Collars & Co. Dress Collar Polo Becomes Unifying Fashion Choice for Wall Street and Silicon Valley
The $88 shirt offers a blend of comfort and polish, appealing to finance and tech professionals returning to the office.
The distinct sartorial identities of Wall Street finance professionals and Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs have blurred, with both groups increasingly adopting the same $88 Collars & Co. dress collar polo shirt. This convergence signals a shift in workplace attire as remote work policies wind down and employees return to physical offices.
Five years ago, the East Coast finance professional was characterized by a stiff, tailored suit, while the West Coast counterpart favored a casual hoodie. Today, the emergence of the "Fin-Tech Bro" highlights a professional who seeks to optimize all aspects of life, including wardrobe. Both finance and tech workers are now prioritizing clothing that offers the comfort of athletic wear while maintaining a polished appearance suitable for professional settings.
The return-to-office mandates have accelerated this trend. JPMorgan Chase began requiring its employees to be in the office five days a week in March 2025. Similarly, Meta's Instagram division recalled U.S. staff with assigned desks back to the office full-time in February 2026. This transition has prompted many professionals, who may not have a strong background in fashion, to reassess their work attire.
Collars & Co. founder Justin Baer launched the company in 2021 with the aim of solving this exact dilemma. Baer, having spent over a decade in Manhattan, found the traditional uniform of a dress shirt under a sweater or quarter-zip to be uncomfortable and cumbersome, particularly with the frequent need for dry cleaning. He realized that the desired aesthetic often came down to the collar, not the entire shirt.
His solution was to combine the comfort of a golf polo with the structure of a dress shirt collar. The resulting "Original Dress Collar Polo" features a four-way stretch performance fabric, a built-in collar with stays for crispness, and moisture-wicking properties. The shirt retails for $88 and is available in various collar styles and a wide range of sizes and fits.
Baer notes that the appeal differs between the two industries. On Wall Street, the shirt offers a professional look that can be worn under sweaters or blazers without the discomfort of a traditional dress shirt. In Silicon Valley, where comfort is paramount, the polo provides a more put-together appearance for investor meetings and other professional engagements.
The design allows the collar to lay flat and sharp under other layers, mimicking the appearance of a dress shirt without the associated drawbacks. The performance fabric ensures all-day comfort, moisture management, and wrinkle resistance, while being machine washable and quick-drying, aligning with the "optimization" mindset of the Fin-Tech Bro.
The brand achieved significant traction after appearing on "Shark Tank" in 2022, securing investments from Mark Cuban and Peter Jones. Collars & Co. has since expanded its reach, including opening a brick-and-mortar store in New York City.
Baer recommends starting with the white Semi-Spread Collar Polo, citing its versatility and ability to pair with various layers and outfits. The shirt has garnered positive reviews, with an average rating of 4.3 stars across nearly 2,000 reviews on the brand's website.