Now if you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that I’ve been extremely vocal lately about curbing my relationship with the high street and filling my wardrobe with as many pre-loved goodies as possible!
Second-hand Style is unique to you and a personal experience; it is definitely not the high street.
But I understand if you’ve never thrifted before it can be a fairly daunting process, almost like how I find the prospect of wandering into TK Maxx or Primark and endlessly scouring the rails in the hopes I find something. Something as a reward for spending all my time searching through reams of clothing and homewares!
Whether it’s online shopping or physically going to the store itself, I always set myself guidelines that I stick to whenever I verge on a second-hand spree! Grab a cuppa (slice of cake optional) and let’s peruse these guidelines together, shall we?
If you’ve found any bargains lately leave me a little message, I’d love to know what you’ve found! Likewise if I can further help your search for the perfect vintage item I’d love to help you along your way.
Lovelies if we’re going to be kinder to our planet we may as well look fabulous whilst doing it!
How are we all? Please do let me know, wherever you are how you are all feeling at this time.
Now I know that this year has been an interesting one to say the least and a lot of us are sat here wondering “oh my goodness, whatever next” and although there are places opening for business here in the UK, I’ll be perfectly honest I’m just not prepared to go back to normal yet… Not that I’ve ever known what that was to begin with having dealt with severe anxiety, staying indoors had become my new normal a couple of years ago. But right now, aside from my walks in the park and feeding the squirrels (yes, I’m that person) I genuinely enjoy staying at home; I designed it to be somewhere that I’d want to spend a lot of my time and therefore love it.
So you can imagine my sheer delight when San Diego Comic Con suddenly announced that they’d be doing a virtual comic con, everything as it would be just online. A place where everyone (no matter where you are in the world) could access all the panels online and the event wouldn’t be ticketed; simply tune into YouTube log onto the Comic-Con international YouTube page and enjoy 4 days of virtual panels!
Amazing, right!?
Now I know what you’re thinking and I hear you! I understand that this doesn’t give you a proper idea of what comic-con is usually like. It’s difficult because you can’t replicate the comic con atmosphere via a screen and there’d be no real buzz from the comic con floor. Sadly there’d be no meeting new people and being able to marvel at each other other’s cosplay’s in person.
But I love comic-con and although we can’t physically be in the room together I still have to applaud the way it was laid out and the variation of panels that were given screen time. For me personally there were many panels dedicated to cartoons and the voice acting community spread across the 4 days, including a wonderful 80th Bugs Bunny Anniversary panel and if you know me you’ll know that I was completely in my element; all of this gave me such joy to be able to participate.
Especially since I’ve never been to San Diego Comic Con and trying to afford a single day ticket (let alone a 4 day ticket), accommodation and flights; it was always highly unlikely I’d ever be attending! But I still count myself immensely lucky to have been given the opportunity to go to New York Comic Con last year. So for my nerdy self over 5000 miles away, to be sat across the pond with a cup of tea and a cinnamon roll to be in with all the comic con feels, it’s a wonderful thought for all of us to feel included.
NYCC 2019
The wonderful Greg Cipes, WingmanG & I – NYCC 2019
One of the things I flippin’ adore about comic con season… y’know aside from everything I’ve mentioned so far is having the opportunity to shop for comic con exclusives, including some of my favourite vendors Loungefly and NECA and they definitely came through with some amazing pieces this year… Unfortunately, as always with Loungefly the term ‘you can look but no touchie’ still applies as we have to wait for their items to be available in the UK via Truffle Shuffle/Shop Disney/Zavvi websites… But y’know oh well!
Incase you missed out on San Diego Comic Con at home and you want to see what went down, don’t fret it’s still available on the comic-con international Youtube and if it peaks your interest there are now other comic cons following suit. There will be a comic con dedicated to all DC properties called the DC Fandome which will have all of its content available on DC’s website; this will occur August 22ndonly – I can’t tell you how excited I am for this one. Did I mention that it’s a full 24hr immersive event?! I’ll get the coffee in now, shall I? Ahem, but before that excitement unfolds (breathe Quinn breathe) ReedPop (the company behind NYCC and MCM Comic Con here in the UK) they have their online convention on August 15/16th on the NYCC youtube channel. However they’ll have a mixture of free panel’s, pre-paid virtual signings and chinwags with their guests available to choose from. I will most definitely be watching all the panels made available to me, I like to have options!
