Why you SHOULD NOT dress like an office siren: Sexy work clothes might be sweeping TikTok. But City supremo HELENA MORRISSEY says there are smarter ways to look feminine

Hear the word ‘siren’ and the image of a mermaid-like figure luring sailors to their deaths on the rocks may come to mind.

In modern parlance, a siren is a femme fatale who derives power from her sexual appeal.

And it is this dynamic that has now captured the imagination of the young women of Generation Z, who have coined the term ‘office siren’ to describe their desired work wardrobe.

Your mood board? Think pencil skirts, tight turtlenecks, sultry heels, knee-high socks and tailoring – Tom Ford in his Gucci era, Calvin Klein in the 1990s/2000s and Dolce & Gabbana’s corset dresses. Just add a pair of oval Bayonetta glasses and you’re good to go.

In short, it’s the modern evolution of the “sexy secretary” look of yesteryear, and says Paris-based fashion student Asia Bieuville, who coined the term “office siren” in her TikTok videos, it’s “everything we strive for after being for this year’ With more than 138 million views of videos tagged #officesiren, it seems many young women agree.

According to Asia, the office siren look is for ambitious women who eschew masculine workwear and want to dress in a feminine way. ‘The woman who represents this doesn’t care about judgement. She proves herself through her actions,’ she says.

So, as a woman with more than 30 years of experience in the workplace, I can say that the words ‘office’ and ‘siren’ do not belong together in my lexicon.

I’ve long been an advocate for women dressing up as women in the office, and it’s wonderful that most of us now really have that option. Long gone are the days when we had to dress like men to be taken seriously. But dressing up as an ‘office siren’ takes feminine attire to a whole new, far more controversial level. And so I would advise any young woman who wants to embrace this trend to be careful.

Because really, this look is less about being ‘feminine’ and more about being ‘sexy’. If you want to feel empowered in the workplace, going for the male gaze is not the way to go.

And before you scoff at how much influence TikTok has over our wardrobes, this really does seem to be a trend, from the fashion catwalks to the clothes racks on the High Street. Gucci’s spring/summer ’24 collection featured dark oxblood patent leather slingbacks, bags, skirts, yes jackets. Smart, but with a dominatrix vibe. Last month, Oscar de la Renta unveiled a fall/winter ’24 collection filled with leopard print.

Blazer, £68, next.co.uk; shirt, £230, withnothingunderneath.com; trousers, DKK 185, meandem.com; shoes, £325, russellandbromley.co.uk

Jacket, £325, meandem.com; polo-neck bodysuit, £69, spanx.com; trousers, £65, frenchconnection.com; belt, £55, mintvelvet.com; shoes, DKK 159, whistles.com

When I was browsing the deals at Zara recently, I saw lots of leather and bodycon dresses.

All of this is fine in everyday life if that’s your style. But for the office? Given that the recent Sexism in the City report from the House of Commons Finance Committee describes a ‘shocking prevalence’ of sexual harassment in the financial sector, and that other industries are still experiencing their own problems, dressing in a style that is deliberately provocative. none.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, many have suggested that the office siren trend is “office wear for those who don’t actually work in an office”.

I certainly don’t imagine that this is something that the women of my generation, who have fought for our status in the workplace for so long, will take up.

I started my financial career in New York the same month the first Wall Street movie was released. It was, in the infamous words of Gordon Gekko, an age when ‘greed was good’, ‘lunch was for sissies’ and everyone – including the women – wore sharp pinstripes as we tried to appear as suited to the environment as the men.

Shirt, £79, marksandspencer.com; trousers, £99, neverfullydressed.com; shoes, £199, lkbennett.com

Blazer, DKK 120, karenmillen.com; shirt, £230, withnothingunderneath.com; pencil skirt, £149, jigsaw-online.com; shoes, DKK 575, rupertsanderson.com

Over time, women’s office uniform became less aggressively macho, but it was boring – lots of black and nondescript, shapeless tailoring. Instead of trying to compete with men for space, it felt like we were trying to blend into the background. I felt miserable in the dark clothes; it was hard to radiate presence when you dressed to be invisible.

It was after the financial crash in 2008 that things really started to change. The world needed new leaders who weren’t afraid to challenge conventional thinking, to shake up the male boardrooms that had failed so badly. It spurred me to launch the 30% Club in 2010 to increase the number of women in board seats and senior management roles in companies around the world – and to make a personal bid for artistic freedom in the workplace.

I ditched the dark, shapeless and masculine styles that didn’t suit me to find feminine fashions that made me feel put together and confident. I no longer apologized for being a woman through my wardrobe choices, but celebrated it.

Fortunately, this coincided with the rise of designers such as Roland Mouret and Roksanda Ilincic, whose early collections featured classic shapes with a twist – a navy dress with pink cuffs was one of my favourites.

Women working in male-dominated sectors began to dress in the clothes they really wanted to wear – and felt more empowered as a result. It is a game changer to be dressed for success in a world where you are far outnumbered.

At 58, I’ve learned to look for pieces that I know from experience will work for my body shape and schedule—and will stand the test of time.

I know there are some aspects of the office siren trend that really work in the office, and are arguably better than some other recent fads (I’m thinking floral dresses and massively oversized suits).

Dress, DKK 75.65, karenmillen.com; bag, DKK 425, shop.kaai.eu; necklace, £21, bettyandbiddy.com; shoes, DKK 95, dunelondon.com

Shirt, £19.99, zara.com; skirt, $143, lkbennett.com; shoes, DKK 149, hobbs.com

As seen in these pictures, I favor slim dresses and skirts that skim (not cling – a crucial difference) the body. Kitten-heeled slingbacks such as Dune’s cream pair (£95, dunelondon.com) are polished but more durable than very high heels. Zara Lip Print Silk Shirt (£19.99, zara.com) is playful without being provocative. I was skeptical about the black leather cigarette pants (£99, neverfullydressed.com), but when worn with a conservative top such as a white shirt or a simple blazer, they can still look professional. Needless to say, knee high socks will always be off limits.

The key is to understand that looking feminine doesn’t require you to look deliberately sexy. Think a modern Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly instead of the famous leopard-print-loving Bet Lynch.

So if you don’t usually wear glasses, leave them at home. And if you’re in doubt, remember that less is definitely more when it comes to this trend and workwear. A full office siren is, ironically, a look best saved for Friday night.