Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not that much older than these recent grads (mid 30s) but it surprises me a lot how many of these kids don’t know how to carry themselves, professionally and personally. Which is a shame because many of these kids ones I work with in a client facing business role actually do good work.

It’s more so that they dress way too juvenile or trendy- like off the shoulder tops and ill fitting clothes that they spend all day messing with because they don’t fit properly, long nails with bright nail polish, play video games on their phones with giant headphones in at lunch, come into meetings with giant lattes filled with whipped cream, ect. The people at my level make side comments about it all the time but they aren’t breaking any rules or anything, they just look silly. And these are kids that make enough money to invest in quality work attire.

Just interested to see what’s changed in the 15 years since I started working, as starting out in a client facing industry, we were borderline obsessed with being professional and put together!

I am a gen-X mom of two gen-Z kids. There are several reasons for this -

- Family and upbringing. DH and I are UMC, well-educated (multiple degrees) and have lived in several countries. I always keep short clipped nails with neutral nail-polish, I do not wear fake eyelashes, I am always dressed modestly with understated jewelry, I wear smart but sensible shoes. DH is similarly dressed in subdued and professional color, patterns and attires. We are health and wallet conscious so junk food is something we avoid. We are around super successful UMC/rich professional people and we very much fit in and are understated.

Our kids see this and they are clued in how to present themselves appropriately. They were not the kids who wore stripper dresses for an honors college commencement or wore PJs to their college classroom taught by the professor who could recommend them for a plum internship. From school to college to internships and jobs - they have always dressed for the future job and role they want. We made it a priority.

- Ignorance. Most kids do not know that their attire is not acceptable to their superiors who are a different generation and have all the power. My kids have been taught to dress smart and professionally. They know that they should dress in the style of their professors, bosses and clients. So, inevitably they get picked up in the client facing roles because they are not an embarrassment. Couple that with being well prepared and well spoken - they will shine over others. My kids have been taught how to dress and behave to impress by us.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not that much older than these recent grads (mid 30s) but it surprises me a lot how many of these kids don’t know how to carry themselves, professionally and personally. Which is a shame because many of these kids ones I work with in a client facing business role actually do good work.

It’s more so that they dress way too juvenile or trendy- like off the shoulder tops and ill fitting clothes that they spend all day messing with because they don’t fit properly, long nails with bright nail polish, play video games on their phones with giant headphones in at lunch, come into meetings with giant lattes filled with whipped cream, ect. The people at my level make side comments about it all the time but they aren’t breaking any rules or anything, they just look silly. And these are kids that make enough money to invest in quality work attire.

Just interested to see what’s changed in the 15 years since I started working, as starting out in a client facing industry, we were borderline obsessed with being professional and put together!

I am a gen-X mom of two gen-Z kids. There are several reasons for this -

- Family and upbringing. DH and I are UMC, well-educated (multiple degrees) and have lived in several countries. I always keep short clipped nails with neutral nail-polish, I do not wear fake eyelashes, I am always dressed modestly with understated jewelry, I wear smart but sensible shoes. DH is similarly dressed in subdued and professional color, patterns and attires. We are health and wallet conscious so junk food is something we avoid. We are around super successful UMC/rich professional people and we very much fit in and are understated.

Our kids see this and they are clued in how to present themselves appropriately. They were not the kids who wore stripper dresses for an honors college commencement or wore PJs to their college classroom taught by the professor who could recommend them for a plum internship. From school to college to internships and jobs - they have always dressed for the future job and role they want. We made it a priority.

- Ignorance. Most kids do not know that their attire is not acceptable to their superiors who are a different generation and have all the power. My kids have been taught to dress smart and professionally. They know that they should dress in the style of their professors, bosses and clients. So, inevitably they get picked up in the client facing roles because they are not an embarrassment. Couple that with being well prepared and well spoken - they will shine over others. My kids have been taught how to dress and behave to impress by us.

I’m also a UMC GenX mom of two GenZ kids and, respectfully, you all sound dull as hell.

Anonymous wrote:I’m not that much older than these recent grads (mid 30s) but it surprises me a lot how many of these kids don’t know how to carry themselves, professionally and personally. Which is a shame because many of these kids ones I work with in a client facing business role actually do good work.

It’s more so that they dress way too juvenile or trendy- like off the shoulder tops and ill fitting clothes that they spend all day messing with because they don’t fit properly, long nails with bright nail polish, play video games on their phones with giant headphones in at lunch, come into meetings with giant lattes filled with whipped cream, ect. The people at my level make side comments about it all the time but they aren’t breaking any rules or anything, they just look silly. And these are kids that make enough money to invest in quality work attire.

