Everyone gets a pass for slacking off on the fashion front over the past couple years. But with the return of the GeekWire Gala in Seattle this week, it’s time to ditch the work hoodie and the plastic sandals and step back out in style.
In collaboration with Nordstrom, we’re helping two lucky geeks do just that.
Karina Martija-Harris and Brian Crouch are the winners of this year’s Geek Style Reboot, an afternoon of indulgence at Nordstrom’s flagship Seattle store. The pair will spend Wednesday at the store for lunch, a spa session, style and beauty consultations and an all-around relaxing makeover before they head to Block 41 for the big party.
We caught up with Martija-Harris and Crouch to learn a bit more about what they do in tech, why they’re the hardest working geeks in town and what they think of their own fashion sense.
And it’s not too late to get tickets! Grab yours before we sell out, and make the GeekWire Gala your company holiday party and kick off the season in style.
Karina Martija-Harris
Martija-Harris is a program manager at the Tacoma, Wash., incubator of Maritime Blue, a Washington state public-private coalition that promotes marine-related technologies.
She’s been with Maritime Blue for two years, but said 2022 hasn’t been the easiest. She had to design and build a program from scratch at work, and she is recovering from two automobile accidents.
‘I love being able to just put a sweatshirt over my PJ top and bottom when I’m working from home.’
— Karina Martija-Harris
“I could definitely benefit from a day of pampering,” said Martija-Harris, a Tacoma, native who spends her days helping founders secure funding and networking opportunities.
Martija-Harris is a graduate of the California Maritime Academy, where students were required to wear a khaki uniform. She said that structure caused her to become “an outfit repeater.”
“I love being able to just put a sweatshirt over my PJ top and bottom when I’m working from home,” said Martija-Harris, a self-proclaimed big Seattle Sounders fan. “When I have to go to the office, I usually wear more casual clothing.”
Martija-Harris called Jacqueline Kennedy her style icon, and she’s hoping Nordstrom will help her find something fun to wear to the Gala.
“I do like timeless looks rather than trendy looks,” she said. “I’ve noticed that trends change so often, that it’s better to have consistent pieces in your wardrobe that you can pretty much fit with the occasion rather than just shopping strictly off of trends, having to change your wardrobe every six months.”
Brian Crouch
A technical SEO manager for the past year at Seattle tax compliance software startup Avalara, Crouch spends his days in front of a computer checking reports, analytics and audits. He’s in the middle of a big project to revise the company website’s structure.
“I am neck deep in fixing technical debt from several acquisitions and merged sites and rarely look in a mirror anymore because my computer screen is in the way,” Crouch said.
‘You step in a lot of things walking around downtown, so I’m not wearing the Bruno Maglis.’
— Brian Crouch
Crouch, who lives in the Bothell-Woodinville area, pulls off Seattle tech fashion pretty well, sporting a company-branded hoodie and pants he got at Costco. He calls his style “functional” because he takes the light rail and the bus to work.
“I want the ability to quickly run and not worry about a puddle,” Crouch said. “You step in a lot of things walking around downtown, so I’m not wearing the Bruno Maglis.”
A father to two kids and a dog, Crouch said he spends his free time being “a typical family guy.”
He calls Robert Downey Jr. his style icon, and even references the Iron Man actor’s look on the red carpet back when “Avengers: Age of Ultron” came out.
“I remember going, ‘That’s a sharp-looking suit. You don’t look pretentious,’ Crouch said. “It was really charismatic style.”
While he said he has a nice suit of his own that he’ll wear when other people are wearing suits, Seattle’s fashion sense can sometimes throw him for a loop.
“That’s why Seattle is the way it is, because nobody cares,” Crouch said. “The worst dressed guy in the room might be the one who can hire everybody.”
Check back with GeekWire later this week for the reveal of Martija-Harris’ and Crouch’s new looks.
The Gala is a 21+ event. Big thanks to First Tech Federal Credit Union for sponsoring this year’s Gala!
