Tag: casual cosplay

geek style

You’re Just As Sane As I Am

Nina Penalosa6 Comments

I found this post just hanging out and collecting figurative dust in my drafts. It’s too cute to not share though! If you know me, you know I love getting dressed in theme when I go places or for certain days. I wore this outfit on September 1st aka Back to Hogwarts Day! Since it’s a Luna Lovegood outfit, why not post this on her birthday? 🙂

I’m a Hufflepuff through and through, but I’d like to think that Luna would be one of my best friends if I went to Hogwarts. We’d hangout and read the Quibbler together and I’d listen to her talk about nargles and other weird things, and we’d have fun craft sessions (making cool jewelry and papier-mâché headpieces for quidditch games).

Both my Luna skirt and beret are from 1138 Clothing, a super cute geek small biz owned and run by my girl Linda. Linda sews all the dresses, skirts, and tops for 1138 Clothing and will even customize pieces to fit your exact measurements. The silhouettes/style of her garments have a retro/vintage feel with a geek twist as she uses fabrics adorned with characters from all kinds of fandoms — from Harry Potter to Disney to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles — there’s something for every geek!

:: OUTFIT DETAILS ::
skirt & beret: 1138 Clothing (buy here & here)
glasses: Zenni Optical (buy here) | top: Old Navy
shoes: Dexflex Comfort | belt: Lane Bryant
purse: Kate Spade | bag essence: Tokyo Disney

Who’s your favorite Harry Potter character and what house are you in? Did you get sorted by Pottermore or did you figure it out on your own? Let’s talk about it in the comments!

Cheers,
Nina

PS: Happy Galentine’s Day!!!

 

 

Burdened With Dapper Purpose
geek style

Burdened With Dapper Purpose

Nina Penalosa2 Comments

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Fall Dapper Day at Disneyland is happening today and I am having a major case of fomo. I love going to Dapper Day because it’s so fun to see everyone decked out to the nines. I got to go to the Spring Dapper Day event back in April; my friends and I coordinated with Marvel themed Disneybound outfits. I was torn between putting together a Captain America outfit or a Loki one, but Loki’s got way more swag and I have more green, black, and gold in my closet than red, white, and blue. Spring Dapper Day took place a few days after my sister’s wedding, so Shanice helped me keep my victory rolls intact because I thought they’d go perfect with my pinup inspired Loki ensemble. My hair was so crunchy and flaky from all the hairspray I used, but that’s what happens when you’re burdened with dapper purpose 😛

Since Thor Ragnarok hit theaters I’ve got both of Odin’s boys on the brain, and I saw that guests can now meet both Thor AND Loki at California Adventure!! And BTW – how AMAZING was Thor Ragnarok?! Captain America will forever be my fictional husband, but Thor is legit the best Avenger, and I’m so happy with the direction this film went in. Taika Waititi for all the things, please!!

If you’re wondering, “If these are from April, why it she only posting about this outfit now?” Y’all… it’s been a busy year. I’ve got a back catalog of outfit pics and other things that have yet to be posted on here. I’m trying to catch up, I swear!

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Did you go to Dapper Day? Did you Disneybound? Have you seen Thor Ragnarok yet? Let’s talk about it in the comments section!

:: OUTFIT DETAILS ::
top: n/a | cardigan: WeLoveFine (buy here) | hair flower: ShopVDM
belt: Amazon (buy similar here) | skirt: ModCloth | shoes: City Classified
necklace: Trinket Slot (buy here) | nail wraps: Espionage Cosmetics (here)

Cheers,
Nina

geek style

First Order of Business

Nina Penalosa1 Comment

I know it’s only September, and December seems like a long ways away, but The Last Jedi will be in theaters before we know it!!! I can hardly contain my excitement, especially since Force Friday II has come and gone. I cannot wait to see Rose and Paige Tico because they’re not just any Asians in space — they’re Asian sisters in space!! IN A STAR WARS MOVIE!!! I actually got really teary eyed when images of Rose were first released. She’s Asian, has bangs, and a round face just like me! I finally feel like I can see myself in a fandom I love so much. Oh, and the Porgs have stolen my heart. My newfound love for them could probably be another blog post on its own, but today’s post is all about General Hux aka my Huxband. I know, I know. I belong in the trash compactor with Captain Phasma. I just have a massive crush on Domhnall Gleeson, okay? 😛

