1. Look #14: PAX Day Three!

    September 2, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Geek Events, Journal, Outfit of the Day by Kristina Horner

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    This was my favorite outfit of PAX so far — I called it BMO chic. I incorporated a lot of new PAX purchases into my standard everyday clothing, and I was extremely happy with the result! First of all, the top is a body suit/leotard from We Love Fine, with BMO detailings on both sides. I love it. I paired this with a pink skirt I’ve had in my closet for ages, a pair of black tights, gray ankle boots from Forever21 and a gray cardigan I got from Threadless. The cardigan has a tiny little hidden unicorn on it as well, which makes it one of my favorite pieces of outerwear. To finish the outfit, I added the Mario Star necklace I bought in the Expo Hall the day before from Sanshee.

    Sunday started a bit late for Liz and myself (four days of PAXing really starts to take it out of you!) and we meandered downtown on the bus around 11:15. We stopped off at a Gamestop before heading to the Convention Center, because Liz wanted to buy a 3DS. Once she had it in her hands, the entire convention changed for us (as I had brought mine along as well). I’ll admit it – I’d never used StreetPass before. I know, I know. I’m a terrible nerd. We watched in awe as we collected new friends, filled up our region maps, and started collecting puzzle pieces. Having a 3DS at a geek con is the best! How had I not done this before?

    So aside from walking around with our gameboys in our hands, we spent the rest of the day hitting up parts of the cons we hadn’t seen yet. The biggest one of note was the miniature painting room, where we situated ourselves for over and hour.

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    I’m not particularly great at it or anything, but I really enjoy the hobby. And attending these painting sessions at cons is great, because everyone is so friendly – so you both end up meeting cool artsy people, and getting a lot of great tips from people who have been doing it much longer. I want to get better at this… especially faces. Man, faces are hard.

    We walked around the Expo Hall more and tested games/spun prize wheels/dabbled in a bit of pin trading before meeting up with some of our friends and deciding to try our hand at this complex game called Mansions of Madness. It was fun, if not a bit ambitious for a “quick game”. It took us well into the evening, where we ended the night with an inspiring crafting panel and then raced over to the best show we saw all weekend… the Late Night Dub Fight. It was a panel of improvisers dubbing over crazy old cartoons, and it was hilariously brilliant. I had such a great time.

    There’s one more day left, and I’m currently heading out the door to get there. PAX has been so much fun this year, and it’s crazy being at day 4 – a day that previously didn’t exist for our Seattle geek con. Here’s to another full afternoon of nerdy adventures!

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  2. Look #13: PAX Day Two!

    September 1, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Geek Events, Journal, Outfit of the Day by Kristina Horner

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    Day two of PAX was fantastic and amazing and exhausting – and to celebrate, I decided to go with a unicorn and space-cat theme. The dress is a simple LBD I picked up at Ross a few months ago, the necklace was a gift from a subscriber of mine, and the leggings were a purchase on day 1 of PAX from the We Love Fine booth.

    We spent a large portion of the day wandering the Expo Hall, mentally noting which booths to come back to for playing games and buying stuff. I did make one purchase yesterday (well, really a co-purchase with Liz) and that was a pack of eight Pokémon gym badges in the form of pins. I mentioned recently my introduction to the Disney pin-trading world – well, PAX introduced a new thing called “Pinny Arcade” this year and it’s been extremely difficult not to join in. Pins are so expensive! People have been losing their minds over it though, so I cracked and split this one set with Liz.

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    We attended a couple panels in the afternoon, grabbed lunch at Chipotle, and made our way over to the Magic The Gathering party. This party is exactly the opposite of what you’d imagine a MtG party to be like – with crazy lights, music, drinks and a booth that allows you to get your face printed on a Magic card. We ducked out of that party a bit early (armed with packs of cards) and stopped by another party (this one with free drink tickets) before creating our OWN party over at our friends Tara and Alexander’s place… where we proceeded to play MtG until we were too tired to remember turn order. Or when to keep our eyes open. As you can see below – this game didn’t go well for me.

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    Now I’m dating off to Day 3 (can you believe this con is only halfway over??) where I am determined to paint miniatures. It’ll happen today. I can feel it.

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  3. Look #12: PAX Day One!

