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While there’s no shortage of fashion core on TikTok, the latest trends are more functional than ever. As more shoppers trade in their everyday attire for premium business wear, the new aesthetic represents a unique shift in fashion: a time when workwear is streetwear. This season, corporate core is hot.
Corporatecore fashion (short for corporatecore fashion) takes all the office staples you already know and love and reinterprets them through a more modern lens: Rachel Green with a touch of Y2K style from Gisele Bundchen in The Devil Wears Prada, Victoria Beckham with everything. Pinstripe suits are the norm, collared shirts are abundant, and casual pieces like t-shirts further blur the line between streetwear and workwear.
To get the full picture of this trend, we spoke to Bella Gerard, shopping and trend advisor at Rakuten, for her expert take on how TikTok’s co-op craze is expanding the reach of office wear, and all the ways you can try out this aesthetic this fall.
What is Corpcore?
Co-opcore rewrites the typical 9 to 5 dress code with styles designed to be worn from the office to cocktail parties and beyond. As Gerard explains, this fashion trend speaks to a larger shift in our workplace culture, where shoppers are “blending office wear with evening attire” for a streamlined wardrobe.
…Rachel Green with a touch of Gisele Bundchen Y2K style in The Devil Wears Prada, and Victoria Beckham in all sorts of styles.
“When it comes to work-life balance, our lives have become more casual overall post-pandemic,” says Gerard. “Many people have permanently abandoned the concept of working in an office five days a week. Now, there’s little need to have a separate section of the closet dedicated to work clothes. Shoppers are finding they can get more out of their wardrobes if they can mix and match their everyday clothes with the occasional outfit they need for the office.”
The data backs this up: Pinterest’s latest trends report found that searches for “corporate chic” on the platform have increased 950 percent, while topics related to “vests and skirts” have spiked 160 percent. And Google Trends found that searches for “capsule wardrobe” have increased 60 percent in the past 12 months.
How to wear the cocoa trend
Despite the emphasis on tailored layers and loafers, you don’t have to work on Wall Street to pull off this trend: Corpcore is focused on incorporating functional workwear with a street-style inspired twist.
“A pair of trousers that fit like a glove goes from work essential to pants you’ll want to wear all the time,” Gerard explains. “The same goes for a great blazer, the perfect button-down shirt, etc. Once you’ve curated these office essentials, pair them with more relaxed styles like t-shirts, bodysuits, sneakers, and ballet flats to help blur the line between the office and the real world.”
If you want to emulate the corporate core aesthetic, we’ve rounded up some of the best corporate fashion basics to stock up on this season, plus some essential beauty items. Read on to shop the best corporate core essentials, selected from brands like Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, and Mango.
Experts featured in this article
Bella Gerard is a Shopping & Trend Advisor for Rakuten
