We know you’ve been seeing some of interviews over the last couple of weeks from SDCC, but this week, we thought we’d give you a peek at what we were doing when we weren’t locked up in the press rooms at the Hilton!
We talk about The Tick (which starts on Aug 25th on Prime), take you on the IMDboat and to the Graphix & Nat Geo parties, introduce you to Amazon Rapids (a really super cool reading app for kids that reads like a screenplay), talk about the Her Universe Hot Topic Fashion show, ask Qmx about their newest collectables, and you know, other stuff too.
Five years ago almost to the day I wrote this column about the abysmal state of geek fashion and marketing for women. In 2015 I wrote this column, lauding the advances that had been made in that area and highlighting some great finds.
Now I write to celebrate the fact that there are currently cool women’s fashion options for so many geek properties that you could basically throw a dart at a list of fandoms and be assured of knowing that there’s a cute branded dress, piece of jewelry, pair of shoes, or at least women’s-fit tee for that property out there somewhere.
That. Is. Awesome.
I’m glad to note that there are a number of good companies out there that consistently pay attention to women’s fashion for geeks. One of my favorite geek tee companies, TeeTurtle, has sold comfy and flattering women’s tees for some time; and recently advertised that they have three fits available for men and women – recognizing that we all have different bodies and preferences for fit. (And OMG, their new Groot and Guardians of the Galaxy tees! Want!!) And ThinkGeek, a general favorite for geek merchandise of all sorts, has a solid rotating roster of women’s fashions, including this Twinkling Stars Skirt and this Glow-in-the-Dark Constellation Dress, which I surely should own.
But to me, the juggernaut of women’s geek fashion at present is Hot Topic, in large part thanks to Ashley Eckstein and Her Universe.
I’ve spoken to Ashley before about the pioneering role she’s played in this industry, and I can’t overstate the effect the Her Universe Fashion Show held at SDCC has had on it, either. Bringing in aspiring high-fashion designers who are both passionately immersed in the fandoms and are designing specifically for women has resulted in some of the most brilliantly unique fashions I have seen – both genuinely fashionable enough to walk down any runway, and better than regular runway clothes because of the layered fandom meanings behind the designs. And taking the winning designers to the next level by giving them the opportunity to design collections for Hot Topic was the next step in bringing women solid geek chic options with a lot of thought and tailoring for our gender behind them. I’m looking forward to seeing what new designers bring to the table at this year’s fashion show, and hope the show is around for a long time.
I also can’t imagine what the state of my convention-attending (and general) wardrobe would be these days without these designs. From cute dresses to wear when doing my interviews, moderating panels, or going to amazing geek parties to stealth geekery I wear to my daily work, to jackets to cosplay pieces to pajama pants, when it comes to Hot Topic fandom fashions (and especially when new collections are announced) I pretty much just say, “Shut up and take my money!”
And that brings us to their latest new release, the Wonder Woman collection. It seems weirdly appropriate that exactly five years after my column bemoaning the lack of marketing and design recognition of the female contingent of fandom, we’re getting both a movie in which Wonder Woman, arguably the most prominent female character in comics, has first billing in her own big budget movie that also ties into the larger DC movie universe, and a beautifully designed collection of women’s fashion celebrating the movie’s release.
I’m eagerly anticipating seeing the movie as soon as I get a spare moment (I’ve seen enough good reviews already to be more optimistic than I’ve been about previous modern DC movies). And I’ve already managed to get my hot little hands on several items from the Hot Topic/Her Universe Wonder Woman collection.
Of the pieces offered, I was most interested in the Lasso Dress, the Reversible Dress, the Ombre Skirt, the Faux Leather Jacket, and the 3-piece Cosplay Wedge Boots and managed to snag the first three. (These collections go super-fast. I couldn’t land the shoes because they were already out of my size.)
All of my wardrobe pieces are fantastic. I already love them and I’ve barely even worn them out yet! I have, however, modeled them all for you so you can see how they fit on a regular non-model-type person.
I tried the Ombre Skirt first. It is very comfortable, with an elastic waist that keeps it snug but not too tight. It feels airy but also not flimsy, with a lining and a translucent outer layer. The high-low gradient design is charming, with stars sprinkled over it, and it twirls nicely (always fun!). It’s a very summery-feeling skirt, which is why it’s extra-cool that it also has a special Wonder Woman logo that appears in UV light.