These outfit pics were actually taken last January —  I just never got around to posting them. Whoops! Seeing that today is Thursday (#TBT), it seemed like an appropriate time to write about it. At first glance I’m pretty sure you can’t really tell it’s Hux related, or could even pass as a Disneybound/casual cosplay, but I went with an all black motif like his ensemble in The Force Awakens. I wore my striped belt to emulate the ones on his coat sleeves, a red necklace because… uh… he’s a ginger, and my Captain Phasma purse from Loungefly. You can’t really see, but on my lapels I’m wearing a General Hux brooch I made myself and a silver pin of the First Order’s logo (check out up-close photos below).

When people ask if I’m on the light side or dark side, I always leaned towards the dark. I was all about giving into my negative feelings (they work wonders for writing angsty poetry, y’know?), and I can’t relate to the zen-ness of the Jedi. Plus, the dark side is so damn fashionable. Hashtag: Swag for Days! Whoever the Empire and First Order hired to make their uniforms, they are the Coco Chanel of a galaxy far, far, away. But after watching Star Wars: Rebels and Rogue One (Bodhi Rook = other space bae), I couldn’t help but think maybe I’m not on the dark side. Maybe I’m a rebel scum! They struggle with their feelings in wanting to do the right thing; they still let anger and hate consume them for just a bit, and then they get their sh!t together.

Much like Bodhi, I’ve defected. Shhh… don’t tell Huxband. Haha!

Are you excited for The Last Jedi? Are you just as obsessed with Porgs as I am? Did you buy new Star Wars swag on Force Friday II? Let’s talk about it in the comments section!

:: OUTFIT DETAILS ::

jacket: Macy*s | dress: Nordstrom
skirt: Modcloth | shoes: Blowfish Malibu
necklace: Kohls | belt: from another dress
Captain Phasma purse: Loungefly (buy here)
General Hux brooch: made by me
First Order pin: Dagobah Traders (buy here)

Cheers,
Nina

(outfit photos by Jennifer Khut)

geek style

Tick Tock, I’m a Clock

Nina PenalosaLeave a comment

disneybound-cogsworth-disney-style

The fluidity of time is still something that never ceases to amaze me. It’s one of those things that gnaws at me when I can’t sleep at night — how is that it can feel so slow, yet move so fast? How is that my childhood, teen years, and 20s have come and gone in the blink of an eye? How am I where I am now?

Today marks Le Fancy Geek’s 6th blogaversary, and it really doesn’t feel like it’s been that long since I started this thing. But alas, here we are! When I think about who I was when I first started Le Fancy Geek compared to who I am now shows me just how much a person can change through the course of time — whether it be through my style choices, the things I fangirl about the most, and general things like my living situation, job, etc. Sometimes I feel like I’m stagnant, like I’m not growing or the circumstances I’m in aren’t changing, but if I really think about it, a lot of things are completely different. I can still be quite timid and shy, but I’m a lot bolder and sassier than I used to be; I push myself to step out of my comfort zone more. I’m no longer working as a tutor, a job that I’ve had for the last 6 years. Now I’m actually working in the field that I’m passionate about. My new job challenges me daily and is allowing me to grow both my skill set and bank account(!).

Since I’m obsessing over time, it seemed appropriate that today’s outfit post would be of my ensemble inspired by Cogsworth from Beauty & the Beast. 🙂 I got this super cute novelty purse by Danielle Nicole at Nordstrom after discovering a really old gift card I had still had money on it. SCORE! Naturally, I picked my closet apart trying to find anything that would make for a great Cogsworth Disneybound/casual cosplay!

