Trace the Origins of the Office Siren Trend With These '90s/Y2K Corporate Girlie Looks

While the corporate girlie aesthetic has been simmering as a style trend for the past few years, the emergence of the office siren trend, courtesy of TikTok, has taken over this year as a reigning fashion moment. Characterized by oversized blazers, pencil skirts, and plenty of pinstripes, the look has gone viral time and time again in 2024, especially as it has been featured on the runway and the streets.

Often accompanying the aesthetic are beauty looks featuring dark, sharp eyeliner and crisp contours that play into the seemingly effortlessly alluring siren aspect. Slicked-back hairstyles are also a key look, with buns, ponytails, and loose locks all appearing in the office siren style lexicon from time to time. 

Fashion icons like Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Jennifer Lawrence, and Lori Harvey have favored the style in recent years, inspiring their cult followings to try out their own office siren styles. 

While the office siren aesthetic is undoubtedly favored among Millenials and Gen Z as one of the foremost style trends of the era, what many may not know is where the style owes its origins to. Throughout the '90s and early 2000s, ultra-chic corporatecore fashion dominated the runways as one of the most emblematic styles of the time. 

Designers like Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, and Chanel all dabbled in the original wave of corporate girly styles back in the day, producing countless looks that have persisted as style inspiration even 30 years later. As more and more women entered the corporate world during the '90s and 2000s, the need for office-appropriate attire that didn't compromise style became increasingly more in demand.

Pantsuits, blazers, mid-length skirts, and modest, yet chic dresses all became a major part of the era's fashion, especially as women desired professional looks that could take them from an afternoon meeting in the office to happy hour cocktails with friends. Sleek, pared-back, and effortlessly elegant design details were top priorities for corporate fashion looks of the era, which are still pervasive in popular style even today. 

Whether you're looking to brush up on your fashion history or are simply searching for runway inspiration to add to all of your Pinterest mood boards, join L'OFFICIEL in appreciating some of the best office siren corporate girly looks of the '90s and early 2000s.