Posted in Articles, Bounding, Christmas/Krampus/Yule Fashion, Cons, Everyday Cosplay, Goth, Halloween, Kawaii/Pastel Goth, Look Books, Marvel, Nerdy Outfit of the Day, Product Launch, Star Wars, Wardrobe Solutions

Introducing In Plain Sight Styling!

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I’ve been out of commission for pretty much the entire month of November (the kid and I both got knocked down with a nasty flu), so I am launching this a little late, but better late than never!

Live in the shop now is my new styling service!

I’ve had a lot of requests for personal shopping/styling over the years, and I decided to pull the trigger on offering a completely online service. That way anyone can benefit from it, not just people here in LA.

First step will be to complete a small questionnaire like this:

This will be in Word format so you can complete and email to me. No need to print or scan anything.

Then I will create a head-to-toe look, including shoes, jewelry and accessories and send you a style sheet like this:

I will send it both as a jpg and pdf. The pdf will be fully clickable and shoppable. Each look is $25. I checked other services that are similar and they run between 50 and 100 a look, so I am offering a great discount on the work (I know, times are tough all over, believe me!)

I hope that this will help some of you dip a toe into exploring your style. I also hope that this can help get you Insta-ready for your next park visit (any park, not just Disney). Speaking of which, I will consult the particular park/event you are going to for any dress code rules and will follow them so you don’t need to worry about compliance on those.

Click here to go directly to the service ordering page!

xoxo

Kim

Posted in Articles, Bounding, Cons

Styling Examples

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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.

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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.

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My stealth Cap uniform dress is from AmazonStars 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.

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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.

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My Alan Grant bound that I wore at Universal Studios was a big hit at the theme park.  Skirt by RetroliciousShirt 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

Posted in Articles, Bounding, Cons, Team Build Checklist, Wardrobe Solutions

Styling Your Outfits

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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.

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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!

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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.

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Consider the style of the outfit.

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.

Consider the venue and/or event for the outfit.

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.

Consider the functionality needed from your accessories.

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.

Balance in all the things.

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.

Lastly, What story do you want your outfit to tell?

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

Posted in Uncategorized

Happy 2020 and Happy Blogiversary to Us!

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Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had an amazing time over the holidays.  We had a great time, and now we are looking forward to a new year of fashion!  There are some great new things coming up this year that we need to get ready for.  WonderCon, Spring Dapper Day and the opening of the Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure.

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Until then, here’s a quick recap of my holiday trip to Disneyland (Benji had theatre and couldn’t make it.  Just want you all to know I’m not a jerk that went to Disneyland without my kid!)

I wore my Disney Dress Shop dress and silver holo ears.

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This dress is no longer available at shopdisney.com, but you can still get it on Amazon.  Same goes for the ears.

I had a great time enjoying the holiday decor, not to mention the treats.

So, here is our first outfit of the day for the year.  A year with tons of fashion adventures ahead. So, stay tuned…

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Until next time…

 

Love, Kim and Benji

Posted in Articles

Here’s to Being Seen!

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*This is a repost that will hopefully respark your confidence for the new year!  Here’s to an incredible 2020!!!

I recently went back to therapy.  I like to go every few years for a kind of “brain tune-up”.  This time around has been especially helpful.  My therapist just gets right to the heart of things quickly.

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Why am I telling you this?  Well, the other day I was at my appointment, and the subject of holidays came up.  I am not especially fond of any holiday except Halloween these days.  I don’t like Thanksgiving in particular, but it wasn’t always like that.

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When I was a kid, I liked all the holidays, including Thanksgiving.  After my Grandmother died, I stopped liking the holidays.  The holidays became this tense and unpleasant time where everyone complained about everyone else, and the energy was just plain… bad.

So, my therapist asked me what in particular was so great about the holidays when my Grandmother was still with us.  I told her about how it was my job to set the table.  I was my Grandmother’s assistant.  She would go to the china cabinet and get out this photo from a magazine of an elegant place setting, so I could copy it.  That photo always came out to help me during the holidays, and I just liked helping her.  I felt so proud, so important.

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Unfortunately, after my Grandfather passed, the family was packing up the house, and I couldn’t find the picture.  I was going to frame it.  So, that is why I really enjoyed the holidays, but I didn’t feel like I had communicated to my therapist why.  As usual, she knew exactly what I was trying to say.  “You were seen during those times.  She saw you.”  Wow, just wow.  Yes, that is exactly what it was!

My Grandmother always “saw” me.  She saw me when I was happy, sad, silly, whatever.  She loved me no matter which one of those people I was.

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Cut to today and my life as it is now.  It is pretty great, I gotta say.  I am seen.  I am living my best life.  I have a job I love.  I have a great home.  I have friends.  I have my writing to express myself.  I have a blog and a hobby that makes me happy.  I had no idea that my blog and cosplaying were my way of being “seen” again!

