Corporate Chic

Who’s in full business casual glam to go to high school? Cher Horowitz...and Dionne Davenport...and Regina George...and basically every main character from every 90s/00s movie ever. Young adult fashion has evolved a lot since the early 2000s; what are the best soft corporate looks of the American high school movie era, and why do we opt for chill jeans and T-shirts instead these days?

Clueless

Cher and Dionne arriving in high school in corporate girly glam, from the Clueless movie, 1995. Image by Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock, accessed via refinery29. © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Here, Dionne is showing Murphy what’s up in an elegant burgundy dress, accentuated with a dramatic white collar and accessories. What is she fitting in that tiny handbag at school? Who cares? It’s gorgeous. Cher, in similar business-cas vibes, is styling a dark button-up skirt with a blue shirt, layered with a vest. Both characters style knee-high boots and smiles like diamonds. They treat the school hallways like runways because they both know what it's like for people to be jealous of them. Business chic was definitely not everyone’s preference, just like any fashion fad. Take Tai for example—plaid skirts would definitely not be first in her wardrobe. But, inevitably she ends up matching with Cher and Dionne in this very clip, which could subtly highlight the overbearing pressure to fit into others in society. But that’s a deep convo for another day. Of course, haute couture may not be an exact representation of all American high schools in the 90s/00s because it’s a movie, duh. And the dress codes probably get in the way a little bit. But, the fashion trends have definitely shifted, not just in a ‘professional’ setting like school, but in general. Perhaps a reason for this is practicality: as much as miniature handbags look stunning, we have to carry a lot of items, so they’re unfortunately just not gonna cut it. If one could fit a laptop, notebook, stationery, and various unnecessary items in a mini JACQUEMUS bag, schools would still resemble fashion shows in the modern day. In all fairness, Cher used technology to pick out her school clothes every day; maybe we should bring that back.

Cher and Dionne in their iconic Clueless outfits. Photo by Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection. Accessed via instyle © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

You thought we could discuss 90s corporate fashion without the iconic plaid suit? Cher and Dionne are the epitome of ‘it girl’. No one is real enough to plan an outfit for school with you these days, unfortunately; but Cher and Dionne remain the ultimate baddie duo. Everyone in this shot—from our main babes Cher and Dionne to the guys in the back with jeans and belts—made an effort with their outfits. Albeit not everyone is as flawless as the main characters, but they definitely highlight that young adult fashion has changed. If you wore jeans, a belt, and a tucked-in sweater nowadays, you’d probably be the odd one out; maybe we’re all just clueless. Another reason for this could be that we are so much more woke in the modern day. We recognize more than in the past that self-care is important, and getting that extra 30 minutes of sleep or setting aside 30 minutes in the morning to journal and eat a nutritious breakfast is a lot more important than which plaid skirt we are gonna (t)win in. I personally see every time I leave the house as an opportunity to pretend I’m on a runway, but I’m no stranger to sacrificing doing my lashes if it means I get a full 9 hours' sleep. School is hard, work is hard, life is hard, and perhaps we are more concerned about self-care than our outfits for such places, or at least a little more than in the 90s.

Mean Girls

On Wednesdays we wear pink. We can’t discuss high school fashion without a dash of…plastic.

Courtesy of Mean Girls, available via Dazed © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

The Plastics cared a lot more about their school attire compared to how much society does now, where for some of us an oversized hoodie will suffice. Throughout the movie, Regina styles a plethora of business-yet-chic outfits, including the collared shirt in the iconic ‘On Wednesdays we wear pink’ clip. Karen and Gretchen are also no strangers to a plaid skirt or jumper-vest that accentuates the business-cas fashion fad. Today, it’s pretty uncommon to see girls dressed in heels, skirts, jumper vests, and full glam makeup to school, perhaps simply because of evolving fashion trends. Mean Girls was released in 2004, so it’s safe to say that ‘corporate’ attire (such as that suitable for school and work) has shifted. Essentially, fashion in such locations is generally much more chill now, with many more sightings of jeans and flats in the office than pumps. Of course, this is not true for everyone; fashion is subjective. On a deeper level, maybe society nowadays cares less about what everyone else thinks of their outfit, so they unapologetically choose something that is comfy and allows them to work to their best ability, as opposed to what will allow them to be liked. The whole premise of Mean Girls is that it's better to be your true authentic self than to change yourself to conform with expectations of society or your friend group. If you want to wear Louboutins to high school, go you. Totally grool.

Basically, fashion has changed. The American high school movie era is a showcase of some of the most memorable outfits and characters, which represent a different atmosphere in the fashion world. These days we can totally make jeans and a T-shirt into couture, but Regina George would definitely gossip about you. Work.