Change your first to "Clean up and look appropriate" then. You don't have to look flashy but I think if you are unhygienic you need to overcome more than if you

Change your first to "Clean up and look appropriate" then. You don't have to look flashy but I think if you are unhygienic you need to overcome more than if you are not. If you work in finance there are certain expectations on dressing in a certain way and if you are working as an engineer at a hip start up there are others. But if you decide to deviate too much you are spending weirdness points. I realized that when I was a software developer when I met client I dressed differently than when I put on a more relaxed hoodie at our casual office. I never put on a suit but at least some business casual as that was how everyone else was dressed. One thing though is that I have always looked kinda nerdy and I believe just like some women have complained that they are not taken seriously as software developers I think I've been taken more seriously at times just due to my nerdy looks (beard, way I dressed) despite my experience might not have warranted it.