Geekchic OOTD: Meet me in Batuu

It's funny my last outfit post here was a Star Wars-themed one because since then the Star Wars-themed land, Galaxy's Edge: Black Spire Outpost, has opened at Disneyland. AND I HAVE BEEN TO THERE.

Before I get too excited, for those of you not as obsessed with Star Wars as I am, the Galaxy's Edge addition to Disneyland (and Disney World later this summer) is meant to be unlike any other part of the parks. It is an immersive space where you'll find no Star Wars-branded or Disney-branded merch. You're meant to feel like you've ended up in a remote outpost - Black Spire, on the planet of Batuu - in a galaxy far, far away. The cast members speak in-character as denizens of the town. Star Wars characters you may recognize walk around, conducting their own business, though you can, of course, ask them if you can take a picture (get your image scanned) with them. They might not say yes, though.

In any case, I love it immensely because it fulfills a dream of mine - which is to feel like I can visit that world. I was lucky enough to get on 3 separate reservations to go during the first weeks' "soft opening" that ended last week. Of course, I planned 3 separate Star Wars-y outfits for it! I'm sharing them here so they can hopefully inspire you to get into the spirit of dressing up.

I'd previously shared on The Sartorial Geek blog outfit ideas for Light Side Style and Dark Side Chic (check these posts out for more geek style ideas!), but these were the outfits I actually wore to Black Spire Outpost.

LIGHT SIDE STYLE

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A post shared by alice (@akangaru) on Jun 6, 2019 at 3:02pm PDT

Geekchic OOTD: Fly Casual

Is it just me or does each year seem to go by faster and faster? I can't believe we're already a quarter of the way through 2019!

This is an exciting week for 2 reason: I'm going on a short trip, and Star Wars Celebration is happening! Unfortunately, I am NOT going to Celebration, though I came close. I will be jet-setting on a different geeky adventure, but given how much I love Star Wars and the many closet cosplay/ geekbound outfits I've styled in that fandom, I wanted to give you an outfit post.

Maybe this will inspire a closet cosplay of your own, or if you're freaking out over what to wear to Celebration, maybe this is a last minute look that will work for you.

Hope you like this very casual X-Wing pilot-inspired outfit I wore to San Diego Comic Con 2018. It was by far the most comfortable outfit I wore all con, and everything was super easy to find!

Even though orange is not the easiest color to pull off, there is just something about those Rebel Pilot flight suits that is so iconic. Thanks to the current resurgence of jumpsuits and overalls in fashion, it's actually not that hard to find cute ones to wear casually. And that's where the idea for this outfit was born, or shall I say, refined?

Outfit details: Mock-Neck Top (Forever 21) // Overalls (Forever 21) // SUNGLASSES (Ray-Ban) // Fake Fangirl pin (Utinni Bikini) // Sandals (Miista)

At Comic Con 2016, my friends did a version of this Rebel Pilot geekbound with orange dresses and white tops. So the general idea of this pilot-bound outfit had been in my head since then.

While at the mall, I saw these orange overalls and it popped into my head that I could do an updated version of the pilot outfit that was slightly closer to the flight suits. Plus, the shade of orange on these overalls was way more forgiving for regular wear. I found a white mock-neck top to wear underneath that would be a call-back to the white flak vests the Rebel pilots wear over their orange flight suits.

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A post shared by Alice (@girlontheroam) on Aug 5, 2018 at 8:47pm PDT

The Sister re-used the white crop top she used in 2016 and put it over an orange jumpsuit she already had. We both topped our outfits off with Rebel Starbirds. I used the one we made previously out of the craft foam, and she used an enamel pin from Utinni Bikini.

My accessories were the finishing touches to tie it all together. Besides the Rebel Starbird, I included Utinni Bikini's brilliant "Fake Fangirl" enamel pin; it's written in Aurebesh, the written language seen in Star Wars. The kangaroo pocket in the front of my overalls were the perfect place to hide my co-pilot BB-8. It's sunny in San Diego, so when it came to choosing sunglasses, I went with aviators to tie into the whole pilot theme.

So there it is! My "Casual Friday" Rebel pilot outfit. Just remember for a simple geekbound like this, think in color blocks and themes. Accessories can also really pull the look together.

