OK, as you all know, I’m a Marvel girl at heart, but I do love me some Batman and Batgirl!
I was really excited to see this new DC Bombshells collection at Hot Topic. I love the selection of heroes and villains and what I love most of all… Plus sizes available now and in the same styles as the standard sizes! Hooray!
Here are some pics of this great collection:
Photo and Lead Photo: Hot Topic
Photo: Hot Topic
Photo: Hot Topic
Photo: Hot Topic
Photo: Hot Topic
They also have a great bag to go with the clothes. It would be a great con-going accessory.
This morning we nerds were greeted with some great news! The Her Universe “The Force Awakens” collection is now available at Hot Topic!
This collection was designed by the two winners of last year’s Her Universe Fashion Show that took place at San Diego Comic Con. There is one audience choice winner and one judges’ winner.
Like last year’s “Age of Ultron” collection, this year’s collection features some nice designs with some subtlety, which I really like. Some of the pieces show your fandom without being too everyday cosplay. Now don’t get me wrong, I love everyday cosplay and wear it well, everyday, but some of you work in environments where that just isn’t possible. These pieces allow you to show off your fandoms at work, which is great.
Here are a couple of the dresses from the collection that are subtle:
There are a couple of dress that are flat-out everyday cosplay as well, like these:
Scout and I chose to get this Captain Phasma outfit, which in our humble opinions, really knocked it out of the park:
The whole collection seems to be well done. It is “The Force Awakens” centered, which is also fantastic. We’ll update when we get our outfits and let you know how the sizing is and the quality, etc. Past experience with Her Universe is that the quality will be good. The pieces are durable. Her Universe has really focused on their “all over the place” sizing issues and judging from the fitness collection at Kohl’s, they’ve solved those past problems.
Best news of all is that ALL the pieces are available in plus sizes today and on the Hot Topic site. No more going into Torrid and asking when we get to have these pieces only to be answered with blank stares because nobody seems to know what you are talking about. Last year was frustrating, amirite?
The pieces go up to 3X in juniors in the standard sizing and the plus sizes go up to 5X. Noice!
*Scout’s Mommy here. This is Scout’s first blog post written completely by her with no assistance from her Mommy. Any positive feedback she receives will be greatly appreciated!
Scout has arrived in the Calos Region!
Pokemon is a great card game, but is great to collect too. I used to play it, but now I just collect and trade them with my best friend. Also,the Pokemon show is pretty good. I’m not a huge anime fan, but for some reason I love this show!
I started liking pokemon because no girls were playing it. So, I wanted to inspire other girls to like it too, even though boys thought that it was only their thing.
I got the leggings from Living Dead Clothing. I got the character dress, Pikachu skirt, backpack and necklace from Hot Topic. Avengers/Pokemon t-shirt from Red Bubble. Click on the links to buy your own.
My last post was about my fitness journey, so I thought I would test some of the latest fitness wear from Her Universe so you can get some of this gear and get started on your own fitness journey.
The collection is available in both standard and plus sizes. All the same pieces, not a limited number of pieces for plus sizes, which is usually the case for us plus size ladies. I love how Her Universe includes geeks of all sizes. They always have. One downside is that the plus sizes are only available online, but you can’t get everything you want!
OK, so I desperately needed some new workout wear, so the minute this collection hit the web, being the Marvel girl I am, I pounced. I’m happy to report that the quality is outstanding, the past sizing problems that Her Universe has had (uneven sizing and everything tended to run small), has been corrected and the price point just can’t be beat!
Alrighty then! Here are some pics of what I got. The first is a Cap outfit:
I’m a size 18/20 for reference. I bought everything in a 2X. Everything was true to size and actually, even a little big (thanks, Nerdstrong Gym!) A couple of nitpicks about the collection that I do have is that none of the leggings I purchased passed the bend-over test, so nude undies will be required. The sportsbras also aren’t super supportive. They are super cute, so I layered with a supportive sportsbra, but that might be too many layers for you. The tank tops are all longish, which is fantastic (helps with those see-thru issues). The fabrics are all super-soft and the spandex is super stretchy. All in all, I am very happy with the outfits I got. Here are some more pics of the outfits I got and some close up of the details on the clothes.
