[peterwwillis]

The clothing choices I mentioned are more classic examples of behavioral stereotypes.... I don't encourage being judgmental at all. It's really not what you wear, but how you wear it and how you comport yourself in the workplace. But there are limits.

Barefoot is just not acceptable. it's unhygenic. Nobody wants to smell your feet, and even if your feet aren't smelly, you're at risk of developing a fungal infection, injury, etc. Wear some shoes.

The other aspect to picking a particular style or dress (let's call it "conservative dress") is that it makes people more comfortable. People are weird. Often they get uncomfortable if people around them dress different than they're used to. You see it in tech workers all the time: they say "I'll never wear a tie! Oppression!" or somesuch thing. Ties make them uncomfortable, just like people in shorts, sandals and a t-shirt with a slogan might make other people uncomfortable. Something in the middle would make everyone more comfortable, which makes for a better work environment.

But the way you dress can influence the way you and your co-workers behave. In my experience, dressing more relaxed leads to more relaxed personalities, which has both great and horrible side-effects. People think they can act however they would with their friends, which (for tech types) might be very abrasive to strangers. It may also affect their work, or how they compose themselves in meetings. I can't tell you how often i've heard the causally-dressed guy tell someone to fuck off in a meeting, while the guy in business-casual is much more tactful. These are just some examples.

[jrokisky]

I have very little "work" experience, but from my limited experience I've noticed the opposite effect, the guy in a suit is way more likely to be a bully. That being said, I can imagine people acting how you say. I think that a company that has employees that act this way is seriously dysfunctional and I have no desire to contribute to that.

[bane]

"I have very little "work" experience, but from my limited experience I've noticed the opposite effect, the guy in a suit is way more likely to be a bully."

After about 20 years in professional work, I can confirm that the nicer the suit, the bigger the asshole. The hack is to dress in a nice suit as well and then don't back down when the bully bombasts all over you. You'll probably end up with a promotion. Not backing down form a T-shirt position will probably get you laid off.