After criticizing a sales team member’s casual outfit—a baseball cap and hoodie—during a Zoom call conference, a US-based software professional has ignited an online debate. Jason Loomis took to LinkedIn to vent his annoyance over what he saw as improper dress during a virtual business meeting. He acknowledged that he might be turning into a “get off my lawn’ guy of cybersecurity meetings,” and he asked whether his uneasiness was an indication that he was out of step with contemporary workplace conventions.
Mr. Loomis wrote of a virtual conference when the head of a sales team showed up on screen wearing a baseball cap and hoodie. He compared his look to a candidate trying out for a position on a fictitious “Professional Adults of LinkedIn” calendar. “I caught myself asking myself, ‘Is this really bothering me?’ as I gazed at my screen, wondering if I had unintentionally entered a fantasy football draft rather than a security product demo. “Am I really that old?” he asked.
The techie mused on the idea that perhaps the 2025 definition of “dressing for success” had been replaced with “dress like you’re grabbing milk from the corner store”. “Maybe my collection of business casual attire is just taking up valuable closet space that could be filled with comfy hoodies,” he wrote.
Further, Mr Loomis shared his take on the sales team member’s attire. To him, dressing appropriately for a professional meeting is not about ranks or budget, but about respect. “When you’ve worked hard to get someone’s time, showing up looking like you’ve put in at least minimal effort seems like a reasonable courtesy. Not because of titles or budgets, but because it signals you value the interaction,” he wrote.
Mr Loomis said that the call was brief. However, he stated that the attire wasn’t the sole reason the meeting was short. “But it certainly set a tone that suggested this might not be a partnership of aligned priorities,” he said.
Mr. Loomis asked a question at the end of his piece for anyone who, like him, could sense a growing gap between modern workplace culture and conventional professional norms. “Diminist friends (or am I the only one?): Is it still appropriate to arrive at a business meeting looking like you did not just get out of bed, or has the professional dress code completely fallen apart?” he said.
Mr. Loomis’ post has generated considerable conversation since it was shared. Some criticized him for being overly picky about other people’s professional attire, while others agreed with him.
“I agree with you. It’s just a different time and a different generation,” wrote one user. “Jason, I whole heartedly agree. As a young account executive, I’ve always been told ‘Dress for the job you want, not the one you have'” commented another.
One person, however, commented, “My friend, you are wearing a polo, which by business standards is a t-shirt. You are not wearing a suit. Maybe put the brakes on? You are only a collar away from looking exactly like him. If Zuckerberg had not worn a suit, you would have been the one who rejected him and wasted the opportunity. If the product piques your attention, purchase it rather than the structure that houses it.
“Here’s a funny story: my oldest kid, who is a freshman in college, occasionally shows up to class wearing a suit without any explanation. It sticks out like an eye sore. As long as it makes you feel confident, at ease, and content, dress whichever you like,” someone else said.
