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I feel like the author of this article hasn't worked in silicon valley, because it doesn't touch at all on what I feel is the cultural significance of casual at
by tbabb 9y ago
I feel like the author of this article hasn't worked in silicon valley, because it doesn't touch at all
on what I feel is the cultural significance of casual attire: Wearing what you want says that your employer values you for your brain, not your willingness to conform. Formal dress runs counter to cultures that value lateral thinking, iconoclasm, and non-conformism; all the things that have made silicon valley successful.
A suit says "I am an interchangeable cog." Normal clothing says that you're an individual with identity and tastes.
(Plus it is hopelessly uncool to be/work for squares).
- upvotinglurker 9y agoNormal clothing says that you're an individual with identity and tastes ... that conform to the mainstream? (otherwise it wouldn't be "normal"?)
- suyash 9y agoExactly, the OP got it backwards.
- exabrial 9y agoThis made me smile because I was thinking the exact opposite thing :) I think a lot of hipsters dress alike (skinny jeans, boat shoes, et all) and they're worried about not conforming! (not accusing you of being a hipster, just playing on silicon valley stereotypes, no idea where you work)
- CoC_CRUSHER 9y agoThe trick is to wear kmart level tshirts and shorts.
- jawilson2 9y ago“Everyone in this room is wearing a uniform, and don’t kid yourself.” --Frank Zappa
- PatentTroll 9y agoYeah, it seems like the boldest choice one could make in that environment is to dress in a suit. The irony.
- tbabb 9y agoSo? Hipster is one of many "uniforms" a person can choose to put on. It's a big symbolic difference when the person chooses it themselves versus when they're told how to look by their employer. Wearing a suit to work generally implies the latter (and that's not an unreasonable conclusion to draw, since it still works that way in a lot of fields outside of tech, and worked that way historically). Certainly at my workplace I see all kinds dress styles.
- forgottenpass 9y agoI feel like the author of this article hasn't worked in silicon valley, because it doesn't touch at all on what I feel is the cultural significance of casual attire: Wearing what you want says that your employer values you for your brain, not your willingness to conform. Funny, I was going to say the same thing for the exact opposite reason. The valley has quite a lot of non-conformist conformity. With slacks and a collared shirt, it's about "professionalism". With the bland demure dress that shows personality, without suggesting the person has a personality capable of producing thoughts that go against the group-think, it's about "culture fit."