Look Sharp, Sconnie - Midwestern Fashion Nerd, Chronic Over-thinker

Sexy Nerds

Let's just clear this up. 

They don't exist.
I'm sorry, folks, but the words "nerd" and "sexy", as they're traditionally understood, are mutually exclusive. 
One negates the other. 

I don't care if you're a wand-making, num chuck-wielding, Smeagol impersonator, 
if you're confident, beautiful and unashamed, 
you're not a "nerd". 
The confusion lies in the stigma that certain obsessions fall within a nerd framework of sorts. 

Whereas say, tennis, is cool, 
chain mail making is not. 

But the real old fashioned "nerd" was not a G4 gamer babe, or a painfully good looking actor who's secretly good at math, or a beautiful bohemian chainmail artist.  

No, "nerd" was once synonymous with social incompetence and ostracization.
So why this cultural shift? Why has dorkdom become an ideal? Why has labeling oneself a "nerd" become a fashion statement of sorts, when it used to cause such shame?

Is this that same irony that we talked about before? Did a nervous joke become a social movement? Are we really so defensive that we feel a need to announce our dorkdom aggressively in order to avoid being accused of it further down the the road?

Or maybe it's as simple as a language deficiency. Maybe "nerd" has culturally evolved from "socially incompetent outcast" into "passionate advocate", in which case we're missing a key English descriptor. 

If "Nerd" has been co-opted by the mainstream, 
how do we describe the Urkels and the Schrutes of the world?!??
skirt: vintage, shirt: Anthro, shoes: Nine West
And what about those OCD Lord of the Rings spell-casting folks,
who also really like to be social?

Cheers.



Super Round Glasses Super Glasses Super Eyewear 
Facebook tweet this Pin It Share on Google+

6 comments:

  1. ROXTHEFOXMay 17, 2013 at 10:03 AM

    I love how you can take a serious social message, make it fun and relatable, and look fabulous while doing it. I too have certain passions of mine fall in the 'nerd framework' you describe, but I think sometimes I refer myself as a nerd because I also think the word is synonymous with being 'smart'... I find something very attractive about seemingly perfect people enjoying topics of the nerd variety. They seem more real and approachable. Does this make sense? No? Ok, fine.

    On a related note, I'm very socially awkward. Do I fit into the nerd categorY? I mean, I rather be known as a nerd than a bimbo. Lol.

    WWW.ROXTHEFOX.COM

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
      Reply
  2. UnknownMay 17, 2013 at 10:21 AM

    Lovely post once again! never thought so deep about 'Nerds'! Surprised to know it had a different meaning in the past! Well, you look fabulous, the skirt is sexy!
    risingcolors.blogspot.in

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
      Reply
  3. UnknownMay 17, 2013 at 12:36 PM

    We are just gonna have to agree to disagree... because we find you to be one sexy nerd ;) Great post!

    Brittany at DigitallyLUX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
      Reply
  4. Andrew ButtsMay 18, 2013 at 9:35 AM

    As a kid, I always rejected the label, "nerd" precisely because of negative social connotations (whether or not they were [read: are] true.) My friends and I however all gladly accepted the label of "geek," because unlike "nerd" which focuses on the negative social aspects of (typically) intellectual types, "geek" is used to refer to people with highly specialized interests for which they take pride in their knowledge, and we were all quite prideful of our chosen interests... trying to explain this to my mean older sister only encouraged her to switch to "dork" for the rest of my childhood, which lacks even the few redeeming qualities of being a "nerd."

    More here, it does a pretty good job: http://www.wikihow.com/Tell-the-Difference-Between-Nerds-and-Geeks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andrew ButtsMay 18, 2013 at 9:45 AM

      And to your earlier point, I would definitely agree that the "taking back" of the word "Nerd" seems far more often an ironic social defense mechanism, than a genuine need to reclaim the label. Just ask a nerd. They're probably disappointed with the trend, even if they don't like the word, because at least they earned it through the onslaught of social exile, rather than hid behind it. I wouldn't know anything about that though... since I'm not a nerd.

      Delete
      Replies
        Reply
    2. Reply
  5. far and wild jewelryMay 23, 2013 at 8:37 AM

    nerd, babe, superhuman, whatever you want to call yourself you're killing it. that last picture should be in a fashion mag. get on a catwalk already you nerd!

    abigail
    www.farandwildjewelry.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
      Reply
Add comment
Load more...

Newer Post Older Post Home
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
about
facebook twitter instagram pinterest in udder news bloglovin polyvore subscribe Image Map

watch me

watch me
download the app to see me move
© Look Sharp Sconnie. Design by Lindsay Tratz. Powered by Blogger.