gen z – Page 2 – Topical Fruit

10 Things We Wish Were “Business Casual”

Ever stared at your closet wondering if you could get away with wearing those sweatpants to work? According to Google, searches for “business casual” hit an all-time high in 2025, and it’s not because we’re all suddenly passionate about HR dress codes. It’s because no one knows what it means anymore. (Did we ever?)

The dictionary definition is “a style of dressing for white-collar employees that is less formal than business attire.” Super helpful, right? That could mean a nice sweater… or maybe a hoodie with cowboy boots depending on who you ask and where you live.

Google looked at the most popular “Is this business casual?” searches of the year, broken down by city. And something about the list tells me we’d all be wearing tees, jorts, and Crocs to the office if we knew it wouldn’t cost us that raise.

Here are 10 questionable fashion choices we’ve been Googling and where those fashion dilemmas are trending the most.

1. “Are sweats business casual?”

Los Angeles is leading the charge on this one. Shocking absolutely no one.

2. “Are baggy jeans business casual?”

Salt Lake City is ready to be living in 1998 again.

3. “Are cowboy boots business casual?”

Charleston, South Carolina, wants to make this happen. And honestly, we kind of support it.

4. “Are hoodies business casual?”

Denver’s hoping it’s okay as long as it’s made by Patagonia.

5. “Are combat boots business casual?”

Chicago’s trying to punk up the office vibe.

6. “Are flannel shirts business casual?”

San Francisco, meet Portland’s wardrobe.

7. “Are shorts business casual?”

Eugene, Oregon, you’re on the same latitude as Minneapolis. This only applies like eight days a year.

8. “Is a cowboy hat business casual?”

Kansas City, Missouri, clearly thinks the rodeo is a networking event.

9. “Are yoga pants business casual?”

Hartford, Connecticut, just wants to be comfy.

10. “Is cheetah print business casual?”

Atlanta’s out here trying to make statement pieces work in staff meetings.

In the end, “business casual” for most of us means… whatever your boss won’t yell at you for. But as work-from-home culture continues to blend into in-office life, the line between business and casual is as blurry as ever.

One person’s power blazer is another person’s cheetah print sweats, apparently. At this rate, the only universal rule might be if you have to Google it, maybe toss on a button-down instead.

Gen Z Answers the Phone By Not Saying “Hello”?

Recruiters are talking, and Gen Z is… not. Literally.

A viral social media post from a recruiter has sparked a very modern etiquette debate: Why are so many Gen Z candidates answering phone interviews with total, unnerving silence?

The recruiter explains she does tons of scheduled phone interviews, and she’s noticed a specific trend among younger applicants.

She’ll call right on time… calls they scheduled, with her number… and they’ll answer… and just breathe. No “hello,” no “hi, this is Taylor,” not even a confused “…yeah?”

Just ambient breathing and maybe a faint TikTok video playing in the background.

To be clear, she’s not slamming them. She says it’s not a deal-breaker, just weird.

A Millennial hopped into the conversation to explain why this freaks people out: “Saying ‘hello’ isn’t just polite. It’s how you confirm you’re a human who picked up the phone, not a haunted voicemail system.” (Rough paraphrase, but you get it.)

There are a few theories about why Gen Z doesn’t say hello. For one, they probably never grew up with landlines, so nobody taught them the sacred ritual of answering with, “Hello, this is [your name].”

Also, they mainly text. Phone calls are already borderline terrifying for some Gen Z’ers. Combine that with a lifetime of spam calls and AI bots, and you get a generation that treats every ring like it might be a trap.

The post has stirred up reactions ranging from “who cares?” to “this is why we can’t have nice things.” Some people think it’s just a new normal, while others believe that if you’re interviewing for a job, you should probably start the call like you’re not being held hostage by an invisible demon.

Gen Z Thinks You’re “Old” at 35

If you’re over 35, brace yourself: Gen Z might already consider you a dinosaur.

A new survey tackled the age-old question… literally… of when someone officially becomes “old.” The answer? It depends entirely on who you ask. For Gen Z, the cutoff comes alarmingly early: 22% of them say “old” starts at 35. That even includes a bold 3% who think you’re washed up at 27. Yes, 27.

Gen Z, born between the mid-to-late ’90s and early 2010s, is just now rounding the bend into adulthood. The oldest are only around 28, so it’s possible this opinion is less about wisdom and more about the shock of finding their first gray hair. Millennials, on the other hand… many of whom are in their 30s and 40s… are far more forgiving: just 15% believe 35 counts as “old.”

The survey didn’t ask Gen X or Boomers, but it’s safe to assume none of them would be caught calling 35 “elderly”… at least not with a straight face.

The survey also uncovered some deeper anxieties about aging among young adults:

Fear of decline: 51% of Gen Z and 62% of Millennials say their top age-related worry is declining health.
Second-biggest fear? Gen Z is haunted by the idea of not achieving enough. Millennials, meanwhile, are stressed about financial insecurity.
Judgy vibes: Nearly half of Gen Z disapprove of people who still party in their 30s, while 49% of Millennials look sideways at 30-somethings who live with their parents.
Peaked too soon? Around 30% of both groups feel like their best years are already behind them… though 73% say they’re still hopeful that the future holds better days.

The fame game also looms large: 63% of Gen Z and half of Millennials admit to comparing their lives to celebrities. And while nearly 4 in 10 Gen Z’ers have already let go of the dream of becoming famous, a third of Millennials say they think it’s too late to change careers.

Also: 9% of Gen Z think people stop having sex at 40. (Spoiler alert: they don’t.)

So, what age is “old”? Apparently, it’s not a number… it’s a vibe. And depending on your generation, that vibe kicks in anywhere from 27 to never.