    August 31, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Fashion/Beauty, Geek Events, Outfit of the Day by Kristina Horner

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    Yesterday was the first day of PAX PRIME and I couldn’t be more excited. On my first day I wandered the Expo Hall, signed up for raffles, purchased a few things from the We Love Fine booth that I’m sure you’ll see popping up in future Outfit of the Day posts, demo-ed games, stopped by a variety show at the Triple Door and ended the night with a hilarious nerdy improv show! It was an amazing first day – and although my feet already hurt, I can’t wait to get back down there and do it all again today.

    For the first day, I decided to go casual. I wore a super fun Adventure Time shirt I got from TeeFury a while back, and my brand new blue striped shorts from ModCloth. For the record, I got two compliments on those shorts from strangers, and one crazy bus lady who told me to “wear clothes over my underwear next time”. I’m going to say all press is good press on that one…?

    Lastly I threw on my old but reliable Steve Madden boots, grabbed my standard convention bag with the emoticon face on the side and strapped my PAX badges onto a My Little Pony lanyard. I felt awesome – and was never once uncomfortable. I plan to dress up for some of the other days, but shorts and a t-shirt was a solid choice for Day 1.

    How do you accessorize a plain t-shirt? I’m curious about your tips – because I usually struggle to find ways to make the embarrassing amount of nerdy tees I own work beyond night shirts. Let me know in the comments!

    Note: This post may contain affiliate or referral links.

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  4. PAX Prime 2013 Schedule!

    August 29, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Geek Events, Travel by Kristina Horner

    This weekend is PAX Prime here in Seattle, and I couldn’t be more excited. It’s our largest Geek Convention of the year here in Seattle, and I’m scrambling to figure out which panels and parties to go to, how much money I’m allowed to spend in the Expo Hall, and most importantly.. what to wear!!

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    PAX is one of those conventions where I’m never usually on any panels or working it, so I get to just wander and be a fan and enjoy myself. It’s relaxing, strangely, not locking myself into any large plans and just getting to meander freely amidst the hustle and bustle. Something about calmness in the middle of chaos. I don’t know.

    That being said; yesterday I poured over the schedule and picked out the events/panels/etc. that looked exciting that I am going to try to be at. I figured I would post it here for you in case you’re interested in any of the same things!

    Friday:
    Game Show Night: Jeopardy 8pm (Kraken Theatre)
    Improv Initiative Strikes Again 9:30 (Unicorn Theatre)

    Saturday:
    Everything We Know is Sexist: Now What? 10:30am (Wolfman Theatre)
    I Love You and Have Your Name Tattooed on My Leg: Brand Personalization vs. Advertisement  2pm (Pegasus Theatre)
    Turning Geek Passion into Profit 2:30pm (Serpent Theatre)
    You Game Like a Girl: Tales of Trolls & White Knights 7:30pm (Kraken Theatre)
    AppJunkies Live: The Worst Apps Ever Made! 10pm (Raven Theatre)

    And of course, the Magic the Gathering Hero’s Path Challenge/Party that evening at 7pm

    Sunday:
    PAX Prime Girls Meetup 10am (Diller Room, 1224 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101)
    Late Night Dub Fight 10pm (Serpent Theatre)

    Monday: 
    It’s Not Too Dangerous To Go Alone: Finding the Bravery to Do it Yourself 10am (Raven Theatre)
    Gender Diversity in Games: Where Are All the Believable Female Characters? 2pm (Pegasus Theatre)

    At some point (probably Sunday afternoon) Joe and I will be bringing a copy or two of Jetpack Unicorn to PAX to play with fans, if people are interested. Keep an eye on my Twitter/Facebook for details about that meet up! Also keep an eye out for my Outfit of the Day posts… I’ll be dressing my convention best all weekend and I can’t wait to share those outfits with you!

    I am so pumped for this weekend – are you attending PAX? If so, are there any cool panels or events that I am missing out on? Let me know in the comments!

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  5. Look #11: 25th Anniversary!

    ♥ Posted in: Journal, Outfit of the Day by Kristina Horner

    This past weekend, my parents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary! Back in the day (in 1988!) their wedding color was a light teal blue. So, they encouraged guests of their party to dress accordingly:

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    I wore a light blue vintage dress I got at Buffalo Exchange about a year ago, strappy silver sandals from Target and some fun summer jewelry.

