mark zuckerberg — Blog

What should a man wear to his start up job? Apparently, a lot of guys have been scratching their heads on what "business casual meets professional meets start-up culture" even means. Banana Republic has decided to fix this problem and take the guesswork out of the question for men in these lax office environments.

In August the preppy clothing brand will debut an online boutique where, Banana Republic spokesperson Liz Nunan states, "Our stylists will style head-to-toe outfits best suited for different professions. We want our men shoppers to look at us as a resource for easy styling so they can get back to work--all while looking great."If you can't wait until August to see what Banana Republic has in store for you, perhaps it's time to point out what not to wear. Clearly, the Silicon Valley set needs help. If Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg's iconic fashion style of a hoodie sweatshirt and sneakers tells you anything, it's that these guys need fashion direction. Speaking from experience, I've witnessed shirts with stains, holes, bleach spots and obscene phrases. Admittedly, some of that was just one guy.

Don't wear a suit. They say dress for the job you want, but if you wear a suit and your CEO is in flip flops and shorts, you'll stick out like a sore thumb. Start-ups have casual work environments so that people can feel more relaxed and approachable. If you put up a wall and wear conservative attire, it will translate to people that you are above the company and possibly your fellow colleagues.

There's no word yet on if Banana Republic will launch a female version, "The Start Up Girl," any time soon. But from my own start-up experience:

Don't overdo it: I recall falling into the start-up fashion trap several months into my start-up job. A few months in I wore light jeans, a baseball-style shirt and light blue sneakers. Needless to say, I did not look professional, and I knew I had a problem. My attire fit into the culture, but it was far too relaxed.

You can play it too casual at start-up environments. You want to wear something that shows off your personality but also displays a sense of authority and professionalism. If I could do it all over again I would have planned out my outfits as much as I do for my current job. I'd switch out my pencil skirts for dark jeans and high heels for solid flats, yet still have a pulled-together look. A look that says, "You can trust me, I know what I'm talking about." As opposed to, "I just graduated--and no my name is not Jilly."

You are set to graduate in May and already starting to interview. You've studied the company and have prepared your interview QA. But what do you wear? Your college career counseling office always adheres to the dark suit uniform, but you know the tech scene is much less formal. What do you do?

Working in the tech scene as a coder or programmer in Silicon Valley requires a very different wardrobe than the rest of the country. You want to look like you fit in for any job you apply for. Nix the suit but err on the side of business casual. Dark denim, blazers and a heel's for women and a closed toed shoe for men (no sneakers).

The tech scene can thank Steve Jobs for his informal approach to tech with jeans and a black turtleneck. It can also applaud Mark Zuckerberg for famously introducing the hoodie and flip-flops to tech company culture. We're sure Mark never thought he would be a fashion icon. Yet, his style has helped dictate what is appropriate for billion dollar businesses like Facebook. Yet, going into the actual interview, unless you are the founder of a billion dollar enterprise – stick with business casual and don't get too comfortable. Especially if you are only at the initial interviewing stage.

It's just clothes, does it really matter? Your attire tells the interviewer the type of environment you want to work in. If they see you dressed up very formally they'll make the assumption that you wouldn't want to actually work for their company. They don't see you as a natural fit. When they look at their sea of current employees and then at you – they want you to be able to be one of them. There is a difference from looking casual to looking like you rolled off the couch. Make sure you clothes are pressed and clean. Your hair, shoes, bag are all well-kept and organized. You might be wearing a button down short but if it's wrinkled, it'll only distract the interviewer from the words that are coming out of your mouth.

Still clueless, where should you turn? Look on LinkedIn and see if you can get a sense of style by current employee's photos. Scan Google for write-ups of the company or photos from events. If you are really unsure of what to wear, stalk the office. A few days before the interview, stand on the other side of the street from the entrance and see what people are wearing as they come in and out of the building. What you wear is a nonverbal expression of what you want to represent. . Statement pieces are encouraged but don't get too creative unless the position calls for it: Fashion, PR, Graphic, Art Director...Whatever you do, don't wear a shirt that makes a literal statement – no graphics.