Hacker fancy dress
March 10, 2023 5:45 AM Subscribe
I'm going to a fancy dress party as a hacker. Is the outfit I'm thinking of a good one? I want to lean into the stereotype to make it recognisable. But I don't want to go down the 'Anonymous' route with mask, suit and tie.
I'm thinking black sneakers and socks, black cargo pants, a black zip hoodie over a graphic tee on a black background, fingerless gloves, sunglasses. Lots of black. Possibly spray my hair a bright colour. Can you think of anything I'm missing, or any better ideas?
I'm thinking black sneakers and socks, black cargo pants, a black zip hoodie over a graphic tee on a black background, fingerless gloves, sunglasses. Lots of black. Possibly spray my hair a bright colour. Can you think of anything I'm missing, or any better ideas?
Balaclava. Do an image search; "hackers" are either faceless or wear the V-for-Vendetta mask. I call this stereotype "undead hoodie with a laptop" in my intro-infosec class.
You need a laptop too. (Fake one fine.)
posted by humbug at 6:26 AM on March 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
You need a laptop too. (Fake one fine.)
posted by humbug at 6:26 AM on March 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
Best answer: For more fun and to look like something from a game/movie/etc., get LED glasses (not a recommendation, just an example). Techwear fashion (extremely random link) might be a little more fun than just cargo pants, too. You can get some cheap stuff online.
posted by wintersweet at 6:27 AM on March 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by wintersweet at 6:27 AM on March 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
Power packs - hackers absolutely love battery packs. They will boast that they can go for 4-5 days without ever touching base because their power pack is so big.
Stickers - hackers embellish their laptops with a multitude of stickers saying things like Black Hat Amsterdam 2013 or stickers related to Linux-based operating systems or tools. Please note, applying a Microsoft sticker would be seriously uncool.
Startrek / StarWars - It's a cliche but it's also true. Picking up a baseball cap with one of these emblems should be easy.
Finally, to complete the look you have to get a T-shirt that says something like "Home Sweet 127.0.0.1" (available on Ebay I'm sure). This is still considered sassy in the hackosphere community because it references command line programming - something Ordinary Joes don't normally do.
posted by jacobean at 6:28 AM on March 10, 2023 [4 favorites]
Stickers - hackers embellish their laptops with a multitude of stickers saying things like Black Hat Amsterdam 2013 or stickers related to Linux-based operating systems or tools. Please note, applying a Microsoft sticker would be seriously uncool.
Startrek / StarWars - It's a cliche but it's also true. Picking up a baseball cap with one of these emblems should be easy.
Finally, to complete the look you have to get a T-shirt that says something like "Home Sweet 127.0.0.1" (available on Ebay I'm sure). This is still considered sassy in the hackosphere community because it references command line programming - something Ordinary Joes don't normally do.
posted by jacobean at 6:28 AM on March 10, 2023 [4 favorites]
Best answer: A messenger bag and chipped black fingernail polish.
posted by sacrifix at 6:30 AM on March 10, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by sacrifix at 6:30 AM on March 10, 2023 [8 favorites]
Make sure your sunglasses are futuristic.
You can easily make your hoodie into a TRON hoodie with some cheap EL wire.
posted by ourobouros at 6:44 AM on March 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
You can easily make your hoodie into a TRON hoodie with some cheap EL wire.
posted by ourobouros at 6:44 AM on March 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
Instead of "I'll text you later," say "I'll ping you later."
posted by amtho at 6:45 AM on March 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by amtho at 6:45 AM on March 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
One-eared Bluetooth headset?
Something on a belt holster or wrist mounted (links go to actual products, probably overkill)
A light-up badge that displays your Hacker Handle or Hacker Motto?
A small laptop somehow slung crossbody or otherwise easily accessible for Hacking?
posted by BungaDunga at 6:50 AM on March 10, 2023
Something on a belt holster or wrist mounted (links go to actual products, probably overkill)
A light-up badge that displays your Hacker Handle or Hacker Motto?
