Casual Fridays was a first step towards encouraging employees to step out of the ‘normal’ routine and dress down into more casual clothes for one day of the working week.
The emergence of startups, run by young, innovative, and ambitious entrepreneurs caused a shift in fashion styles around the office. Suddenly, comfortable clothes became more acceptable and suitable, and the need for ‘dressing up to impress’ became a thing of the past.
So, if you have recently joined a startup, are new to the scene, or are generally interested in the fashion choices of young entrepreneurs in the startup system, you can use this guide to give you an idea of what the new Startup casual attire looks like.
What is the Startup Casual dress code?
For many people, one of the best perks of working in a startup is being a part of an amazing environment, while working with passionate, like-minded people.
You get to participate in many interesting, innovative projects and contribute with your input, and you won’t be required to spend your days wearing an uncomfortable suit (unless you want to).
The dress code in startups is very simple. It is so relaxed that, in some instances, there is no dress code at all. People are allowed to dress up or down as much as they feel comfortable, without fear of being judged on their looks or their job performance.
Startup casual is commonly, but not strictly, referred to as an informal, colorful, modern, and most importantly, comfortable way of dressing for work. It usually reflects the office vibe and startup culture, which is energetic, youthful, and practical.
However, it can get a bit confusing. Even though there is no strict dress code, it is still important to dress appropriately. So, if you are unsure what to wear on your first day at a startup job, keep reading.
How should I dress if I work in a startup?
Let’s say you are starting your new job at a startup, and you are yet unsure of just how ‘casual’ you can dress. You might want to leave a good first impression but on the other hand not go crazy with full-on business attire.
If this sounds like you, we have included a few of tips for you to keep in mind when standing in front of the closet in the morning, losing precious time trying to choose what to wear:
- A good rule of thumb to follow would be to aim for business casual attire. This means you should step up a bit from your home office outfit, but not go too crazy with a suit and tie.
Some examples include wearing a nice pair of khakis with a button-up shirt for men or a nice pair of trousers with a blouse or a cardigan for women.
- If you had an online interview, which is most common these days, try to remember what the person interviewing you was wearing. This should give you a good idea of what the office vibe is and what people there usually dress like.
- This might seem like an obvious one, but you should use common sense when trying to think of an outfit to wear.
Even if your startup might not be very strict on its dress code, wearing those ripped jeans or a crop top that you would wear to a night out with your friends might not be the best option to go for.
Why is Smart Casual better?
Peter Thiel, a venture capitalist which invested in many companies while they were still successful startups like Facebook, Yelp, and LinkedIn, says his ‘trick’ to success is that he never invests in a tech CEO that wears a suit.
Many women reported facing trouble when trying to get funding for their startups, among which one was told the solution to the problem is to “hire a young guy in a hoodie”.
Thanks to startup culture, the ‘kid in the hoodie’ is becoming a prime standard among startup leadership characteristics.
But getting easier access to funding is not the only reason why smart casual has become the new normal among many companies.
The new norms around business casual attire at the startup workplace allow young entrepreneurs to make fashion statements and express who they are, not who they think their company expects them to be.
There is no right or wrong!
Now that you got a sense of what startup dress codes look like in theory, you might be wondering: What do people at startups actually dress like?
Here at Speedinvest Heroes, we stand for wearing whatever makes you express yourself in the best way possible.
Our dress code is simple – there isn’t one! Just be yourself, that is all we want to see.
We see all kinds of different colorful styles walk into our office every day. Here are some of them:
Conclusion
If you land a job in a startup company, consider yourself lucky that you don’t have to spend your mornings worrying about if your shirt is perfectly ironed or not. In the end, it also saves a lot of money since you don’t have to invest in ridiculously expensive suits and fancy shoes.
When you have full freedom of what you choose to wear to work, you can not only feel more like your true self but also focus on what really matters – your job and path to success!
