01 Apr How to Find Your Personal Geek-Chic Style
My past self has never really been into the latest trends or even cared much about fashion, in general. Sure, there were times when I wanted to fit into my workplace so I went out and purchased a bunch of **air quotes incoming** “professional” pieces to wear to the office. I mimicked what I saw on television and in magazines. I mean, there was no geek-chic style back then…
But that was never really me, was it? Dressing like that was just a show – a facade – and I felt uncomfortable most of the time because the clothes were far from my style. Did they look nice on me? Yeah, probably; but did they help tell a story of who I really am? Nope. Those clothes were not part of my personal style so wearing them was more a formality than it was fun. And I knew I hated my clothes when I couldn’t find anything I enjoyed wearing on the weekend when I wanted to just hang out or have fun. All my clothes represented a person I thought I was supposed to be – a person I thought would be accepted. Do any of you ever feel that way?
I guess you can say I was cosplaying as a ‘professional’. Lol But not the fun kind of cosplay.
What is Personal Style?
Our personal style speaks for us before we even have a chance to introduce ourselves. It is literally a visual representation of who we are: how we express ourselves and how we show our individuality. But it isn’t just about the clothes or accessories, although that’s a big part of it. It’s really about how we wear the clothes and the way our personalities shine through.
The Everygirl defines it this way: “Personal style is how you express yourself through your clothes and accessories, and how you interpret fashion and incorporate it into your daily life. Trendy, maximalist, minimalist—how you define your style doesn’t matter, as long as it’s a representation of you.”
I want to define geek-chic as well. I think there is a huge stereotyped misconception when it comes to defining geek and geek fashion, in general. The definitions and stock photos that I can find online are generally written by non-geeks who have watched way too much 80’s and 90’s sitcoms. You know the shows. Geeks were portrayed with thick glasses, ugly vests, and pocket calculators. And let me say that there is nothing wrong with any of those things – I have an awesome pair of thick-rimmed purple glasses that I love.
But putting geeks into one very symmetrical box, with only those choices is like telling non-geeks that they can only wear one type of fashion. There are many types of geeks with many different tastes and preferences. So I believe we should first properly define what a geek is.
What is a geek?
A geek is a person who expresses energetic enthusiasm for a particular hobby or passion – the most common involving fandoms of tv and movies, comic books and manga, video games and collectibles, and other similar subjects of fascination. Identifying as a geeky person is not about any specific interest, topic, or activity; and it is not a title earned based on how much you know about a particular topic. Being a geek is unique to each individual and is all about embracing the part of yourself that loves what you love.
So based on this definition, we can start to see how the previously-prescribed fashion sense of the apparent geek as seen on television shows from the past just doesn’t apply here. After all, pop culture has been heavily influenced by comic books and anime which means that its reach, and that not-so symmetrical box is now widespread. I would dare say that geek is trendy, which means it’s miles more fashionable than the brown vest and comfortable loafers we’ve been assigned to wear for far too long.
(If you don’t believe me about what you’ll find out there, go to Google and type the word geek; click on images, and see what comes up. Yep. Not amused, right? I told you.)
What is Geek-Chic?
Geek-chic is a fashionable way of showcasing your passion for a particular fandom through clothing, accessories, and personal style. It celebrates your enthusiasm for TV shows, movies, comic books, manga, video games, and collectibles, with a variety of expressions—from gamer-chic to minimalist geek, to cosplay-inspired looks. Geek-chic is not just about the items you wear, but how you wear them, blending the fandoms you love with a unique, stylish flair.
Personal Style and Fashion
Many of us think of fashion when we think about personal style, and although what we wear is a large part of our personal style, it’s not all of it. Fashion is the trendy outer shell that often fades into time and changes like the weather. It is temporary. Our personal style, however, is timeless.
I’m not saying fashion isn’t an important factor, but it’s only one part of our overall personal style. If you think about it, we’re not discussing fashion or clothing style – we’re talking about personal… personal style. There are many other factors that help to make up our personal style – like having a distinct writing style, an art style, a music style, a favorite hair style, and,… well, you get it.
Our personal style is the house where all our categories of style live. And this home is who we are. It creates a sense of how others see us, as well. What I love about personal style is that it is… well… personal. Your style is you – it is how you choose to express yourself – and only you can and should create your personal style.
I like to think of my style as the exclamation point at the end of my very long sentence.
