I have heard. (In fact, just a few days before the quiz came out, I wore my own version of the trend to Los Angeles Fashion Week.) The corporate chic aesthetic — otherwise known as corpcore, officecore, or the “office siren” look — has become ubiquitous over the past couple of years. Just like many other trends excavated from the aughts and the naughts, corpcore was largely inspired by the officewear of the late ’90s and early 2000s. It was a time when women were entering traditionally male-dominated spaces in the workplace, and designers like Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, and Calvin Klein were offering their takes on corporate-respectable cubicle-wear that was as practical as it was alluring. 

“We easily tire of things, and then we miss them, which explains why nostalgia is so pervasive in fashion,” Nikki Chowdhury, Vogue Australia’s digital audience lead, shared with the magazine back in May. “As we’ve returned to office, so to speak, it’s not surprising that women are yearning for something a bit more grown-up to wear to the conference table.” Yes, coquettish bows and ruffles have had a good run for more than a few years now; now’s the time to get back to serious dressing. Elevated and siren-ified, corpcore has made a grand return with crisp white button-downs, boxy blazers, oxfords, vests, and pencil skirts.

As designers mined the office uniform, they excavated another vestige of corporate dressing: the necktie. Case in point: For its fall-winter 2022 collection, Ralph Lauren sent sharply tailored, three-piece looks down the runway, paired with chic neckties. Louis Vuitton rendered several ties in bold and bright prints. Gucci cut them long and skinny in leather, tucking them into waistbands and between closed lapels. Sportmax and Rokh followed — ahem, ahem — suit. More recently, during the fall-winter 2024 season, Schiaparelli showed neckties made out of hair, which stood out sharply against crisp white shirts and denim-on-denim suits. 

And even more recently, Anthony Vaccarello sent a deluge of slouchy, power-shouldered suits accessorized with wide ties at Saint Laurent’s spring-summer 2024 show. His exploration of masculine tailoring was exceptionally bold. “My last men’s show in March had been all about tailoring, but based on flou; I wanted this one to be the opposite — more strict,” he told Vogue backstage. “It’s not about when I would do a tuxedo for a woman which was worn naked underneath. The suits come with shirts, ties. You’re dressed. It’s about control, and power, in a way.” 

Power — that’s the word. 

There’s nothing particularly radical about a tie, other than what it symbolizes. Some quick history: The necktie’s origins trace back to the 17th century, when Croatian mercenaries wore cloth bands around their necks as part of their uniform. The French admired and adopted the look, calling it a “cravate,” derived from the word for “Croat.” Worn by kings and nobility, this simple piece of cloth would eventually evolve into the modern necktie, becoming a key staple of menswear — and a global symbol of status and formality.

Now, I haven’t worked in an office in years — and maybe that’s exactly why I’ve always been drawn to the idea of throwing on a nicely tailored blazer and a suit. As LA Fashion Week rolled around, I began thinking of ways to take white collar-wear up a notch. That’s when the aforementioned accessory came into play: A decorative collar and tie from Karl Lagerfeld. With a button closure at the back of the neck, it was the most plug-and-play version of a tie I could find. I didn’t have to waste time learning any of the 177,000 tie-tying methods. (This is a real number, concluded by mathematicians. Yes, really.)

Of course, a deconstructed collar-tie combo called for a deconstructed blazer — and this fringed single-breasted number by Comme Des Garçons fit the bill. I love how it looks as though it’s been fed to a shredder, which fit the office-core theme quite well. Next came the shirt: a thigh-grazing, oversized button-down by Swedish ready-to-wear label, Avavav. I’ve had this shirt for years now, and it never fails to make a strong visual impact with its elongated, pointed collar. Collar on collar — why not? If I was going for quirky, I thought, might as well go all the way. 

This also translated to over-the-knee socks, which added to the preppy, librarian-esque aesthetic. This ribbed pair came in a two-pack set, with the other pair being black. It’s been a go-to this year for adding visual interest as well as warmth to any outfit. (You really can’t go wrong with Baserange — purveyor of thoughtfully minimalist basics.) Finally, a pair of silver pointed-toe slingbacks to finish off the outfit on a high and stylish note. Want to recreate the look? Find out where to shop each item — or a similar alternative, depending on availability — by clicking on the pieces below.