(I tested it, and it appears boldly and almost immediately, and disappears again on leaving sunlight. It’s amazingly cool.) Overall, I love it.
Next up was the Lasso Dress. This one is great in that it looks fairly dressy but is made of a comfortable fabric (with pockets). The combination of the intricate gold neckline and the elegant lasso belt made me feel like a true Amazonian princess when I put it on. Add a pair of gladiator sandals or gold heels and you’re 100% ready to join the Themyscirans for their evening revels.
Last up was the Reversible Wonder Woman Cosplay Dress. This dress is definitely going on the convention circuit with me! It’s light, comfortable, and flattering. The Wonder Woman design side hits in all the right places so that you really do look almost like you’re wearing her costume. And the brown-and-gold logo side is appealing and oddly elegant considering the design is logos. This side is also more subtle, so it can be worn out and about when you’re feeling like being a little bit stealth about your Geekness. (And it’s made with tear-away tags so it’s easy to wear both sides.) I’m excited to find places to wear it!
All three items are excellent unique designs that look good, fit well, and feel comfortable. From the pieces I’ve tried, this collection gets an A+ from me.
So have we reached the zenith of geek fashion for women thanks to Her Universe and Hot Topic? Much as I love their items (clearly!) I hope not! There’s still plenty of room out there for other companies and designers to bring their unique fandom fashion visions to life – and I hope to see even more successes like the Her Universe/Hot Topic collaboration come to pass.
But in the meantime, I’m going to revel in my new Wonder Woman fashions and keep an eye out for the latest from Hot Topic. And until next time, Servo Lectio!
Tomorrow is the last day for the public to vote for a winner in the Her Universe fashion show that I was fortunate to see live at the San Diego Comic Con (and that you can watch as the finale of its own docu-series on the new on-demand streaming network Comic Con HQ). So what better time for my fashion show recap?
But first, a little background. The fashion show, now in its third year, was started by Ashley Eckstein of the women’s geek fashion company Her Universe to bring true haute couture to geek fashion. The show is very professionally done, with video clips of the designers talking about their inspiration and works-in-progress; models (who may also be the outfit’s designer, and who are of all different body types, which is cool) strutting their stuff on the catwalk; and a DJ to keep the party going. It also produces something that probably isn’t as tangible at regular fashion shows – a feeling of delight at seeing not just elegant, clever, or beautifully designed clothes, but also incredible homages to the geek properties we love. I’m sure I would be awed by the beauty of many designs at a regular fashion show. However, I know that the excited, happy feeling and constant smile I have while stunning fashions that demonstrate a passion for geek properties are paraded before my eyes at this show are unique.
After the show, the audience and judges each vote on their favorite design, and thus two winners are chosen. The year’s winners are then given the opportunity to collaborate on fashion lines that we, the public, can buy (yay!). The first fashion show’s winners brought us the super-successful Marvel Avengers fashion line done with Her Universe and Hot Topic (I own it, I love it, I’m overjoyed that this is a yearly thing now). After last year’s show, we got the awesome Star Wars line (when are they bringing the sweater and the Finn jacket back so I can buy them, whennnnnn??). And although we don’t know what we will see after this year’s winners get to work, I am sure the next line will also make it into my wardrobe.
As you may be aware from past columns and my coverage of last year’s show, I have long felt the need for better geek fashion for gals, and am super excited to be seeing more and more options. And the yearly fashion show and partnership of Her Universe and Hot Topic has definitely upped the couture aesthetic of the geek clothes available to us women. Not only do we no longer have to, e.g., wear man-shirts to let our geek flags fly, but now we even have these upscale options that wouldn’t look out of place in our daily wardrobes or even at a cocktail party. On top of that, what’s so cool about the Her Universe fashion show is that it means that we the consumers have at least a little say in the style and vision of the resulting mass-marketed pieces. That’s fairly unique in fashion.
This year’s fashion show gave us a group of twenty-seven amazing new designs to vote on, and featured a celebrity panel of judges including Cindy Levitt (Senior Vice President, Merchandise & Marketing, Hot Topic), Nathan Sawaya (World Renowned LEGO artist, and co-creator of Ashley’s dress this year), Brinton Parker (Assistant Editor of Trending and Viral Features at POPSUGAR) and last year’s fashion show winners and designers Leetal Platt and Kelly Cercone.
