Attack of the Neos
Is it just me or is anyone else getting completely fucking fed up with and tired of the Neo look? You know, Neo from “the Matrix” movies and the fact that he wore sunglasses, black clothes, black trench coat, black shoes, and slicked hair. We’ve all seen these guys and it is 99% men who dress up like this. Some of them are just goth or claim to be going after the Jhonen Vasquez/JTHM look, but in truth it’s all the same look and I just call it the Neo look because that is the easiest and most recognizable cultural icon who has said look. Anyway, these people have had this look for too long. At first it was kind of cool or, at the very least, a decent homage to something cool. Then the other “Matrix” movies came out, more Halloweens came to pass with even more people dressing up as Neo (a great fallback seeing as how all it requires black clothes of any variety, sunglasses, and a black trench coat), a few people became so committed to the Neo look that they dressed in it on a daily basis, and the Neo look fell from grace. When one or two people are doing something, then the shear rarity and uniqueness (yes, it’s not unique because they are copying it from a movie, but the fact that they are copying a movie on a daily basis makes it unique) of it makes it kind of cool. However, when everyone is doing it, then it’s mainstream and no longer cool (look at a lot of music for proof of that). It's become a joke, just look at the movie "Grandma's Boy" where the villain dresses like Neo and all the other geeky gamers constantly call him a tool. Today, I got into the elevator and two kids were there and both of them had the Neo look. It was like that scene in the “Matrix: Reloaded” with all the Mr. Smiths except this time with Neos. I could only imagine what was running through their minds and I hope, for the sake of comedy, that one of them was thinking, “He stole my look!” Seriously, how does either one of them exit that elevator and not think that the Neo look is all played out?
Now, to me at least, this look is the new badge of a true nerd or geek because they are the only ones who still think it’s cool or acceptable to dress as a character from a movie (see “Trekies” for other nerds and geeks who like to dress as movie/TV characters). First off, it’s a very simple look to pull off and something you could do on a daily basis, which is good because most nerds and geeks I know don’t put a lot of thought into their clothes. Secondly, for a lot of geeks and nerds, this look ties in with their ideas about the future and what the technologically advanced society that’ll inhabit it will look like. The Neo look really does look like something right out of a William Gibson book. Heck, even Harrison Ford wore a trench coat in “Blade Runner”. But that doesn’t make it cool (something a lot of nerds and geeks don’t give a rat’s ass about), that makes it a costume, which is pathetic no matter who you are. What I believe is a somewhat important reason for this look still existing is because it’s a costume that a lot of people hide behind. If eyes are windows into the soul then covering them with sunglasses all the time certainly says something about that person. Also, a trench coat is an incredibly guarded piece of clothing, something that was created solely to protect more of the body from harsh weather. So these geeks and nerds, use this costume both to actually and metaphorically shield themselves; shield themselves from the world (or the mainstream world). But geeks and nerds have been shielding themselves from the world for a very long time now, that’s what most D&D clubs and comic book stores are for, so why now do they need a costume to hide behind? They weren’t dressing up in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, so why now that is the 2000’s do they need a uniform to shield them from the same comments and lame jokes that people made about them (or previous generations of nerds and geeks) just 5 or 10 years ago? Sure, they had pocket protectors, but those only drew criticism and were only used to protect shirts, not self-esteem.
Truth be told, I don’t think they really do need a shield, which is why I think that the primary reason for the Neo look still existing is because nerds and geeks still think it’s cool amongst themselves to wear it; the secondary reason that for a few geeks and nerds they use it as a shield. So nerds and geeks of the world listen up and listen well: The Neo look is no longer cool! It has gone the way of the dodo, the pet rock, leg warmers, large lapels, pantaloons, bustles, zoot suits, Gazelle glasses, and parachute pants. It is only acceptable to pull out the Neo look for Halloween, but it is no longer okay to wear it on a daily basis or at a non-costume party. It’s not even cool to wear it to the few raves that are left.
Just like the character of Neo, this look should die. So let’s be faithful to the movies, nerds and geeks, and kill this fucking look once and for all.
Now, to me at least, this look is the new badge of a true nerd or geek because they are the only ones who still think it’s cool or acceptable to dress as a character from a movie (see “Trekies” for other nerds and geeks who like to dress as movie/TV characters). First off, it’s a very simple look to pull off and something you could do on a daily basis, which is good because most nerds and geeks I know don’t put a lot of thought into their clothes. Secondly, for a lot of geeks and nerds, this look ties in with their ideas about the future and what the technologically advanced society that’ll inhabit it will look like. The Neo look really does look like something right out of a William Gibson book. Heck, even Harrison Ford wore a trench coat in “Blade Runner”. But that doesn’t make it cool (something a lot of nerds and geeks don’t give a rat’s ass about), that makes it a costume, which is pathetic no matter who you are. What I believe is a somewhat important reason for this look still existing is because it’s a costume that a lot of people hide behind. If eyes are windows into the soul then covering them with sunglasses all the time certainly says something about that person. Also, a trench coat is an incredibly guarded piece of clothing, something that was created solely to protect more of the body from harsh weather. So these geeks and nerds, use this costume both to actually and metaphorically shield themselves; shield themselves from the world (or the mainstream world). But geeks and nerds have been shielding themselves from the world for a very long time now, that’s what most D&D clubs and comic book stores are for, so why now do they need a costume to hide behind? They weren’t dressing up in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, so why now that is the 2000’s do they need a uniform to shield them from the same comments and lame jokes that people made about them (or previous generations of nerds and geeks) just 5 or 10 years ago? Sure, they had pocket protectors, but those only drew criticism and were only used to protect shirts, not self-esteem.
Truth be told, I don’t think they really do need a shield, which is why I think that the primary reason for the Neo look still existing is because nerds and geeks still think it’s cool amongst themselves to wear it; the secondary reason that for a few geeks and nerds they use it as a shield. So nerds and geeks of the world listen up and listen well: The Neo look is no longer cool! It has gone the way of the dodo, the pet rock, leg warmers, large lapels, pantaloons, bustles, zoot suits, Gazelle glasses, and parachute pants. It is only acceptable to pull out the Neo look for Halloween, but it is no longer okay to wear it on a daily basis or at a non-costume party. It’s not even cool to wear it to the few raves that are left.
Just like the character of Neo, this look should die. So let’s be faithful to the movies, nerds and geeks, and kill this fucking look once and for all.