Did you work in tech, or at a bank, or some other firm where tech was subservient to the business? I am not saying tech was never there- I worked in the 2000s in NYC as well- but now go around the flatiron area, you see all these people in jeans and a digital ocean (or whatever) t-shirt and glasses, and they just scream "I just left my startup's office." It was harder to pick them out when they were forced to wear a button down tucked into slacks.

It was definitely more prestigious to say you worked at GS vs Google 10 years ago, I am not so sure that's the case anymore. Everyone's experience is different I guess.