The judges’ winner was “Oh What A Gown…What a Lovely Gown” by Hannah Kent, inspired by Mad Max: Fury Road’s Imperator Furiosa; and the audience winner was the “I Solemnly Swear I’m Up to Couture” gown by Camille Falciola, inspired by the Maurauder’s Map in Harry Potter. These were excellent choices. I absolutely adored the way the cut of the Furiosa dress evoked both strength and severity and a feminine aspect in the tightly fitted upper body and sweeping skirt, and the use of a gradient to make the neutral palette, which completely fit with the movie’s setting, more interesting. I also loved the makeup and arm jewelry that echoed Furiosa’s look in the movie. The Map dress had a classic and flattering cut, and at first looked fairly plain, but then, through the use of ink heat technology, the Marauder’s Map appeared, producing a much more interesting design, with map accents in the right places to enhance the appeal of the cut (plus, that is a really, really cool idea and use of technology).
Although those are the winners so far, all of the designs at the show were cool and unique in their own ways. It was incredibly hard for me to choose who to vote for (while trying to consider all of the important factors like overall design aesthetic, cleverness, uniqueness, geek factor, wearability, and style); and I’m happy that at least one other designer will also be chosen through this year’s new feature of the internet audience vote. I highly encourage anyone who’s into this sort of thing to take a look at the remaining choices and cast your vote for the final winner; and to that end, I’ll share a few notes about the other creations that really landed for me (along with my photo album from the show, which has additional views of at least some of the choices).
“Diana on the Town” (Wonder Woman) by Adria Sanchez-Chaidez
A classic take on a classic character, with a modern twist. Wonder Woman is iconic and this dress went for a pretty straight homage to her costume; but I liked the retro-classic elegance of the gown offset by the shorter red skirt underneath. And of course the colors are vibrant and striking.
Yang Xiao Long: From Ballroom to Battle (RWBY – Yang Xiao Long) by Carina LaViolette
I don’t actually know this fandom; but from a purely fashion standpoint, I liked the mix of fabrics (airy and light plus leather), the visually interesting layers and accessories, the neutral to green and purple palette, and the steampunk feel.
Report to My Division (Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Captain Phasma) by Lindsay Hamilton
Well I always love silver and shiny things (and I kind of love Captain Phasma, too). But I also loved the contrast of shine with the more understated skirt; that very flattering long corset fit with the red ribbon back lacing, and the great side cape to add more to the silhouette.
Ode to the Goblin King (Labyrinth – Jareth) by Sarah Rader
I liked the airy material and tattered layering of the light-colored dress, which had great delicate color contrasting; but I absolutely adoredthe contrasting blue jacket with the silver wings on the back. I’d like one, please!
First Order of Fashion (Star Wars: The Force Awakens – General Hux) by Rose Ivy
Red and black are always a great combo; but my favorite part of this outfit is that it’s sassy, fun, and fashion-forward but also something I could see myself wearing not only out somewhere cool, but also maybe even to work – a well-tailored and skewed take on a “power suit;” which is perfect considering the source material.
The Force is Strong in Her (Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Kylo Ren) by Judith Armas Orellana
Well I definitely couldn’t wear this one to my work – but I liked the silhouette, the contrasting kinds of black, and the layering that made it look full of attitude but slightly off-balance, just like Kylo Ren. And it’s also very flattering.
Rage On (28 Days Later – The Rage Virus) by Elissa Alcala
This dress is almost disturbing, which, you know, makes sense in context. The contrast between the elegant and sparkling plunging front and the tattered skirt that is reminiscent of bloody bandages is unsettling, and I’m sure that’s what the designer intended. Although I might not know offhand of anywhere I’d wear it, I liked the way the source material didn’t take a backseat to the high fashion concept.
My Kind of Crazy (DC Comics – The Red Hood) by Lauren Andrews
I liked the contrast of the slim silhouette with the gauzy pants and elegantly draped hood on this outfit, as well as the complicated bodice. There’s a lot going on here but it doesn’t overwhelm, and it’s striking.
The Always Dress (Harry Potter – Patronus) by Selina Zawacki
I super-love everything about this outfit, and would like one now, please. The plunging neckline combined with the elegant high-low cut and simple belt accent are beautiful, and the button back is a great understated reminder of the Professor’s robes – not to mention the old-fashioned boots. The subtle green underskirt and boot laces (for Slytherin!) add good color accents. And on top of all of that, the elegantly and sparsely-lit doe patronus on the skirt is a perfect match for the design, that brings the theme home. Plus, I always like clothes that light up in cool ways!
