January 26, 2025
Some Gen Zers are getting in trouble for not knowing how to dress at work—and experts say they’ve missed out on one huge fashion tip
“Gen Z pushes the boundaries in every way, and it’s not a bad thing at all. In some ways, the world is changing for the positive because they’re being outspoken,” Marina Santo, managing director of fashion staffing agency Fourth Floor, tells Fortune. “But some have this attitude of ‘the employer owes me,’ ‘I am owed this because I’m working.’ Sometimes they feel entitled to dress a certain way because of their attitude towards the workplace.”
Marina Santo and Juliette Quaranta sat down with Fortune Magazine to discuss Gen Z attitudes towards fashion in the office.
“Some people will get hired and then all of a sudden they’ll dye their hair blue,” Santo says, connecting their actions back to that “my employer owes me” mentality. ”If somebody starts off a certain way and then goes wild with their look, it’s kind of a shade against the employer. That’s when it sort of affects their job status.”
Juliette Quaranta, a Gen Z account manager at Fourth Floor, tells Fortune she’s adapted to the company’s specific style. Working at the fashion recruiting agency, she prefers laid-back luxury office staples. She rotates through cashmere sweaters and button-downs, throwing on an elevated sneaker or boot to match. But she finishes the looks with thick gold hoops, rings, and necklaces that add some flare. She’s brought in touches of her personal style while acclimating to the office’s polished business-casual energy.
“The way my style evolved, it was also related to my comfort in the work environment. I started off being a little bit more afraid, wanting to be more professional,” Quaranta says. “Now it’s more of what I feel comfortable wearing, and what is appropriate.”
“There’s more of an expectation today of individuality, of being able to show something about who you are through your wardrobe,” Santo says. “It’s important to know even though trends are happening, corporate attire should never really change.”
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