No, this really looks genuinely terrible. Never wear a tie without a jacket.
http://putthison.com/post/29635680290/q-and-answer-when-can-...
> The answer is pretty much “I work at a cell phone store.”
(vest without jacket is just as bad, except it's "I'm a waiter")
Yes, there is a tendency for it to look like service personnel, so you have to either make it look classier or more casual.
https://d29h7ql7qnxkqx.cloudfront.net/pix/blue_coffee2088/me... http://cdn12.lbstatic.nu/files/looks/large/2013/04/26/299690... http://image.tin247.com/vnmedia/101121161236-540-334.jpg http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTI2N1g4NDM=/z/6scAAMXQ74JTWkrh/$_...
Pretty much only if it is a black vest with black pants and black tie and black or white shirt.
- Jacket - Tie - Vest
Each is a step up in formality, and should not be done without the previous, unless you're Nick Wooster, and you're not.
I'm not sure if these alleged rules you speak of are codified somewhere, but given the context of the conversation (people around me are wearing hoodies and pajamas while I'm wearing a suit), I find it hard to imagine any combination of jackets, ties, and vests being truly inappropriate...
Personally, I don't like the look or feel of a tie with no jacket, or a suit with no tie.
This has, naturally, led to the group-wide conclusion that keeping up with fashion trends is a pointless practice.
Unfortunately, I don't have a pair of those sunglasses from "They Live" that I can put on to read the secret messages on clothing, like "ADORE ME" or "I AM IMPORTANT" or "FEAR ME" or "SUBMIT". I have a feeling that they are there, whether I can see them or not.
Whatever the message is on a suit, it makes the nerd caste uncomfortable. I don't know exactly why.
I'm just glad that I don't have to think very hard about my clothing. My closet has a "work" section, and a "non-work" section, and I can just grab the first things I see from the appropriate section, put it on, and be done. Waaaaay back in the back of the closet is my sole instance of all-purpose formal attire. That's what I wear for weddings and funerals, without having to think about it.
The author of the article mentioned just how much effort was spent researching and purchasing his two suits. But once it was done, he could, like me, dress on autopilot every workday for the entire rest of his life. How can I possibly fault him for that?
I suspect that he makes a lot more fashion decisions than that implicitly, by delegating them to an employee. That's not exactly the same as having perfect indifference to all the various clothing options in your wardrobe.
To go a bit further, I have several completely identical pairs of wrinkle-free all-weather slacks in neutral colors that match with everything. They fit me well and look good on me - and now for most outfits I just don't have to think about what pants to wear.
Similarly, I've got a pair of waterproofed leather Oxfords that are nice enough for formal wear, low-key enough for casual wear, and sturdy (and grippy) enough for everything up to light hiking, so for most things I just can just wear the same pair of (very comfortably broken in) shoes.
The way I see it, if you code, chances are you've got some coin. Find a look that matches your personality and stick to it. Plaid? Go for it. All black? Can't hurt. Vest and tie? Lookin' good. It doesn't have to be perfect, just wear what works. And for the love of God, even if you wear college clothes for the rest of your life, invest in a decent pair of shoes.
Ironically, the root of a lot of hacker culture is non-conformity. Jeans and a hoodie are a conformist statement if everyone else does it, whether you like it or not. And ask yourself why comfy clothing that can be slept in is promoted in work environments that prefer you to always be at the office.
My rule of thumb: dress the way you'd like to be seen by someone you want hiring or sleeping with you.