The Car Gotham Deserves (Batman/Batman Returns – Batmobile) by Cynthia Kirkland
Okay, this dress is definitely unusual. And I have no idea where you would wear it. But the fact that someone designed a dress based on the Batmobile, and it does actually really evoke the car (plus the steering wheel accessory!) is just fantastic. Also the red under the shoulder-pieces (I think it lit up, too) was a great way to hint at brake lights on a dress that is also a car.
TARDIS Through the Wormhole (Doctor Who – TARDIS) by Lynne Marie Martens
This dress is over the top in the best way. All of those ruffles! That train! The great feathery back! The subtle lights interwoven through it all! And, of course, the actual TARDIS on the underbust corset. I love it. The colors, lights, and details of the dress really do bring to mind a wormhole; and the whole thing wouldn’t be out of place at the coolest cabaret ever.
Define Couture (Wall-E – Wall-E) by Laura Cristina Ortiz
This. Outfit. Is. So. Adorable. I love it. It’s spunky and fun and full of attitude, the color palette works well together, the skirt is too cute, the glasses are totally Wall-E and fashionable at the same time, and the overall look is very unique. Plus there’s a part in the back that lights up! It’s a perfect mix of fabrics and accessories, and looks totally modern and wearable while still referencing the source material. It’s visually interesting, and with a whole that is greater than its parts. I want!
Expecto Patronum (Harry Potter – Patronus) by Erica Williams
What an elegant, beautiful gown. The shape and fit are very classic, but with details and sparkles to make it interesting. I feel like Guinevere would totally covet this dress. And although the color palette is monochrome, the mix of fabrics makes the dress in motion more interesting than it looks in a photo. Also, the tiara of horns is the perfect finish for this Patronus dress.
The Story that Lived (Harry Potter – Book) by Tanya Apuya
A dress based on the actual book. I love it! I also love everything about this cute and clever outfit, from the “book cover” bodice to the amazingly folded and layered and swingy skirt of text-covered pages. A great concept and execution, with cute little accents of a witch hat and wand, too.
Now that you’ve reviewed the choices, make sure you vote for a winner before midnight Pacific Time Thursday, August 11 so that you, too, can have a say in next year’s geek fashions.
If you have been following along with our show at all, then you know what devotees of Geek Chic we are. We are so lucky to be living at time where girls are being accepted (for the most part, there’s obvi still room for improvement) in geek culture and that we are able to have so many options to show off our fandoms while still being fashionable. We give a lot of credit for this to Ashley Eckstein, the founder of Her Universe. You have probably seen us wearing her designs in our videos because they are some of our favorite all time outfits. We cannot even count the times Maddy has been stopped while wearing her Star Wars sheets dress. Everyone wants to talk about at the cons, on the street, even in the middle of interviews. It’s like the clothes aren’t just cute, they build communities right there on the spot. Suddenly you can see what strangers are fellow fangirls. It’s like, “Hey! That girl in the TARDIS dress loves Doctor Who too! We have something in common.”
So, you can guess how excited we were to have the chance to chat with Ashley at at D23 Expo. We found out that she’s a musical theatre nerd like us and likes to shop on the con floor too. She also tells us what’s up at Her Universe and gives some really good advice for those who want careers in pop culture fashion. We absolutely loved spending time with Ashley and hope you enjoy watching our conversation.
Guess what, faithful readers? It’s time for more San Diego Comic Con coverage! In Part I, I talked about the convention floor, exclusives and swag, cosplay, Artist Alley, and some of the activities that go on around the convention center. Today, the topic is the coolest fashion happening at Comic-Con: The Her UniverseFashion Show, now in its second year.
If you’re wondering how such a thing as a geek fashion show came about; it is the brainchild of Ashley Eckstein, actress and voice of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, who founded the women’s geek fashion company Her Universe in 2009 with The Araca Group, a leading theatrical and brand management company. By 2014, with the geeky fashion-forward merchandise company continually increasing in popularity, and seeing women constantly walking around conventions in great geek-inspired fashions, Ashley felt the next step needed to be a true haute couture geek fashion experience at the biggest comic con in the country – San Diego Comic Con.
