Re: It depends...
"When I see a coder wearing shirt and tie, all I think is that he's another modestly skilled type who couldn't cut it in the arena with the talented coders."
Which only really goes to show why these silly rules are around; other people see people wearing shirts and ties and see competent professional people; you see people pretending to be people they aren't. How you dress does have an effect on how others perceive you, although that perception will vary from person to person as you demonstrate.
Personally I think people should wear whatever they feel is appropriate (they're skilled adults and should be trusted to decide what that means) and whatever they're most comfortable in, especially coders who have to do more hard thinking where comfort is more important than making good impressions on occasional non-techy people who may stumble by.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
