowing employees to wear what they want at work benefits the employer.” 

Such flexibility isn’t usual across all industries, however, as most client-facing corporate jobs still expect smart attire, as do industries where employees are expected to wear uniforms for health and safety reasons. “The change varies a great deal based on a few factors, including location, industry, and age,” says Begg. “For example, a 29-year-old working in finance in New York City or London may have different work dress priorities than a 23-year-old working in tech in California.” 

With more workplaces adopting casual or business casual dress codes, retailers and fashion brands may look to diversify their product lines to include a broader range of less formal attire. Once purely an activewear brand, Lululemon has expanded into athleisure offerings and has seen huge growth since 2020. In 2023, the company’s annual revenue was $8.1 billion, representing a 29.6% increase from 2022. 

MacroTrends

Some brands and department store chains associated with pre-pandemic formalwear have pivoted to more casual options. American brand M.M.LaFleur’s ‘Jardigan’ (a jumper/cardigan) performed moderately when it was originally styled with a corporate dress. Once the brand restyled it with jeans and a T-shirt as lockdowns began to lift in 2020, sales grew 150%. 

Inc.

 As well as incorporating such changes, fashion brands now have an opportunity to develop unique lines that cater to diverse workwear demands, positioning themselves as facilitators of office empowerment.

Casual workwear can help break down traditional hierarchies and create a more egalitarian environment, which can contribute to a sense of equality and shared purpose. While dress codes that lean towards formality create barriers for individuals from different socio-economic backgrounds, casual attire eliminates the need for expensive wardrobe choices, making it more accessible to a diverse workforce. When employees feel comfortable being themselves, it contributes to a positive team culture. Even before the pandemic, 33% of people surveyed by Randstad reported that they would quit their jobs if they had to adhere to a formal dress code. 

Career Minds

 By introducing more relaxed rules on attire, companies send a message that they value diversity and understand that success can be achieved without conforming to rigid, outdated norms.

The blending of personal identity with work attire creates a dynamic landscape for fashion innovation, leading to designs that bridge work and leisure. Many brands are already doing this, one example being the move to make suits fun again. 

Sprezza

Meanwhile, luxury fashion houses like Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel have all launched athleisure lines complete with trainers and gym leggings, while many others have collaborated with the likes of Nike, Adidas, and Supreme. 

Consumer Additions | LinkedIn

This new era of chic comfort continues to dominate fashion forecasts, especially with the collaboration between LVMH and the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

LVMH

 Hybrid clothing lines may become the new normal, challenging traditional boundaries and shaping the future of fashion and, ultimately, ‘office attire’.

 of employers in the UK have adopted a ‘casual – I can wear what I like, but nothing inappropriate’ dress code since COVID-19 lockdowns

In the US, the proportion of job listings mentioning casual dress codes rose from

 of US Zers want more opportunities to move up or increase responsibilities, and 76% want more opportunities to learn or practice new skills

Gen Z’s individualist streak is being reflected in their approach to officewear, with many wanting to wear clothes that help them stand out and express themselves

The shift to hybrid patterns has fuelled expectations for employers to permit more comfortable attire, which can help workers feel more empowered and productive

These shifts open avenues for innovation in the fashion industry, enabling brands to reimagine what is considered appropriate in the workplace

Caitlin Begg is a psychologist and the founder of 

Fliss Freeborn is a Gen Z journalist and cookery author.

Gen Z (born 1997-2010)

United States

United Kingdom

Fashion and Style

Work

Gen Zers are leaning into a blend of casual and comfortable when dressing for work – and it’s much more than a post-lockdown blip. The way they express themselves through their professional attire says a lot about their approach to the job – what can employers and other generations learn from this?