Our personal style is who we are at our core – it’s the inner conversation that often speaks for us without us having to say a word, and it leaves an impression on those who come into contact with us.
Your Aesthetic
Aesthetic is the love and appreciation of beauty and taste. It’s a word that’s been thrown around a lot lately, and is really just a way to categorize all the different preferences out there. Now, instead of aesthetic, we more commonly use the word ‘core’ to describe or classify the many aesthetics that are out there. Honestly, I just think people throw ‘core’ behind any style we love and relate to because it’s a trendy word to use.
There is cottagecore, barbiecore, fairycore, nerdcore,… the list goes on. And in this case, aesthetic is a theme, or a lifestyle, and everything these days has an aesthetic. I think this can be applied to our personal style, as well. Your personal style is your aesthetic, your ‘core’, and once you find yours, the people around you will begin to recognize it, as well.
Oh, and you can just call my aesthetic ‘geekcore’ – since we’re going with core, now.
For me, my personal style is my own aesthetic and how I express that aesthetic through my clothing, hair, and accessories. But more than that, it’s how I put it all together and combine it all with my personality and my attitude. It allows me to show my authentic self, no matter what I put on. Our authenticity should stand out far more than any trendy piece of clothing.
Just because we relate to an aesthetic when it comes to fashion and decor, it isn’t something we aren’t born with. Our personal style develops as we discover the world and ourselves and as we grow into the people we will become. Our likes, dislikes, hobbies, and even sometimes our jobs often help us to discover who we are and contribute to our sense of personal style.
Geek as a Personal Style
On this blog, we embody ‘geek’ as our personal style. And this ranges from our geek home decor, the music we love, the anime, movies, and TV shows we watch, and our geek-chic fashion choices. For this post, I’ll be talking mostly about fashion and how you can find your personal style by discovering your personal fashion preferences. Fashion is part of your personal style as a whole. In fact, I would argue that it’s a big part of your overall personal style. After all, our clothing is one of the first things people see, and it usually determines how they see you.
Outward appearances and all that…
Your Own Personal Style
If you’re anything like me, we’ve gone through phases, and have tried to transform our fashion (and sometimes even personal) styles into what we thought it should be at any particular time, and for any given situation. College, work, church, etc. I bet that when many of us see ourselves, we imagine a fantasy version of ourselves that is much different from the person we show to others. What I mean is that we may want to embody a certain core or aesthetic, and we may want others to see us a certain way – but we may not be that way at all.
For a long time, I wanted people to see me as this super chic and fashionable professional who had an outfit for every type of meeting, and heels to match. But at my core, it just wasn’t me. I couldn’t keep up that persona because – well – after a while I just didn’t want to. It got boring and high maintenance. And it was incredibly exhausting.
Now I’m more of a casual converse and short purple hair with accessories from my favorite fandoms type of geek, you know?
I’m still not sure that I’ve completely nailed my own fashion style, but I do know what I don’t like and I think I’m getting closer to figuring it all out. It evolves, you know? And I feel we should just evolve with it. Like Pokémon. Experiment and try different things to see what sticks. And what doesn’t. It’s all a process; and that process is what we’re going to talk about in the next few posts.
How to Find Your Personal Geek-Chic Style
So where do you even start to find your personal geek-chic style? I read through a TON of blogs and articles talking about how to find your personal style. And do you know what I realized? One – they were all pretty much saying the same thing and in the same order. Two – they were still trying to pull the influencer card on the reader while telling the reader to discover their own personal style. (More on that, below…) Three – I was obviously going to still write this my way using my own experiences and then share it with you. I’m stubborn like that.
No, but really – after I read and read, it still didn’t quite connect or make sense. Most fashion bloggers and magazines will tell you to start by getting inspiration from Pinterest or Instagram or magazines or TV. This isn’t bad advice, per say; and while certainly well-meaning, this method can be flawed. Social Media at its core is all about marketing and it’s where all the influencers live and thrive. Influencer marketing is supposed to be subtle (mostly), and that means that as you’re scrolling for inspiration, subconsciously, you’re being influenced.
I mean, this is the whole reason for social media, right? It’s how influencer marketing works…
So how do you know whether or not you’re being inspired or influenced?
