Want the definitive guide to dressing geek chic? Then look no further! This guide will explain how to pull off the look, and be cool about it. Geek Chic is a retro style that looks unique, plus it's popular with a lot of celebrities right now. This guide will explain how to dress, match, and pick your clothing.
Steps
1. T-shirts- Any colour, featuring a print relevant to geek/nerd culture. Comic book characters and symbols, science maths and computer jokes/references, science fiction & fantasy cartoons, movies, television series and games, anime/manga, video games. Plain t-shirts are good for layering. Try a plain bold colour like purple over a striped long-sleeve, and plain white t-shirts if you prefer to wear these under dress shirts.
2. Long sleeved and ¾ sleeved t-shirts are good on their own or for layering under a short sleeved t-shirt. These can be a variety of colours, using a stripe pattern is a good choice. Try not to think too much about colour-coordinating them with a t-shirt, as the aim of this look is to mismatch your clothes.
3. Polo t-shirts will go over a long-sleeved t-shirt or under a cardigan. Again, go for striped patterns. Its crucial that you make sure these tops fit you well, so look at modern fitted options. A baggy polo top will look geek, not geek chic.
4. Buttoned t-shirts. Its worth it to get a small amount of baseball-neck t-shirts to layer under a cardigan, as this will add some more variety and add a fashionable edge. Otherwise, buy V-neck t-shirts in stripe patterns for a modern flattering look.
5. Shirts- For long-sleeved shirts, get a variety of plain bold colours. Red, yellow, turquoise etc. You can also get a few striped or unusual patterned ones. Have a look around vintage and thrift stores. For short-sleeved shirts you can be more creative. There are lots of different patterns to look at, checked being the most obvious choice for geek chic. Look at others, such as paisley designs, or repeated images. These are a good choice, because they are light, work well with all kinds of layering (a key to geek chic), and will instantly be recognised as a geeky sign.
6. Others- Hooded zip-up tops should be a staple for very casual geek chic. Any colour is good, go for ones with patterns, geometric, striped, a variety is good. These are a back-to-basics choice for layering over a t-shirt is you get cold. Use jumpers and cardigans for wearing over a shirt however. Its worth getting some toned-down pull-over hoodies as well for colder weather.
7. Jumpers are a typical choice for this style. Get quite a few so you have lots of matching options. Use v-neck plain sweaters for use over checked shirts, and sweater-vests for your patterned long and short sleeved shirts. Argyle and stripes are the best choices for sweater-vests. Sweat jumpers can be used in small amounts, but striped ones are a very good choice. Black and white stripes, black and red, blue and green etc. Argyle sweaters paired with coloured skinny jeans will present a classic geek look. Basically, sweaters of all kinds are the staple top for this look, so get many with lots of variety.
8. Cardigans are a modern, fashionable option. Not so much in fashion any more and given bad reviews by many females, they are great for geek chic! Remember, the look is designed to look bookish, but cute and fashionably edgy. The best choice are simple, fitted, plain cardigans. Get a variety of colours. They are great for layering over anything, but good options are pairing them with plain bold shirts, polo’s and baseball t-shirts.
9. Jeans- Jeans are a staple for most styles, and geek chic is no exception. When wearing with geek chic, skinny and slim fits are the best. Achieving a slim lower silhouette is a corner-stone of the look. For regular fitted jeans go for shades of brown and grey as well as basic blue and black. Red slim jeans are a core choice too. For skinny jeans, you can get regular skinny or stretch. Larger wearers should stay with regular skinny. Black skinny jeans will look flattering on anyone who isn’t massively overweight (if you are, then stay away from skinny jeans altogether, but getting slim jeans in your appropriate waist size will look very good). Apart from black, go for colours. Bright blue, red, purple etc. Have a look around retro stores (online and offline) there are lots of neat alternative choices such as purple checked, burgundy, turquoise. Unusual jean colours of any cut are good for this look.
10. Other pants- If you want to go for a more obviously geeky look, then consider the options available in place of jeans. Corduroy trousers have long been a nerd stereotype and should be incorporated into your look. Get green, olive, khaki, grey, but have a look for fashionable high-street stores selling skinny and fitted pairs. Look at chino and casual trousers, in browns or dark colours like burgundy and indigo. Apart from plain casual trousers, you should look at checked/plaid designs for the ultimate geek trouser option.
11. Converse trainers are a key choice. There are lots of colour options and they go with casual and smart clothes. For a smarter choice, go with brogues in brown or tan. Apart from these, Vans are a great shoe brand to browse. There slip on pairs in checked patterns are a brilliant choice because they come in lots of colour combinations. Other than slip-ons look at their skate shoes and trainers. Wearing a pair of modern brown plimsolls with casual trousers and layered t-shirts are a great look.
