Young Chinese office workers choose “disgusting” and “ugly” attire for work

One of the most well-known social media trends globally is Get Ready With Me (GRWM), however, in China, a new but similar trend has emerged where users submit videos of their “disgusting,” “ugliest,” or “gross” attire as “Outfit of the Day (OOTD)”.

People typically go through the whole preparation process in the GRWM video. The bloggers display every aspect, including style, wardrobe choices, and makeup application. Young workers in China have regressed, while the exact causes are unclear.

On Chinese social media sites, people have posted OOTD videos of themselves wearing bizarre workplace outfits, such as cartoon cotton socks with heels, pajamas with knee-high boots, and colors and designs that are often seen as improper for professional wear.

On the Chinese microblogging site Weibo, the hashtag “Why do young people always wear ugly clothes to work?” has received over 90 million reads. Videos on Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok, have amassed millions of views, featuring individuals wearing hideous work attire.

With the trend, hashtags like #uglyclothesshouldbebeforework and #grossoutfitforwork continue to be popular. Users were also asked to choose the person who wore it the worst.

A cold restaurant employee’s social media post from September of last year seems to have started the trend. According to sources, she had said that the supervisor was enraged by her attire, which prioritized warmth.

Since then, wearing the “ugliest” attire to work has been a common way for individuals to vent their rage and discontent with their monotonous, low-paying, and long hours at work. Additionally, it is a means of expressing that they would like to wear what they already own rather than buy new clothing.

A few of the rebellions include justifications for their wardrobe choices. For example, one lady said, “My coworker says I dress like a wild man.” She uploaded a picture of herself with loose knee-length shorts and a bright yellow vest.

Another person displayed a soiled yellow and blue jacket and said, “My boss gave me 50 yuan to wash my clothes and I was forbidden to shake hands with clients ever again.”

Another message said, “Earning such little salary, with ugly coworkers, what else do you expect from my outfit?”

A young Shanghai office worker named Hu Wei told Shangguan News, a local news agency, in February that he had to leave by no later than 8:10 in the morning and travel two metro lines for at least forty-five minutes to go to work. I even sometimes bring breakfast to work. How will I ever find the time to choose stylish clothes?”

Even though there are a variety of justifications for choosing these kinds of clothes, not everyone is aware of them. Social media users criticized the trend of careless work clothes, branding it as lethargic or drawing attention to the lack of motivation among young employees. “Dressing properly will help improve your financial prospects. If you dress clean and smart for work, your mental state will be the same,” according to a Weibo post.