I still clearly remember the night I watched the animated version back in 1991 with my older sister, aunt, and mom. During the part where the Beast holds Gaston over the edge of the castle I quietly said, “Drop him.” When the Beast didn’t do so, I said it again (as if he could hear me, haha), but louder. “DROP HIM!” The theater erupted in laughter. I looked at my aunt and asked, “Why’s everyone laughing? It’s not funny.” When I watched the live action adaptation with my mom and sister, my sister nudged me during that part — it’ll forever be an inside joke. 😛

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My new job has kept me busy, and I’ve been too exhausted to maintain Le Fancy Geek, but I’m going to try and be better from here on out! This blog has allowed me to make so many new friends and has given me opportunities to work with brands that I’ve been a huge fan of, so I’m not ready to stop this blog just yet. Thank you to all who’ve been following along with me on my journey for the past 6 years. Here’s to many more! ♥

:: OUTFIT DETAILS ::
dress + belt: Xhileration (n/a) | jacket: ??
purse: Danielle Nicole (buy here)
glasses: Glasses Lit (buy here)
necklace: Grouse and Badger
shoes: Dexflex Comfort (n/a)

Cheers,
Nina

(outfit photos by Carmel Malixi a.k.a. seester)

Anakin, You’re Breakin’ My Heart
geek style · out & about

Anakin, You’re Breakin’ My Heart

Nina PenalosaLeave a comment

At the beginning of the month I got to go to Dapper Day at Disneyland! I knew for sure that I wanted to throw together a fancy looking Star Wars Disneybound, so I decided to seek inspiration from Queen Amidala. She is by far the most dapper character from the Star Wars universe as far as I’m concerned. I mean, the lady has tons of ensembles to choose from! For my Dapper Day outfit I decided to go for her most iconic look: the red and gold outfit we first see her in in Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

When brainstorming outfit ideas, I looked up pictures of it online and paid close attention to certain details as noted below:

If you’ve been a reader of my blog for awhile, you know I’m a stickler for details.

To emulate her headdress, I purchased maroon flower clips to stand in for the maroon lace and garnet gem, and I got these really pretty gold flowers at the Dapper Day Expo the night before. Thank goodness too, because I originally had a bunch of small gold flowers that I was going to put on bobby pins. What a nightmare that would’ve been to frantically make the night before! #ProfessionalProcrastinator 

For the fur trimming, I took off the detachable brown fur collar of an old blazer I have and used it as a stole. As you can see in the pictures below, I put a Queen Amidala brooch I made on it along with a heart shaped Vader pin since Anakin’s her boo. I also used my little Darth Vader purse by Loungefly 😀

Other little details include a vintage orange ring that matches the orange bulbs along the hem of Amidala’s dress, a Princess Leia bracelet, and gold chandelier earrings that replicate the ornate gold embroidered details on her dress (or robe?).

It was so much fun seeing so many people dressed all fancy at the park! Hopefully I’ll be able to go to the next Dapper Day event in November, but plans have been made to go next spring 🙂 My friends and I are going to do dapper Marvel Disneybounds. I’m still trying to figure out if I want to do a Loki, Captain America, or Agent Carter inspired outfit. I have a year to decide though, so I’ll let Future Nina deal with that.

Were you at Dapper Day? If so, how’d you dress up? And if you weren’t, what kind of outfit would you like to put together if you did go? Let’s talk aboot it in the comments section!

le fancy geek outfit fashion blogger

dress: Material Girl (buy here) | belt: Xhileration (n/a)
gold flower hair clips: ShopVDM (buy similar here)
shoes: Deflex Comfort (buy similar here)
maroon flower hair clips: Hot Topic (buy simlar here)
faux fur stole: H&M (n/a) | Amidala brooch: made by me

cheers le fancy geek fashion blogger

geek style

A Non-Otaku’s Adventures at Anime Expo

Nina Penalosa5 Comments

Hey my little ponies! Right now I’m hanging out at my sister’s apartment in San Diego getting ready for Comic-Con!!! I can’t believe it’s already that time of year. It always seems to creep up on me out of nowhere. I’ll be at the convention itself Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and a few parties throughout the week including Game of Bloggers tomorrow night, Geeks Go Glam on Thursday, and the Fashionably Nerdy cocktail hour on Friday. If you happen to be going to any of these events and see me, please say hi! And also forgive me for being socially awkward.