If you're headed to Star Wars Celebration, have so much fun. I'm so excited for all the news that's very likely going to be dropped this week! May the Force be with you!

Geekchic OOTD: Ready to Ragnarok

November is upon us, and with it, Ragnarok! Of course, I don't mean the Norse mythological End of Days/ Twilight of the Gods. I'm talking about the 3rd THOR movie, and by far, the most colorful and funniest of them all.

By now, you should know I'm a Loki stan, and he's been a constant fashion inspiration for the past few years (but will someone please cut his hair?). I was punk rock Loki for Comic Con this year, and I think it's true that tricksters have the most fun.

A post shared by alice (@akangaru) on Jul 21, 2017 at 12:54am PDT

So with a new Thor movie out and the return of my favorite mischief maker to the silver screen, I had to do an outfit post. I ended up doing 3 outfits - 2 casual ones here and a fancier one over at Girl on the Roam. Plus, the Geeky Fashion Blogger Alliance fittingly made this month's style challenge all about Thor. Without further ado...

OOTD No. 1: Trouble Maker

I wanted to do something a little more toned down than what I did for punk rock Loki, so I went with something more 90s grunge for every day wear.

Outfit details: TANKS (Cotton On) // SHIRT-DRESS (Target) // SHORTS (Target) // SHOES (Nike- similar) // BRACELET (World Market - similar) // NECKLACE-collar (Sparkling Rampage) // NECKLACE-scepter (Hot Topic - similar) // SUNGLASSES (Ray-Ban) // LIP COLOR (Colourpop in 'Beeper')

OOTD No. 2: Thunderer

My Thor outfit isn't really decade-inspired, but I wanted to do something similarly casual. This outfit uses, I think, the first Thor shirt I ever bought. It's from years ago, but I still wear it!

Outfit details: TANK (Wetseal) // VEST (Target) // JEANS (Uniqlo) // SHOES (E8 by Miista) // BRACELETS (Forever 21 - similar) // LIP COLOR (Bite Beauty in 'Violet' - similar)

I'd (very last minute) fabric-painted the Ragnarok patch and safety pinned it to the moto vest for Comic Con for the punk Loki costume. So I just re-used it here.



And bonus:

What I wore to see Thor Ragnarok: check out the outfit details at Girl on the Roam.

A post shared by alice (@akangaru) on Nov 3, 2017 at 12:16pm PDT

Q4U: What did you think of the new Thor movie?

Geekbounding for Bookworms

Hello friends!! Sorry, it's been a bit quiet here for a while. The summer got away from me, and there have been some exciting things happening in Real Life. I haven't had much time for either reading or writing, which I've tried to keep this blog about (though I know, there's a lot of life updates here, too! Oops.).

ANYWAY, with Halloween around the corner, I thought it might be fun to share book character-inspired outfits with you. Who knows, it might prompt you to throw together a last minute costume, picked right out of your closet.

XIFENG from FOREST OF A THOUSAND LANTERNS (Rise of the Empress series) by Julie C. Dao

A post shared by alice (@threadedpages) on Oct 21, 2017 at 12:32pm PDT

This look is more of nod to the character than an actual costume. The green reminded me of the forest, the book cover, and the snake, and I loved the long skirt for a bit of drama. Gold accessories (and a snake necklace) because this outfit doubles as a Loki-inspired look. You can make this a little closer to Xifeng with a dress or long robe in a finer fabric and accessorize with flower hair combs and silk slippers. Don't forget to add a bit of blood (or blood-red color) to your lips for the final touch.

Put on you best defiant and queenly face, and be ready to embrace your destiny, no matter how dark.

FEYRE  from A COURT OF THORNS & ROSES (ACOTAR series) by Sarah J. Maas

With its decadent faerie courts, cruel curses, and masked characters, ACOTAR was easy inspiration for an outfit.

Although Feyre herself is not cursed to wear a mask, I had to incorporate one here given what a presence they are in that first ACOTAR book. I thought this dress had a romantic look to it, and while the color is more Night Court, the flower detailing on the sheer fabric is a nice callback to the Spring Court. Go barefoot in the grass and claim the one you love.

RHY MARESH from A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC (Shades of Magic series) by V.E. Schwab

Rhy is one of my favorite characters from Schwab's magical London books, and I had this gorgeous red dress and nowhere to wear it. So, I decided to do a genderbent take on Rhy.

