Published February 2025 / Header Image Credit: Mod Ref
Reinventing the Office Uniform
Brands at this season’s MAGIC New York event share their POV on what buyers should consider for the 'Corp Casual' trend.
We often think about work-life balance in terms of our relationship to our jobs. However, for Gen Z, it’s also about how it impacts what we wear. “As new generations enter the workforce, there’s a renewed interest in corporate classics and tailoring, as well as styles that update the status quo,” says our Fall/Winter 2025/2026 Contemporary Women's Buyer’s Guide. With that has emerged ‘Corp Casual,’ a casual spin on typical office wear that’s “equal parts individual and professional.”
‘Corp Casual’ is a result of more relaxed environments, a propensity for personal style, and the prevalence of nostalgia, particularly with fashion. “[This trend] is being driven by a generation that loves looking back at the more polished workwear of the past,” and thinking of ways to update them, shares Sally Hernandez, a Senior Account Executive at women’s clothing label Maggy London. Creating a unique blend of 'workwear' and 'streetwear,’ “styles are being worn to everything from brunch to night’s out, reflecting Gen Z’s love for non-fitted clothing,” she adds.
Here, new interpretations of classic items are plentiful. From non-traditional tailoring to sleek accessories that brighten up basics, brands at this season's MAGIC New York share what they consider to be defining features of 2025’s version of the office uniform.
NOT-SO-TRADITIONAL TAILORING
Though ‘Corp Casual’ is “less formal than the traditional pant or skirt suit,” says Fashion Designer of Elan, Elan Savir, it still relies heavily on tailored pieces, like the power blazer or crease-front trousers.
Adds Chloe L., CEO of ready-to-wear label FRNCH: “Far from stiff suits and rigid clothing, [this look] promotes modern, comfortable silhouettes.” This updated idea on the office outfit, sees workplace classics like white shirts, pinstripe pants, trench coats, and chinos go fashion-forward with modern fits (think: elongated, oversized, or asymmetric), functional fabrics (per Maggy London’s Hernandez, that includes menswear-inspired textiles like wool, twill, and poly-plaid), and unexpected details. As MMGNET’s FW 25/26 Womens Young Contemporary Buyer’s Guide says, “it’s a slightly subversive ode to the old-school corporate workforce life.”
ATHLETIC AESTHETIC
One key to balancing “professionalism and comfort,” as Elan’s Savir notes, is leaning into athleisure’s influence on the trend. “With Gen Z continuing to adopt office wear to their tastes, the thriving aesthetic is redefined with a revived interest in classic prep,” MMGNET says, highlighting the impact of Ivy League style and varsity-influenced vintage pieces. Up top, sportier goods like hoodies and elastic waist (but still tailored) joggers offer a laid-back balance to a button-up shirt or trench coat, while down below, retro, sportif-esque trainers can ground a mini dress or skirt.
TONES AND TEXTURES
For ready-to-wear, “neutral colors” dominate, says FRNCH’s Chloe L., “while vibrant accents elevate the look.” Metal and geometric accessories (like a buckled shopper or a pair of dome earrings) can add a polished slant to a relaxed blazer, pleated skirt, or varsity sweater, while more serious full looks, like a suit set, can be broken up with playful touches, including knee socks, varsity striped scarves, and new school frames. Reliable, tonal shades help place the focus on the materials and allow pieces to better “transition seamlessly between casual and evening,” Savir notes.
Shop more Corp Casual brands at the upcoming MAGIC New York event February 18-20, 2025
For more trend direction, watch MMGNET's FW25/26 Womens Trends Digital Session on demand
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