Geek Chic
[ 10 February 2008 ]
Now so ubiquitous that there is a Wikipedia entry for it, Geek Chic is currently one of the most popular looks around. It’s showing up on catwalks across the world, & even closer to home — the ‘geek chic’ prom outfit I put together was by far the one that resonated with people most!
If you want to give geek chic a go yourself, there are a few elements that can be incorporated.
Glasses
You can’t do geek chic if you’re not wearing a pair of glasses! I’m sorry, but it’s true. You don’t actually need to be short- or long-sighted however, which is good news. If you’re wondering where to get glasses, it’s actually pretty easy. All glasses in optometry shops come with plain glass lenses — sometimes all you need to do is peel off a sticker. You can find amazing glasses in vintage & op shops, & of course there are bargains galore to be found online. 39 Dollar Glasses is a favourite of many.
Allusions to geeky interests
This is where you get to be a bit sneaky. It’s easy to wear a t-shirt that says ‘Nintendo’, but it’s much cooler to wear something that only die-hard fans will recognise. Get creative, make your own accessories — that’s where those NES controller belt buckles came from originally, some dude in his bedroom! What do you love that’s geeky? Calculators? Knitting? Tea parties with your Grandma? How about wearing a blinged-up calculator, or making a brooch out of doll-sized knitting needles? Having said that, sometimes geeky t-shirts are really awesome — Viva la Relativity! from ThinkGeek is too cool not to buy.
Reappropriated slightly naff items
Start reclaiming things that you used to get shoved in your locker for wearing! This can be difficult, but thankfully the fashion industry is on this in a big way, giving us all a helping hand. Big bobbly cardigans, Oxfords, wool stockings & blazers are all back with a vengeance. Bonus points if you actually buy things from a school shop!
Here are some ideas for putting together your own geek look.
Sleek geek: Burberry cable knit cardigan; 3.1 Phillip Lim Exclusive Scout dress; Celine leather riding boots; striped socks; Malene Birger Gala headband; Linda Farrow Vintage for Luella glasses; robot earrings; Eprom necklace; MIDI cuff; watch by Tokyoflash.
Buffy geek: Caffeine molecule necklace; beanie; Buffy t-shirt; Pringle of Scotland Satin pouf shorts; black bolero jacket; Tokidoki for Lesportsac backpack; Demonia boots.
Potter geek: Gryffindor hoodie; Princess tulle skirt; Retrospecs glasses; Tarina Tarantino ring; magic wand; Hello Kitty backpack; New Rock boots.
Accessories: Retrospecs glasses; Robot Lover necklace; Luella bag; Melissa jelly sandals; Batman Converse; Cat’s Eye glasses; Lanvin Oxfords; Tokyoflash watch.
Extra For Experts:
Agathe shows how it’s done.
Designboom have very rad recyled cassette wallets!
Fashion Week for the Fashionably Challenged — oh, so funny. Black is the new modem minimalism art era for fashion. Black says “I don’t give a **** you work it out”.
How To Wear Geek Chic Style (for girls) from Wikihow.
Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala
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The pictures don’t show up!
I wanted to see your beautiful geek-chic suggestions.
Your ‘Potter geek’ outfit makes me squee! I am a huuuuge Potter geek & proud of it, and the outfit is just too cute.
Yay!! This is my sorta style. I rock the geek chic!!
Thanks Gala!
Bow down to Gala! This is exactly what I needed. ;)
Haha!
Love these outfits.
On a side note, I just bought these hyperactive white and METALLIC PINK moon-boots. They’re so obnoxious, I love them. I got them for a steal too, at 16$ CAN. Plus, they’re completely comfy, warm and an alternative to this Ugg Nation.
I know my friends are going to give me an earfull tomorrow, but I really love them. Tee hee!
I actually recently bought some vintage cat eye glasses off of ebay and had perscription lenses put in. I really like them, but it’s hard to find things that go with them, so this is really helpful.
Love, love, love!!!!
I’m such a geek, happy to see that we can be fashionable too (like I didn’t know that already).
You gave me some great ideas Gala!!
Thank you!!
Kisses.
I so want the Gryffindor hoodie! Actually, what I’d want more would be a Ravenclaw hoodie, but they don’t do that because is wasn’t a house that was focussed on much – so Gryffindor will have to do.
