> I have never ever worked somewhere where sneakers were not allowed all the time. And I've worked for companies of just about every size. A west coast thing?

No, that's pretty much been my experience too. My current job is the tightest of any professional job I've had, and it's also the only company I've worked for that wasn't in the tech industry. I'm sure there's a correlation. But even there, T-shirts and sneakers are acceptable, and while shorts are *technically* against the dress code, that doesn't seem to be enforced very much.