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"...its ability to convey a signature style..." This is important yet overlooked! There is a lot of advice for up and coming founders on HN (and other places)

by Jun8 15y ago

"...its ability to convey a signature style..." This is important yet overlooked! There is a lot of advice for up and coming founders on HN (and other places) ranging from scalability minutiae to naming your company, which are all important of course, but there is very little advice on how to dress to create a personal signature style. Why hasn't a site that aims to do this hackers/startup founders crop up, with advice like, what sort of sweater would look good with your Timbuk2 bag, etc.

untog 15y ago
It's funny that it really, horribly clashes with the idea of "Think Different", though.
- kposehn 15y ago
  Not really - he did indeed Think Different by doing exactly what most other CEO's (then and now) did not, imho.
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]
  - pyre 15y ago
    The idea of imposing a standard uniform or wearing the same thing everyday can be viewed as a form of imposing conformity over individuality (mostly the uniform thing, and less the personal style thing). That said, for a US company (especially at that time), such thinking was definitely 'outside the box,' so it could also be viewed as being consistent with the 'Think Different' slogan.
    - moheeb 15y ago
      The idea of wearing the same thing everyday is hardly 'outside the box'. Baseball players, judges, police officers, firemen, hospital staff, waitresses, painters, plumbers, construction workers...I'll stop now. Oh wait....bums.
      - sambeau 15y ago
        And let's not forget 80% of Apple employees.
      - pyre 15y ago
        It's 'outside the box' for office workers.
    - bluedanieru 15y ago
      'Think different' and individuality are not really synonymous. A group of people can 'think different' by imposing conformity within their team and working as a unit.
    - bmahmood 15y ago
      In Jobs's case, I think it had more to do with efficiency. I believe Einstein also wore the same outfit every day, saying each person had a finite amount of time for thought, and he didn't want to waste it picking out clothes.
      - coolestuk 15y ago
        Einstein only wore identical suits to occasions requiring suits. For the rest of it, he was laid back. Maybe Jobs will also be included in this account of famous people with Asperger's syndrome. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC539373/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC539373/
philwelch 15y ago
Sam Altman's two layers of polos and popped collars at Macworld was certainly a "distinctive" look!
WiseWeasel 15y ago
I think the typical young tech founder signature style is sandals or flip-flops, shorts and an assortment of stupid/funny t-shirts. Sweaters are deprecated.
- elliottkember 15y ago
  Hoodies are still de rigeur.

by Jun8 15y ago

untog 15y ago

It's funny that it really, horribly clashes with the idea of "Think Different", though.

kposehn 15y ago
Not really - he did indeed Think Different by doing exactly what most other CEO's (then and now) did not, imho.
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
- pyre 15y ago
  The idea of imposing a standard uniform or wearing the same thing everyday can be viewed as a form of imposing conformity over individuality (mostly the uniform thing, and less the personal style thing). That said, for a US company (especially at that time), such thinking was definitely 'outside the box,' so it could also be viewed as being consistent with the 'Think Different' slogan.
  - moheeb 15y ago
    The idea of wearing the same thing everyday is hardly 'outside the box'. Baseball players, judges, police officers, firemen, hospital staff, waitresses, painters, plumbers, construction workers...I'll stop now. Oh wait....bums.
    - sambeau 15y ago
      And let's not forget 80% of Apple employees.
    - pyre 15y ago
      It's 'outside the box' for office workers.
  - bluedanieru 15y ago
    'Think different' and individuality are not really synonymous. A group of people can 'think different' by imposing conformity within their team and working as a unit.
  - bmahmood 15y ago
    In Jobs's case, I think it had more to do with efficiency. I believe Einstein also wore the same outfit every day, saying each person had a finite amount of time for thought, and he didn't want to waste it picking out clothes.
    - coolestuk 15y ago
      Einstein only wore identical suits to occasions requiring suits. For the rest of it, he was laid back. Maybe Jobs will also be included in this account of famous people with Asperger's syndrome. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC539373/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC539373/

philwelch 15y ago

Sam Altman's two layers of polos and popped collars at Macworld was certainly a "distinctive" look!

WiseWeasel 15y ago

I think the typical young tech founder signature style is sandals or flip-flops, shorts and an assortment of stupid/funny t-shirts. Sweaters are deprecated.

elliottkember 15y ago
Hoodies are still de rigeur.