Office Siren or Office Scandal?

Exploring the Cultural Significance and its Clash with Professionalism and Workplace Norms featuring TV show ‘Selling Sunset’

Giselle Bundchen’s iconic looks from The Devil Wears Prada set the scene for modern-day iterations of the classic office siren look. The essentials: Bayonetta glasses, skin-tight pencil skirts or dresses, and your tallest heels, of course. Recently, this trend has disseminated onto runways, the streets, and editorial campaigns. However, the question arises as to whether this fashion trend of empowerment and artistic expression has been taken far too literally.

Giselle Bündchen, *The Devil Wears Prada,* 2006

Fashion does not have set limitations; it often applauds exuberance, exaggeration, and irony. In a very CAMP way, Katy Perry arrived at the 2019 Met in a bedazzled chandelier dress and a chandelier headpiece to accompany it. Similarly, the office siren looks in Mark Gong’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection emphasise the ironic contrast of the mundane office environment with his bold and seductive designs. The absurdity of garters and revealing silhouettes in an office space tie in exactly with what fashion is, breaking the status quo, just as the chandelier dress did.

This style not only represents stylistic boldness but also an opportunity for women to redefine expectations to empower themselves. As women began to enter the workplace, workplace culture pushed females into subordinate secretary positions with men objectifying women as merely objects of desire. As a result of this historical precedent, women have had to curate an image of professionalism through their workplace attire opting for more conservative clothing to be taken seriously. The recent fashion movement of deconstructing the typical style of women's workwear speaks as an initiative to take control of their bodies and what they put on them. However, does this office siren movement belong only in a place of social commentary and not the actual workplace?

The popular reality TV show Selling Sunset brings to life the office siren attire in the workplace. Chelsea Lazkani, a Selling Sunset cast member, appears in Season 5 Episode 2 wearing a deconstructed blazer and an extreme mini skirt. The fashion choice creates drama between the cast members as others question whether her clothing is appropriate for a business setting. Although, she is not the only member of the cast dressing in extravagantly constructed, colourful, and revealing clothing. A picture from the Selling Sunset Instagram shows stars Emma Hernan, Jason Oppenheimer, Chelsea Lazkani, Amanza Smith, and Chrishell Stause dressed in skin-tight clothing, miniskirts, bright colors, revealing cutouts, and full glam. Despite the exotic nature of their workplace outfits, it’s important to note they work in the entertainment industry where fashion is applauded when it’s performative and grandiose. The realtors on the show depict the extravagant and luxurious LA lifestyle with fashion playing into their image. Although, even considering their position in entertainment, extreme revealing dressing creates conflicting trust in their professionality.

*Selling Sunset* star, @Chelsealazkani, Instagram post

Celebrities such as Bella Hadid and commercial brands such as Margen Atelier tap into the office siren look perfectly, wearing the essential glasses, bodyform tailoring, and tall heels. The looks encapsulate an artistic and metaphoric interpretation of everyday office wear. These office siren-inspired outfits can be an inspiring outlet for social commentary and rediscovering workplace identity but should take place outside the real office. Although Selling Sunset wears this style in the workplace, their looks become part of the same artistic movement as Mark Gong's 2024 collection or Bella Hadid's model off-duty looks because of its performative interaction with entertainment. In everyday offices, there are still misogynistic stigmas centered around women's capabilities which is evident in the persisting pay gaps between men and women. These critical disparities in the workplace need to be re-evaluated and can be criticized through fashion commentary. Therefore, this trend can be productive and imaginative in the artistic realm however when taken in a literal sense, it can challenge legitimacy in corporate environments. This doesn’t mean women can’t be experimental with their workplace fashion. Stylistic elements such as statement blouses, abstract silhouettes, and midi skirts can help women tailor their professional identity with a sophisticated flair.

Written by Ava Harvey