In other countries, it's very common for boys to wear a shirt and tie to school. Even here it's part of the uniform at many private schools and some charter schools, and it's the norm for children at formal events. It's not 'grown-up' attire, it's 'serious' attire.

I wore a tie to school every day in high school. Then I did it again at a well know startup. In both instances someone pulled me aside to tell me "keep dressing like that and you're going to stand out."

Yes.

I attended catholic high school in nyc from 1965 to 69 and we wore a sport coat and tie with dress slacks. Hair length inspections were conducted. It didn't kill anyone as far as I know.

The way I've always seen it, if you insist on being able to dress the way you want as a means of self-expression, then you really don't have anything worth expressing.

Dressing for comfort, or to suit the physical demands of your job are valid motivations. I wore a shirt and tie at my first job (back in 1987), but within a few years, I didn't bother any more because no one else did. Nowadays, "business casual" is fine by me.

"If you insist on being able to dress the way you want as a means of self expression then you really dont have anything worth expressing."

My initial reaction was to guffaw at the ridiculousness of such a statement. Expression through fashion and attire is pretty much the entire reason we dont all wear the same thing as each other every day. I feel the exact opposite as you: people who dont dress with the awareness that their appearance is a statement to the world they walk into are missing a massive opportunity to affect their day. How people treat you. How people respond to you. Etc.

But since I'm growing less cynical in my old age, I would care to learn more about your perspective if you care to share.

Well if you think about it in terms of the man-hours that must have been wasted doing "hair length inspections", it's probably equivalent to at least one person dying young :P

The zeitgeist in tech and in culture generally is a moving target. Look at dandyism in the 19th century, no one would argue that is how grown-ups dress today.

Well, there is Connecticut.

I wore a blazer, shirt and tie for every year of school from 11 to 18 years old, everyone did. In fact the last two years we a full tweed jacket that spelt like wet dog when it go wet and was nigh on indestructible.