20th Century Fox; Getty Images; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez/BI
- Gen Z's "office siren" aesthetic has taken off on TikTok, blending chic and bold styles.
- The trend draws from late 1990s and early 2000s fashion.
- One HR expert warns the trend has problematic connotations related to sexism at work.
Gen Z has looked to late 1990s and early 2000s fashion to rewrite traditional office wear — and they're having a lot of fun with it.
The "office siren" trend is all over TikTok, with some videos racking up millions of views.
Its corporate style with a touch of boldness and takes inspiration from movies such as "The Devil Wears Prada" or the TV series "Sex and the City." Think miniskirts, stilettos, and slimline thin glasses.
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Some have criticized the trend for being impractical or even inappropriate for the office, especially for looks focused on short skirts, skin-tight clothes, and blouses with low hemlines.
Others say this trend has dangerous undertones that are rooted in sexism.
"The office siren TikTok trend has a wealth of problematic connotations to unpick," Kate Palmer, employment services director at HR and employment law consultancy Peninsula, told Business Insider.
"The trend appears to be primarily targeted at younger female employees, with sexual, sexist, and ageist connotations, all of which have no place in the workplace," she said.
Palmer explained that in most cases, dressing "provocatively" for work is inappropriate.
"The undertones in the term 'office siren' reaffirm dated 'sexy secretary' stereotypes, and the belief that women dress for the male gaze in the workplace," she said.
HR TikTokers have posted videos on TikTok in response to this trend, expressing which styles are acceptable for the workplace and which should be kept for free time.
Maree Ellard, a corporate stylist based in Australia, previously told BI that clothing like miniskirts have no place in the office.
In one TikTok video, she demonstrated how she could not bend down or sit comfortably in a miniskirt.
Uncomfortable outfits just add to your everyday stress, she said.
"If you can't functionally move and you're only basing your outfit on just standing straight, you need to cut that out," she added.