12. There are lots of varieties to go with this look. Check out bomber jackets, both leather and regular. Hooded wool jackets and heavyweight hoodies, nylon baseball jackets, macs/cropped trench coats. You can choose any colour you want, but try matching them with your shirts. A good option are zip-up track jackets. They are slimming, come in a variety of colours, and the lack of hood means they can look good with shirts. Apart from all of these, military-style bomber jackets are the best option. Light, look good and go great with t-shirts and hoodies, you should look at these. Brown, sand, plum, lots of colours and choices so choose one you like.
13. Accessories are a chance for you to be creative and individual. The most obvious one is, of course, glasses. If you don’t need them, you can get 0 strength lens. Stay away from rounded wire frames, instead go for black framed, horn-rimmed and thick coloured arms. Look at modern options, and pick an attractive pair. For belts, its good to get black and brown for conservative options, but get ones that are snap-buckles, so you can get some interesting, geeky buckles (super-hero emblems, video game icons etc) to wear. Thick white belts are good to pair with a ‘poindexter’ look. Look at printed belts too, Pac-man, Mario, national flags, the varieties are near limitless. Buy a watch! All geeks have watches because time is very important. When buying a bag, go for a shoulder-strap messenger bag. Brown or green, or try one with an image printed on it. Want something a little more unusual? Try getting a character-shaped backpack. Nothing screams geek chic than a Yoda shaped backpack.
14. Lastly, get some geeky badges featuring anime/manga, cartoons, maths equations etc. Pin one to your cardigan, and bag straps.
15. Where would geek chic be without suits? Pinstriped suits in light blues and browns are the best, especially with converse trainers (so Doctor Who). Essentially, brown is the colour of choice. A three piece brown suit with a skinny coloured tie is good, but try plaid sports coats as well. Wear a ‘sandwich’ layer between coat and shirt, such as sweater vests, jumpers, cardigans, waistcoats/vests. For shoes, wear converse, but if true formality is required, wear brogues, loafers and Chelsea boots.
Tips
* Example looks
* 1. Printed t-shirt, bright patterned hoody, neutral bomber jacket, slim brown jeans, black converse, green messenger bag, black framed glasses
* 2. Pink paisley shirt, brown striped sweater vest, fitted olive corduroy trousers, checked Vans slip-ons, white belt, Yoda bag
* 3. Purple & black striped V-neck t-shirt, black cardigan, purple skinny jeans, checked belt with Superman logo buckle, purple & black Vans trainers, Nintendo messenger bag
* 4. Long-sleeved striped t-shirt, Batgirl t-shirt, plaid casual trousers, brown plimsolls, brown messenger bag
* 5. Red & white small checked shirt (short-sleeve), burgundy skinny chino’s, skinny red polka dot tie, red V-neck sweater, tan brogues, tan belt.
* There are three cornerstones to geek chic. Layering, slim silhouette, accessories. For layering, wear at least two layers and have a third (usually some kind of jacket) option ready. For slim silhouette, simply avoid baggy trousers. Go for slim, skinny and fitted trousers with more narrow legs. And accessories, wear cool buckles, badges, messenger bags, strange skinny ties, anything with a geeky and nerdy theme.
* Get a decent haircut. A bad haircut will ruin the look, this is the last step from geek to geek chic. Short hair doesn’t work too well, go for an modern indie option, like the straightened fringe casually swept to the side. Be clean shaven, the beard and moustache will look too much into the plain geek side (however, darker skinned wearers should consider growing a moustache and sideburns like Earl from My Name is Earl, this will look very chic with the shirt/sweater vest combo).
* The overall aim is to look cute and sweet, it isn’t a macho look, so if that’s what you want, don’t go with it. Girls adore sweet guys, so wear this look with confidence, upgrade your grooming habits, keep your body in shape, and always try to look your best. CARE about what you look like, and this style will suit you. Its all about being creative, there is so much to nerd/geek culture, you can invent lots of options, so have fun.
Warnings
* Don't fall into the trap of looking dorky when wearing the smarter outfit. You do this by making sure your clothes fit well, look stylish even with the geeky overtone, and by mixing a standard piece with the non-norm.
* It doesn't matter what other people think. You may be insulted for having this look, but look confident and you will have no problems
* Because this fashion is associated with teens and college students, geek chic is not reccommended if you're over thirty, unless you look young. Otherwise, you risk looking either like the "Comic Book Guy" from The Simpsons or an immature adult.
resource: http://www.wikihow.com/Dress-Geek-Chic-%28Men%29
