Officecore: How the trend is reinventing itself in spring 2025
Bella Hadid for Saint Laurent, Fall/Winter 2025/26
Typical elements of the style movement include pencil skirts, blazers , blouses, cardigans, and pullovers. Pinstripe, check, or diamond patterns are increasingly seen; materials like tweed, silk, and cashmere are popular; loafers or kitten heels are worn on the feet, and briefcases are carried under the arm. Despite the formal influences, the trend thrives on deliberate stylistic breaks: mesh shirts, oversized cuts, eye-catching accessories, or sneakers provide a playful element that lightens the austerity of the office aesthetic. Various stereotypes play a role within the officecore trend. A particularly popular motif is the "Office Siren," inspired by the clichéd image of the secretary or librarian, who oscillates between reserve and subtle seduction and represents the tension between seriousness and feminine elegance. There are also numerous looks in which women wear garments typically associated with masculine styles, such as oversized suits, formal shirts, and flat shoes.
Officecore: How the look became popularAnother reference point is iconic office looks from film and television. This is less about the deliberately unglamorous sitcom "The Office" – although the main character Michael Scott's chunky sneakers are now cool again as "ugly sneakers" – than about series that focus on high-performers. A leading fashion role model is Meghan Markle as Rachel with her tight-fitting skirt and blouse combinations in the legal drama Suits (the name, referring to the dress code, couldn't be more fitting). Thus, the officecore trend fits seamlessly into the larger " quiet luxury " trend, which emphasizes understated, unfussy elegance.
Tie look by Zendaya
Drew Barrymore in suit and tie
Overall, the aesthetic of the officecore trend is closely linked to the coding of hard work. The looks convey seriousness, a sense of duty, and a professional demeanor. Those who choose suit trousers instead of baggy jeans or cashmere sweaters instead of sweatshirts signal a conscious departure from casual wear and opt for a distinctly work-oriented style. This fashion is particularly popular on social media. More and more videos show women working in "corporate jobs" presenting their business looks. Their outfits are not only an expression of fashion awareness but also a visual representation of their professional performance. Clothing becomes the performance of a high-performance lifestyle.
Officecore is more than just an office lookThis trend is particularly significant for young people. Generation Z, in particular, is often said to be unambitious and even unwilling to work. The appropriation of clothing from the world of work represents a countermovement, at least in fashion terms. By wearing formal clothing, Gen Z presents itself as ambitious – at the same time, fashion is combined casually and brought into everyday life. Officecore is not about actual office looks worn on the way to the insurance company, a large law firm like in Suits , or the sales department of a paper company like in The Office , but rather a fashion game. Perhaps a departure from the physical space of the office is necessary to spin a fantasy out of the corresponding looks and to place shirt-trouser combinations in a new context: In times when work is changing more and more socially, the office aesthetic is becoming a stylistic projection surface.
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