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It’s ten minutes before the most important video call of the quarter—a pitch to a potential enterprise client, a legacy manufacturing firm from Ahmedabad. The 28-year-old founder, who has spent the last 72 hours coding in a faded Metallica t-shirt and shorts, performs a ritual familiar to his peers across the country. He dashes to his wardrobe, shrugging off the comfortable hoodie—the global uniform of the tech creator—and dons his battle armour: a crisp, dark-blue Fabindia kurta. He runs a comb through his hair, straightens his posture, and when the camera clicks on, he is no longer just a techie; he is a respectable Indian businessman.
This daily wardrobe negotiation is the sartorial soul of the Indian startup. It’s a silent, constant conversation between two conflicting worlds: the disruptive, ‘rules-are-for-fools’ casualness of Silicon Valley and the deeply ingrained Indian cultural expectation that seriousness is, and always has been, well-dressed.
This isn’t just about what to wear to work. It’s a complex dance of identity, strategy, and perception, where a simple choice between a kurta and a hoodie can influence a client deal, a hiring decision, and the very culture of a company.
The Global Hoodie vs. The Parental Gaze
The modern startup uniform was written by the likes of Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs. The hoodie, the plain t-shirt, the sneakers—they became symbols of a new kind of power. This was a uniform that signalled you were part of the global tech tribe, that you prioritized building things over adhering to archaic corporate norms. Indian startups, aspiring to be part of this global narrative, eagerly adopted this aesthetic. The hoodie became the default attire for the coding floor, a symbol of a flat hierarchy and a culture of relentless, comfortable work.
But this clashes head-on with a cultural script that every Indian has grown up with. It’s the voice of our parents and grandparents saying, “Beta, dhang ke kapde pehno” (Son, wear decent clothes). In India, attire has never been just about personal comfort; it’s a powerful non-verbal signal of respect, seriousness, and social standing. Showing up to a serious meeting “undressed” can be interpreted not as a sign of disruptive genius, but as a mark of disrespect or immaturity.
A potential client from a traditional business background isn’t just evaluating your product; they’re evaluating you. And in their world, a young founder in a hoodie might not look like a visionary, but like a college kid who isn’t ready for a multi-crore contract.
Code-Switching the Wardrobe: A Strategic Choice
This is where the genius of the Indian entrepreneur shines. Instead of choosing one world over the other, they learn to “code-switch” their wardrobe. The office becomes a stage with different costumes for different scenes.
The Hoodie is for the ‘War Room’: Internally, among the engineering and product teams, the casual uniform prevails. It’s functional. It’s comfortable for long hours. More importantly, it’s a cultural signifier of being “one of the team.” A CEO who codes alongside their team in a hoodie breaks down barriers and fosters a sense of camaraderie.
The Kurta/Shirt is for the ‘Front Stage’: When facing the outside world—clients, government officials, investors from traditional family offices, or even when hiring senior, non-tech roles—the wardrobe changes. The crisp formal shirt or the elegant kurta serves a strategic purpose. It bridges the generational and cultural gap. It says, “I understand and respect your world and your norms. I am not just a disruptive kid; I am a reliable partner.”
The Kurta as a Global Power Move
Interestingly, a new generation of founders is moving beyond seeing Indian attire as a mere concession to tradition. They are wielding it as a powerful tool of identity on the global stage. When a founder like Byju Raveendran or Zerodha’s Nithin Kamath wears a simple shirt or a traditional Indian garment in an international forum, it’s a statement. It subtly communicates authenticity and pride.
It tells the world, “We are not trying to be a second-rate clone of a Silicon Valley company. We are a world-class Indian company, and we are comfortable in our own skin.” For a global client or investor, this quiet confidence can be far more impressive than an attempt to perfectly mimic Western corporate attire. It signals a company that is rooted, self-assured, and proud of its origins—qualities that often translate to a strong, resilient business.
The Unspoken Rules of Attire in Hiring and Culture
This sartorial dilemma has a tangible impact on company culture. A candidate who shows up for a developer interview in a full suit and tie might be perceived as a cultural misfit, someone who won’t thrive in a chaotic, informal environment. Conversely, a candidate for a senior sales role who arrives in a worn-out t-shirt might be judged as lacking the polish to handle high-stakes client meetings.
The “company hoodie,” often the first piece of merchandise a startup creates, becomes a tribal symbol. It’s a badge of honour, a sign of belonging. But it also raises questions. Does this uniform inadvertently create an “in-group” and “out-group”? Does it pressure everyone into a single aesthetic, erasing the very diversity the company claims to cherish? The most culturally intelligent startups are now navigating this by creating a range of merchandise or, better yet, by fostering a culture where both the hoodie and the handloom kurta are seen as equally valid expressions of the company’s identity.
In the end, the Indian startup dress code isn’t a dilemma to be solved, but a dynamic to be managed. It reflects the very essence of the modern Indian identity—a fluid negotiation between global ambition and deep-seated cultural roots. The founders who master this dance, who know when to wear the hoodie and when to don the kurta, are the ones who demonstrate a keen understanding not just of code, but of context and culture. And in the complex Indian market, that is the most valuable algorithm of all.
What’s the unwritten dress code at your workplace? Have you ever changed your outfit for a specific meeting? Share your own dress code drama in the comments below! If this story resonated, share it on LinkedIn—let’s see what the network is wearing to work.
