Pajamas at Work? China’s GenZ Embrace ‘Shabby Chic’ Office Outfit

Shabby is the New “Chic”
“I Woke Up Like This” is the New Office Outfit Among Chinese Gen Z and Millennials
Most Outfit as if They Jumped Out of Bed

The trend of new office outfits among the younger generation in China is going viral.

Comfort takes center stage in China’s Gen Z and Millennials with the rise of “gross outfits” – think multiple layers of pajamas or thick padding topped with fur hats.

On March 24, the New York Times and other foreign media outlets reported on a unique trend in China – young workers documenting their “pajama office attire” on social media.

According to the New York Times, “Young Chinese office workers are sporting surprisingly casual attire on social media. The trend, which features pajamas and loungewear, has sparked discussion about whether it reflects a relaxed work culture or a silent protest against low wages and long hours.”

A designer in Wuhan, Hubei Province, said, “I just wear what I want to wear,” adding, “I don’t think it’s worth spending money on clothes just for work, where I mostly sit.”

The spark for this trend came from a Douyin video featuring a woman in an unconventional work outfit: slippers, pajama pants, a brown sweater, and even ripped gloves.

The woman added, “My boss saw my outfit and said, ‘It’s terrible. You should care about the company image and pull yourself together.'”

Fueling the trend’s popularity, online viewers expressed empathy with comments like, “With demanding workloads and low wages, who has the energy to worry about outfits?”

Some online comments suggested that if good clothes don’t translate to pay better, they might as well “dress shabbily” or even go complete “beggar’ chic.