Although all of this nerd culture content makes me insanely happy and it does (honest)! I will also stress to you all that I cannot wait for the day where it’s safe for us all to be at comic con again, I miss it dearly but right now it’s just not the right time. So grab a cuppa, bake some treats; download Bill and Ted 3: Face the Music on VOD and enjoy having comic con at home!
I truly hope you’re all making the most of being home more, but whatever your situation I sincerely hope you’re all happy, healthy and staying creative!
But whilst we’re all sat here growing our hair out and doing our best not to reach for the kitchen scissors, I wanted to discuss what I feel is my biggest accessory!
Mainly because it makes me look like I’m a Lego Mini Figure.
Now I make it no secret that I’m only going grey, not only that but I never hid the fact that I’ve been going grey since the age of 21. Fair to say I’ve always been punctual!
I also make it no secret that I dye my hair and that I dye it my natural hair colour (there is a point to this, honest!) A lot of this has been purely for work purposes, as unfortunately with a lot of what I do it’s always been easier if my appearance looks consistently the same. So to keep it one slick overall colour has always seemed the easiest thing to do!
But let’s be honest now, during this lock down I have not once felt the urge to reach for the box dye (yes, I’m a box dye type-a-gal haha) and cover up my grey roots, instead (like many others) I’m letting it do its thing and I’m embracing it.
I’m now 31; and it is a known fact among my family that I am indeed greyer than my own dad (no shade)! You see back when I was 21 and I discovered not just my first grey hair but a cluster of them (clearly one didn’t want to be the first to the party so decided to bring friends), this was immensely difficult to cope with. Especially being around the time I was graduating university and I had this horrid feeling that I was aging quicker than everyone around me!
This was always made ten times more difficult when someone would point out “Oh my god, do you realise I can see 10 grey hairs just from where I’m standing!” Cue me, (insert sarcasm here) Geez thanks for that, nope I clearly had no idea… Now I hear you lovelies, you’re probably thinking along something of the lines of “kids can be so mean, can’t they?” However this was actually said by people that in theory were considered adults and yes adults can also be incredibly mean.
Needless to say Mr Lee, my wonderful partner has always been incredibly supportive and truly loves me for the person I am and feels I can rock anything… Unless I suddenly decide to grow out my fringe, then he’s told me something’s would be extremely wrong and I would require an intervention, haha! As he knows this is something I will never ever do! The bangs stay.
But truthfully it’s the confidence that I; myself have built up over the last few years that have allowed me to be fully comfortable with this change.
Over time I have come to love and embrace what I’ve been given, which is very thick, healthy hair… It just happens to be going grey! I’m going to be honest, I know this process for some might be incredibly stressful and you may be struggling with your confidence and if dying your hair makes feel confident and it brings back a sense of normality, then you do you hun!
I just count myself considerably lucky that I have hair and if going grey is all I have to worry about… Then bring it on!
I’m not saying I’ll never dye my hair again, haha! For certain scenarios there’ll no doubt come a time where I’ll have to cover my silver strands, but right now for the purposes of a cheeky selfie for the Instagram or a zoom chat with the besties I’m going with the “I am who I am” look… Oh, I feel a song coming on! I should quit while I’m ahead.
I digress! What I saying is, whenever the day arrives and I do go the whole hog; you’ll find me rocking my chic bob as per, applying my favourite red lipstick, styling with my retro eye-wear I’ll be good to go.
Just call me Dame Judi or Dame Helen… But minus the Dame part!
(Side note: Please remember my lovelies, if you do decide on a radical change and happen to reach for the bread knife at this time, if your hair meets the requirements consider donating your locks!)
Afternoon luvvies! How are we all? I do hope you’re eating plenty of treats, drinking much tea and looking after yourselves.
