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Actually born in NJ. 25 years in DC. 10 in Seattle. I still have a place in DC I rent out.
But yes I think DC folks are a bit pretentious and materialistic. Way more than L.A. In LA its about staying young and looking good and that percentage is pretty small. But I still find the people in LA and Seattle much more down to earth. In DC its what degree, what job, where you live, what you drive etc. I'm not saying everybody is like that of course.
We just hired someone at work who moved to the area from Atlanta and she said the exact same thing you're saying. I never knew it was that bad? Maybe I'm just used to it. Everyone or mostly everyone here works hard so it's nice to reward yourself with nice things sometimes.
You probably did look nice, especially with the blazer (LOVE those!). And that is very interesting, especially since I'm taking a Professional Image class at my community college and we were talking about the different work environments and dress codes of different parts of the country and the world.
It is interesting how the serious and assertive personality of the East Coast (traditional, group-think in work environment) and the laid-back and carefree personality of the West Coast (progressive, individualistic in work environment) often translate in the distinctive dress codes of the two regions.
It's true. I think working in the east is more about conformity to office politics than it is innovation. That's why the mass exodus to the Silicon Valley started in the 1950s. Corporate free thinkers wanted to escape the vertical landscape where an individual stays at his organziation for his whole life. I think once you are outside BOS, DC, NYC, CHI the look and feel of companies change a lot. People want to grow by bouncing around at different companies to gain experience as well as finding their niche.
To the poster who said there is direct correlation between business clothing and getting work done doesn't know what he's talking about.
We just hired someone at work who moved to the area from Atlanta and she said the exact same thing you're saying. I never knew it was that bad? Maybe I'm just used to it. Everyone or mostly everyone here works hard so it's nice to reward yourself with nice things sometimes.
I've never noticed much ostentatiousness. What I have noticed is a disproportionate number of Aspies. I once made the mistake of broaching the subject of water with a girl (cute) who had apparently been studying water for her entire life, eventually culminating in a doctorate in hyrdology. Man, this girl kicked my ass on everything related to water. Bottled water, vitamin water, run off water, holy water, you name it. She was to water what Bubba was to the shrimpin' business.
It's true. I think working in the east is more about conformity to office politics than it is innovation. That's why the mass exodus to the Silicon Valley started in the 1950s. Corporate free thinkers wanted to escape the vertical landscape where an individual stays at his organziation for his whole life. I think once you are outside BOS, DC, NYC, CHI the look and feel of companies change a lot. People want to grow by bouncing around at different companies to gain experience as well as finding their niche.
To the poster who said there is direct correlation between business clothing and getting work done doesn't know what he's talking about.
Yeah, I don't even recall Steve Jobs wearing any suits, especially when he did the latest and major announcements before a large audience. I always remembered him wearing causal attire like a tucked-in button-down shirt and some jeans.
This is definitely not true in D.C. Who cares about car's here? Millionaires drive Prius here if they drive at all.
Do not pretend that people in DC don't care about cars or don't drive. Everybody I know in DC drives a nice car especially african american professionals. Come on now. Last time I was there a friend picked me up and we met at another friends house and off to Blues Alley we went. Nice Audi A6 she has.
People in DC are pretty obsessed with material things, I know this because I live here. Some people think it is a big deal, but I don't think it's a big deal. People here are very into clothing, not cars IMO.
Do not pretend that people in DC don't care about cars or don't drive. Everybody I know in DC drives a nice car especially african american professionals. Come on now. Last time I was there a friend picked me up and we met at another friends house and off to Blues Alley we went. Nice Audi A6 she has.
I didn't say nobody drives. People drive in NYC too. I guess it depends where you live in D.C. too. Places outside the core of the city north of Columbia Heights, west of Rock Creek Park, and south of the Anacostia river do have high car usage. Why anybody would want to live there is the real question I guess. You might as well live in the suburbs. Different strokes for different folks. If you don't have to park your car in an underground garage, it's not urban enough for me. Personal preference though. That's why we have option's though I guess.
Do not pretend that people in DC don't care about cars or don't drive. Everybody I know in DC drives a nice car especially african american professionals. Come on now. Last time I was there a friend picked me up and we met at another friends house and off to Blues Alley we went. Nice Audi A6 she has.
Why do people always resort to the "everybody I know" statements as if that means something? I could say "everybody I know in Atlanta is Black," which is true, but it really doesn't mean anything. If 39 percent of all households in the District of Columbia don't even own an automobile, then that means you clearly don't know enough people.
It's ok, however, I would prefer grade separated bus/streetcar lanes and bike lanes which don't leave room for street parking except on side streets which is fine. My point was mainly, I prefer an area that is built up so much that you have no choice but to provide underground street parking. It's kind of assumed if you have no choice but to build underground parking, the area will be built up. That's all.
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