The Disney Dress Shop is a fantastic source for dapper and vintage looks for all the Disney fandoms.
They are also size inclusive, so everyone can have fun with fashion. The fit is true-to-size as well.
The Dress Shop also has ties, brooches and bags to accessorize your look.
Here are some of my favorite dresses from the shop.
Visit their site here
Happy shopping!
Love, Kim and Benji
*Pro photos by Justin Davidson Photography
I recently treated myself to a new Loungefly bag.
Get your own Cap backpack here.
Loungefly continues to create amazing, well-made bags in a variety of fandoms. The small backpacks are my favorite for adventuring out. They hold all your gear for the day without being too heavy. Because they are on your back, they free your hands up as well.
My other favorites are the cosplay style cross-body bag. These are perfect for everyday and again, available in a variety of fandoms.
Click here for the Loungefly site.
Happy shopping!
Love, Kim and Benji
Previously, we spoke about how to style an outfit. Now, here are some examples and some suggestions how you could re-style them for different situations.
Loki dress by Her Universe for Disney Dress Shop. All paired pieces are from Amazon. I styled this look specifically for blog photos. So I have on all the accessories here. The headband, necklace, tesseract-inspired bag, petticoat and shoes. The bag, petticoat and shoes are mid-century styles, which match the dress’s style. I chose a blue lucite bag instead of a clear bag so it would look like the tesseract and fit the Loki theme of the dress. The Loki helmet necklace compliments the dress as well. How to change this look? For cons or theme parks, I would lose the petticoat and change the shoes to a saddle shoe or a pair of Chucks. For work, I’d lose the headband and change the bag.
My stealth Cap uniform dress is from Amazon. Stars and stripes are a DIY. I paired it with a brown belt, petticoat, foam shield and my DIY saddle shoes. The petticoat and saddle shoes are 50’s style, which matches the dress. For work, I’d change the shoes and add a bag.
This Universal monster dress is from Unique Vintage. I paired it with a monster bag and a pair of Chucks. For a more formal or business type of event, change the shoes and go with a smaller bag.
My Alan Grant bound that I wore at Universal Studios was a big hit at the theme park. Skirt by Retrolicious. Shirt and bandana from Amazon. There really isn’t a time period associated with this outfit, but the pieces I chose are for the character. To wear this skirt to work, lose the bandana and maybe a different shirt or sweater.
I hope that these tips helped you out. Let us know in the comments if you have any tips or tricks that you would like to share. We love to hear from you!
Until next time…
Love, Kim and Benji
So, you found the perfect dress or the perfect outfit. Congrats! However, now you need to know how to style it.
What is styling exactly? Dictionary.com defines it as, “to design or arrange in accordance with a given or new style.” Accessorizing the outfit is a start, but there is also your make-up to consider as well as jewelry.
Jewelry is technically an accessory, but it is important enough to be listed seperately in this case.
So, how do you get started styling an outfit? Here are some steps to consider while you are styling. There are no hard set rules by any means, but this is a handy guide to help get you started. You’ll be styling your own outfits in no time at all!
When using your Team Build Checklist, styling the outfit consists of the Scientist, Exotic and Blaster steps. Download your own copy of the check-list here.
Even if you aren’t using this guide to style a cosplay or bound, the tips still apply.
Is your outfit a vintage style or 80’s inspired? Maybe it is a more formal style or a business suit. If it is a 50’s style dress, then you’ll want to pair it with more vintage-style accessories. A business suit would be paired with more subdued and professional accessories.
Are you wearing this 50’s style dress to work or to a con? Are you wearing this dress to Disneyland for Dapper Day? How about to a wedding? I’ve worn the same dress to all of the above, but it was styled differently for each event. What’s great for Disneyland is not appropriate for work and so on.
While you are considering your venue or event, think about what kind of functionality you need. Are you going to a con? You’ll need the most comfortable shoes you can get that also compliment the outfit. Disneyland? What is the temperature going to be that day? If your day out is in August, then you might want to leave the petticoat at home (trust me on this one). Do you have a parasol? If yes, then you can leave your hat at home if you want. What kind of bag should you carry? Take all this into consideration when putting the pieces together.
Your base outfit is what you work from here. A big fit and flare dress should really have smaller, more tailored accessories to create a balance. If you have a hat, then make it smaller with the big dress. Same with the bag. Very colorful dress or outfit? Then more subdued make-up.
The last piece when you are styling an outfit is what do you want people to see? I know your outfit is the focal point, but what do you want people to take away from it? If you have a bound, this is kind of done for you. If you are bounding Captain America for example, then the star on the chest or the red and white stripes on the bodice tell people that you are bounding Cap. If you have a dress that is a great color, then you want to keep things simple and just draw the eyes to the pretty color. Don’t overthink it.
I hope that these tips help you. In our next post, I will post some photos of outfits with explanations why I styled them the way I did, and how I would, and do, style them differently in different situations.
Until next time…
Love, Kim and Benji
I recently took a quick inventory of my basic wardrobe staples and found my leggings to be rather sad and in need of replacing.
I shopped around and found that leggings are super expensive these days! You can get a deal if you join various clubs online, but it is a hassle to skip month after month or endure a long “hard-sell” phone call to cancel that membership. So, I did some shopping on good ‘ol Amazon.
Now, Amazon clothes shopping can be a disappointing experience. The picture vs. reality can be a real let-down. But, I found some great leggings, so I had to share this great find with you!
I took them on a test drive, and I am happy to say that they stay put all day long. They keep their shape. They pass the bend-over test! Last but not least, they are true-to-size and size inclusive! So, I cannot recommend these highly enough!
Here is the link to buy your own.
Happy Shopping!
Love, Kim and Benji
I’ve always loved red lipstick. My grandmother, Doris, always wore a nice red lip. She preferred Fire and Ice by Revlon. Growing up, there were different trends in lipstick- the super gloss of the 70’s, the frosted lip of the 80’s, the nude and chocolate lip of the 90’s and so on. I tried them all, but I love coming back to the classic red lip.
Fire and Ice has too much of a warm undertone (yellow tones in the red) for me. I prefer the cool toned reds (blue tones in the red). How do you know which red is for you? Best way is to try them on in store. Take selfies and then compare them. Warm tones tend to work with people with darker skin, but the photos you take will show you which one is better for you. Take a look at the pictures below for examples. Russian Red is the cool toned red and Lady Danger is the warm toned red.
Once you know if you prefer warm or cool, then it is way easier to buy a red from any brand. Then you need to decide if you want matte or gloss finish and the level of pigment. That is purely a matter of preference.
I have some links in a variety of price points below. These are all cool toned reds, for reference.
MAC Lipstick in Russian Red (See above for picture) $19.00
Revlon ColorStay Overtime Lipcolor in Nonstop Cherry $10.99
Revlon Lipstick in Love Is On $8.49
Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey $19.50
Colourpop Lipstick in Fred $8.00
Besame Cosmetics in Victory Red $19.00
Happy Shopping!
Love, Kim and Benji
