

Ask HN: Dress code? Do you dress up for work? - cpeterso

Tech companies, and startups in particular, are known for relaxed dress codes. I don't believe people's attire has much effect on their work performance, but I sometimes wonder how software engineers (as a profession or individuals) would be treated differently if they wore nicer work clothes (e.g. no hoodies or logo t-shirts).<p>Do you dress up for work? Does your office have an unspoken dress code, pressuring people to dress up <i>or</i> down?
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viraptor
Seen one company trying to enforce dress code. Not much has changed apart from
people being angry at the person trying to introduce it. I guess people would
have lower work performance if they were unhappy about something silly like
that. That's also connected to spending money since not everyone might have
enough non-tshirts to last a week...

On the other hand - I do like to wear "better" clothes. They definitely do
work in places like banks, offices, etc. where you want to get something done
efficiently. They will even get you a drink at the bar before a student in a
hoodie sometimes. There's a stereotype of a professional and expensive look -
play it right and you can get a slightly better treatment.

Additionally if you do feel that you make a better impression than people
around you, your charisma will improve making the "better clothes" a kind of
self fulfilling prophecy. This could work just as well for having the most
geeky tshirt in an appropriate group.

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cpeterso
> your charisma will improve making the "better clothes" a kind of self
> fulfilling prophecy.

The TV show "What Not To Wear" has some dramatic makeovers that greatly
improve people's self-confidence.

I seem to remember an HN story about a fashion blog for geeks, but I can't
find it now. If someone were to create one, a good name might be "DressCode".
:)

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bartonfink
I wear business casual almost all the time, and have done so for years. I feel
most comfortable in a collared shirt and khakis, so that's what I wear almost
all the time (including today, a Saturday when I haven't left my home office).
I would look with equal disdain upon an office where I was expected to wear a
T-shirt and shorts as I would upon an office where I was expected to wear a
tie.

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cschmitt
I typically wear a nice pair of jeans and a collard shirt. During the summer I
have been known to wear a nice tee-shirt and shorts on friday.

