Yup, that's a work uniform. And Gen Z is doing it on purpose.
Steve Jobs famously wore a black turtleneck and jeans to work every day, and Gen Z is emulating his approach: smart, simple, a good defense, and less decision fatigue.
Being an afternoon person, I’ve always been a fan of reducing early morning decision anxiety: at least 90% of my business outfits work with a black shell and slacks. (#accessoriesRus, day or night. Trust me. And a great scarf people will focus on takes up a lot less room in luggage than another suit.)
Gen Z, for related but different reasons, is doing the same thing.
Many Gen Zs believe we’re headed for a recession, and they’re proactively taking steps to deal with it, both by limiting what they have to buy and making sure what they wear to work doesn’t work against them.
Or, as this article in The Guardian points out, “Sure, you [Millennial with job security] can wear anything you like to the office. But you’re old, so nobody thinks twice if you rock up in a tatty pair of jeans and a manky old sweater.”
Besides, black is a color that’s flattering for most skin tones—by itself with cool skin tones, and with a flash of a light shirt or color for warm tones. It pairs well with a wide range of other colors and styles, and it’s easily accessorized for individual flair. On the road, it’s an easy-packing choice for versatility, morphing easily from day to evening with just a different pair of earrings, a string of pearls or a great wrap. Everything goes with black.
Trail blazers?1 Steve Jobs2 and Barack Obama.3 On the fem side, Audrey Hepburn’s timeless style. Angelina Jolie. Ursula Burns. Rosalind Brewer. And black apparently helped Elizabeth Holmes con millions of dollars out of believers.
With the belief that a recession is on the way, it’s also good defensive posturing. A January Fortune article noted 6 out of 10 employers who admitted to firing gen Z workers within months of their starting did so citing “inappropriate dress” as a key reason.
Blazers: yes, pun intended. Every chance we get.
Please tell me how Jobs can possibly think this particular beard looks good? Help me, here!
Yep - black slacks and black shell with color in jacket, or black slacks and black jacket with light or color shell or blouse. Makes business packing so easy!