How To: Fashionably Dress for a Convention

This is a question I get asked quite frequently, actually: If you're not cosplaying, how do you dress comfortably AND fashionably for a convention? After nearly 200 conventions under my belt, I've perfected it down to an art form - after a LOT of trial and error.  Here's the things I've learned!

Comfortable Shoes

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Comfortable shoes are the number one most important thing for walking a convention floor. Not only will you probably be walking from the shuttle stop/your hotel to the convention center, but you're going to be spending HOURS on your feet on oftentimes horribly uncomfortable concrete floors. As I am a serial "giant stompy heels" wearer, I sometimes don't take my own advice - and regret it terribly as I lose all feeling in my pinky toe for two weeks straight (yay nerve damage!). I usually save my heels wearing for the after parties or dinners, and stick to trendy yet comfortable shoes for the convention floor. I've found things with big soles really help absorb the pain of being on your feet for 8+ hours. 

Airy, Moveable Dresses

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My go to Convention uniform is usually a dress, comfortable shoes, and a cardigan or light jacket (not anything too heavy, so I can carry it in my bag if I get overheated). I'm not a pants wearer, but I also at times enjoy just a simple long tanktop with some geeky leggings. I like airy, comfortable clothes for geeking out all day in. Above are some of my favorite dress picks!

A Big Huge Bag

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A big huge bag that is comfortable to wear is absolutely CRUCIAL (further down I'll add a bonus checklist of the Convention bag essentials!). Not only do you need your "essentials", you also need something to throw all of the stuff you buy into. I prefer to just have one big bag that does all the work rather than carrying around a bunch from the Vendors (though We Love Fine DOES have the cutest bags ever). I like a big huge side sling purse as it's easily accessible, but a backpack with big straps is also a viable option.

ESSENTIALS

These are THE ESSENTIALS - make sure to always have these with you at a convention! Convention Center food is always ridiculously overpriced ($10 Nachos?! NO THANKS!) so I always carry snacks and water with me. Painkillers, deodorant, travel perfume, lipstick, and concealer also never leave my bag... and of course a camera, sharpies (for getting/giving autographs), and BUSINESS CARDS (cons are the best place to Network EVER!).

What about you guys? What are your convention essentials?

Website Review: Geeks Raising Geeks

I've been involved in the Geek World nearly my entire life, and I've been going to cons for six or seven years at this point (holy crow!!). One of the most charming trends I have seen is that... geeks are breeding!! The tiny ewoks and Batmans running around make my ovaries hurt, make me dream up a million costumes for tiny humans if I ever decide to procreate. It's painfully precious.

I'd never say that I'm necessarily a FAN of babies. My brother and I are close enough in age that I don't really remember him as a baby, and most of my friends haven't started having children yet. To be honest, children kind of freak me out. I'm not the kind of girl who sees babies and starts cooing... UNLESS THEY'RE IN COSTUME.

That's why I'm a huge advocate for this awesome website called Geeks Raising Geeks. As a geeky social advocate, it's so wonderful to see such a great resource for the parents, aunts, uncles and friends of young geeky children. They tackle so many great things on their website, from education to downright hilarious. I especially love how INCLUSIVE they are; for example they recently posted an article on how to raise a Football fan. What?! Way to crash all social misconceptions in one fell swoop, Geeks Raising Geeks!! Let's SEE those geeks raise jocks, YEAH!

And back to the topic of tiny cosplay... They are also running an AWESOME Halloween costume contest right now! Just submit your kid's/your family's Halloween outfits for a chance to win NEVERENDING GLORY... and a $50 credit for SuperHeroStuff.com. Check it out here!

I demand that all of you enter so I have more adorable tiny human cosplay to cry over. I must live vicariously through you, as there are no children in my life that I can throw in mini Skyrim armor!!

Seriously, check out this website. Support it, share it, love it. I actually genuinely believe that what they're doing is super great, and I know if I ever decide to have a non four legged child I'll be happy there's resources like this.

(This post was sponsored by GeeksRaisingGeeks.com, but I truly believe in this website! Full disclosure for you lovelies.)

Convention Style: Aki-con 2013

Galaxy Skirt: Romwe // Tanktop: Thrifted // Hat: H&M // Jacket: Love Culture // Boots: JustFab // Jewelry: eBay

Yet another backlogged convention style outfit post. This outfit is from my time at Aki-con a couple of weekends ago. Things are FINALLY kind of calming down in my life - next weekend I have a wedding to attend in Idaho (one of my dearest friends is getting married!) and the weekend after that I decided to run off to Austin for fun and sunshine and good food. However, now that things are calming down I'm feeling really... confused and anxious about my future.

I thought that Fangasm would open all of these doors for me. I suppose that was just wishful thinking on my part - Reality TV rarely gets Jersey Shore huge. I wouldn't take the experience back for the world, but I'm still working my soul sucking day job and now I don't know where I'm going from here. I'm sure I'll figure it out, but lately I've just felt anxious and uncertain!

I do know some things: I won't stop until I get what I want (ultimate goal: Have my own Geek-centric Sitcom!). I have been talking to Kristin about potential awesome things we are doing in the future. I am booking cons for 2014 appearances, so at least I'll be out and about signing autographs and saying hello to all of you. And... I'm trying really hard to move to Los Angeles, because I think that's where I need to be right now. But everything is just so uncertain, argh!

Enough bitching. I love this outfit: it's comfy and cute. I also may own too many galaxy printed things. I may have a problem. I JUST WANT TO BE THE COSMOS SO CARL SAGAN WILL LOVE ME.

PS: Like those ridiculous outtakes? I have a hard time taking most things seriously.

Convention Style: New York Comic-con

Skirt: Thrifted // Lace Top: Thrifted // Necklace: eBay // Boots: JustFab // Rings: Etsy

I've been sitting on this one for awhile! It's one of my outfits from New York Comic-con about a month ago. Life has been so insane that I've actually had posts sitting in my queue that I just haven't had time to put up, ahhh! But here it is, yay!

I know these are not the "typical" outfit pics, but it was hard to find time to take outfit pics during NYCC so I made (by "made" I mean "asked nicely") Kristin to snap some pics of me in our hotel room before I went out for the night. (This is the night I went to the Image party and met some truly extraordinary people and caught up with old friends, I didn't get home til 5am, it was a blast!)

Regina kept teasing me in this outfit, telling me I looked like I was going to go sing songs on the moors to sheep. I AM A SCOTTISH LASS, DAMMIT.