[Ill_ban_myself]

My success as an architect or senior dev or supervising senior dev or practice lead (all hats I've worn just like the knit beanie I wear every day) all depend on a senior management team above me that remains relaxed, open to new ideas, and collaborative. I need them to view me as a flexible resource that works just as hard to understand their needs and concerns as I do to understand those of the engineers at the firm.

That's why I wear jeans and a tshirt when I'm meeting with internal teams and I put on a suit and tie (or at least a cashmere sweater and slacks) when I meet with clients or mostly senior management teams.

I need openness and collaboration between peers who frequently and stubbornly misunderstand each other and by signaling that I'm not explicitly playing for either team I foster that openness and collaboration.

Often managers smirk or chuckle at my casual attire and engineers are wary and look askance at my Tie Bar wool ties and designer shoes when I am attending a workshop.

I dress for the audience, not for me. Stubbornly adhering to any other standard is dumb.

[artsyca]

Look I appreciate the sentiment but I'm calling bullshit

You're putting way too much effort into choosing a look whereas in a real professional world everyone would choose to exnovate at one kind of outfit and move on to more important matters

But I do agree there are moments when you dress for yourself and moments when you dress for others

During work it's 100% dress for the team and client

As a senior software developer start-up founder and process consultant I'm telling you dress is an important semaphore that most people fumble badly and it only serves to amplify the control dramas and false corporate power dynamics

Your beanie is not only a beanie it's a badge of entitlement