Gen Z is well known for challenging conventions, particularly those that have existed but are ineffective beyond being inconvenient.
Young Black corporate professionals are already questioning antiquated workplace conventions in a similar vein. After her employer reprimanded her sneakers for being too casual, she is questioning the idea that women should wear heels.
A TikTok user named @jonaeieshia recently posted a video in which she bemoaned her dissatisfaction with her shoe selection. Recently, this young corporate employee received a reprimand for showing up to work in clean, modest Adidas Sambas. The OP claimed that the sneakers were comfortable, clean, fashionable, and completely suitable for a professional setting.
She did not only comply when she was called out; instead, she left the office building to purchase a couple of apartments from the nearest Walmart. As an illustration of an elitist dress code, she live-recorded the event and criticized the required attire.
She subsequently embraced her identity as Miss Two Degrees in a follow-up video. As a proud Black woman of the first generation with a high level of education, she is navigating corporate America alone.
She further clarified that her education and expertise were unaffected by the fact that she was young, black, and fresh to corporate America. She received a lot of criticism for her attitude toward the established norms, but she was prepared with incisive answers.
Why do I feel the need to dress up in order to be taken seriously when I’m loud, Black, and educated? It seems like a personal issue.
Her remark has sparked a strong online response. Few people have condemned her, arguing that professional attire is required in the workplace. In a similar vein, certain types of footwear originate outside of the workplace.Comments like “Sneakers are never OK for corporate jobs” have been made by these individuals.
But she has discovered her people and is not alone. Her fans are retaliating, claiming that many men in the corporate world and upscale real estate brokers pair their suits with sneakers.
crazy pull from the vault
In order for the new Balance 1906Ls to run, the Cole Haan x Nike Airs walked.
(I won’t wear either.)etXxrt75fB pic.twitter.com/
Keean July 26, 2025 (@itskeean)
Nike x Cole Haan collaborations are frequently seen on corporate guys and high-end real estate brokers. Sneakers that are modest and clean should be acceptable.
Executive teams and HR staff have been criticized and requested to change over time. Additionally, they have requested that dress regulations be updated to reflect the corporate climate of 2025 and that inclusiveness be prioritized.
These actions would increase the cultural intelligence of workplaces. Her bravery in pointing out contradictions has been praised by many commenters.
Miss Two Degrees is the object of your gaze. She confirmed that I had only ever encountered corporate.
Her position has struck a chord with a number of people. Some women of color and younger professionals have reported feeling under pressure to meet the rigid requirements of Eurocentric beauty standards in order to be treated seriously.
The story primarily reveals how exclusion can result from professional norms. This is particularly true if those norms are a result of privilege. The ignorance of many cultures is another factor.
It’s time to abandon the antiquated visual standards and gauge trustworthiness based on identity and talent as corporate America is changing and its population is diverse.
Many have suggested that the clothing code, which was designed to make secretaries look presentable for clients, should be abandoned.
Wider discussions have been triggered by the video. It has sparked discussions regarding race, class, and professionalism. The topic of generational shifts in expectations at work is also being discussed. While some businesses have already adopted polished sneakers as a component of business casual, others are still stuck with dress rules from the 1990s, which feels, to be honest, outdated.
Her widely shared video serves as a reminder that skill and elegance are not incompatible. One user summed it up this way: Sneakers won’t stop me from glancing at Miss Two Degrees.
