So long to shorts? In Silicon Valley, tech workers are showing less leg
Silicon Valley tech workers are increasingly moving away from casual shorts in favor of more professional attire like chinos and shirts. Industry experts and workers note that the 'scruffy' tech stereotype is fading as office culture shifts toward a more polished 'power casual' look.
Why it matters
This shift reflects broader changes in corporate culture and professional expectations within the tech industry post-pandemic.
AI data analyst Edwin Zee recently sat through a conference call with a colleague on the East Coast who was wearing shorts.
"He was sitting at a table, and the way he was positioned, the table covered up all of his shorts. But you could see his bare legs sticking out," said Zee. "So it looked like he had no pants on."
To wear shorts to work? Or not to wear shorts to work? The question is coming up at water coolers and beyond this summer.
Nearly half of the traders, portfolio managers and strategists surveyed in a recent Bloomberg poll said short pants are fine for work. But Silicon Valley men seem to be shying away from showing their legs at the office as the stereotype of the scruffy tech genius in shorts and flip-flops fades.
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