#shy #introvertproblems

Anywho, I’m still recuperating from my weekend spent at Anime Expo. I feel somewhat fine, but at the same time I don’t want to do a damn thing except for veg out on the couch like I’m a sloth and watch things on YouTube (I’m currently obsessed with Thug Notes). Back to back conventions just might be a sign that I am getting too old. Wah-wah-wah. But despite how low my mana is, I still had fun hanging out with my best friends and my sister!

I even got to write another article for Wear Your Voice Mag about casual cosplaying. You can read it here.

As you can see, I did a casual Totoro cosplay during one of my days at Anime Expo with my My Neighbor Totoro dress by Her Universe. It was perfect to wear to Anime Expo considering what a popular character Totoro is in the anime community. In case you’re not completely familiar with him, his popularity is equivalent to that of Mickey Mouse. And how effing adorable is he?! My Neighbor Totoro is a great film too, so go watch it if you haven’t yet!

I went to Anime Expo for a day last year and had fun, so I decided to buy a pass for this year too. Plus my friend Jen constantly told me that it’s not all just anime, other geekdoms are represented there too. And while the exhibition hall was full of cool vendors, I found myself not completely being into the whole thing. Like I mentioned in my last post, I’m not huge on anime and my knowledge on the subject is limited to a few Studio Ghibli films and Sailor Moon, and this convention’s main audience are those that roll in the otaku crowd… which I don’t find myself part of. By no means am I dissing Anime Expo, or anyone that’s super into it, I’m just saying that I feel like Anime Expo turned out to not quite be my thing. Oh well! I guess I’m just used to Comic-Con as it’s more up my alley where geekery is concerned. My friend Shanice and I saw all these great cosplays except we felt really awkward about not knowing where it was from.

One of the things that I really liked about Anime Expo though was their photo shoot area. There was a whole space with different kinds of backdrops set up for cosplayers to take photos of their cosplays, ranging from a space station, forest scene, classroom, graveyard, Japanese garden, etc. That’s where I took the cherry blossom pictures and some outfit pics of me wearing my Captain America dress (up on the blog later!). 🙂

cheers

13932753164_59cedb28abdress: Her Universe (no longer available)
cardigan: Old Navy (buy similar here)
flats: G.H. Bass (buy here)
belt: A|X Armani Exchange
headband: Made by me (tutorial here)

geek style

Everyday Cosplay: Peggy Carter

Nina Penalosa8 Comments

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blouse: ModCloth // skirt: ModCloth // clutch: ModCloth
necklace: Le Fancy Geek Boutique // belt: Fossil // shoes: Bait Footwear

I adored Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger, so of course I’m completely obsessed with Agent Carter! It’s so awesome that Marvel created a show focusing on such a strong, badass mamajama. Are any of you fangirling over it too? Do you want to elbow Agent Chad Michael Murray in the face as much as I do? Did you watch last night’s episode?!?!?! Because OMG OMG OMG.

Putting together an Everyday Cosplay for Peggy was a bit of a challenge at first because I kept flip flopping between different outfits she wore on the show and in the Captain America movie. Do I stick with her neutral military ensembles, or her sharp blue suit and red fedora number from Agent Carter? I gravitated towards the simple neutral pallet of her military uniform and found some items on ModCloth, such as a the cream blouse, olive skirt, and postcard clutch, to pull the look together. The postcard clutch says “Make up for last time” — it kind of reminded me of when Steve promised her a dance as his plane was plummeting, and he obviously couldn’t keep it because… well, he turned into a popsicle. I’M SORRY I WENT THERE. 😥

I also included a Steve Rogers pendant that just got added to Le Fancy Geek Boutique! I’ve also added a Peggy Carter necklace that comes in two different color ways — one features the same cream lace background as the Steve Rogers pendant, and the other has a maroon floral background.

