I just wish more American businessmen would wear decent shoes, such as bluchers or oxfords by Alden or Allen Edmonds, so I don't have to see anymore rubber soled, bicycle toed loafers at the airport: http://instagram.com/p/ZbdZfMsM4G/
I'm with Zuckerberg, and Jobs with his 'uniform' on this one: most of that junk is a complete waste of your time. The only winning move is not to play. You don't have to wear just sweatshirts and jeans, but pick stuff you like and get on with life and stop worrying about it.
"supposed to"? According to why? And what gives this amorphous "they" any standing to dictate such a thing?
Fuck that... I like to dandy it up and rock the "two and a half piece" suit look sometimes (that is, waistcoat and - in my case - a cravat, but no outer jacket), but I do it because I like it, not because somebody says it's what you're supposed to do. And the rest of the time, this 40 year old sees no reason not to wear jeans and a Twisted Sister t-shirt.
In the neighbourhood I'm known as "the bathrobe guy with funny facial hair", so I get you. I don't want attract people around me who will judge a book by its covers, but majority people I interacted with are living in that cave. It is pretty oblivious to walk around and think that your appearance doesn't matter to substantial number of people you do business and socialize with.
If you want to leave appearance of laid-back honest doer, that's fine. Not all people do.
That's actually a damn good idea. The picture that is there now is just one I picked because it's a halfway decent picture. I'm not terribly photogenic, so I usually try to avoid having my picture taken at pretty much all costs. If I had a good picture of myself in jeans and a T/S t-shirt, I'd switch it right now.
As soon as I can get a new picture taken, I'll do it though.
It is pretty oblivious to walk around and think that your appearance doesn't matter to substantial number of people you do business and socialize with.
Oh I don't think it doesn't matter to some people, I just try very hard not to think about those people or their opinions. Maybe if I would "play by the rules" more I'd be richer or more successful or whatever, but it's just not worth it...
After all, as they say
Getcha a 3-piece Wall Street smile and son you'll
look just like me
I said "Hey man, there's something that you oughta know"
I tell ya Park Avenue leads to Skid Row.[1]
People typically care more about the respect of their peers than the respect of random people in general. Wearing a suit among software people doesn't make you look "professional", it makes you pretentious at worst and just a bit weird at best.
I'm probably overreacting, but your post really reads like "you should wear less comfortable/more expensive footwear because I don't like looking at what you currently own", and that sort of thing kinda pisses me off.
Traditionally made welted shoes are neither more expensive over the long haul or less comfortable.
At this point, I'm not going to purchase any brand new Eccos using my own money, but as long as they keep giving me free pairs I'm happy to wear them. Others in my family have had similar experiences with Rockport and Clarks. I think most people just don't bother trying to take advantage of workmanship guarantees.