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Out of all of these great things in my life, most of all, I have a great kid.  Now that I know how to properly express it, let me say this.  My one job with him is to make sure that he is “seen”.  Everyday and in every way.  I think I already am, but I definitely will.  I will because of how great being seen made me feel when I was a kid, and I want that for my own kid now.

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So, first my Grandmother gave me a love of style and fashion, mid-century style in particular.  Then she “saw” me as I was.  Both of these gifts serve me well in my adult life.  Finding cosplay and blogging is a way to be seen, and my love of 50s style is a perfect fit for my cosplays.  I feel like she is still helping me.  I love how I continue to discover new ways to be grateful to my Grandmother.  What incredible gifts she gave me.

Helping you be seen is one of our goals here at inplainsight.style.  Let us know what you want to see to help you achieve that goal, so I can pass my Grandmother’s gift to me on to you!

So, here’s to being seen!

Love, Kim and Benji

*All pro photos by Justin Davidson Photography.  Book him here.

Posted in Articles

InPlainSight.style is off for the Holidays!

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As the holidays rapidly approach, Benji and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a joyous holiday season and a happy new year!

As we enter the roaring 20’s, please stay tuned for new content, DIY’s and adventures!

Thank you all for your support these past four years!  Here’s to a great new year!

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Love, Kim and Benji

Posted in Bounding, Cons, Team Build Checklist

Little John Dapperbound

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The other day we broke down Benji’s Robin Hood dapper look, and now it is my turn.

I went to Dapper Day as Robin Hood’s bestie, Little John.

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Disney’s Little John is my favorite Disney character.  I love his sense of fun, positivity, loyalty and justice.  I know that is a lot to attach to an animated character, but he made quite an impression on me as a kid.

Here is a reference photo:

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Photo: Walt Disney Company

Now, let’s break it down using the Team Build Checklist:

The Leader

The Leader for this bound would be the bear ears.  I decided to go with a Mickey ear headband, but with brown ears because, bear.  I also got really lucky and found these custom-made ears by To Never Neverland on Etsy.  These ladies have tons of great ear headbands for every character imaginable.  Please check out their page.  The headband is also super comfortable.  The little feather detail was just perfect.

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Photo: To Never Neverland on Etsy.com

The Brick

My “supersuit” would be my dress, the foundation for any Dapper Day look.  This dress is from Unique Vintage.  The petticoat is from Amazon.

The Scientist

My trusty DIY saddle shoes.

The Exotic

Little John’s outfit is pretty simple.  Green tunic, shoes and hat.  The best detail to let people know I was bounding Little John was a money bag.  We found these perfect purses on Amazon.  I actually added jump rings, removed the strap and attached the purse to my belt to create a fanny pack of sorts.  The belt is from Amazon as well.

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The Blaster

There really wasn’t any special make-up or hair needed for this bound, but because it was Dapper Day, a red lip was the perfect finishing touch.  My red lip is MAC in Ruby Woo.

I hope that our latest bounds got you inspired for Spring Dapper Day!  Hope to see you there, and happy shopping!

Love, Kim and Benji

Posted in Cons, Videos

SDCC Recap and Her Universe Fashion Show

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This year we had a short visit to SDCC because we had tickets to Hugh Jackman in San Diego earlier in the week.

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Dress by Pin-Up Girl Clothing.  Click on the link to buy.  I’ll profile it in more detail for an outfit of the day at a later date.

Our first stop was for a traditional selfie:

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Then a step and repeat pic:

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Dress by Disney Dress Shop, which is no longer available, but you can find it on Ebay here.  Game of Thrones shirt from Target.  Shoes by Converse.

Afterwards, we took a trip to the Her Universe Fashion Show.  This was the 6th annual fashion show, and boy it was amazing!  Watch the video below:

Here what we wore to the show:

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This dress is Her Universe for The Disney Dress Shop.  Click on the link to buy.  Shrug from Amazon and shoes by Converse.

The next day we hit the floor and I picked up some of the pieces I saw at the show, including the Loki dress below.

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Dress is available at Her Universe.  Click on the link to buy.  Shrug is from Torrid ages and ages ago.

And I got this cool pic with a Cookie Monster replica…

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During the Marvel panel in Hall H (which we weren’t willing to sleep on the sidewalk to wait for…), Marvel revealed some details on the Black Widow film and Jane Foster will be The Mighty Thor in the next Thor film!

Then we had to hit the road and bid SDCC good-bye for another year.

Until next time…

Love, Kim and Benji

Posted in Uncategorized

Outfit of the Day: Spiderman Dress by Her Universe

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Our latest outfit of the day is a great Spiderman dress by Her Universe.  This dress sports a great comic book print all over, with red accents.

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The dress is available in standard and plus sizes.  I am wearing a standard 3xl.

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I added a belt accent.  Belt available at TargetBoots also available on Target.  Click on the links to buy.

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Happy Shopping!

Love, Kim and Benji