Since Rhy is the beloved prince of lively Red London, I layered on the most luxurious red fabrics I could find - a velvet military-style coat over a gauzy, embroidered red dress over wine-dark burned velvet leggings. Accessorize with royal gold, a sprinkling of angst, and an enchanted tattoo.

ALINA STARKOV from SHADOW & BONE (the Grisha trilogy) by Leigh Bardugo

This one sort of fell into my lap because I'd just received this stunning Blackmilk maxi skirt. Then the solar eclipse happened, and I had an idea. The outfit is more inspired-by, but the black and gold combination and the "sacred fractals" of the skirt felt very Sun Summoner to me, especially in the first book when Alina wore the Darkling's colors.

To make this more Grisha-like, go with something long-sleeved and heavier materials. Maybe a cape or something trimmed in fur. Remember to shine; you're the Sun Summoner, after all.

ANNE LANSING from GRAY WOLF ISLAND by Tracey Neithercott

Anne is the girl who never sleeps. I'm still reading this book, but Anne intrigued me from the moment she's introduced. The magic that touches her is she doesn't sleep, so she sells her extra hours. I love that concept, especially since I've often thought about how much time I'd have to get stuff done if I didn't have to sleep (though I love it). I love the character card of Anne, too, and thought it'd be an easier, less intense outfit to put together because she's a regular girl -minus the insomniac thing.

Ideally, I would have been wearing a plainer shirt, but I did want a casual, summer-vibes feel since the book takes place during the summer (this picture does not, hah). The flower crown was taken straight from the illustration, and pants suitable for adventuring.

Pull some late-nights to get the somewhat sleepy look, or better yet, just grab some friends and go searching for treasure.



Q4U: Do you have good book character costume or outfit ideas? Let me know in the comments!


BONUS: Non-book, but suitably geeky and timely since Season 2 of Stranger Things drops at midnight tonight... my take on Eleven. See more of the outfit at Girl on the Roam: Stranger Things style challenge.

Geekchic OOTD: Wonder Woman

The Wonder Woman movie opens this Friday, and I am so scared and excited for it. Scared because frankly, I've been burned by the DC movies too many times to trust them, but excited because it's Wonder Woman! She's arguably the most famous female superhero, and she's finally getting her own movie and one directed by a woman, too. These milestones in pop culture are something to cheer about (though it's taken shamefully long to get here)!

To celebrate the release, here's a throwback Thursday OOTD post of the casual/closet cosplay Wonder Woman I wore to Comic Con two years ago.

I zip-lined across the Gotham skyline in this outfit. Luckily, I brought a pair of shorts to change into before zipping.

The skirt is what makes it. It was a lucky find at Forever 21; I literally saw it from outside the store as I was walking by. It was the inspiration for the geekbound in the first place. Once I had the skirt, I just bought a red shirt and accessorized appropriately.

The bangles, belt, headband, and ring were all from Forever 21, too, but other than the bangles, everything else I'd already had. The necklace was another lucky find at Papaya (an F21-like store). The Sister did her own geekbound take on Aquaman and DIYed a sea-themed headband for it.

I updated the look a little for Halloween - different headband and belt, red sandals, and I found one of my mom's old belts that conveniently looked like rope for my lasso! For Nerdvember, I put together a simpler (and warmer) geekbounding look. I'll probably wear something similar to see the movie!


I have never hoped so hard for any movie to be good, and the positive reviews coming out now are letting me rest a little easier. I'm seeing it tonight! Keep your fingers crossed that I come back with a glowing review!!

In any case, if you're thinking about seeing it, I encourage you to do it sooner rather than later. As they say, money is the language Hollywood understands best, and it's time the myth that female-led movies (superhero or otherwise) don't sell is dispelled.

Q4U: Are you excited for Wonder Woman?


**EDIT: Saw the movie, and oh my goodness, Diana is everything!! Mini-spoiler-free review taken from my Instagram post today: While the movie had its flaws (the 3rd act was not my fave & probably the weakest part of the film, & the movie could've been tighter in parts), everything else was what I hoped it would be. Gal Gadot's Diana is idealistic & compassionate, vulnerable & strong, & truly just someone out to do good. And her chemistry with Chris Pine's Steve Trevor is 💯. He lets her do her thing without trying to diminish her & he in turn is not diminished by her superheroics.

