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How Do Programmers Dress for Work?

The uniform is a staple of many professions—police officers, military service men and women, teachers and even students. They help us stay "in character" for our job and give us one less decision to make in the morning. There generally isn't a "uniform" for those working in the tech industry. So how do programmers dress for work?

pip install awesome_t

The tech industry is known for being on the more casual side as far as dress codes go. The nature of hacker culture and a high likelihood of working remotely means that those in tech are more likely to be dressing down during office hours.

If your organization has no dress code, then you'll likely be wearing a T-shirt (like this one) and jeans. You might not go so far as to wear pajamas to the office---but if you work from home, then that's totally your call!

Still, keeping your PJs on all day might hinder your productivity. How motivated are you to keep 100% focused when you've got your "jammies" on? If the warmth and cover are what motivate you, then why not try out something a bit sturdier, like a hoodie and sweats? At least you'll be able to leave the house at a moment's notice!

Being able to work and wear whatever you want is a huge perk of your job, so be thankful! For all you Pythonistas out there, we've got a wide selection of hand-designed apparel that you'll be able to incorporate into your dress routine. Check them out now!

from closet import suit

Not all of us are so lucky, and even in the world of tech, there are organizations where you'll have to look your absolute best.

It's not necessarily a bad thing: companies want their workers to look presentable to clients, and they want to make sure employees are focused on the project and not their clothing. Regardless of the reason, if your organization wants you to dress up for work, then you're going to have to bite the bullet and go for it.

It might not be a suit and tie affair, but at the very least expect corporate casual to be the name of the game. Button-downs, blouses, suit pants and work shoes are to be expected. Make sure your clothes are pressed as well! You wouldn’t want any bugs in your code, so you shouldn’t have wrinkles in your shirt either.

Even at companies where a dress code is in play, you might be able to express yourself if they have casual Friday. This is the one time a week you get to dress mostly down at the office, so take advantage of it! Throw on your Pythonista T-shirt and show everyone how expressing your love for the language actually makes you a better developer.

if dress_code is True:

There are those of us who use clothing as a way to show our personality, and it can be a pain having to spend most of the day in a place that won't allow us to do just that.

So what other options do you have? If you’re required to dress up at work, but still want to express yourself, what should you do?

For women, it could be as easy as donning an accessory to brighten up your look. Throw on a flashy pair of earrings or wrap a chic scarf around your neck. For men, you can spruce up your neck with a geeky tie or don your ankles with decorative socks.

If you absolutely can't show off on your person, then your workstation is your last stronghold! Put up pictures of family and friends around your desk or sit a favorite item next to your monitor. Hold your pens in a coffee cup that proclaims your love for Python, or sticker your laptop with everything you've got!


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