Corporate Capris Are the Best Summer Fashion Trend for the Office

Try as you might to romanticize florescent lighting and zero-privacy open office plans, there’s nothing sexy about corporate culture. Between meetings that could’ve been emails (or emails that should’ve been meetings) and the ambient hum of frantic typing, it’s hard to find any beauty in the daily grind besides maybe a morning cappuccino or juicy bit of office gossip.

This winter’s office siren aesthetic, however, begs to differ. Taking cues from ’90s minimalism and Cindy Crawford fashion editorials, TikTok found a way to take the “return to office” concept from bleak to chic—and I bought in faster than Gisele could say, “What? She looks good.”

There’s nothing I love more than a sexy pencil skirt and a cropped cardigan, so I was primed to embrace the office siren’s meteoric ascent up the corporate ladder. All winter long, I fired off ’90s-inspired vibes like memos to the copier in low-rise trousers and fitted button-downs. I served up demure kitten heels and sheer tights, found pleasure in a cinched blazer, and even considered buying tiny librarian glasses for a brief moment despite having the gift of 20/20 vision. Channeling my inner office siren fashion became that fashion that propelled me through Q2 and the seasonal affective mood boost I didn’t know I needed.

However, as the days grow longer and my morning subway rides get sweatier, I am faced with a sartorial dilemma: How do I keep this office party going? Wool blend trousers and cardigan layering aren’t exactly summer fashion fare. And commuting in 80-degree heat wearing a fitted pencil skirt sounds like cruel and unusual punishment. Thankfully, I found salvation in the form of a much-maligned Y2K throwback style.

What’s an office siren to do once summer hits? Throw on a pair of corporate capris, of course.

If you’ve spent too much time on fashion TikTok in the past year (guilty!), you’ve probably been fed some version of the capri trend in the form of cute matching sets, cropped gingham pants, or even leopard print high-waters. But what I’m calling “corporate capris”—basically, any workwear-appropriate trousers cropped to the heavens—melds the two trends into a stylish hybrid that’s the stuff of budget meeting-induced dissociative daydreams.

To get in on the business casual magic, first find your perfect pair. I have this black capri pant from Mango (complete with matching belt), but I’ve also seen a pinstripe version at my local thrift store and a few deceptively stretchy options online. Look for an office-drab chic color like gray, navy, black, or stone to emphasize the corporate in corporate capri and aim for just below the knee length to ensure seasonal suitability.

As for styling, you’ve got options. Think of the corporate capris trend as the perfect filler for the trouser-sized hole in your summer wardrobe. Pair yours with a loose button-down and ballet flats for a workwear vibe, or add a snatched blazer for some office hottie transitional dressing. You can even go full-on business-casual-at-the-club for a night out by pairing them with a cute tank and flashy accessories (I wore this combo to Coachella and have no regrets).

The practicality alone should be enough to sell you on this trend. Despite the silly name and polarizing mid-2000s origins, corporate capris remain by far the best fashion investment I made this spring. In terms of cost per wear, I’ve already passed the girl math threshold, and I plan on styling them for both personal and professional occasions all summer long.

Read on for a few outfit ideas for the office, home, and beyond… This might even be the one-time “go from day to night” fashion actually applies.