Several Gen Z employees in China are rejecting formal office attire, opting for the comfort of pyjamas and loungewear. This sartorial rebellion, documented on social media with the hashtag ‘gross outfits at work’, reflects a broader cultural shift among young professionals.
The trend gained momentum after a video emerged of a young woman sporting pyjamas at work, prompting her boss to deem them ‘inappropriate’. However, many Gen Z employees, such as Luo, a Wuhan-based interior designer, prioritise comfort over conformity. “I just wear what I want,” she asserts, highlighting the economic rationale – “I just have to sit down…it’s not worth spending money on work clothes.”
This embrace of casual attire aligns with the ‘lying flat’ movement, a nationwide trend where young Chinese prioritise leisure and work-life balance in response to slowing economic growth and limited job prospects. Despite their unconventional attire, these workers emphasise that their comfort does not compromise their competence.
The trend extends beyond China’s borders. American Gen Z employees are also adopting a more relaxed approach to workwear, and the global work-from-home phenomenon during the pandemic normalised casual attire. Whether this signals a lasting shift in workplace dress codes or a fad remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: comfort is increasingly valued by a generation challenging traditional norms.