Now during these times I am fully aware that some of us… Ok probably a lot of us are living in realm of lounge wear and pajamas, including myself! Comfy worn-in joggers and slouchy jumpers have become the new office attire; let’s face it even if you’re working from home in these times and have to take a conference call who says that you can’t be put together on the top half and cosy on the bottom? You’ve totally earned it! But if you do happen to wake up one morning and the notion of getting dressed presents itself then do it, sometimes putting on an outfit I really like can make a huge difference to my day and I genuinely feel more productive simply just by getting dressed.
One of my favourite pieces in this scenario is (you may have guessed by the title!) The pinafore!
Now I’ll be honest I steered away from buying a pinafore for years, out of fear that I’d end up looking a bit like a child and let’s be honest I wouldn’t be worlds away with my haircut and collection of peter pan collars… However when I started to plan my outfit choices for a holiday to Scandinavia, ordering one by chance completely changed my mind and it has now become a major staple in my wardrobe.
I got this navy blue one from Joanie Clothing (my favourite online store I might add) and much like Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat, I honestly wish I had this pinafore in so many different colours and shades (hint hint)! It’s versatile and one of those timeless pieces that can get you through any season.
When it gets a little chilly in the air a cute jumper with a collar works perfectly with a pair of opaque tights. Fast forward to the height of summer, now you can ditch the tights altogether and opt for a basic tee or an adorable blouse with all the frills imaginable. What made me fall head over heels with this pinafore in particular was just how much you can do with it! It can be casual one minute or dressed up if you’re going out for a lovely lunch somewhere. One of my favourite places to where this item is when travelling, specifically on a train journey. I find it comfortable and effortless; it’s a no-brainer outfit! I for one cannot rock lounge wear out and about in public it simply doesn’t suit me, so something like a pinafore is fantastic.
Whether you have a modern dress sense or you want to jazz it up a little and make it look 1960’s and retro, a pinafore can work for your personal style no matter what outfit choices you have in mind.
I have yet to buy another like this and when I stumble upon the right one you better believe I’ll be buying another one… or three!
Hope you’re all safe and sound my lovelies! Keeping sane and being creative I hope. I’m pretty good at spending a lot of time indoors, I must admit. Presently I’ve been putting outfits together and trying to be creative with my ensemble choices (y’know so I can look utterly fabulous, once I emerge from my cave of wonders) and it got me to thinking just how much of what I wear is actually influenced by what I watch! This also works the other way around too; a lot of what I watch is definitely influenced by what I wear!
This has been most apparent with Mad Men.
Yes I know! But don’t worry, I won’t spoil anything for those that haven’t watched it on Netflix yet… hint hint.
I remember when I first watched the show I instantly resonated with the wardrobe of Peggy Olson, played fantastically by Elizabeth Moss! Am I right?
Firstly, I think it’s fair to say I could easily sit through one episode and vocally express that I wanted (nay needed) every single outfit from every character… Including the supporting artists!
Yes I actually did that, if you were wondering.
Peggy’s array of bows, peter pan collars and not to mention her bangs! It was crystal clear that there was a lot I could take away from this character and already had unbeknownst to me.
Now please bear in mind sweeties I had all these clothes in my wardrobe whilst doing this blog post, I bought nothing new for the occasion! I wish! I know that these are not in any way accurate depictions or cosplay’s of Peggy’s costumes, but I found it interesting just how much of what I already owned lent itself to the iconic TV series.
As you all know (unless you’re new here, then welcome lovelies!) I have a penchant for retro and vintage clothing, particularly that of the 1950s and 60s. However when my putting these ensembles together the hair was the hardest thing to get right! Oh my goodness, no matter what I do to my hair it just naturally wants to form itself back into the 1920’s flapper bob that it is… But thanks to unwashed hair, pin-curling the night before (and a sleepless night due to bobby pins sticking into my skull), some severe back combing and a big tin of hairspray I managed to achieve (only just) this look!
What I love and adore most about the costumes created for Elizabeth Moss is that they always put her in a combination of patterns and textures and were never afraid of a pop of colour!
