Silicon Valley loosened its ties and abandoned the hard-sided briefcases. A new sense of style emerged. Clothier Rhonda Lackmann, who owns the Alta shops in downtown San Jose, Willow Glen and San Carlos, has noticed a marked shift in the the clothing habits of Silicon Valley's women. People can wear whatever they want. They can work all week in jeans and a T-shirt.
People seem to be more secure in their positions and can express their personality.
The shift was evident last week in a Netscape conference room, where a product team was delivering a client demo. With short, smart hair cut to precise angles, an Asian woman circled the room in snug-fitting velvet pants. Another wore faded, baggy jeans. The product manager, a thirtysomething man, wore brown cords, a thick belt and small oval lens glasses. Even the sales lead was tieless.