Geekchic OOTD: Here We Are- Feminist AF

In honor of Women's History Month & International Women's Day earlier this month (March 8), I'm joining Kelly Jensen's week-long feminist celebration on social media! You can join too by posting whatever you want in celebration of feminism (blog posts, tweets, Instagrams) and using the #HereWeAre. (Details are in the link above.)

The big social media blast day is today 3/15!

For my contribution today, I thought it'd be fun to do an outfit post featuring a great shirt from fave geek-girl brand Jordandené and paying gentle homage to 2 feminist icons- Rosie the Riveter and Wonder Woman.

Nevertheless, She Persisted

In February 2017, when Senator Elizabeth Warren was silenced by Senate Republicans while she read Coretta Scott King's letter opposing Jeff Sessions, women everywhere were given a new rallying cry by Senate Majority Leader McConnell when he defended the action with the words: "She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted."

Too bad no one ever told these people that women are all too familiar with being dismissed and silenced and as such are also experts at persisting against the odds.

So when Jordan put this phrase on a shirt (comes as a tank, a mug, and phone case, too), I absolutely had to get it.


And to make this look a shout-out to strong women, I wanted it to call back to historical icon Rosie the Riveter - a propaganda tool used by the U.S. government when they wanted women working during World War II. Rosie has since become a symbol of women in the workforce and a reminder of the contributions of women during the war era. To do that, I went with casual-fit blue denim and a red star-spangled ribbon for my hair.

I last minute added the bangles I bought 2 years ago for my Wonder Woman costume to add a little geek girl power to the whole thing. And bright red lips, of course, to top off the Wonder Woman vibes and as a nod to Kumander Liwayway - real life teenage resistance leader, who wore lipstick to war and kicked so much ass while looking straight up fabulous.

Learn more about Liwayway here: https://storify.com/themackenzilee/bygonebadassbroads-commander-liwayway


Outfit details: SHIRT (Jordandené) // JEANS (Uniqlo) // SHOES (E8 by Miista) // BRACELETS (Forever 21 - similar) // HAIR RIBBON (Forever 21 - similar) // BACKPACK (Longchamp) // LIP COLOR (Colourpop in 'Creeper')


Hope you like the look, and remember, you can dress and look however you want and still smash the patriarchy. Work!


And to help you level up your feminist wardrobe, I'm giving away 1 Jordandené "Nevertheless, She Persisted" tank or shirt (your choice) to one of you lovely people!

The giveaway will run until the end of the month (3/31) and is open internationally (or rather anywhere Jordandené ships). Enter below.

(Disclaimer: I'm running this giveaway of my own accord, and I'm featuring Jordandené gear because I truly love it and I think Jordan is lovely. Plus, I support women-run small businesses.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Geekchic OOTD: Weekend Vibes

Friends, how is August already over? We are coming up on the Labor Day weekend here in the U.S., one of our last long weekends before the winter holidays and sort of the last hurrah of summer.

(Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Lootcrate and have not subscribed to their boxes, but I've seen them around, and it looks like fun stuff!)

Recently, I was inspired by Loot Crate to blog about a favorite geeky look because they so often have cool apparel in their boxes. Loot Crate creates monthly subscription boxes that feature geeky collectibles (like shirts!) from current fandoms, and they're usually themed, which makes things extra fun.

Since we are headed into the final days of summer (and school has already begun for many) and summer is my favorite season, I thought I'd give it a nice send-off by talking about my most casual but also most tried and true warm-weather look - shorts and a geeky tank. This is seriously my uniform for the summer and a lot of the year since I'm in California.

These outfits are the epitome of my weekend vibes.

1) Witchy Chic

As much as I love my Ravenclaw gear and Marauder's Map everything, sometimes I like my fandom pride to be a little more subtle. That's why I love this Deathy Hallows muscle tank because unless you're a Harry Potter fan, it's not as immediately obvious what it is. I paired this with plain, light denim shorts but played up the magic and whimsy with my accessories (star shoes, quote bracelets, flower crown).


