A woman in the workplace; one of the world’s most controversial topics to date. Not in the way you may think–women have been working regularly for many decades–but being a woman in the workplace has never come without a struggle. Now, while it may be common for women to be seen in the office (and not just as a secretary) their presence can still be undermined by unfair representation, the wage gap or just general misogyny.
Duality of Women
One of the biggest struggles with this has always been a woman’s attire in the workplace. There is somehow no perfect way for a woman to dress. Too much coverage and she is boring or uptight, too little coverage and she is using her sexuality to work her way to the top.
Now, with the emergence of the office siren trend, women are proving that their outfits and fashion tastes do not need to align with the misogynistic views of the American workplace. Women can be sexy and intelligent as well as great employees.
Trends That Bend
The trend, which sexifies traditional business casual attire, has taken over Pinterest boards and Instagram feeds. The office siren look brings a sultry makeup look–often with a thin, sharp eyeliner wing and pouty lips–covered with thin 2000s glasses to the workplace.
Featuring tight form traditional business wear–such as button-up shirts or low-rise trousers–the outfits allow women to feel sexy and confident while working hard, all while breaking down harsh stereotypes and the overwhelming control of the workplace patriarchy.
One of the best pieces of advice I have ever received was when I was interning at a school in California. One of my (female) bosses had told me I was dressing too kooky for work, though none of the men or female workers were required to follow a dress code. The men often showed up in running sneakers, jeans and a hoodie. I was taken aback. When I mentioned it to another woman on the staff, she told me some of the greatest advice I had ever received as a young professional: your attire has nothing to do with your intelligence or your ability to do your job.
This advice encapsulates the office siren trend for me. After countless generations of scrutiny, women are banned together to create trends that are stealing power from society’s idea of a woman in the workplace. While the work isn’t done, trends like these are making strides to achieve a world of workplace equality.
For more workplace fashion, follow @VALLEYmag on Instagram.
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