Dressing It Down: The Accelerated Shift To Relaxed Workwear

There was a move towards a more relaxed style of workwear in the office before the pandemic, particularly amongst the Millennial and Gen-Z generations. Before the pandemic, the death of the tie and throwing away of high-heels to attend meetings in the office became a trend, partly influenced by the counter-corporate culture that the growth of the tech industry had on the working world. This trend has been accelerated since return to work happened; many companies shifted to remote work and employees are finding that they can be just as productive in relaxed, comfortable clothing, as they can in formal attire. The expectations around appearance and conducting business have also changed.

One of the main reasons for this shift is the changing attitudes towards work and career among Millennials and Gen-Z. These generations are more focused on work-life balance and are less likely to put in long hours at the office, simply to please presenteeism. These generations work in a much more agile way and are unlikely to spend full days in the office, so wearing clothes that allows them to move comfortably between different environments became key to their work identity. They also place a greater emphasis on individuality and personal expression across all aspects of their life in line with being their authentic selves, which is at odds with the traditional, conservative dress code of bygone office environments.

Another factor contributing to this movement is the rise of the gig economy and side-hustles, or at the very least a gig economy approach to work, which has led to an increase in freelance and remote working. Many Millennials and Gen-Z have chosen this way of working because it allows them greater flexibility and autonomy, as well as a more varied and more controlled income stream. This type of work often doesn’t require formal attire and instead allows them to work from anywhere, dressed in whatever they are comfortable wearing, while doing work they love – something office workers want to emulate.

Of course, the pandemic has played a role in this trend. As companies have shifted to remote or flexible work, many employees have found that they do not need to dress up for video calls or virtual meetings and the way we virtually present ourselves quickly shifted since the early days of lockdown. There’s a comfort and realism level that has been achieved through the intrusion of work into the home environment, even with people taking a blended approach to office attendance. People are using ‘workwear’ to stamp their personality onto their presentation of self at work and embracing the idea that a tie or pair of heels is not an indication of one’s ability to do the job.

People are questioning the point of these social rules – in warmer climates, where global corporations have offices, adopting shorts and more casual workwear (such as short-sleeved shirts or shorts) has provided additional comfort to the day, and so the question then becomes, why does this only extend to the climate? Some companies have reported that their employees are more productive and engaged when they feel comfortable in their work attire, which creates an enjoyable working atmosphere. While some previously only allowed this once per week (think casual Friday’), the pandemic has blurred the lines here. Every day can be casual Friday.

The rejection of traditional office workwear among Millennials and Gen-Z can be attributed to several factors, including changing attitudes towards work and career, the rise of the tech corporate culture, and the shift to flexible working due to the pandemic. We are likely to see similar trends shaping other aspects of office culture in the coming years as more and more companies adopt more flexible and casual dress codes because of this change in attitude.