Hear me out: if I go onto social media in order to gain inspiration for my own personal style, which is supposed to be personal to me, am I not really just logging in and seeing someone else’s personal style? And is it really even their personal style, or are they being paid to share someone else’s personal style? My point is that influencers live on social media; and social media exists to influence us to purchase the things marketers and brands pay influencers to tell us we need. Most things are shared because they’re trendy. And trendy sells.
Influencers aren’t showing you how to find your own individual personal style. They are selling you fashion styles, hair styles, music styles, and art styles. Some of which may not even truly define you.
I could go on, but I think you get the point.
Don’t get me wrong – I browse Pinterest all the time for all kinds of inspiration. There is nothing wrong with that. Just keep in mind that when we go onto social media looking for inspiration, we may find the inspiration to spend money on things we may not actually even like. LOL
You can even find inspiration for your next closet cosplay on this blog!
Cropped Jeans and how you’re being Influenced
Here’s a good example of how social media works: Cropped jeans. I may not have a pair or even ever worn a pair in my life. But if cropped jeans are what’s trending at the moment then when I log into social media every fashion and lifestyle account on Instagram is going to show cropped jeans and how to style them. Because it’s trending. So now you’re logged in looking for inspiration. Subconsciously, as you scroll and scroll you see all these cropped jeans and how to style them. You suddenly want to run out to the store or shop online to purchase cropped jeans. You may even click a link to purchase the same cropped jeans you favorite influencer is wearing. You’re not sure why, but you have to have them – in every color.
So now you have a few pairs of brand-new cropped jeans and you’re trying to pair them with other things in your closet. When you put them on, however, you realize, ‘These are really uncomfortable’; or ‘I really hate the way these look on me.’ But ‘I thought they were my new personal style.’
Are cropped jeans your new personal style?
Probably not. They’re a fashion trend that could be part of a fashion style. But why do you like them? What part of your personality do those cropped jeans represent? They are not your personal style. You were influenced to go out and purchase cropped jeans because they marketed them to you. So unless you can find some social media site that doesn’t follow trends, I don’t think your first step in finding your personal style should be to go to social media where marketers live and influencers are paid to tell you what your personal style should be.
Don’t get me wrong – there is nothing wrong with influencers and finding things you love online. I do it all the time. But you have to first know yourself so you can make rational decisions when being influenced online.
So now you’re probably like, ‘Okay, if I shouldn’t go online, then where do I start? Where can I find inspiration for my personal style?’
Discover What You Love
That’s right – before you begin your quest to find your personal style, you have to get to know yourself. I promise that by just asking yourself a few questions about your own preferences, you’ll learn a lot more than you thought you knew.
When you know who you are and what you like, it’s a lot harder to be swayed by all the pretty shiny things online. You can scroll and admire the fashions out there without being influenced to purchase every trend that pops up because you know what you love and how it fits into your lifestyle.
And that’s where we’ll stop for now.
I know, I know, it’s like that abrupt ending to an anime you love. You just never know whether they’ll have a second season. But I promise we will continue this in Part Two of our personal style post.
Take the Geek-Chic Style Quiz
Until then, I have created a quiz to help you with this first step. So click the link below to take the What’s Your Geek-Chic Style quiz. Your answers to the questions will tell you what kind of geeky style you have. It will also help you understand and define your geek style preferences. Most of all, though, it’s just fun! There is also a free lookbook that will help you find inspiration for your geek-chic style, and show you the other possible style results from the quiz. Sign up* to subscribe for your free copy!
With that, we’ll see you in the next Finding Your Personal Geek-Chic Style post, you geeks!
Don’t forget to PIN THIS IMAGE to share the geek life! 🙂
*In 2024, I’m working to build a community for fellow geeks and fans who just want to live our geeky lifestyles and love our fandoms without the toxicity and negativity. We just want to celebrate the things we love in everything we do. Whether it’s closet cosplay and geeky fashion, geeky book and movie reviews, geeky DOY and home decor, or just being part of a community where you feel like you can be yourself. This Geeked Out Lifestyle is here for you. So please sign up to be part of something amazing as it grows. What do you get when you sign up? Well, for starters I send a monthly emails and newsletter with the latest in geek news from the blog. And aside from knowing that I won’t spam or harass you with a bunch of pointless emails, you will get access to monthly freebies like geeky phone wallpapers. You get first dibs on sales and giveaways from your favorite geek shops. You also get access to the Discord, and a chance to tell me what you want to see more of. I hope to see you in the next issue!
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