What a wonderful weekend we were blessed with, hopefully all of our treasured readers enjoyed similarly blissful weather and fun in the sun.
We have been pondering whether or not to post about today’s topic and finally decided we would forge ahead, it has absolutely nothing little to do with anything prep related, but there has been a bit of buzz surrounding this:
Reuters via NY Times ‘Bits’ Blog
We’re talking about Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his much-discussed ‘hoodie’. He wore the casual apparel for meetings with potential investors leading up to last week’s IPO (Initial Public Offering) of Facebook stock. Many thought the choice of attire conveyed a lack of respect for the people Mr. Zuckerberg hoped/expected would buy Facebook stock.
More from a CNN story:
Michael Pachter, an analyst for Wedbush Securities, told Bloomberg that the Facebook CEO’s decision to show up for a meeting with potential investors dressed down in his trademark casual outerwear suggests that he’s too immature to run a massive corporation.
“He’s actually showing investors he doesn’t care that much; he’s going to be him,” Pachter said in an interview on Bloomberg TV. “I think that’s a mark of immaturity.
Others took issue with the negative comments, blogger Om Malik disagreed in particular with Mr. Pachter:
“This analyst is smoking stuff that is outside the realm of legality,” he wrote. “Now if you were looking for a problem with Zuckerberg’s hoodie, then you should see it for what it really is: a fashion abomination.”
From a very casual scan of stories it seems the majority would concur with sentiments shared by the NY Post’s John Crudele:
Zuckerberg is worth nearly $18 billion and is the 35th richest person on the planet, so he can dress any way he wants anytime he wants anywhere he wants.
And Zuckerberg does, channeling the late Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, by brazenly showing up inappropriately dressed for what could have been the biggest day of his life.
The folks at Fashionista offered helpful solutions, speaking with men’s style experts to come up with alternative looks for the techno-whiz.
Via Fashionista
GQ Style Editor Sean Hotchkiss offered the styles shown on the far left, J. Crew’s Ashley Match suggested the Crew pieces shown in the middle image, and the full length ‘hoodie coat’ seen far right comes via Ken Downing of Neiman Marcus.
The Journal’s fab fashion and style writer, Christina Binkley, points out in her blog that perhaps this actually ranks as a dressier look for the gazillionaire.
Mr. Zuckerberg has reportedly attended a meeting with venture capitalists in pajamas (channeling Michael Jackson?), so it could be argued that he dressed up when pitching his upcoming IPO to investors in New York.
Ms. Binkley also offered an alternative for Mr. Zuckerberg in her post, the “Executive Pinstripe Hoodie“:
Betabrand
Described as “business-casual bliss,” this comes to us from Betabrand.
Betabrand
For a mere $149 one of the wool hoodies can be yours. And ladies, lest you feel a sense of being… well, left out (the horror), fear not: there is a Women’s Executive Hoodie.
Betabrand
Wondering about Betabrand? These are the folks who brought us Dress Pant Sweatpants, not to mention the Terry Blazer.
Back to Mr. Zuckerberg, we know he has suits. And ties. More from that CNN story:
It’s not like Zuck doesn’t know how to clean up. He donned a coat and tie last year when he and other technology luminaries had dinner with President Obama, and wore a suit a few months later when Obama visited Facebook for a town hall event.
In fact, he bucked the Valley Casual look for an entire year not so long ago. On his Facebook Timeline, Zuckerberg wrote that, in 2009, he wore a tie every day.
In fact, he wore a suit for his wedding to longtime girlfriend Priscilla Chan on Saturday.
Mark Zuckerberg Facebook Page
(For those curious about the gown worn by Ms. Chan, People reports it is Claire Pettibone’s “Sky Between the Branches” gown.)
Claire Pettibone
So what thinketh you? Is the whole thing overblown? Or was it really a slap in the face of the very people Mr. Zuckerberg wanted money from? Or both?
The Preppy Princess 