By Alexi Boshart

Dear fashion foundries,

I have an old black plastic Casio watch from the 80’s. It’s the “Illuminator” W-741, I’m pretty sure the pinball wizard wore one, and when I’m feeling punished by cuteness and thoroughly disgusted by glamour I get smart. Or shall I say, “I get my smart on.” What I mean here dear readers is that I play the whole wears glasses and likes bugs and doesn’t care if you like what you see, because I got Algebra on my mind, oh! Circle takes the square! Readers, don’t be confounded, hang on! It’s nerdcore. That’s right nerdcore. It’s fashion, it’s music…it’s a way of life (e =mc squared, mamma) that exalts the geek. Now, think of how many geeks who grew up to be hot…. remember when you were a geek? Yup. I knew you would. Well, learning a little about nerdcore and exercising you inner geek style is a really grand way to say “up yours” to a world that teased you when you were geeky, or even for you to show solidarity with those geeks that you yourself teased and now feel terrible about. Do it for Hershel Adler! Do it for Wil Wheton! Do it for Steve Urkle! Okay so part of getting it right has to do with knowing a little bit about the music-it’s hip hop written and performed by total nerds usually rappin about math and star wars—well it’s much more varied, but you get the idea. Here’s a quote directly lifted from Wikipedia: The term “nerdcore hip hop” was coined in 2000 by MC Frontalot. However, prior to that time artists as varied as the Kool Keith, Deltron 3030, MC 900 Ft. Jesus, and Daniel Dumile began exploring topics far outside of the traditional hip hop culture, including stereotypically “nerdy” topics like space and science fiction. I think nerdcore has actually helped bring some of that 80’s fashion back–which some people really hate and I understand that…however, it’s funny!At least the self-aware geeky thing is making it all little easier to re-digest. It definitely fits under that rubric of 80’s, so if that whole movement creeps you out as it is…. well, just know this: smart and fun is indubitably sexy for ever and ever. Amen. Okay back to the task at hand: learnin you something about nerdcore: Part Run DMC, part Atari video game, part oversized glasses and perhaps a goofy sweater knitted by algorithm or something. No, I don’t expect you to wear all that ugly crap at once. Yes it’s an ironic thing, yes, it’s kind of goofy, um, but then again so are bubble skirts, so geek out already! Or just breathe it in, and laugh with it. I have a feeling that this trend will be making its mark. Think mash-ups. Hip hop is usually associated with a hard, over-sexed tough-guy kind of feel and aesthetic, whereas nerds are thought of as flaccid, pale and sexless. No one is tough and sexy all the time. Kanye West probably watches Antiques Road Show. So, look at the photo of MC Router: Tattoos—tough, geeks—not. We get a nice little mash-up of personality there and aren’t we all, beautifully dichotomous, just like that? God that was smart. ;)Do not! Wear sunglasses at night! You could really fall and hurt yourself. Plus, you look like a douche bag.

For further reading visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerdcore

Or listen to MC Router MC Frontalot
Or the historical album Dr Octagon by Kool Keith which preceded nerdcore and will be here long after…..until next week my dears.