I think that the paradigm has shifted over the years. When flat top acoustic guitars had older finish technology, a pick guard was more of a necessity especially for more aggressive strumming styles, which were more prevalent during the days of non-amplified sessions. So the pick guard became an expected feature for guitars in both function and appearance.
As a strummer/picker, I have found that Taylor's UV cured finish is more resilient than a plastic pick guard, which can show a pick sweep pattern. So I prefer the no pick guard look in most cases - not sure about sound impact relative to today's thin pick guards so I won't comment about that.