One of the most important journeys anyone can undertake is the fitness journey. It is a journey without end, and a journey that has an effect on all the parts of your life. It can be a journey with many twists and turns, stops and starts, and more than a few bumps along the way. I thought I would share mine with you.
I’ve always been a big girl. I was a pretty skinny kid, but family history, genetics and not learning how to eat healthier contributed to my size as I struck out on my own. However, I’ve always been active. You probably wouldn’t guess it by looking at me, but there it is. I started working out way back in junior high school when a new gym opened in my neighborhood. I would hop on my mo-ped and go work through the Nautilus machines (do they still have those?) I have always loved to dance, so hitting the clubs was a great exercise for me as well. I would take aerobics, yoga, fitness dance classes, had work-out videos that I actually put to good use and not as a coaster. So, working out has never been my problem.
Eating healthy has always been an issue for me. My thoughts used to be, “Just eat less”. Well, not necessarily. Because I can be strict and eat hardly any calories in a day. I’m tough that way, but it doesn’t always result in weight loss or loss of inches. Stress eating can also be a problem with me. I’m a picky eater, so add that into the mix and it makes healthy eating a problem. I joined all the diet programs at some point in time. I followed them with religious fervor. I would see success and then the results would stop. Just stop. I went to the doctor and told him all the things I just told you. He would refer me to a nutritionist. Same thing, results for a while and then nothing. So, I can eat less and follow diet rules, but why wasn’t I seeing results?
I will give myself this, I never stopped trying. Over the last two years, a couple things happened. One, I looked in the mirror one day and said, “OK, this is what I am going to look like as an adult human.” Then I said, “And I’m super OK with it as long as I’m healthy enough to be an old lady and drive my kid crazy.” Then a friend told me about NerdStrong Gym (then known as Nrdfit).
I went into NerdStrong with the usual goals, “Lose Weight”. That is what I was always taught. It is about being thin. Thin is better. Thin is beautiful. Thin is healthy. Right? Well, not necessarily. I learned that increasing my strength and mobility are the keys to health. If you get better at those two things, then the fat will burn and the muscles will build. The weight, well, it might change and it might stay about the same; but your body, your engine, will run better and you will achieve the real success, which is health. When you are searching for a gym to call your own, please take into account the coaching you receive. I’m super lucky to have coaches that are still on their own fitness journeys and encourage and push when needed, but always with safety as a first priority. You might have to look for a while to find a good fit for you, but keep looking.
Photo: Nerdstrong Gym
Here are some photos of my progress over the last couple of years:
The other thing I learned at NerdStrong is to go to FitFax, or a program like it, to get a real picture of your overall health. FitFax combines solid nutritional advice to compliment your workouts. Their advice to me as to cut sugar way down and build protein up. Just taking my sugar down to under 40 g a day made me feel so much better, I burned fat and built muscle. My weight stayed about the same, but I took up way less space. Now, that was the advice I got for my body and my body alone from professionals, coaches, nutritionists and doctors, so don’t you go doing this without checking with a doctor first! What’s good for me may not be good for your body. Got it? OK.
Photo: fit-fax.com
One bonus benefit from NerdStrong Gym is the community spirit of the place. There are game nights at the gym, RPGs at the gym, there is a facebook group that plans outings together to museums, hiking, theme parks, etc. That added benefit helps keep me on track as well. My fellow nerds help me along the way as we workout and reach new goals in our fitness journeys. They are there with a high-five when you accomplish something major and a hand-up when you are struggling.
All of these positive results had an effect on the rest of my life. I began to look in the mirror and like what I saw. Not because I was a size smaller, but because I was taking an active role in my health. I am the boss of me as it turns out! I also started really challenging myself by taking and posting selfies on days when I felt particularly awesome. I don’t allow negative talk in front of the mirror anymore.
You can also get your friends and family in on your journey. Let them know your goal is to feel better physically and mentally. Not that you want to lose weight or fit a certain jeans size. Ask them to provide positive feedback to ease you along those bumps in the road. Also, feel free to comment to us here at RAHNOV, so we can applaud your progress as well. We love selfies!
Your own journey should start with a visit to your doctor no matter what you decide to do as a first step to better health. Keep us posted on your progress!
