[ElFitz]

> I don't feel like I can go to work dressed like any given Sunday.

And why not? As you said: they are giving us money... for work. Not for playing dressing up.

If they expect otherwise, they should be clear about it up front and give a good reason to give up on that freedom while we work for them.

[scoutt]

> And why not?

To me (and of course, it's a personal opinion) it shows that someone cares. It's like when you do your resume, you want it clean and presentable, without typos, to show that you care.

We all like good user interfaces and experiences in our programs. To me, the look is like the presentation layer of our own UX. Is it required for our work? Most of the times it is not, because our work depends on the logic layers, but it doesn't hurt to have a nice presentation layer.

And I'm not telling about going to work in a D&G suit.

EDIT: and I'm not telling that I would discriminate or think right away that someone doesn't care! I don't do that. My attitude about good looking is mono-directional; from me towards others.

[ElFitz]

Well, to me, people care by showing up on time.

They care by solving problems.

They care by being there when the team needs them.

They care by being honest, authentic and candid.

They care by making things simpler and smoother for themselves and those around them.

They care by striving to avoid office politics and back stabbing.

They care by being the team mate we all wish we had and strive to be.

They care making our common working space a place we are all eager to come to in the morning.

And I would pick a reliable, self-aware, well-rounded, face tattooed, green haired and barefoot colleague that's comfortable in their own skin any day, over any well-dressed, high maintenance, drama king / queen.

What's interesting though, is that even knowing, and thinking that, I couldn't help but be spontaneously biased towards he or she who made the so-called effort of dressing to look the part. And that's a problem.

Also, I am nowhere near being that ideal team mate. More like a work in progress >.<'

[scoutt]

> biased towards he or she who made the so-called effort of dressing to look the part

Anecdote: my wife is a psychologist. They are taught to observe how a patient presents him/herself at an appointment. Is her/him presentable? What about personal hygiene? Does he/she take care of him/herself? These are characteristics that say a lot, and should be taken into account when meeting someone. There is a difference between taking care of oneself and trying to appear like something else by wearing branded clothes, or to appear like something else by dressing like a 60's hippie (or whatever).

> And I would pick a reliable, self-aware, well-rounded, face tattooed, green haired and barefoot colleague

Me too. But the first 3 are characteristics you wouldn't know for a while. In the meantime you have to work the hiring with what you see. Unfortunately, it's like that.

I also believe that the worst and most dangerous people in the world walk around in expensive suits, behave correctly in public and never say a bad word.