    Funny story: I had to leave the set of Job Hunters on a huge shoot day to get to this party, which is why my hair ended up in fishtail braids. Spoilers… this is a Season 2 Avery hairdo. Our costume and makeup team also had a heyday dressing me for my party, even though that’s obviously not in their job description. Chunky blue circle earrings and fat white bracelet were courtesy of Markie the costumer, and Mallory our makeup girl removed my false eyelashes and “normalized” my makeup a bit before leaving. They did a fab job! I wish I had people to dress me every day!

    My family also looked adorable — and can we talk about how fantastic that cake is? My mom was positively glowing that day, and she totally deserved it. I am so happy and proud of my parents for achieving such an amazing milestone together, and I was so glad to celebrate the momentous occasion on a gorgeous day like the one we had. My family is the best. 🙂

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  6. Look #10: Bad Mood Outfit

    August 22, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Fashion/Beauty, Outfit of the Day by Kristina Horner

    You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t have an absolutely completely awful horrible head achey bad day every now and then. Wednesday (yesterday) was that day for me and superficial or no, sometimes the only cure for a bad mood of this calibre… is new clothes.

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    This outfit makes me happy for a number of reasons. First of all, pattern mixing. Floral print and polka dots are, in my opinion, among the most carefree styles of clothing one can wear, so the combination of the two instantly took my mood from “totally sour” to “slightly less irritable”. Not to mention someone on tumblr referred to these overalls as “coversomes”. Is that a phrase? If not, it needs to be. I love it.

    I also used the “pin your hair back in an attempt to hide the fact that you didn’t shower today” technique, which went off without a hitch. Sleeping in braids is the trick to this method, giving your hair a somewhat believable wave-like quality.

    Next was the “random bracelets from my dresser” combo, which was part accessory, part potential sacrifice if my day happened to get worse and I needed something to explode. The ricocheting of fake pearls in every direction in a moment of massive frustration is a nice backup plan to have tucked away in the back of your mind as you face your absolutely completely awful horrible head achey bad day.

    The last and most important element of my bad mood outfit was my Harry Potter sorting hat necklace. Because even on the worst of days, I know I’ve always got Harry to cheer me up. My necklace was a gift, but I just found this similar one on Amazon.

    What are your go-to strategies for your bad days? What silly items of clothing or games or TV shows can make you feel better even during the most stressful times? Let me know in the comments – maybe they’ll help me too.

     

    Update: As it is Thursday now, I feel I should let you all know that I am having a much better day, and the bracelets did not get exploded. They made it back to my jewelry box unscathed.

    Note: This post may contain affiliate or referral links.

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  7. Look #5: En Route to VidCon!

    July 31, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Geek Events, Outfit of the Day, Travel by Kristina Horner

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    Ah. The airport look. The look that screams “this was the heaviest stuff that didn’t fit in my suitcase, so I’m wearing all of it!” The one day of your trip that it’s not required to look fabulous, because you’ll likely change the second you arrive at your destination. Let’s break it down.

    I’m wearing:

    • The only pair of jeans I packed
    • The only sweater I packed
    • A watch, so I don’t have to keep pulling out my cell phone to make sure I haven’t missed my flight while browsing the airport bookstore
    • Boots, because they didn’t fit in my suitcase
    • Hair in braids, because it’s early and my hairdryer was already packed
    • Bright under eyeliner to mask the giant dark circles hiding underneath

    I’m currently sitting at my gate in SeaTac airport armed with a bagel breakfast sandwich, a bottle of water, and an eagerness for airplane naps I can’t even describe. VidCon is going to be a whirlwind of excitement, of friends, of parties, of events and laughter and memories – but right now, this 2 1/2 hour flight is beckoning me with a soft caress and promise of upright eye-resting, and that is the greatest thing I can imagine.

    It’s been a long week, and it’s only Wednesday.

    I can’t wait to see everyone this week! VIDCON, HERE I COME!

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  8. Look #4: Legally Blonde Opening Night!