A small laptop somehow slung crossbody or otherwise easily accessible for Hacking?
posted by BungaDunga at 6:50 AM on March 10, 2023
Best answer: Oh, if not holster, then fanny pack trailing a wire connected to an earpiece. You know, for comms, and to be able to hold your finger to your ear and say "Ok, I'm in."
posted by BungaDunga at 6:55 AM on March 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by BungaDunga at 6:55 AM on March 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
a T-shirt that says something like "Home Sweet 127.0.0.1"
Oh god yes. Especially if it's in Lucida Console font. "There's no place like 127.0.0.1" is also acceptable.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:10 AM on March 10, 2023 [5 favorites]
Oh god yes. Especially if it's in Lucida Console font. "There's no place like 127.0.0.1" is also acceptable.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:10 AM on March 10, 2023 [5 favorites]
Even used Google Glass is probably too expensive, but you could DIY up something that looks like Google Glass fairly easily, I would imagine. It's not exactly associated with hacker culture, because it wasn't really associated with anything, but it has that kind of vibe.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 7:49 AM on March 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 7:49 AM on March 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
You want the hacker aesthetic you will need a hacker prop: some hopelessly weird piece of tech. If you wanted an excuse to get a weird old Nokia phone, like an ngage or n95, now is your chance. Or even just a bar phone like Easyfone Prime-A6
You could go with a portable Linux unit for realism, but I think an old vintage thing running Windows CE better fits the vibe. A palmtop like a HP-200LX, NEC MobilePro, psion series, or old PDA like a Sharp Zaurus or even just an old Palm PDA, which can be had inexpensively - or possibly free.
The bit is that you have to insist that it is just the essential to interface with your obscure project/code, and you will sound/look just like all the hackers in so many of the movies.
Ask your GenX nerd friends to borrow one of their precious from their closet (just know that we might still be emotionally attached to them).
posted by zenon at 8:01 AM on March 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
You could go with a portable Linux unit for realism, but I think an old vintage thing running Windows CE better fits the vibe. A palmtop like a HP-200LX, NEC MobilePro, psion series, or old PDA like a Sharp Zaurus or even just an old Palm PDA, which can be had inexpensively - or possibly free.
The bit is that you have to insist that it is just the essential to interface with your obscure project/code, and you will sound/look just like all the hackers in so many of the movies.
Ask your GenX nerd friends to borrow one of their precious from their closet (just know that we might still be emotionally attached to them).
posted by zenon at 8:01 AM on March 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
The EFF hoodie has been pretty iconic for the past few years. The single side Bluetooth headset has largely been replaced with Air Pods at this point.
Most people are not subtle than this but you could have a few extra random antennas sticking out of pockets.
posted by Candleman at 8:14 AM on March 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
Most people are not subtle than this but you could have a few extra random antennas sticking out of pockets.
posted by Candleman at 8:14 AM on March 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
Have you watched Hackers? it's pretty fun. Please somehow work Hack The Gibson into your outfit, or wear a dress as well as Johnny Lee Miller. You should probably also reference 2600. Before personal computers, there were phone phreakers who used a Cap'n Crunch whistle to hack the phone system., because it had the perfect 2600 mhz pitch; you could probably print one or find something similar. Carry lollipops or chocolates as a prize for people who recognize any of your classic tech/ references. And you gotta have duct tape on your glasses. Costumes make use of tropes, not necessarily reality.
posted by theora55 at 9:24 AM on March 10, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by theora55 at 9:24 AM on March 10, 2023 [4 favorites]
You could perhaps get a T-shirt made with this XKCD comic on it. I also happen to own a black baseball cap with EFF in white letters on it (gotten from the Electronic Freedom Foundation). If anyone asks you if you've been on the Dark Web just tell them that the first rule of Dark Web is nobody talks about Dark Web!
Maybe the above is lame, but it's my caricature of a hacker.
posted by forthright at 11:50 AM on March 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
Maybe the above is lame, but it's my caricature of a hacker.
posted by forthright at 11:50 AM on March 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
Dress like the hackers from the 90s movie Hackers!
posted by tiny frying pan at 12:36 PM on March 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by tiny frying pan at 12:36 PM on March 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
You need to rep the hackersonas portrayed within the Nordverse. YouTube has more footage.
posted by Iteki at 12:41 PM on March 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Iteki at 12:41 PM on March 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
Copy a Defcon badge. (Cripes, those prices.)
posted by clew at 5:31 PM on March 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by clew at 5:31 PM on March 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'm just going to link to these classic pieces of tongue-in-cheek self-parody. R U a cyberpunk?
posted by sukeban at 5:25 AM on March 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by sukeban at 5:25 AM on March 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
Also, respond to any compliments like “nice shirt” with “thanks, I downloaded it”.
posted by Iteki at 7:55 AM on March 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Iteki at 7:55 AM on March 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
I would really, really love to see the costume. Have fun.
posted by theora55 at 1:00 PM on March 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by theora55 at 1:00 PM on March 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by Panthalassa at 5:47 AM on March 10, 2023