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If you’re fangirling like somethin’ fierce over Agent Carter like I am, leave a comment so we can start fangirling together!

cheers

 

PS: If you’d like to purchase a Peggy Carter or Steve Rogers necklace, be sure to use code GALENTINE15 to save 10% off your purchase! Good until Feb. 14.

geek style · le fancy geek boutique

Everyday Cosplay: Star-Lord

Nina Penalosa5 Comments

pullover: Uniqlo // boots: Carlos by Carlos Santana // studs: Studio Silver
jacket: Guess // necklace: Le Fancy Geek Boutique
belt: Forever 21 // tote: Forever Wars // pants: ModCloth

Right after I watched Guardians of the Galaxy (GOTG) back in August I immediately thought, “I CAN’T WAIT FOR THIS TO COME OUT ON BLURAY!!!” <– ALL CAPS NECESSARY. And it finally came out on Tuesday and I couldn’t be happier to have my very own copy so I can watch it as much as I please! Shout out to my friend Caitlin for grabbing a copy of the special limited edition tin case that looks like a Walkman from Best Buy for me 😀

Obviously, I’m on a GOTG kick. I’ve also been lacking in creating Everyday Cosplay posts, so I figure it would be a good idea to start it up again with good ‘ol Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord. His outfit can easily be translated with a simple grey sweater, a burgundy leather jacket, blue skinny jeans, and some brown boots. However, some people, mainly Oncers (that’s what fans of Once Upon a Time are called in case you didn’t know), will think you’re channeling Emma Swan since she often sports the leather jacket/skinny jeans/boots combo.

I added a few accessories related to GOTG to make it clear that this is all inspired by Star-Lord such as a pair of gold star-shaped earrings, because STAR-Lord. Durr. Also, when I think of the word “galaxy” I immediately think of stars — I have a tendency to make literal references whenever I put geek inspired outfits together. I also came across this Awesome Mix Vol. 1 tote on Etsy that’s just absolute perfection! And of course, the outfit wouldn’t be complete without a Star-Lord necklace (made by yours truly). 🙂

Ugh. Now I wish actually did have this outfit so I can go outside and listen to the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack on my iPhone (because I don’t own a Walkman anymore (does anyone?)) so I can dance around to “Come and Get Your Love” and stomp in puddles.

If you haven’t seen the movie (OH MY GAWD, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!), you probably have no idea what I’m talking about. So please watch this:

Cheers,
Nina

PS: I can’t write a Guardians of the Galaxy post about Star-Lord without mentioning how fuggin’ hot Chris Pratt is! I thought he was adorable when he had chubs on Parks & Recreation, but in Guardians of the Galaxy? DAAAAMMMN. Okay, that is all.

geek style · shoppin' · Uncategorized

Everyday Cosplay: Claire Randall

Nina Penalosa5 Comments

cardigan: Krisp // button-up: Gap // jeans: Mossimo // cuff: The Sad Basset
purse: ModCloth // necklace: Whispered Wishes // boots: Nine West

Hey ponies! Do any of you watch Outlander? I got into it a bit late, but was able to marathon the crap out it right before the mid-season finale a few weeks ago, and now I’m left with this gaping hole in my geek heart because I. Need. To. Know. What. Happens. Next. UGH! I still can’t believe I have to wait until April 4 for Outlander to come back!

– shakes fist at the heavens –

WHHHYY??? Why would they make us wait that long? It’s not fair! The show is based on a successful book series by Diana Gabaldon, so I know that can hold me down until April, but I have so many other books I need to get around to. First World Bookworm problems, man. – le sigh –

Anyhow, if you’re not familiar with Outlander, it’s about a woman named Claire Randall, a combat nurse from the 1940s. While her and her husband are on their honeymoon in Ireland, she mysteriously gets transported back through time (1743 to be exact). To say Claire’s situation is difficult is an understatement as she’s nearly assaulted by her husband’s ancestor, and saved by the Mackenzie clan, only they believe she’s an English spy. Claire uses her nursing skills to gain their trust, but she’s constantly relying on her smarts to get her through all the trials and tribulations thrown her way and fight to stay alive. So, Outlander is pretty much a concoction of all genres us geeks love: history, science fiction (time travel!), and romance.

Claire is crazy strong and über clever! It’s refreshing to see such a strong female character on TV. She has her damsel in distress moments, but (for the most part) she knows how to take care of herself. And of course I have to note that all the tartan and thick knitted scarves she donned made me long for Fall sooo badly (get with it, California)! So I threw together a little everyday cosplay inspired by her. 🙂

Cheers,
Nina