Blue stocking
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is a old slang term for business women i.e. secretaries, journalists, creative thinkers. started in europe around 1400
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Nerdy girl who doesnt bother with fashion or hair styling and make up, sometimes to the point of childish lack of dress sense.
Originates in the 18th century where the blue wool stockings were casual, laid back options as opposed to expensive silk ones in ever-changing fashions. The blue stockings were scholarly women who were too busy engaged in improving their minds to worry about constantly updating their wardrobes.
Like nerd and boffin this term is a social stereotype for what is actually a trait of Aspergers Syndrome/autism: the lack of awareness of social cues and trends such as fashion, the desire for comfortable dress and just finding studying more interesting than expensive dress.
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