They clearly showed her evolution through the changes in fashion and trends at the time- I’m now going to blame the stylists for my growing obsession with the colours mustard yellow, rust and green!
These costumes creatively designed by Janie Bryant concentrated on Peggy’s journey, not only through the decades of the show but her important transition through the period of time as a woman and what it meant to be a woman in what was a male dominated world. The women on this show were (let’s face it) positively badass! They were not afraid of the men around them, to assert their authority when necessary and knew how to achieve exactly what they wanted to; they were go-getters and will always be (in my opinion) considered as some of the best written characters on TV and I think we can all agree some of the most stylish!
Well my friends it’s that time of the month. Oh my goodness, no! Not that!
…That was a stellar introduction to 2020 on my blog wasn’t it? Ta-dar! You’re welcome!
The time of the month I’m referring to being “it’s January – time to have that break up chat with your clothes again”.
Basically around this time of the year, every year (without fail) I have my annual ‘try it and style it’ routine; taking my entire wardrobe and trying literally everything on. Now I don’t ever go in with the notion that I have to get rid of something, it just always works out that way! My main rule (that I try and stick to as much as possible) is – that if I’ve not worn an item of clothing in the last year then there’s no doubt that it has to go, again it’s not attempting to get rid of stuff, but if I’ve not worn it a year am I going to wear it in the next? Probably not! (Hence the “sorry we have to break up” part)
Doing this allows me to rediscover my love for items of clothing I might have forgotten about, or maybe my body had decided it was going to grow out of it for a time and now miraculously it fits again!
We’ve all been there haven’t we? Just me then…
Now I know I may sound like a neat freak by saying this (and that’s because I am, and proud!) But I actually love having a wardrobe clear out! Although it can be a lengthy process; in helping to make way for space in my wardrobe it also makes way for space in my mind. I find it extremely therapeutic and calming; I’ve always felt that way about cleaning and tidying though. How about you lovelies? Am I alone on that one too?
If you’re wondering by the way I filled two shopping bags! A good mixture of blouses, dresses and even a ballet skirt (yes, you read right). These I will split between the charity shops in my area and (an attempt to) sell some pieces and I’ve never tried selling my garments before, so this for sure will be an interesting experiment.
But being among chums I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve been noticing my anxiety has been on a downward spiral over the last few months, slowly beginning to channel depression-like symptoms. However last month I decided enough was enough and I made the decision to go back to therapy. It’s making a massive difference and I can already tell the leaps taking to get myself back to where I should be; which is good that I can notice that. Normally I’d be so quick to judge myself, doubts would instantly set in and I’d feel completely hopeless. So channeling my negative energy into activities such as this I find really help and also helps my creative soul when putting new ensembles together.
My anxiety will always be a part of me, I may as well style it out the best that I can!
If you know me and my penchant for all things nerdy, then you’ll know going to comic conventions is the epitome of what I’d call heaven.
Going to New York is also my idea of heaven and my partner knows this all too well.
So imagine my sheer delight when he contacts me at work to tell me that he managed to score Friday and Saturday passes to New York Comic Con (held every year at the Javits Centre), myfirst ever convention outside of the UK! Well it gave us the incentive to return to our favourite city (as if I’d need a reason!) Mr Lee had been to NYCC a fair few times before, so luckily was able to fully prepare me for not only the size of the convention centre itself, but advise me how chock-a-block (apologies, I mean crowded) it could get and believe me, coming from conventions in the UK nothing can prepare you for the vastness of NYCC!
It was strange because the first thing I experienced wasn’t even at the convention centre itself; it was a few blocks away in another venue and I was awe struck. Mainly because the comic con practically takes over the city and I’ve never seen that happen with a convention before. In London, apart from the shopping bags that are a dead giveaway that you’ve been to comic con, for the most part it’s pretty contained. In New York City, the entire of New York City knows.
So my first taste of comic con in New York brought me to the main stage at the Hammerstein Ballroom, for a panel I never thought in my wildest dreams I’d ever get to witness.
