Professionalism is changing for the better The days of black slacks, white collared shirts and gray blazers are slowly passing. Before our eyes we are witnessing the definition of professionalism changing. Tattoos, piercings and colorful hair dye are becoming more commonplace in office settings as Millennials and Generation Z enter the workforce.
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alking into an office in the early 2000’s meant seeing suits, pantsuits, dresses, dress shoes and heels. Walking into an office in 2021 means seeing very few people working due to COVID-19, and those who are
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COOGLIFE // September 2021
working in the office are more relaxed-- wearing what would’ve been a casual Friday outfit 20 years ago, which means maybe a nice shirt, jeans and sneakers. In the early 2000’s professionalism meant looking modest, with an emphasis on dress-code. As fashion advice from TLC’s What Not To Wear came into play, pantsuits were popularized once more.
By Sofia Gonzalez
The typical office look did not stray far from what was depicted in movies during this time period. Think of Devil Wears Prada. The outfits in this movie consisted of extravagant pantsuits, dresses and shoes. It showed what professionalism attire meant during the beginning of the 21st Century. Let’s fast forward about 20 years-times have changed, especially with COVID-19. People are working from home, they are getting more comfortable with the idea of staying home, and most people don’t dress up for their conference calls anymore. When the pandemic first began, there were trending Tik Tok’s showing people with proper attire on the top, and pajama pants on the bottom-- proving that these
