CORPORATE GOTHIC Business Casual

Some Gen Z professionals are saying they're not afraid to express themselves at work — and the "corporate goths" of TikTok are a prime example.
The tag "corporate goth" has more than 25 million views on TikTok, and it's filled with get-ready-with-me videos featuring fishnet stockings and a lot of black.

'Corporate goths' are wearing their fishnets and eyeliner to work — and they're not apologizing for expressing themselves

Jordan Hart 

Sep 13, 2023, 2:01 AM PDT

Some Gen Zers are prioritizing their personal style in the office, whether their coworkers like it or not. That includes, in these cases, dressing in a "goth" style. 

Jordan Hart/Insider

• The '"corporate goth" tag on TikTok has over 25 million views.
• Gen Z workers are reaching for all-black clothing and white face paint when dressing for the office.
• For some, the freedom to be themselves at work is nearly as important as pay.

Office dress codes have become blurred in the wake of the pandemic, and the door has opened for Gen Z to put their own personal touch on business casual. For some, the ability to express themselves may even be a higher priority than salary.
"A lot of Gen Zers feel more drawn by the mission of a company and what their goal is, as opposed to things like salary," Michael Yan, a founder of the job-search platform Simplify, told Insider in November.
Insider spoke to three workers participating in the corporate goth tag on TikTok, and they all agree on how important it is for them to be true to themselves — even in the office. . .

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