😅 Gen Z thinks it’s OK to wear this to work

It’s Tuesday, Boston.

😁 If fall in Boston had a dopamine menu, what would be on it? Well, watching everyone take in the view on the Longfellow Bridge, for one. But as for the rest, here’s what we think.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Plz don’t drive to Salem

• Another bridge glow-up

• Inside the MBTA’s lost and found

Up first…

OFFICE APPROPRIATE

You won’t hear this around the water cooler

Corporate life post-COVID is a whole new ball game. From office attire to mental health to taking PTO, knowing what’s kosher in the workplace these days can be exhausting.

So this fall, we’re digging into the new frontier of Gen Z and millennial office culture with our new monthly series, “Office Appropriate.” First up: Workplace fashion. 

👖 Gen Z is giving millennial girl boss pencil skirts a run for their money. In general, “we're not dressing like we did pre-pandemic” anymore, said MassArt fashion design professor Kenlyn Jones. Work outfits have become decidedly less formal. But the internet says Gen Z is taking it to another level. A quick search for Gen Z work outfits reveals young people embracing bright colors and funky silhouettes, reclaiming classic styles with a “hot-girl” twist, or quite literally wearing athletic shorts and a T-shirt to the office — though not everyone is a fan.

💻 The change isn’t happening in a vacuum. Gen Z is in a unique position in terms of office culture. Minimal in-person experiences during COVID mean they’ve “missed out” on absorbing certain workplace norms, according to Jen Pollard, executive director for career education at Wellesley College. This will naturally lead to some growing pains on both the employee and employer fronts. “Employers are not used to that pressure from employees to have to really think about how they're fitting into somebody's overall life both in and out of the office,” she said.

👚 Plus, every generation is fated to get some flack for moving the needle. We’ve criticized the younger generation “for all of human history,” said Lindsey Pollak, a multigenerational workforce expert, but that doesn’t mean the changes they bring to the table are ever inherently good or bad — they’re “just different.” And that goes for fashion, too. “Look at the tech vest,” Jones said. “Would you wear the tech vest to your finance job in 1980? No way. But now it's the norm. And these companies, they're gonna catch up.”

🫸 So take a beat before you start (literally) cramping their style. One BoF survey found that 82% of young people say fashion is an important piece of asserting their identity and individuality. And that’s definitely true for Sarah Mitchell, a 24-year-old TikToker who’s grown an audience posting work fits infused with her personal style: “Clearly, I'm a competent person who has gotten [this job], and if someone's going to judge how I look … then that's on them,” she said. “Just being a young girl in the office is something that you're already going to be judged for, so if I'm going to go in, I might as well be wearing a fun outfit.” 

QUICK QUESTION

👖 Is it OK to wear shorts to the office?

TOGETHER WITH BOSTON SEAPORT

Raise a glass (or four) to Hispanic Heritage Month

🍹Want to “Salud!” for a good cause? Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a Seaport cocktail crawl from now through Oct. 15. Sip on a La Frida Kahlo at Vela, a Havana Sunset at Para Maria, a Volcan Blanco at Scorpion Bar, or a Spicy Dead Lady at Borrachito Taqueria & Spirits to help support Sociedad Latina’s mission of empowering the next generation of Latinx leaders. Not into cocktails? You can also contribute by shopping exclusive Spanish bracelets or ChillHouse press-on nails at Little Words Project. Celebrate, support, and sip to make a difference!

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

👻 Heading to Salem this spooky season? You and 1.2 million others. With about 4,000 public parking spots to go around, tons of road closures, and new license plate readers to make ticketing easier, officials are basically begging you not to drive in. Luckily, the MBTA is beefing up weekend service on the commuter rail and Salem ferry in anticipation of the crowds. Expect more seats on weekend ferries and increased commuter rail service, including a $5 round-trip deal from Beverly to Salem to encourage riders to park at Beverly Station.

🤑 The MBTA just got a HUGE wad of cash. Namely, a record $472 million federal grant to replace the North Station Draw One Bridge, which connects commuter rail and Amtrak trains between North Station and the railroads north of Boston. The bridge is in desperate need of a glow-up, and this project will modernize it by improving existing tracks and signals, connecting two more tracks to the network, and even making it more climate-resilient. As for when it’ll happen and what commuting will be like once it’s underway … we’ll talk later.

🗳️ Mass. voters are hoping for a Kamalanomenon. New polling by WBUR gave us some juicy insights about how Mass. voters are feeling about the presidential race with just 41 days to go. The survey found, perhaps unsurprisingly, Kamala Harris is the strong favorite to win in November. But there were some interesting tidbits: Harris did well (61% broke for her to Donald Trump’s 22%) with Independent voters, but wasn’t quite as strong with young voters (46%–51% favorable to unfavorable rating). Check out all the deets here.

🌨️ Winter is coming. And it’s going to be … warm? Apparently so. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration just dropped its outlook for the upcoming winter weather from December to February. Long story short, New England has an “above-average” chance of seeing a warmer-than-usual winter, in part thanks to “above normal” sea surface temps. But in terms of precipitation, New England has “quite weak” chances to see more than usual, with Boston specifically trending at a 50/50 shot. 

GIVEAWAY

Together with [solidcore]

Enter to win 5 Free Classes to [solidcore]. To enter, just refer a friend and have them accept your invite by the end of the day on Sept. 25, 2024. If you have already referred a friend to B-Side (and they’ve accepted), you're eligible! Full details below*

18+. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Limit one entry per person. See Official Rules & an additional entry option here.

MEDIA SPONSORSHIP

Globe Summit 2024

Looking to hear from Boston's most influential Leaders? Tomorrow and Thursday is Globe Summit 2024, the fourth-annual ideas festival that brings a packed schedule of nationwide speakers and panels to Boston. Review the full schedule and register to attend virtually FOR FREE. Speakers include Michelle Wu, Maura Healey, and Al Roker, and panels will cover topics such as climate innovation, lab-grown food, AI, professional sports, and more.

ONE LAST THING

Inside the MBTA lost and found

Everyone knows the minor heart-attack feeling of almost leaving your phone on the T. But only one person (that we know of) knows the probably major heart-attack feeling of leaving $10,000 cash on the T. Welcome to the world of the MBTA lost and found.

When the MBTA posted a PSA recently letting riders know who to call when they leave items behind on the trains and buses (here they are, BTW), Boston.com decided to ask what exactly folks are leaving behind. The answer? Mostly clothes. … But also $10,000 in cash, a diamond engagement ring, a drone, a bike, and a matching set of Hermès luxury items. 

But before you call in to claim that diamond ring, everything has already been returned to their rightful owners (nice try though). 

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🚃 Thanks for reading! I’ve never left anything on the MBTA, but I did accidentally leave one of my favorite T-shirts in TD Garden this summer … long story.

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, @seaportbos, for supporting local journalism and celebrating diverse cultures in our community. 

🍽️ The results are in: 33% of B-Siders say that they feel the strongest about the ballot question that would raise the tipped minimum wage. One reader said: “A reliable, livable, income is necessary no matter your line of work. Tipping culture needs to evolve and this is the only means of getting that started.” Another said: “I’ve bartended, managed, and even owned a bar … and the tipped min wage is about the only thing I’ve ever seen that helps staff.”

💃 Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].