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Geek Chic: The evolution of fashion or a moment in history? By Angela Thomas-Jones 2 March, 2008 Found in : features   Comment     Submit to Slashdot Email     Digg this Print     Add to del.icio.us

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The etymology of the term ‘geek’ can be traced to 1915 (geck) when it made reference to carnival performers who were known for carrying out ‘disgusting acts’.

According to dictionary.com, there are three definitions of geeks: a peculiar or otherwise dislikable person, esp. one who is perceived to be overly intellectual; a computer expert or enthusiast (a term of pride as self-reference, but often considered offensive when used by outsiders.) And a carnival performer who performs sensationally morbid or disgusting acts, as biting off the head of a live chicken.

The first two definitions are the more contemporary ‘slang’ uses of the word. So what is geek chic?

Far from the pocket protectors, braces and ‘special shoes’ of the nerd, geek chic is a term that covers many modes of geek attire. The phrase became prevalent in the 1990s when it dressed the ‘new economic’ workplaces of the dotcom boom.

The crumpled ‘casual’ clothing and ‘up all night hair’ became an accepted dress code of programmers and IT ‘geeks’. While this period set a [non]standard clothing precedent for workplaces and defined a ‘fashion’ for geek professionals, the phrase has now taken on a life of it’s own.

This article provides a brief overview of the clothing that is now referred to as  ‘geek chic’. By looking at a number of ‘fictional geeks’, it also ponders the idea of what actually constitutes ‘geek chic’. This is one part in our fashionable journey, which is trying to unravel if there is or ever was an unambiguous category of ‘geek chic’.

Geek Chic as a contemporary construct can be approached as if the category is a fashion show.  It can be split into male and female attire, as well as numerous subcategories such as geek speak, cyber geek, sleek professional geek, nerd geek and intelligent clothing - just to name a few.

Each category also has its own ‘it girls/boys’ and celebrity geeks (both real and fictional). While geeks were originally defined as those who were exceptional dedicated and brilliant in the fields of maths and science, the term has now progressed and is applied to many areas - film geek, comic geek, computer geek, cyber geek, tech geek - and a lot of these fields are interrelated with technology and the arts.

While there are many ‘real’ geeks, it is their fictional counterparts that have really bought geeks and geek chic into the realm of ‘cool’.  The most notorious of fictional geeks are often presented in the traditional areas of geekery – science and math.

Notable ‘cool’ fictional geeks are such characters as Abby Sciuto and Timothy McGee(k) from NCIS and Charlie Eppes from NUMB3RS .  Within these programs, the characters align intelligence with passion, compassion and flair.

Abby Sciuto (Pauly Perette) is a Goth-science-geek. Within a government Naval investigation office Abby a forensic technician and pseudo Gothic/punk/fruit, has piercings, tattoos, black hair, Gothic clothes (beneath her white lab coat) and plays rock music loudly as she works. She is presented as smart, pedantic, thorough and passionate about the intricacies of technology and science. She is the antithesis of an expert, science government employee. Through her fashion and signified identity as a ‘Geek- Goth/Goth-Geek’, her ‘serious’ workplace becomes creative and playful.

The alternate rendering of ‘geek’ is Special Agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray), who is a math geek with a creative side.  He is a smart diligent worker, but because of his ‘intelligence’, dedication to his ‘maths’, role playing games and preppy fashion he is referred to as a ‘Geek’ by ‘cool’ Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) – hence his nickname McGee(k).

Throughout the series McGee(k)’s creative thinking and creative side, as a published crime fiction writer, endears him to Abby, other unidentified women and his boss Gibbs (Mark Harmon).

Within the array of sexy, pretty and tough naval agents, the viewer is presented with two ‘different’ characters, a Goth-science and math geek. Both are presented as intrinsic to investigations, as well as being distinctive and attractive. Abby’s ability to be a scientist and Goth in a government department is positioned as ‘different’ and ‘cool’. McGee(k)’s ability to be an modest math genius, creative writer and understated ladies man is presented as geeky, but attractive. NUMB3RS’ Charlie Eppes is depicted in a similar manner.

Charlie (David Krumholtz) is another math genius.  He is softly spoken, dresses in a preppy style and has a natural flair for – you guessed it – numbers.  Charlie’s ‘creative’ mind has led him to a position, working with his brother, Don (Rob Morrow), using maths to solve crimes with the FBI.  Charlie’s work positions him on the ‘fringe’ of the FBI.

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