• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.58-73
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• 2018

This study examines the socio-cultural background of a Nerd-chic look, establishes a conceptual foundation for Nerd-chic look and examines its aesthetic characteristics in order to understand the latest modern fashion phenomenon. Nerd-chic look is a combination of 'nerd' as a popular collective style and 'chic', which refers to the aesthetic value of a costume style. It is a look that is expressed in fashion that reflects the contemporary aesthetic desires based on a nerd's external features and inner values. The aesthetic characteristics of the Nerd-chic look are as follows. First, the Nerd-chic look express the aesthetic characteristic of bricolage that transforms the familiar meaning of an outdated nerd style to 'chic' image by the rearrangement of the typical nerd style and retro fashion elements. Second, the Nerd-chic look express the aesthetic characteristic of supernormal, as a plain, restrained beauty based on the Normcore fashion mood, disassembly and recombination of ordinary items, fit-free styling, and asexual styling. Third, the Nerd-chic look expresses the aesthetic characteristics of deluxe poor, which rejects stereotypical and expensive luxury and presents a more contemporary and futuristic spirituality. It is expressed in oversized shapes that are not intended to fit the body and show incompatibility between fashion items or way of dressing.