Armed with the Y2K-tinged, slimline framed glasses (together with fitted tailoring, sultry heels and a sleek handbag), the 'office siren' is set to take over our wardrobes this spring
The sexy secretary look of yesteryear has stepped aside to welcome a more independent woman to inspire our wardrobes: the ‘office siren’. Referred to across the internet as “business casual for hot girls”, this trend has seen a meteoric rise on TikTok with the look's statement #bayonettaglasses garnering over 23 million views alone.
With Gen Z entering the workforce in this post-pandemic era, it comes as little surprise that they're glamorising corporate fashion along the way. Historically, office attire of super slinky shirts and fitted tailoring could teeter on the verge of inappropriate, but the 'office siren' of 2024 is sleek, chic and in charge. She may not opt for pieces that you would actually wear to your nine-to-five, but the core idea behind this corporate-core look is less about functional fashion and more about channelling the energy of a powerful woman at work.
In fact, the trend has come to influence recent shows, with Danish brand Gestuz discussing the phenomenon ahead of its autumn/winter '24 runway. "I love the sexier and somewhat humorous take on office wear," said creative director Sanne Sehested. "It feels a little like the female taking over something that was traditionally more masculine and using it as a form of empowerment." Making it her own. "It also feels like a very natural progression with the big focus on everything '00s," adds Sehestedt.
Matilda Djerf wears pink acetate rectangular glasses . Photo: Matilda Djerf (@matildadjerf)
Giselle Bündchen in The Devil Wears Prada (2006). Photo: Courtesy of Fox 2000
Bella Hadid is one of the modern-day muses to kick off our obsession with Bayonetta glasses and fitted shirts. Photo: Bella Hadid (@bellahadid)
The label ‘office siren’ might be new, but the aesthetic draws on trends from the '90s and early '00. Think Calvin Klein, Tom Ford’s Gucci, and Prada, whose soft colour palette and sleek silhouettes set the tone for the decade. As for modern-day remixes, Miu Miu’s autumn/winter '23 collection and its bookish cardigans and flyaway hairs may be to blame. The subsequent spring/summer '24 season saw Swedish brand Hodakova present nostalgic office wear topped with rectangular faux glasses, followed by Gestuz aforementioned show which introduced its own version of the sultry 'office siren'.
"It feels a little like the female taking over something that was traditionally more masculine and using it as a form of empowerment.
Sanne Sehested, creative director of Gestuz
According to Sehestedt, it is only natural for fashion to circle back. "I think the references and interest in the more playful, 'playing dress up' ways of the '00s make perfect sense," says Sehestedt. "I think it reflects the world we are living in,” she continues, stating that it can be a way of “adding personality” to the potentially bland experince of office-bound hours.
Compared to other recent social media trends, the wardrobe formula of the 'office siren' is well-defined: an unoffensive palette of blacks, greys, neutrals, sandy browns across sheer knitwear, pencil skirts, tight turtlenecks, slim-fit shirts and impeccably tailored trousers. When it comes to makeup, the 'office siren' veers towards matte finishes and cool-toned browns, with a dark brown or burgundy lipstick always close to hand for any necessary after-hours transformation. The finishing touch? The iconic Bayonetta glasses, of course.
Gestuz autumn/winter '24.
Miu Miu autumn/winter '23.
Hodakova spring/wummer '24.
But the recent renaissance of early '00s rom-coms is arguably the biggest 'office siren' driver, with none playing a part quite as influential as Giselle Bündchen's cameo as Runway employee Serena in The Devil Wears Prada. Embodying everything the internet has fallen in love with about the 'office siren', Bündchen's slicked-back hair, sultry shirting and Bayonetta spectacles have no doubt influenced our favourite tastemakers as they take on the trend.
Take Bella Hadid, for example. The model's looks have been laden with slim-rimmed glasses and skinny vintage suiting as of late – topped by an expertly tousled claw clip. At the same time, our favourite Swedish content creator and entrepreneur Matilda Djerf has embraced by pairing pink acetate glasses with her daily ensembles – presenting a more subdued Nordic take on the trend. Sehested notes this more grounded interpretation is how she expects those in Nordics to take to the trend. “Her shoes might be a little more comfortable. Or at least she has a pair of flats in her bag,” she says of the Scandinavian 'office siren'. And naturally, she's adding "a big coat over those miniskirts to keep warm.”