Just interested to see what’s changed in the 15 years since I started working, as starting out in a client facing industry, we were borderline obsessed with being professional and put together!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m older—late 40s— and I look at around at the state of the world, the economy, and corporate culture in general, and I just don’t think that precious generations wearing “appropriate” business cazh really got us anywhere. If anything, these uniforms just mask a lot of incompetence underneath. I think the younger people today see through the BS.

I agree and I think there were so many unspoken class assumptions. What was expected and acceptable for professionals was a WASP aesthetic, meaning that you were toned down in colors, jewelry, ahoes and hairstyles and would know what to wear and have the clothes in your wardrobe for work, the golf course, company parties. And the class differences were also shown with the lower level people (secretaries and such) who could not dress as well because of making less money. It's all theater anyway.

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Gen X mom of two Gen Z kids. I think their carefree attitude is cute . . . but maybe it's a function of being 50-something and realizing that adulting is overrated and it's okay not to give up things that you enjoy because some older people disapprove for whatever reason.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not that much older than these recent grads (mid 30s) but it surprises me a lot how many of these kids don’t know how to carry themselves, professionally and personally. Which is a shame because many of these kids ones I work with in a client facing business role actually do good work.

It’s more so that they dress way too juvenile or trendy- like off the shoulder tops and ill fitting clothes that they spend all day messing with because they don’t fit properly, long nails with bright nail polish, play video games on their phones with giant headphones in at lunch, come into meetings with giant lattes filled with whipped cream, ect. The people at my level make side comments about it all the time but they aren’t breaking any rules or anything, they just look silly. And these are kids that make enough money to invest in quality work attire.

Just interested to see what’s changed in the 15 years since I started working, as starting out in a client facing industry, we were borderline obsessed with being professional and put together!

I am a gen-X mom of two gen-Z kids. There are several reasons for this -

- Family and upbringing. DH and I are UMC, well-educated (multiple degrees) and have lived in several countries. I always keep short clipped nails with neutral nail-polish, I do not wear fake eyelashes, I am always dressed modestly with understated jewelry, I wear smart but sensible shoes. DH is similarly dressed in subdued and professional color, patterns and attires. We are health and wallet conscious so junk food is something we avoid. We are around super successful UMC/rich professional people and we very much fit in and are understated.

Our kids see this and they are clued in how to present themselves appropriately. They were not the kids who wore stripper dresses for an honors college commencement or wore PJs to their college classroom taught by the professor who could recommend them for a plum internship. From school to college to internships and jobs - they have always dressed for the future job and role they want. We made it a priority.

- Ignorance. Most kids do not know that their attire is not acceptable to their superiors who are a different generation and have all the power. My kids have been taught to dress smart and professionally. They know that they should dress in the style of their professors, bosses and clients. So, inevitably they get picked up in the client facing roles because they are not an embarrassment. Couple that with being well prepared and well spoken - they will shine over others. My kids have been taught how to dress and behave to impress by us.

Anonymous wrote:I’m older—late 40s— and I look at around at the state of the world, the economy, and corporate culture in general, and I just don’t think that precious generations wearing “appropriate” business cazh really got us anywhere. If anything, these uniforms just mask a lot of incompetence underneath. I think the younger people today see through the BS.

Anonymous wrote:There was a version of this that Gen Xers felt when you and your peers entered the workforce, too. And likewise that Boomers felt when Gen X entered the workforce. A tale as old as time

But, also there were some signficant changes between Millenials and Gen Z - the complete and total attachment to one’s phone, for example (I’m guessing you didn’t grow up comsuming all media through your phone - it probably hit about middle school for you). And most of Gen Z had critical socialization years impacted by covid and its aftereffects.

Regardless, you were in those shoes once whether you remember/realized it or not, so stop being so critical and start being a good mentor.

Anonymous wrote:I’m not that much older than these recent grads (mid 30s) but it surprises me a lot how many of these kids don’t know how to carry themselves, professionally and personally. Which is a shame because many of these kids ones I work with in a client facing business role actually do good work.

It’s more so that they dress way too juvenile or trendy- like off the shoulder tops and ill fitting clothes that they spend all day messing with because they don’t fit properly, long nails with bright nail polish, play video games on their phones with giant headphones in at lunch, come into meetings with giant lattes filled with whipped cream, ect. The people at my level make side comments about it all the time but they aren’t breaking any rules or anything, they just look silly. And these are kids that make enough money to invest in quality work attire.

Just interested to see what’s changed in the 15 years since I started working, as starting out in a client facing industry, we were borderline obsessed with being professional and put together!