Why Does Every Finance Bro Dress Like an Extra from 'Succession'?

The psychology behind the Patagonia vest and khakis combo

By: Annie Wang

Credit: Silicon Valley (HBO)

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If there’s one thing finance bros love more than Excel spreadsheets and espresso shots, it’s their signature uniform: Patagonia fleece vests, slouchy button-downs, and stretchy khakis.

This attire is often featured in pop culture, appearing in shows like Apple TV+’s Severance and HBO’s Silicon Valley. Though Severance revolves around a biotechnology company and Silicon Valley explores the world of tech startups, both reflect how finance bro fashion has evolved — and how it largely mirrors the style of its Silicon Valley counterparts.

But, it wasn’t always this way.

Not too long ago, Wall Street bankers and venture capitalists were all about sharply tailored suits and crisply pressed trousers, drawing inspiration from characters like Patrick Bateman of American Psycho and Jordan Belfort of The Wolf of Wall Street.

But times have changed. Gone are the days of stiff suits and rigid dress shoes — now, it’s all about wrinkled button-downs and chunky sneakers. In a New York Post article, Kin Moy, a Boston-based style coach, explained that this shift can in part be attributed to the growing trend of casual office environments with a greater tolerance of athleisure.

Finance bros have also seemingly borrowed some style cues from their techie counterparts, with the Patagonia vest becoming a wardrobe classic. You may be wondering…what makes these vests so special? How have they managed to captivate both Wall Street and Silicon Valley? 

Well, according to an NPR article, the answer lies in timing. These vests found the perfect balance between East Coast formality and West Coast casual, just as venture capitalists began pouring money into tech startups in the early 2000s.

The Allbirds trend is yet another example of the crossover between finance and tech bro style. Allbirds, an eco-friendly footwear brand, took these two worlds by storm with the release of their Wool Runner in 2016. Yet, as reported in The Wall Street Journal, the once-popular shoe began losing its grip on supporters in 2022.

At first, the sneakers were a perfect embodiment of the tech industry, serving as a symbol of sustainability and comfort. However, as the shoes gained popularity, they became a cliché that tech bros no longer wanted to be associated with. 

The rise of memes poking fun at Allbirds and the tech bro image only accelerated their decline — after all, no one wants to become a walking punchline. On top of that, complaints about durability, support, and weather resistance led many to look for alternatives like On Clouds and Common Projects.

Fashion trends, much like stocks, are ever-changing. Perhaps there will come a day where tailored suits and linen shirts make a comeback, reviving 80s yuppie fashion. Or perhaps the finance bros have something completely unexpected up their sleeves that will shock us all.

Only time will tell.

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Annie Wang is a second-year journalism major at UF. She is an online writer for Rowdy Magazine and a reporter for The Independent Florida Alligator. In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing book reviews.