Narrow, rimless glasses perched on the nose. A grey fitted blazer, a slim pencil skirt, a crisp shirt, sheer black tights and pointed kitten heels. Hair in a sleek low bun or a deliberate claw-clip twist. That is the office siren, the 2024 TikTok aesthetic that took the most ordinary clothing of all, office wear from the 1990s and 2000s, and made it feel sharp, sensual and powerful.
What is the office siren aesthetic?
Office siren is a sleek, polished look that borrows the uniform of late-twentieth-century corporate life and dresses it up with confidence. The palette is serious (grey, black, white, navy, brown), the tailoring is fitted rather than oversized, and the accessories are precise: small rectangular glasses, a structured bag, a thin belt, kitten heels or slingbacks. It is meant to look like you mean business, and also like you know exactly what effect you are having.
Where it came from
The name spread on TikTok in the spring and summer of 2024, as young women posted “office siren” outfits and make-up looks. It was part of a wider fascination with what video essayist Mina Le called the “retro corporate aesthetic”: a nostalgia for the offices of the 1990s and 2000s seen in films and television, with their power suits, fax machines and dramatic glasses. It also connected to a fashion moment: designers such as Miu Miu and Prada had been reworking grey tailoring, pencil skirts and slim glasses for several seasons, and celebrities were photographed in the look off-duty.
The glasses became the signature accessory. Small, rimless or thin-framed rectangular specs, sometimes nicknamed after the video-game character Bayonetta, sold out across eyewear brands.
The codes
- Clothes: fitted blazers, pencil and midi skirts, crisp button-down shirts, fine-knit cardigans and twinsets, tailored trousers, slim waistcoats.
- Colours: charcoal and dove grey, black, white, navy, chocolate and the occasional burgundy.
- Accessories: thin rectangular or rimless glasses, kitten heels and slingbacks, sheer tights, a structured top-handle bag, a slim watch, small gold or silver earrings.
- Beauty: a sleek bun or twisted clip, defined brows, a brown or berry lip with liner, a hint of smoky eye.
- Labels most associated with it: Miu Miu, Prada, Saint Laurent and The Row on the high end; vintage workwear from charity shops on the other.
See the mood
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The references
Film and TV: Working Girl (1988), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Ally McBeal, Secretary (2002), The Matrix‘s sleek office scenes, and the corporate thrillers of the 1990s.
Fashion: Tom Ford’s 1990s Gucci, Helmut Lang’s minimalism, and the precise tailoring of Miu Miu’s recent collections.
Why it caught on
For a generation that entered work during the pandemic, in hoodies on video calls, the idea of dressing up for the office had a new glamour. Office siren turned something mundane into a costume of competence and control. It also offered a grown-up alternative to the soft, girlish aesthetics of the moment: here was a look about being sharp, adult and slightly intimidating. And it could be built almost entirely from second-hand workwear.
The debate
The word “siren” pointed to the controversy. Some commentators worried that the aesthetic recycled the old stereotype of the “sexy secretary” and wondered whether it was appropriate for real workplaces; a few viral videos claimed it was damaging careers, often with more drama than evidence. Others argued it was a confident reclaiming of femininity at work, the opposite of dressing to blend in. Either way, it reopened a long-running conversation about what women are “allowed” to wear to the office.
Where it is now
The name peaked in 2024, but grey tailoring, slim glasses and kitten heels have become wardrobe staples. The aesthetic has also blurred into the related “corporate core” and the wider return of formal dressing. Its glasses, in particular, look set to stay.
Related aesthetics
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Learn more: hear from more voices
A deep dive into the retro corporate aesthetic, and a critical look at the office siren trend.
Sources: fashion coverage of the office siren and retro corporate trends (2024–2025). Videos are embedded from YouTube and remain the work of their creators.
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