SpongeBob Appreciation Day, a panel where the cast and creatives of SpongeBob Squarepants not only have a chinwag about how fantastic the show is but also do a live table read of one of the episodes.
Everyday is SpongeBob appreciation day…
Right there, in front of my face.
I died.
Ok dramatic, I didn’t quite do that… But I did cry upon leaving said main stage. Yes, 30 years old me cried because I got to see Tom Kenny (aka SpongeBob) perform the iconic chortle more than once and my 10 year old self was living a childhood dream. Things like that just don’t happen to people like me and that was only my first taste of what was to come, from a jam-packed two days of my nerdy dreamlike state.
Well I proceeded to cry another 2 times, didn’t I? This was over the course of our time at comic con, due to meeting people and attending panels that were making me pinch myself every two seconds, such as my childhood hero Sean Astin and the incomparable Rick Baker (I mean… That right there? GOALS… And that’s just to name a few!)
But aside from the guests, what amazed me about a convention that I suppose from the outset can be seen as someone’s worst nightmare if you have anxiety; it is insanely busy and there’s no real quiet spot to take a breather, the queue’s for the toilets are constant and the food can be very expensive.
But you know what? I have never felt so at home.
Honestly. There was this feeling of radiating joy from everyone I came into contact with. Everyone around me was extremely kind, polite and so happy to be in this place of utter happiness! I got to meet new people and connect with friends, such as my pal Andre who I’d not seen in a while because he lives so far away. Also, the amount of people who asked if I was going to cosplay whilst there… Now there’s a good reason why I didn’t do this, because THE COSPLAY’S ARE FLIPPING INSANE!! Are you kidding me? If I want to even contemplate cosplay somewhere such as NYCC I seriously need to up my sewing game and soonish! The level of creativity and detail to people’s costumes is quite simply put- something else; it’s on a whole other planet and I just thoroughly enjoyed marvelling (ahem) at people’s hard work. It was beautiful to witness what people had created in person.
I already know that Mr Lee and I will be returning to NYCC without a shadow of a doubt, and I’m already looking into it for next year.
Some people may say that Disneyland is the ‘Happiest Place on Earth’, but I think it’s fair to say New York Comic Con might be mine.
I’m so glad to be back (for good this time, like
Take That…) Now do make sure you’re comfy and have just made a cup of tea,
coffee, hot chocolate (go on, treat yourself)!
So we met again dearies! We’ve been here many
times before haven’t we? Now normally I would go on a tangent (a long winded
one, I might add) apologising for my absence. However, if any of you have seen
my Instagram page/stories from the past month you’ll probably have a good idea why
I’ve been a bit M.I.A. But those darlings that don’t know please let me share
with you my wonderful news!
On our recent getaway to our favourite place in the entire world New York City, on a visit to the quaint and quirky Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, my wonderful partner Lee got down on one knee and proposed. Of course I said YES! It was absolutely beautiful; he picked the perfect spot that most definitely encapsulates us as a couple; somewhere that we’ll both share forever and we couldn’t be happier.
As you can fully imagine, I’ve been in a whirlwind ever since! I get to be a bride! (cue constant daydreaming…)
Before
I get completely carried away and begin hyperventilating from all the
excitement, I’m going to delve into our New York trip a little more over my next
few blogs. Honestly I have so much to tell you all!
But
for today I just wanted to have a little general catch-up with you.
So
it’ll be my birthday in a week’s time and I’ll be 31. It may (or may not)
surprise you but It’s not really something I’ve thought much about this year. I
suppose it’s just one of those times where I’m kind of embracing it with open
arms and seeing what happens in the year to come. Last year brought me face to
face with a lot of realisations about myself, who I was and just how strong I’m
capable of being (although I hadn’t realised most of this until early this
year). I’m so different today from the person I was 6 months ago, I’m now a lot
more aware of how certain things affect my mental state and can assess
situations I find uncomfortable much more quickly and I’ve learnt how to deal
with them much more effectively. But yet I’m still realising that a lot of the
time I need to be my own cheerleader. This I’ve always found incredibly
difficult and it’s always something I’ve known I need to work on. I just suck
at it basically. I’m not one to champion myself and constantly wait for the
approval of others, whenever I received feedback from tutors at university I
got this note every single time and it’s one of the notes they gave me that
they’re actually right about.
