Rise of Girl Gamer Chic

I <3 Japan Tank Tee

Under the umbrella of fashion, the variety of styles and sub categories insinuate that fashion has a long reach. New York City is the birthing grounds of new and exhilarating styles. Styles like chic, emo, and causal have undergone a meiosis that created boho chic, emo goth, and semi-casual. Surfacing trends are always linked with mainstream media, ideals, or adjustments in the direction of what’s fashionable. And as any form of art, the prevailing taste of fashion is a reflection of its time. In the 1980s and 1990s, to be labeled “nerd” or “geek” was to be the epitome of a social outcast. However, with the introduction of nerds in movies and TV shows, like 1984 Revenge of the Nerds to CBS’s The Big Bang Theory, the continued success of geeks in the gaming industry and the popular ambiance of nerds in social media have reduced this from being a stigma to an acceptable social status.

Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Tee ( ComicCon 2011)

In New York City, the rise of girl gamers is evident, only issue is that it is not prominent. Why is that? Simply because any girl could potentially be a gamer. Any level of gaming is considered gaming and any girl that participates in a type of game that plays using a microcomputer with keyboard, D-Pad and buttons, or joystick is playing a game (and yes, Farmville is a game). I’m not trying to argue that girl gamers are hardcore or that girl gamers need to be recognized that they exist (even though this is true) but what must be emphasized is this; girl gamers are a group that needs to be catered to like all the rest. One growing aspect of the girl gamer is the market in girl gamer fashion. ­­

Diablo III Kneew Highs  ( Jinx.com)

Gaming was first thought to be for the youth, but as the youth grew, so did the games. As the target market of gamers grew up, went to college, and got jobs, the investments for classic and new games were high in demand. In the 1990s, the decline of arcades and the spur of large gaming corporations fueled the industry to market specifically to gamers. Companies like G4TV, IGN, GameStop, and Kotaku became prominent and successful in marketing, writing articles, covering conventions, selling gaming merchandise, and organizing events catering to gamers. As geeks and nerds rose from the infamous swirlies to popular TV shows, movies, comics and games, we forget a section of nerds and geeks that have yet to see their status recognized: the girl gamer. 

Portal 2 Knee Highs  (Jinx.com)

If you have gotten this far into the article, I commend you. This is not an easy topic to swallow or to speak about, but it is an important discussion. Girl gamer fashion is influenced in movies, music, arts, games, and gaming conventions, but this style is not coined with gaming… yet. So what is girl gamer fashion? To be honest, it ranges on how much the girl knows about gaming and expresses in her style. There is no other place that would encourage risks­­ of expression of girl gamer fashion than in New York City. It is very important to say stylists and advocate fashionistas take risks in expressing themselves through their style no easier anywhere else. Devoted girl gamers wear more expressive gaming attire; clothes that represent their favorite video games. However, there are a growing number of fashionable girl gamers expressing their love of games via their own style in New York City.  There is an untouched market of working fashionable girl gamers that are eager for much deserved attention. These girls play games, shop for games and stylish outfits, watch and read what’s in style, attend conventions like E3 and ComicCon, and yet are reluctantly overshadowed by fashion’s many versatile styles. Introducing Girl Gamer Chic , the term that differentiates  the common Chic from the Chic that incorporates gaming and everything that revolves around it. We can’t forget, however, that even within this category of Girl Gamer Chic, there may be other sublets; manga, anime, comics, cosplay and other interests of girl gamers.

Minecraft Necklace / Portal 2 Knee Highs (Jinx.com)

New York City is one of the perfect location for the expression of Girl Gamer Chic, and it is GGVogue’s hope major gaming industry and fashion designer create an outlet for it.  Girl gamer attire, more female customization in online games, and female centered roles in games are just a few of the many features that could meet Girl Gamer Chic.  Keep watch gaming studios and fashion designers, as the rise of Girl Gamer Chic commences.

(Model: Cynthia De la Rosa)