What Is The Office Siren Aesthetic?

“Please continue to move at a glacial pace” is a Miranda Priestly quote that I use on a daily basis as an 8th grader. Miranda Priestly, for those unaware, is a fictional character from David Frankel’s 2006 film ‘The Devil Wears Prada’.

The release of the film sparked the return and rebrand of a trend popular in the 1980s called Power Dressing. This trend made a comeback with a new name.

The office siren aesthetic.

I wanted to write about this aesthetic because I’ve seen a lot of it following the release of the movie’s sequel ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’, which takes place 20 years after the first installment.

The office siren aesthetic and power dressing both draw inspiration from classic workplace attire though they add some flair. Slim-fit blazers, pencil skirts, button up shirts and “Bayonetta” glasses are all examples of clothes that can be used to style office siren-esque outfits.

Like most popular trends today, the office siren aesthetic isn’t a new concept. During the 1980s power dressing was a movement primarily rooted in fashion to help women succeed and establish authority in male-dominated work environments.

It’s actually said that Coco Chanel was the first designer to begin incorporating such styles into her collections. This was circa 1925, near World War 1 and her designs were meant to adapt to a changing lifestyle which saw women having to take on more roles in male dominated environment

Image Credit: Chanel’s Revamped tweed suit 1950s, Pinterest

The first suit for women had traditionally masculine elements, like the material, which was seen more commonly in men’s sportswear. This was in contrast to Coco Chanel’s version which helped give women a more professional, authoritarian look while still allowing functionality and efficiency.

When women began to join the workforce at larger rates in the 1970s, we saw further tweaks and changes as women became more engaged within what would traditionally be called “men’s spaces”.

Finally, following the release of “The Devil Wears Prada” we saw power dressing make a comeback and evolve into the version we call the office siren aesthetic.

Image Credit: Gisele Bündchen in The Devil Wears Prada, Pinterest

Since the particular aesthetic is just an adapted version of its predecessor, there are lots of elements in common. However those similarities ended once TikTok got ahold of it.

The modern office siren aesthetic has some classic elements but it differs with the common trend of plunging necklines and short skirts that we see in a lot of today’s fit checks.

This modernization and artistic spin is what has sparked the most controversy online. Some women in today’s workforce argue that it isn’t practical since it wouldn’t align with H.R regulations and some even say that it’s problematic and adds to the sexualization of women in the workplace.

Others would argue that it’s expression and up to the individual and also that it’s evolved into a style that’s meant to be worn outside of the workplace rather than in.

Personally, I’d say it’s an aesthetic that I find really appealing and would like to see worn more commonly.