Geek chic icons. Well, mine anyway:
-Thora Birch’s & Scarlett Johansson’s characters in ‘Ghost World’ ... in fact, any Daniel Clowes graphic novel characters.
-Marie Genevieve Cyr from Project Runway Canada
-Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner
-Debra from Quarterlife
-Michelle Monaghan as Gwen in ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’
-Jarvis Cocker… still!
-Daria
-Judah Friedlander in preeeety much everything, must most of all as Toby Radloff
i’m proudly pro-geek. i don’t always dress like one (why limit yourself when you also have a hankering for at least 3 major styles of dress?)
i love my grey/maroon/blue school jumper i got from an op shop, even if it is falling apart and wool is rather itchy. does anyone know where a good school supply shop is in perth?
i’m so glad you said it is ok (and nessecary) to wear non-prescription glasses as i’ve always wanted to wear them. in fact my bf has started wearing some himself. perhaps due to his massive jarvis love
(retro bunny, those boots sound awesome)
i love geek chic! i did a polyvore for it about a month ago. i have so much fun with this style.
here you go.
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=562744
I can recommend www.jinx.com as a good source of “ready-to-wear” geek tshirts etc. I have the “username and password” panties and a tshirt which says “someone is attempting to read your tshirt – allow or deny” hehe.
The Potter geek outfit makes me squee too :D
I’m actually geeky enough to know that Luella Bartley borrowed that catchy slogan seen on a myriad of t-shirts and bags from this record cover: http://991.com/newgallery/My-Bloody-Valentine-Geek-131224.jpg
Oh god I just love it all! Even though the colours are all pretty unwearable for me, still I am smitten! That Gryffindor hoodie IS truly awesome, although I too would go for another house if I could (Hufflepuff?). I have to admit that I have an Evenstar bag charm, and I have ALWAYS wanted something that says ‘Anselm Adorne’ to reflect my deep&abiding lurve for Dorothy Dunnett.
Life’s too short not to be enthusiastic about what you love!
Ooh I forgot to add – Jael of ANTM cycle 8 fame did a pretty good line in geek chic for the “High School cliches” photoshoot (or at least I thought so).
I adore that Buffy shirt :)
I have a myriad of pencil skirts and knitted sweaters in my wardrobe, waiting to be worn with mary janes and thick stocking, big thick glasses (extra points if they have sticky tape on them) and a satchel to carry poetry and literature books in. But its way too hot for it still – I’m pretty sure geek/prep is going to be me this winter.
Gasp! I had a dream last night that I was wearing glasses exactly like those cat’s eye ones! I’m going to have to buy myself a pair in every colour, hee!
Anyway, I love this article! I’m a massive geek.
ah, the “buffy geek” outfit makes me happy. I didn’t know “buffy geek” even existed as a genre! I thought we all fell under the “drama student” heading. ;)
Last autumn I made my own “Weasley is our King” brooch, salvaging a vintage brooch frame and doing a bit of needlework. What I love best is that my friends and I can’t seem to stop laughing about it.
i love the Grr Argh! tee!
another fab geek icon that noone has mentioned is Jet from Tank girl.
ahh. Pre-Hollywood Naomi Watts
I love this post!
For some reason, it only posted the first sentence of my previous comment…here is the rest, I hope it works this time!
I love this post! I really like your take on this style, it’s more like what I wear, rather than the version of “geek chic” that I see more often, which is just like generic indie style with glasses. Snore.
But the “Grr Argh” white tee link doesn’t work and I can’t find it in the shop :(
nicOla – Marie Genevieve Cyr is adorable! I love her specs. Oh and Jarvis Cocker… mmmmmmm.
I love those Linda Farrow Vintage for Luella glasses! Yum!
I’m a big glasses geek. I can’t help it being an optical dispenser. I’m so thrilled that deeper geeky specs are coming back in style.
I’ve sent off an order for a custom made pair of Roger Henley specs and am super dooper excited! They are a gorgeous big square frame that was designed by my brilliant boss and I got to choose my own colours and patterns and get the dimensions tweeked so that they’re a perfect fit. So very geek chic. Completely totally utterly unique!
I LOVE MY JOB
Thanks so much for posting this!
I go back to uni in a few weeks so will definitely be rocking the geek chic look.
Lovely post as always!
