For many of us the idea of dressing like a geek will immediately transform you back to those awful school days you tried so hard to forget! Your Mum forced you to wear the ugliest shoes known to mankind, you just couldn’t control that frizz issue (thank goodness for GHDs!) and some of us were forced to wear the most unfashionable big thick glasses!

Geek Chic, Geek Glam, Nerd chic – whatever you want to call this growing fashion fad –has seen a revival this year.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s portrayal of Margot Tenenbaum in the 2001 remake of The Royal Tenenbaums provided inspiration for many of the collections shown during this year’s biggest fashion shows, including Gucci, Erdem, Lacoste and Jonathan Saunders.

Alessandro Michele’s second womenswear collection for Gucci paid homage to this geeky chic look, receiving rave reviews for their quirky feminine looks that hit the catwalk.

Whilst we do not encourage you to run back to your parents and dig out that long forgotten box of clothing from the attic, we are going to provide you with our take on how to re-create the geek chic look with a glamorous twist.

Going full Geek Chic may seem a frightening concept for most; however your transition into this trend does not have to be so full on.

Why not simply add a geek chic accessory to your outfit such as some chunky tasselled loafers, plaid skirt or some thick rimmed glasses (yes, we can bring them back!).

These Zara loafers are a great way of working the look into your wardrobe.

Print-wise, plaids, tartans and checks are the best options for creating a glamourous geek chic look. Think 70’s Librarian, soft pussybow blouses, cashmere knits and long skirts, also it’s important to steer clear of dull greys and embrace colour for this look to really work.

Add a girly Parisian touch to soften your geek chic look by adding a beret to complete your look.

A cute little V-neck knit adds instant geekiness to this little outfit. We have added a touch of glam with these Topshop lace up shoe boots.

A plaid skirt is a necessity for any Geek Chic wardrobe. Adding a soft pastel blouse provides an instant feminine touch to this look. Sadly not many of us can stretch to a Hermes as Margot has, however we found this fab little vintage bag which does the trick perfectly!

Add a pair of glam heeled brogues to complete this look!

Saving the best for last with possibly one of the most glamourous of the looks we created! We added a vintage Escada Elizabeth Ley plaid jacket, and teamed it with a pussybow dress from Zara, finishing off with these fabulous Kurt Geiger laceup heels. All found in our Marylebone store!

Create your own Geek Chic look for less in store now. Find your local Barnardo’s here!

Don’t forget to share your look on our @BarnardosRetail Instagram page using the hashtag #mybarnardosfind!