The resulting show last year featured some truly amazing geek-inspired fashion and culminated in the audience’s and judge’s winners collaborating on a limited fashion line with Her Universe and Hot Topic, the Marvel Avengers Collection. That collection was the most successful licensed fashion collection in the history of Hot Topic, and while it sold out in a hot second (I happily managed to snag the pieces I wanted before they disappeared, and got tons of compliments while wearing the Loki and Captain America halter dresses to parties at SDCC), the high demand means it will soon be available again!
As with 2014, the winners of the 2015 show will also have the opportunity to collaborate on a line; so I was keenly interested in what we’d be seeing come down the runway (and doubly so since the audience gets to choose one of the winners!). As I settled into my seat (complete with a little “Her Universe”-emblazoned cookie surrounded by curls of delicious chocolate), I was able to peruse the provided look book, which gave the names and short biographies of the twenty-five finalists, along with the name and sketch for the look we’d be seeing. Since I knew we’d be voting, I preliminarily marked some that looked especially appealing to me; and as with any design versus reality, it was interesting to see as the show went on how some potential favorites didn’t pan out as I expected, and some I hadn’t been too impressed with wowed on the runway.
In the end, my absolute favorite (I could so see myself wearing it to a fancy party) was the Rise From Fire dress, which didn’t end up winning; but both of the wins were definitely well-deserved. This year’s winners were Kelly Cercone, of the aforementioned Joker dress; and Leetal Platt, of the Usagi’s Transformation dress. Kelly and Leetal will now go on to design the next line for Her Universe and Hot Topic. I can’t wait to see what it is!
After the show, I was fortunate to sit down with Ashley Eckstein for a great interview about Her Universe and the show. Ashley talks about what inspired her, and what she’s seen happening in the geek fashion industry. You can watch the video here.
And if you want to see the full collection of my Comic-Con photos, you can check it out in timeline format or by section here.
So enjoy! And stay tuned, because there’s more coverage to come. In the meantime, Servo Lectio!
Three years ago right around this time, I was lamenting the fact that there was a sad, sad lack of comics and genre fashion merchandise geared towards women. At the time, my experience was that the available clothing for women to purchase and wear was mostly t-shirts, only some of which were actually fitted for or geared towards women. And accessories of the sort women might be interested in, like jewelry or handbags or less manly wallets, were mostly available only via Etsy or through other fan enterprises.
Generally speaking, what was available via licensed merchandisers was also lacking in the style, flair, subtlety, or imagination that I’d have really liked to see in female comics fashion. Despite being a fan of the comfort of a cute tee shirt, there are times when I’d prefer to be able to let fly the flag of my geek pride with a little more style – like when I’m running from one end of San Diego Comic Con to the other and can’t manage a full costume, but would love to wear a cute dress instead of throwing on the same old tee and jeans combo. Or when I’m heading in to work and want to jazz things up a bit with a subtly geeky accessory.
Fortunately for me and all the other geek women out there who might feel the same way, things have changed since 2012. Companies like Ashley Eckstein’s Her Universe began appearing and paving the way by coming out with clothing more flattering and fitting for women and establishing a high profile at conventions. Companies like We Love Fine and Superhero Stuff really caught on to the fact that “if you make it, they will buy” when it comes to women and cute geek clothes. 2014 in particular saw an uptick in more exciting geek fashions becoming available for women, starting in February with geek-inspired runway fashions (and companies like Cozday Clothing), and going into the fall with several companies such as Black Milk Clothing and Living Dead Clothing coming out with themed lines.
As spring rolled around this year and I started looking for a few new items for my geek and con wardrobe, I felt anew that the female geek fashion wasteland of 2012 has happily been replaced by a growing garden of options for the discerning geek gal. From shirts, skirts, dresses, pants, and tights to jewelry, bags, and scarves, to pieces that could be incorporated into actual costumes for cons, there are a lot of cool options out there right now.
Given that these options are still sort of scattered around, I thought I’d provide you with some favorites I’ve found – some of which I actually own, and some of which are on my wish list.
So check these out, and flaunt your geek fashion for the world!
Although some of it appears sold out at the moment (noooo!!!!!), We Love Fine has been carrying some cool-looking geek chic lately. A couple of things I had my eye on were the Companion Cube Fit and Flare Dress, the Kawaii Avengers Sleeveless Top, and the Ms. Marvel Tank. The Balloonicorn Pattern Top is also just plain adorable, and I kind of crave it despite the fact that I haven’t played Team Fortress and usually don’t wear things I’m not an actual fan of on principle (but I did see clips of the in-game Balloonicorn in action online and it amused me greatly, so there’s that).