Halek — Oh my GOD. I just went to the Roger Henley site, the colours of their glasses are AMAZING!!!! Turquoise, pink, blue, purple, yes please! Send me a photo of yours when you have them, I can’t wait to see what you choose!
Audrey LOVES geeky girls – they make my head turn and my heart go all a-flutter. Oh good lord yes!
Gala gala gala!
Don’t forget – Nintendo Panties!!!
http://www.outblush.com/women/fashion/lingerie-sleepwear/nintendo-controller-panties/
Oh Scooter have amazing oxfords at the moment and they are only about $100-$120 and come in loads of different styles and colours.I really want a pair of tan leather ones but I can’t find where to get them.
I super love geek chic hair like really slick bobs, short blunt fringes and middle parts. The best part is that it doesn’t have to even suit you to look the part.
I’m wearing those Batman converse at this very second!
Comic neeeeerd <3
I also recommend many of the items from thinkgeek!
I am currently wearing their I
I also recommend many of the items from thinkgeek!
I am currently wearing their I < 3 My Geek shirt and it’s always a huge hit.
Items like the Geek Love Poem shirt, interchangeable ring kit and the 8-bit tie are my personal favorites.
Yes, revenge of the geeks!
I have been a geek before I was born, so I’m glad that finally the world has recognized that our fashion sense is one that is pretty much amazing.
I love the outfits you’ve put together too. You always have an amazing eye for fashion.
And yes, ThinkGeek is totally the best place to shop. They used to have d20 {Dungeons and Dragons dice} necklaces, but I don’t know what happened to them.
Also, etsy has an entire category called geekery.
This is AMAZING. Geek chic is the absolute best! Thanks for all of the great ideas and links. I must have that Gryffindor hoodie!
I’m totally inspired to get out my cardigans and blouses now! I like dressing like a geek because I feel like I could be the girl Stuart Murdoch of Belle & Sebastian is singing to… and I always carry around a pair of fake glasses, I wish my eyesight were worse.
I just want to tell you that last week I was not feeling well and kind of down so I checked up on this blog very often! It was like a phone call to my mom on the endorphin-boost scale!
Hot tips!
We met Marcella, the creator of the casette wallets, when she came to Tokyo for Design Week. The ultimate in indie, handmade creations – SUPPORT!
Happy Monday!
Oh Gala,
great post!
and I totally have those New Rock boots but knee high. weeeee!
great links too.
I love the Potter Geek outfit.
heehee!!
(is an ubergeek)
Oh, don’t forget one of the ultimate geek accessories – the calculator watch!
http://fredflare.com/customer/product.php?productid=1768&cat=367
(they’re sold out there but there should be some on ebay)
Thank you so much for posting this! I love it!
Here are some more examples of geek chic:
http://pickedpics.blogspot.com/2008/02/geek-is-new-cool.html
Wait, Knitting is Geeky? haha! Great article :)
I especially love the Buffy geek, but what about the tried and true Band geek?!
Cyrus — I’ve never seen a band geek! They don’t exist in NZ or Australia, as far as I know!
oh im totally a potter geek.. I even have that exact same Gryffindor Hoodie.. And A very similar tutu and very similar HK bag! Hells Yeah!
Oh! For a Band Geek {since I am the largest one in all of Nevada}:
Buy one of those dorky little pins that are miniatures of your chosen instrument or a tiny little treble cleff
Wear the same shoes that you wear to march in and rock them like they’re the most stylish things ever
Buy {or even make} a shirt with an inside joke that only another band geek would get. Cafe Press has some great ones. They make me giggle.{Flutes up front. Lesser instruments fall in behind.}
So, I hope that helps.
I heart Geek Chic soooo much. In fact, I went to a vintage fair at my uni the other week and discovered an awesome stall that sold really cool and ultra geeky stuff. They had a postcard with their website on so when I got home I checked it out and it kicked ass! it was www.artdisco.co.uk , check out the beethoven tee! at the stall they had sweaters with it on, hopefully they’ll put more online as they had tons more at the stall, including nintendo controller printed dresses and pacman skirts.
xx
aww loving it!
and as for those glitter sandals…i owned a pair when i was a kid! they were green with multi-coloured glitter and the ultimate in kiddie cool!!!!
i respect people rocking those in their post-kindergarten days! xo