OK, came across a great announcement today. Tee Fury now has ladies t-shirts in sizes for everyone! Sized up to 3X. This is great news if you get tired of having to buy a guy’s shirt and perform surgery on it. I also came across their leggings, which go up to a 4x. Check out their designs here and check out the video below.
Part One of our WonderCon recap, we discussed the con floor and a a couple of the panels. For Part Two, we wanted show you some of the fun cosplay we encountered as well as our cosplay choices.
Day One of the con, Scout and I went with casual Cap and Falcon.
If you ever want to get into cosplaying but aren’t feeling fully confident yet, I suggest a cosplay like this. Everyday clothes with a prop or two. A cosplay like this is a nice way to ease into it. We got a lot of positive reactions to this cosplay as well.
Scout’s t-shirt is from Fallas. My t-shirt and boots are from Target. My jeans are from Torrid. Scout’s shoes are from Payless. The wings and goggles were in a set from Amazon. My shield was a lucky find at a con for fifty bucks, but I found a good option for you here.
As you can see, with the exception of the shield, this cosplay is very inexpensive and oh-so-easy. If you decide to go with a cosplay like this, please share pics with us!
Day two of the con, Scout and I wore our new Cap and Nick Fury cosplays. I will go into more detail on both in part three.
Day three was the big Harry Potter cosplay group, which we were so happy to be a part of! We wore our Hufflepuff student cosplays that day. Where to find these items was covered here.
Here are some photos from that day:
In parts three and four, I will go into detail of our new Cap and Nick Fury cosplays, the Marvel group photoshoot and some more great cosplay we saw at WonderCon 2016. Until then…
For the first part of our WonderCon 2016 recap, we’ll take a look at some of the programming and the con floor.
Before the con even started, we got the great news that WonderCon is headed back to Anaheim next year. Now, no offense to the LA Convention Center (the staff at that convention center seriously could not have been nicer!), but WonderCon needs more room. Not to mention that the availability of hotels in the area, the affordability of hotels in the area and the general “nerd camp” vibe that Anaheim brings to the table. Lastly, the most excellent fountain for group pics. It can’t be beat.
I’m picky when it comes to WonderCon. It is the kid’s and my favorite con of the year, hand’s down. It is a huge cosplay con, and it is the perfect size in my humble opinion.
Now, on to the show!
Day One was our busiest panel-going day. We attended the Her Universe SDCC Fashion Show Preview. Long story short, the fashion show will happen again this year at SDCC on Thursday afternoon. There will be three winners this time. A judge’s winner, audience winner and a home audience winner. The show will be streamed on the new Comic Con HQ channel with a documentary on the show preparations, bios on the contestants, geeky girl fashions, etc. preceding the show itself. After that news, we got a preview of what last year’s winners have designed for Hot Topic. They designed a Star Wars The Force Awakens collection that should be beautiful! We didn’t get a very good look at the designs as of yet, but they are going to be very high-end looking with a good price point. Best news of all, plus sizes will be made available at the same time this year. So, hooray for inclusion! This is something that Her Universe has emphasized from the very beginning and kudos for that! Here are some pics from the presentation:
The panel was attended by Hot Topic executives as well as last year’s winners. Ashley Eckstein moderated. Ashley is wearing the Captain Phasma jacket and leggings, which are going to be a must-have for me!
I ran into Tony B. Kim of crazy4comiccon.com fame:
Afterwards, the kid and I went to Comic Book Law School, which is a stop I make whenever I can for that continuing legal education that I have to get (What better place to get your credits than at a con? I mean, you’re already there!). Michael L Lovitz, Esq. teaches this series at WonderCon and SDCC. If you are in the legal field or a creative one and want to know the ins and outs of rights and licensing as well as intellectual property, then look up these great panels.
Between these panels, the kid and I hit the floor for a bit.
There were a lot of great fashion booths at this year’s WonderCon. Here is some of our haul:
We got some fun t-shirts, and I scored a Cap sweater. I was disappointed by the availability of plus size fashions. As always, the t-shirt offerings were teeny tiny ladies t-shirts or men’s shirts that I have to surgically alter. The nerd girl struggle is real!
Parts two, three and four will explore all the great cosplays we saw as well as the Marvel and Harry Potter group photo shoots.
