Gen Zers opt for zany outfits for fun, fashion, and feeling better

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Share this email Share this email on LinkedIn   Share this email on Twitter   Share this email on Facebook   CURATED READS FOR GEN Z—AND THEIR Z-CURIOUS COLLEAGUES Subscribe Click to get this newsletter weekly first up Welcome back! In the Northern Hemisphere, the days are getting shorter. Warding off winter blues is my version of doomsday prepping—and maybe a reason Gen Z loves funky fashion? Gen Z fashion is famous for its bright pops of color: glittery-eye looks, neon accessories, and vivid, drapey workwear. Self-expression has become more important than fitting in—and some say these excitingly eye-searing palettes can even help ward off the winter blues (seasonal depression—you can wear blue in winter if you'd like). The idea of "dressing for success" is nothing new, but the measure of success may be changing; it's no longer simply conforming to a professional standard or representing your company. Gen Zers are also seeking comfort, both physical and mental. Tech offices have long been hoodie-wearer refuges, and the pandemic helped catalyze a refocus for everyone onto the work itself, rather than the workwear (or the where). Casual clothes can now be spotted in many more offices, a nice change when you spend a third of your life during your employable years at work—as noted in a new McKinsey Health Institute article by MHI co-leaders Jacqueline Brassey, Erica Coe, Barbara Jeffery, and coauthors. Gen Zers have taken both to athleisure and making dress codes their own, often blending traditional elements of business professional with funkier shoes or head-to-toe neon.  Wearing what you like—whether that's orange sneakers or an Olivia Pope-esque (from the American TV show Scandal) wool power suit—to make you feel better is sticking around.   Suiting Gen Z tastes  We definitely love clothes (fashion is our No. 1 entertainment purchase, above dining, video games, and music), but we've been veering away from the "rules" of style for a long time. The rise of fast-fashion behemoths that churn out endless looks—Shein debuts more than 6,000 new items per day—has accelerated that shift, allowing Gen Z to change their look to fit, or create, their mood.  We buy with feelings in mind as well; more than any other generation, we take it personally that the brands we patronize reflect our social values. Tastes for unusual hues might also stem from the premium Gen Z puts on uniqueness—from luxury houses to the thrift store.   (There's a growing market for the in-betweeners, too. "Masstige," or mass-produced goods of slightly higher quality, is gaining ground with Gen Zers willing to splurge.) Part of a mood-boosting strategy?  While some Gen Zers don neons for bright spirits, others dress in the hope of boosting their energy—winter is coming in the Northern Hemisphere, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects millions of people worldwide. Statistics vary with proximity to the equator, but an estimated 2 to 8 percent of Europeans suffer from disrupted circadian rhythms from lack of sun each year. • SAD most strongly affects people (especially women) in their 20s and is categorized under the umbrella of depressive disorders; Gen Z reports suffering the most from these conditions, according to another MHI report from McKinsey partners Erica Coe, Jenny Cordina, and their coauthors. • Gen Z is already a big spender in the massive wellness space (a more than $450 billion market in the US alone)—plenty of us have made splurges on "happy lamps" or self-care kits and are willing to try other new wellness products.   The scientific jury's still out on why dressing up makes us feel good. One study found that confidence increases with clothes that have personal meaning to you; another researcher suggests it's a kickback from when you felt good in those threads in the past—you aced a presentation or received a compliment from a coworker. (If so, rather than relying on self-created kudos, bosses can keep employees' morale high by providing feedback when things go right.) And at the end of the day, fashion is fun, but a turquoise suit won't fix real issues at work. To help their Gen Z employees, bosses need to ask themselves if they're placing well-being as a top priority, helping to defuse toxic work environments, and working to bring mental-health conversations to the table.  The worst thing is to suffer in silence—breaking down stigma around these conversations will mean that showing care to colleagues can become as natural as complimenting one another on our outfits.  QUOTE US ON IT "Those touched by mental-health and well-being challenges can't simply be excluded or treated in isolation from the workforce; they are the workforce." —McKinsey Health Institute co-leaders Jacqueline Brassey, Erica Coe, and Barbara Jeffery on prioritizing well-being for all VISUALIZE IT As Gen Zers demand digital fashion experiences, we expect companies to double their investments in tech to get ahead and appeal to younger consumers.   If the metaverse shoe fits Wait, don't scroll  'Tis (almost) the season. As holiday shopping kicks into gear, US buyers, and especially Gen Z, are prepping to drop more cash—62 percent of the generation anticipates splurging on themselves or loved ones.   Need a stitch in time? Despite a strong fashion scene, apparel firms are getting clobbered by high operational costs as inflation climbs. Here's how the industry can ADAPT (that's an acronym) to control costs and keep its customers.  One-stop shop. Social commerce—browsing, shopping, and buying directly on social platforms—is already huge in China and is poised for rapid expansion to keep up with young people's demand.    NOT US; STILL GREAT 'Permission to commit tomfoolery.' Meet the Gen Z memelords using satire to stand out among direct-to-consumer online shops, hawking increasingly off-the-wall slogans plastered across in-demand apparel. [Vogue Business] Would you still love me if I weren't an earworm? Pop music is struggling to create long-lasting stars, in part because TikTok's algorithm favors short, catchy clips that make it hard to break through the noise. [Billboard] 'Good luck getting a job . . .' Traditional ideas about tattoos in the workplace are changing, especially postpandemic and with younger workers—less than half of Gen Z believe covering tattoos is necessary to maintain a professional appearance. [Bloomberg] CAREERS Search our 500+ job openings On our Careers Blog, Megan, an engagement manager in San Francisco, explains that she joined the firm to be able to quickly scale her sustainability efforts  Sign up for our free Careers Blog newsletter or 40+ other free alerts and newsletters BLACK-AND-WHITE PATTERNS ARE IN RIGHT NOW Your latest McKinsey Crossword: All In 34-Across: Like many companies these days ... and like the answers to the six asterisked clues. Can you solve it? Embrace inclusion  — Edited by Sarah Skinner, Gen Z curation editor, New York Subscribe Click to get this newsletter weekly BACKTALK Have feedback or other ideas? We'd love to hear from you.  Tell us what you think Follow our thinking McKinsey Insights - Get our latest thinking on your iPhone, iPad, or Android. This email contains information about McKinsey's research, insights, services, or events. By opening our emails or clicking on links, you agree to our use of cookies and web tracking technology. For more information on how we use and protect your information, please review our privacy policy. You received this email because you subscribed to our Consumer & Retail alert list. Manage subscriptions | Unsubscribe Copyright © 2022 | McKinsey & Company, 3 World Trade Center, 175 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007