THE DEVIL WEARS #OFFICECORE
Why I like the #officecore trend, and why I think it might be the most sustainable fashion trend to happen in a while.
Every fashion-lover remembers the first time they watched The Devil Wears Prada. I mean Meryl Streep’s performance as Miranda Priestly; the intimidating magazine editor-in-chief is nothing short of ICONIC.
To this day, I am unable to look at a blue jumper without Priestley’s sassy Cerulean monologue echoing loudly throughout my brain:
‘But what you don’t know is, that sweater is not just blue, it’s not turquoise, it’s not lapis, it’s actually cerulean’.
With the rise of #officecore (yes, apparently you can just add ‘core’ to anything nowadays and call it a fashion aesthetic), over on TikTok, there has been a renewed interest in the y2k corporate fashion style that is seen in The Devil Wears Prada.
That’s right, you heard me correctly. The girlies now want to wear tailored shirts, grey pleated skirts, and Miu Miu-esque skinny glasses like the secretary in your favourite 90s or 00s film (I am one of the girlies).
Normally, I am a passionate HATER of any fashion style that is followed up with the suffix ‘core’. I mean, why are we encouraging people to change their fashion sense every five seconds? Seriously, I wouldn’t be surprised if 2024 is the year that landfills across the world start turning pink, following TikTok’s fascination with #barbiecore in 2023 (don’t get it twisted, I did LOVE the Barbie film, just not the way that the fast-fashion industry latched onto it).
BUT I have to applaud #officecore for being well… practical and functional. It is nice to see a fashion trend that most people, not just influencers, can truly embrace. For this reason, I also think that #officecore might be the most sustainable ‘core’ fashion trend to happen yet. Rather than the likes of #barbiecore, which only made sense during the brief window that the film was popular for, #officecore makes sense at least 5 days a week for the majority of the population.
I appreciate that it offers people working in the corporate world the opportunity to romanticise their strict dress codes. Through the clothes you choose to wear to work that day, you can play the part of Miranda Priestley’s assistant, Andre Sachs, or perhaps you decide you want to dress like Rachel Green when she worked for Ralph Lauren (I’m 100% a Rachel Green type of girl).
What’s more, thanks to the hundreds of ties, shirts, and blazers already in circulation, it’s likely that your next #officecore look can be found for an affordable price in one of your local charity shops.
P.S. Yes, I am going to re-watch The Devil Wears Prada for the 100th time this evening.