I took a little bit of inspiration from festival fashion and the stylish summer goths and witch girls out there. There's something to be said about wearing black - even when it's hot out - because it just looks so damn cool.

Outfit details: SHIRT (Hot Topic) // SHORTS (Target) // SHOES (Eeight) // BRACELETS (Show Pony Until the Very End cuff via Owlcrate / CynicalRedhead Isadora Duncan cuff) // FLOWER CROWN (Forever 21 - similar) // LIP COLOR (Colourpop in 'Beeper')


2) Back to Basics


Labor Day weekend in the U.S. is usually marked by BBQs, beach days, and the last of the outdoor gatherings as summer winds down. So I thought I'd go a little more simple with my second outfit, which honestly, would've been great for the 4th of July too. This Team Cap tank is your basic "graphic tee" type design. I matched it with patterned shorts and fun sunglasses but made sure both pulled from colors on the tank (blue and red, respectively) to keep it all streamlined. To top it all off, I had to have a classic red lip.


Outfit details: SHIRT (Target) // SHORTS (Target x Marimekko n/a - similar) // SANDALS (1st pair - similar, 2nd pair - Miista) // BRACELETS (Show Pony Until the Very End cuff / Sparkling Rampage ACOMAF cuff) // SUNGLASSES (Hot Topic) // LIP COLOR (Colourpop in 'Creeper')


I hope this inspires you to dress up those graphic tees and tanks that you have in your closets! And if you're looking for an easy way to up your geek style game, check out Lootcrate! They have tons of different monthly subscription boxes filled with pop culture goodness, including ones that focus on apparel if that's what you want. :)

Wave that geek flag high! Happy weekend, friends!


Q4U: What's your favorite fandom gear or style to wear?

Geekchic OOTD: May the 4th Be with You!

For those of you of the geeky persuasion, you'll know today is something of a geek holiday. It's STAR WARS Day! To celebrate, I put together 3 more geek chic outfits all featuring Star Wars pieces from awesome lady geeks.

One of them is actually the debut of the newest Poe Squadron shirt! So let's start with that. You might recall that my friend Gennia designed shirts for our little Poe Dameron-loving squad after we saw The Force Awakens.

Outfit details: SHIRT (TEEPublic)

Well, Gennia designed another Poe Dameron shirt featuring a quote of his from the movie! We just got ours, and I thought it would be perfect to debut it on Star Wars Day.


AS LONG AS THERE'S LIGHT - I originally was going to accessorize the shirt with my gold stars necklace since you know, space, but I bought this amazing bandana while I was at Coachella. It has bears IN SPACE on it.

Outfit details: SHIRT (TEEPublic) // SHORTS (Forever 21- similar) // SHOES (Jeffrey Campbell Starburst - similar) // BANDANA (Coachella)
(I bought the tee in black, Medium size, V-neck.)


MATT THE RADAR TECHNICIAN - Of course, I had to feature a Jordandené design, and this Kylo Ren tank is one of my all-time favorites from Jordan's shop. I tapped into the Dark Side for inspiration and layered the tank over a drapey, hooded top and my Hamlet leggings.

Outfit details: TANK (Jordandene) // 2ND TANK (Blackmilk) // LEGGINGS (Blackmilk) // SHOES (Miista)
(I'm wearing the Jordandene tank in XS, all the Blackmilk in Small.)


KYLO REN IS A PUNK BITCH - And my third outfit was inspired by the Rebel Alliance and the X-Wing pilot flight suits - hence the orange blazer. The Rebel emblem necklace was made for me by Alz - yes, my sometimes co-blogger here! She's a fabulous jeweler (commission her!)

This was actually the first time I wore the tank a few months ago, and Gennia and I accidentally matched when we met up for brunch. Photos had to happen. The Resistance will not be intimidated!

Outfit details: TANK (Jordandene) // BLAZER (Tahari N/A) // JEANS (Uniqlo) // SHOES (Eeight) // NECKLACE (Sparkling Rampage)


Hope you enjoyed those outfits!! MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU!


Oh hey, and REMEMBER, my Jordandené code is still good for 25% off the entire shop through MAY 31. So if you love this Matt the Radar Technician/ Kylo Ren shirt as much as I do, you can get one with a discount! The code is workwork.

Q4U: How are you celebrating Star Wars Day? Which outfit is your favorite? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!