    July 28, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Fashion/Beauty, Outfit of the Day by Kristina Horner

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    When your best friend is a choreographer, you see a lot of opening nights for various musicals. You also spend a lot of time getting your fingers crushed during big dance numbers, in anticipation that every lift, every turn, every step goes off without a hitch. This was the case on Saturday when I attended the opening for Legally Blonde, the kidstage performance that’s kept me from seeing Eia for most of the last month.

    The show was so much fun, though. If you’ve never gotten to see the musical version of Legally Blonde, you’re seriously missing out. It has all the cleverness and heart of the movie, but with show stopping dance numbers, hilarious songs and amazing sparkly costumes around every corner.

    My only regret about the whole experience is that I didn’t think to wear pink. Who am I?

    What I’m wearing:

    • Turquoise floral dress from Herberger’s
    • Medium brown cowboy boots from Forever21
    • Funky pink and cream satchel from Wholesale-Dress.net
    • Tortoiseshell sunglasses from Forever21
    • Unicorn necklace sent to me from a fan

    What’s your current favorite new musical? Let me know in the comments!

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  9. Look #2: Medieval Faire Maiden!

    July 24, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Geek Events, Outfit of the Day, Travel by Kristina Horner

    As promised, I’m going to break down this year’s Renaissance costume, explaining the different pieces, where they came from, and what they mean. I’ve been attending Faires since mid high school, and the beauty of assembling a costume like this is that over the years, you can add a bit here or alter a bit there – and after awhile you’ve really built something unique and wonderful. The idea of putting together a costume in one year is daunting and expensive, but you can easily put together starter pieces and then add on each time you visit another event.

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    This is my costume! I will start at the bottom and work my way up. So, on the bottom I have two complimentary skirts, both handmade. At the Faire these will run you about $50-70 each piece, but mine were handmade by myself, Liz and a friend a few nights before the Faire for more like $30, total. The bottom is a simple floor length purple skirt (Liz and I learned to hem this ourselves!) and the top is a neutral green skirt with three cinched sections to add texture and an interesting visual pattern to the design. Oh, and you can’t see this, but for shoes I am wearing basic brown boots.

    Next is my leather bodice. This is the one expensive piece of my costume, and I obtained it at the Faire last year from an extremely talented leather merchant. The bodice cost me $129, but as the central piece of this costume, it was a pretty worthwhile purchase. You can’t see this in the photo but the bodice laces in the back with a long leather cord and holds everything in nicely. The sparkly patterning on the front was what really sold me.

    Next is my simple leather belt, a necessity for any Renaissance costume. These generally cost anywhere from $30-50. From this belt hangs all of my “flair” – again, you can’t really see, but I have a leather satchel, a coin purse, a frog to hold a mug, a potion bottle, a magic wand, and a magnifying glass. In the back, not pictured, is a furry raccoon tail.

    Moving up, I have a simple off-white undershirt made for me years ago by my friend Liz’s mom. This is another staple of any Ren Faire costume – whether you use the blouse length style or a chamise, poofy sleeves are a must.

    And finally, the newest addition to my costume is the leather headpiece/tiara. I’ve spent many years looking for the perfect hat or head adornment, as I look terrible in both hats and snoods, but this year I finally found it. Sure it might have cost me $40, but for a piece I know I’l wear year after year, I’ll take it.

    Have you ever been to a Ren Faire? Do you dress up? If so, what’s your favorite costume piece?

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  10. Look #1: Mustaches & Miniskirts!

    ♥ Posted in: Fashion/Beauty, Geek Events, Outfit of the Day by Kristina Horner

    Hello, and welcome to my first “Look” post! I’ll be posting “Outfit of the Day” entries anytime I wear something particularly fancy, when I’m at important events, or when I go to costume or themed parties. This first post falls into that third category. Last night, my friends and I had a “mustaches and miniskirts” party as a sort of going-away soiree for our friend Kayley. Both mustaches and miniskirts were required of everyone in attendance.

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    We had a bit of a tough time convincing one of the boys to don his miniskirt, but most people were pretty on board with the whole idea. Especially Gale. We couldn’t get him to take his off (though this may have had something to do with the fact that his stand is much wider than the skirt in question)!

    Anyway, the mustache was obtained for free at the LeakyCon mustache world record event, the skirt was a thrift store find and the vest is Forever 21.

    What’s the craziest themed party you’ve ever been to?

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