I’ve been trying not to bog myself down too much about it and luckily thanks to a visit to see my fantastical mum, many chats with my partner and the lovely Daffny (A Vintage Nerd), who reached out to me. I’ve since realised I’m not being stupid in the slightest and basically come to the conclusion that I need to give myself a bit more self-love.
Sounds simple when you put it like that, doesn’t it?
Although in the midst of all of this, I did have something truly wonderful happen the other week!
I was attending a drag competition a friend of mine was been competing in (their name is Anna Toni; they did absolutely incredible and made everyone including myself very proud). But before the competition began I was waiting at the cloakroom (this story has a point, bear with me) and as I hand in my coat I strike up a conversation with one of the lovelies behind the counter. They ask me if I’ve ever made youtube videos, in which I tell them that it was a while ago now but yes I used too but in a rash decision deleted all my content due to anxiety last year and refused to put myself on camera since. Turns out they knew exactly who I was and actually watched my videos (WHAT!) To that dear person, I just want to say the biggest thank you! You still have no idea quite how much your kindness made my day.
Since
that moment, I have been thinking about the prospect of vlogging again… Maybe
not everything, but certain events or conventions… Hmm maybe, even if it’s just
for myself!
But
do tell me, how are you all? What’s been happening in your lives lately?
If you’ve been having a bit of a rough week, please remember “be enough for yourself first, the rest of the world can wait”.
It feels like forever since I’ve posted (I know, I said I
wouldn’t do that again. Oopsy!) But I couldn’t be happier to be back. I’ve had
a lot of up’s and down’s since my last post. Don’t worry! I’m not going to go
into details about the down parts, simply because I’ve let my anxiety hash it
out and to type it out I feel would be inviting all that negative energy back
and that’s a big no-no (bye Felicia!)
With arrival of autumn (hey babe, I’ve missed you!) The
heating is finally going on, knitwear
and plaid trousers are making their way back into my wardrobe again and my tea
consumption is through the roof. If you can’t tell (or you’re new here
“hellooo”) it’s my favourite time of year. Let’s reminisce to a few blogs ago,
where I’m trying to find my way with summer fashion. Fair to say I was
struggling! Now you’ll discover when it comes to the matters of ‘autumn/winter
fashion’ I have zero worries. Bring on the jumpers, I say!
I. AM. THRILLED!
Now there’s one major fashion staple that pretty much helps
assemble my everyday outfit choices that I feel deserves talking about, especially
at this time of year: the false collar.
Something that would seem so simple, yet takes my autumnal outfits to a whole other level.
I first decided I wanted to make these an addition to my wardrobe a few years ago, but I was confronted with a series of collars from amazon that had some pretty sketchy reviews and all looked the same. There was just nothing that popped and had zero personality; until I came across Magnus Clothing Companyon Instagram. The girl just understood exactly what I wanted!
It’s as if she took a peek inside my brain and said “girl, I got you covered!” If her store wasn’t enough- she is just an absolute dream! Personable, adores fashion and to say she works incredibly hard would be an understatement. Her business attracts quirky instagrammers and fashion forward people alike from all over the world, including myself. Through her store I’ve not only met other like-minded people, but created some wonderful friendships through the power of social media… All because of the magic of ‘the collar’!!
In addition to the collars that Magnus creates, she also offers useful tips and what she calls the ‘crew neck closet’. Here is where she thrifts shirts and dresses that would fit her collars perfectly, which you can also purchase from her store so you’re never in doubt of how to pair your collars and also encourages buying sustainable fashion. Believe me whether you live in the US, UK or Australia, what she offers is worth the extra postage to get these items to your doorstep!
What I personally adore most about the false collar is the power to completely transform your old t-shirts and tired jumpers. They’ve given my wardrobe new life! Through supporting a small business, I now have a whole new love for some of my older clothes as I can simply change them up day by day.
