Just because you can, doesn't mean you should

While some business sectors have remained fairly stable in their dress code, others, especially the tech industry, have lowered the dress code to pretty much anything you want (as long as you are decent).  This freedom may seem like a wonderful gift, but the reality is, it's a Trojan horse.  Without a standard to adhere to, without the peer pressure to look presentable, many men (and women) have fallen into the trap of wearing whatever they please regardless of their position within the company.  The most interesting part of this phenomena is the fact that appearance plays a large role in how we feel about others.  Many men say they don't worry about how they look because "no one cares."  Yet these same men will also list off the greatest fashion offenders (in their opinion) within the company.  When you ask a man about someone, he will usually state their title and then describe their appearance.  When describing other men, they commonly use clothing as a descriptor (versus physical attributes which they save to describe women!).  For example "Joe is the CFO.  He always wears these Mr. Rogers sweaters but he's only 34."  So, if we naturally form our opinions about others based initially on how they look, then what do your clothes say about you?  The moral of this story is that people do care, regardless of what they say and how lax the dress code is.  Just because you are allowed to wear whatever you want to work, doesn't mean you necessarily should!