If you want to understand startup culture, don’t read the pitch deck—just watch what people are wearing.
As the front-desk receptionist at a San Francisco tech startup, I’ve become something of an amateur anthropologist of startup fashion. Every morning, I observe the parade of hoodies, sneakers, and ironic slogans roll past my desk like it’s Fashion Week, but make it Series B.
Let’s start with The Engineer Uniform:
Staple hoodie (bonus points if it’s from a previous startup that doesn’t exist anymore), jeans (maybe), and sneakers that haven’t been tied since 2019. You can spot the senior devs by their Patagonia vests and deep commitment to not brushing their hair. Comfort is king. Also, most of them wear the same outfit for three days in a row. They call it “decision fatigue reduction.” I call it Tuesday.
Then there’s Sales Bro Chic:
This look involves Allbirds, tailored joggers, a crisp logo tee, and just the faintest hint of cologne that whispers I hit quota this month. They all carry branded water bottles and sunglasses, even indoors. Somehow, they always look like they’re just returning from, or going to, a CrossFit class they didn’t actually attend.
Marketing & Design Teams are in their own category:
A blend of normcore and “this took effort but I want it to look effortless.” Think wide-leg trousers, vintage sneakers, oversized sweaters, and gold jewelry from small Instagram brands. The designer once wore a bucket hat indoors for a week. I still don’t know if it was ironic.
Product managers float somewhere in between. You can tell they’re product because they look like they once read a book about Steve Jobs and never recovered. Minimalist sneakers, solid-color shirts, and that one Everlane backpack everyone apparently owns.
And then there’s the Founder, who shows up once or twice a week wearing something that says: “I was up till 3 a.m. fundraising and also maybe at Burning Man.” Vintage hoodie, black jeans, expensive sneakers that somehow still have dirt on them, and a dazed expression that screams Series A trauma.
We don’t have a dress code, obviously. That would be too corporate. But we do have unspoken rules:
- Never wear a suit. You’ll look like you’re here for an interview or an audit.
- Never ask why someone’s barefoot. You don’t want to know.
- Startup swag is both status symbol and camouflage. The more obscure the logo, the more power it holds.
I once complimented a developer on his hoodie and he looked at me like I’d uncovered his horcrux. It was from a hackathon in 2017. “They only made 30 of these,” he whispered.
So no, this isn’t Silicon Valley High Fashion. But it’s something more honest—a walking reflection of code, chaos, and caffeine. And from behind the front desk, I wouldn’t have it any other way.