At this preset time I own 6 collars and I will never stop adding to my ever-growing collection, remember #livecollarfully !
Now
something I’ve not really gone into detail about on this blog (yet) is that I’m
a MASSIVE nerd (and very comfortable
with being called such) and right now one of the greatest annual events known
to humanity is currently taking place, San Diego Comic Con (SDCC for short). I
do realise that by just simply stating I’m
a nerd that it can sound quite generic, as I geek out about many things!
Fashion, musical theatre, movie scores and Liza Minnelli – just to pick out a
random few! However, my love for comic book/sci-fi/fantasy nerd culture is
something that’s been deeply rooted in my soul for as long as I can remember.
Watching classic Wonder Woman with the iconic Lynda Carter and discovering my
love of Patrick Stewart as none other than Jean Luc Picard with my mum, my
utter obsession with The Goonies and Beetlejuice (both of which are still going
strong by the way, thank you for asking) and as I got into my teenage years I
fell head over heels in love with The Lord of the Rings.
(Not
to mention everything else, this is merely the cusp of my geekiness!)
But
I know what you’re thinking “Quinn, are you feeling ok hun? You seem to have
left Star Wars off the list” Heck
no! It’s common knowledge that I bloomin’ adore Star Wars.
As
always I digress! As I was growing into an image conscious teen, I don’t know
about you but I began to notice the lack of clothing options available
especially if you were like me and knew you were different. At this time (as
you may recall me mentioning) I was an alternative teenager with a penchant for
Tim Burton inspired stripes and a severe lack of colour within my wardrobe. I
had to make do with jeans (with the widest legs I could find) from Tammy Girl
and an array of HMV t-shirts that were extremely ill-fitting and although
unisex definitely weren’t meant for shapely hips like mine (do remember that in
the year 2000 there was no Primark m’dears!) In my hometown the only other
option was a shop called Kinda Majik, and no there’s no spelling mistake. This
was your goth/alternative store, and I frequented here as again there was not
much else available. A case of needs must!
Fast
forward to now, 2019 and nerd girl clothing is much more than just a galaxy
far, far away! Most importantly we have brands such as Her Universe and Loungefly.
These brands truly understand what it means to be a nerd, a geek and a fangirl
(if you will)! You can be all of these things and do it in style; it’s exactly
why the amazing lady behind Her Universe developed the brand in the first
place. Ashley Eckstein is a wonderful actress both on screen and in the
voice-over booth. Every year she holds the Her Universe fashion show at San Diego
Comic Con unveiling new geek couture and uniting those that want to transfer
their love of nerd culture and put it in their everyday wardrobe.
Like Her Universe, Loungefly is nerd chic through and through! However they specialise in accessories. I first discovered this brand in early 2015 (instantly fell in love, obviously) but soon learned I could only buy their items if I ventured to the US, which lucky for me I did and made my first purchase without hesitation! They basically had me at “Star Wars purse”. Their bags and purses are now available everywhere from Disneyland Paris and the Disney Store, and websites such as Zavvi and Truffle Shuffle. Her Universe has yet to make the bigger transition to the UK and believe me; I’m waiting for the day with my star wars purse in hand.
Its brands like these that can make you feel empowered and truly represented, because I believe how your able to freely express yourself is important. Although I identified as Goth and wore that very much on my sleeve… and the rest of my body for that matter, underneath that veneer was my true self bursting at the seams. I chose hide that part and lock it away in my teenage bedroom, where it was safe. Yet that’s the part of me that has always remained a constant, as the Goth exterior surely enough faded away as soon as I left high school and entered college. I suppose I hid that huge part of myself away to not give kids another hundred reasons to bully and tease me; especially when those ‘things’ meant so much to me and helped me to escape. Although teasing me for whom I was and things I couldn’t change hurt, weirdly I knew teasing me for what I had utter love and admiration for would hurt so much more.
Now I wear my favourite movie properties and cartoons as a fashion statement and a symbol of just howproud I am to be a nerd.
Chinwag time! Are you a little bit geeky about something? If so, let’s have a geek out together!
