Chinese youth revolt against poor work conditions in “gross” office attire trend

Renowned as “gross” work attire, China’s youth are donning their most unappealing pajama pants, hairiest slippers, and making their way to the office in a rebellion against unfavorable workplace conditions such as poor pay, long hours, bad bosses, and low salaries. This trend has gained immense popularity on Chinese social media platforms like Weibo with over 140 million views garnered by hashtags #grossoutfitforwork, #uglyclothesshouldbeforwork, #ootd (Outfit of the Day) attracting thousands of discussions.
In late February, a Douyin user named Kendou S went viral after claiming that her boss criticized her for wearing “gross” outfits to combat cold weather. In response, she shared an appalling outfit consisting of multiple mismatched pieces such as fluffy white hats, gray balaclava, tatty red gloves, puffer coats, pink quilted jackets, fleece sweater dresses, plaid pajama pants, fur-lined slippers and knee-high socks.
This trend seems to be the latest attempt by disillusioned Gen Zs who have embraced “tang ping” or “lying flat,” a philosophy that rejects consumerism and the rat race in favor of less stressful lives. As China’s economy continues to falter, young people are graduating into an unforgiving job market with record-high youth unemployment rates reaching 14.9% among individuals aged between sixteen and twenty-four years old according to government reports published in January.
Casual dressing for work has always been popular amongst the Chinese population; this trend is expected to persist, particularly at places where employees put long hours and excessive overtime behind a computer screen. Qiu Bohan, founder of The Boh Project – an Shanghai-based creative consultancy agency specializing in fashion brands and more – states that while his staff members don’t dress like those showcased on social media, they tend to come into work dressed casually; it is tolerated “as long as you look cool.”
Even individuals sharing their unsightly outfits online are not oblivious to the importance of looking good outside the workplace. They have expressed that they prefer preserving their preferred attire from smelling like work (the “banwei” or stench of work). The state-run media in China criticized “lying flat” and “letting it rot,” but People’s Daily described dressing casually for work as a form of self-deprecation, provided employees dress appropriately, maintain the correct attitude towards their job, do not affect others negatively or violate principles.
This fashion statement reflects a larger generational sentiment: chasing one’s dream seems less crucial now than before since companies are promoting an environment that emphasizes “the (economic) pie” rather than motivating everyone to strive for it. Qiu claims his suit jackets in Hong Kong collect dust deeply seated at the bottom of their closet as temperatures rise, and some individuals have started sharing pictures showcasing equally unappealing ensembles more fitting with spring’s approach like mustard-hued toe socks paired with broken black sandals decorated by gaudy plastic accessories.