Her Universe: Mission & Modesty

Today Her Universe turns seven years old. It's hard to believe it's been that long since Ashley Eckstein (pictured above), creator of the most well known geeky brand for fangirls and voice of Star Wars Rebels' Ahsoka Tano, started the company. Ashley has given females around the "universe" the chance to shine in clothing and accessories that speaks louder than your average Star Wars t-shirt. Not that there's anything wrong with Star Wars t-shirts by any means (I have tons of them!), but to be able to wear pieces that are made specifically for females in mind like skirts and tunics is such a wonderful feeling. Her Universe offers a wide selection of products that includes everything from the world of Marvel to a galaxy far, far away for females of all ages with styles perfect for every day wear to what I like to call "geek chic". If you've never heard of this geeky brand before, be sure to visit the website and get on the special sales in celebration of their achievements!

(Taken last week after a gentleman responded to my Captain Phasma shirt with, "It's good to see a young lady living on the Star Wars legacy.")

Every time I wear the Her Universe brand I feel so proud to be representing my passion not only for Star Wars but for a brand that is on a very purposeful mission. Their tagline, "Flaunt Your World", has always meant to me, "Wear what you love." It's truly so important to be yourself and it's so much fun to express it in your fashion. Even if you don't consider yourself to be a trendy person remember that you still shop for clothes and you still make choices when you get dressed everyday. You choose what to wear based on your color preferences, your favorite movie or even based on how you're feeling. If you're currently not wearing a certain trend because you're worried about what people will think or if you have a favorite fandom that you literally love so much but you're too afraid to sport it on a shirt, scarf, or hat I have two words for you: DON'T BE! Take a stand and don't waste anymore time not wearing what you feel like wearing and stop saving so many of your favorite pieces for a special occasion. Every day is a special occasion! Wear. What. You. Love.

(The "Visions of Ahsoka" t-shirt featured in my very first Star Wars OOTD post.)

In a world where everything is sexualized I'm able to continue to strive for modesty through the Her Universe brand and that is another reason this company means so much to me. I myself am somewhat of a trendy person. I like to try the new styles but if I don't particularly like something I'm not going to wear it just because it's what everyone else is wearing. I pick and choose the ones I love most and mix them in with my own personal style. Some of the trends these days include shorts that are so short your rear end hangs out or pieces that are completely transparent. I prefer edgy, feminine, and geek chic statements with a dash of drama that express who I am, make me feel good about myself and that will protect my body which belongs to myself and my husband only. This is solely based on my opinions which stem from my beliefs as a Christian woman. I do not judge anyone on how they choose to dress. You are your own person with your own convictions.

(Princess Leia hoodie featured in my post, Small but Fierce)
I would like to conclude this with a thank you to Ashley and everyone else who is a part of the Her Universe team. Thank you for being the most fantastic brand for females who have a geeky side. Your mission and your clothes are absolutely fabulous and I couldn't be more proud to represent the brand through my own pieces I have collected. Here's to many more years!

Stars Wars ComLINKS: Button & Pin Collection

Welcome to the twentieth Star Wars ComLINKS! This the very first monthly link up centered around a galaxy far, far away. The purpose of this link up is to inspire fans to write/talk about various topics (which are assigned each month) pertaining to our favorite fandom. Each link up will take place on the second Wednesday of every month. You will be able to share a link to your Website, Blog, YouTube, Podcast, etc. on a special widget here on AAHA and also view other posts from fans!

The Topic for June is "Button & Pin Collection" and begins today through June 28th!

Most Star Wars fans I come across own at least a handful of buttons and pins. Now's your time to show off your collection! How do you store or display them? Do you ever wear them out? If so, how? On your collar or bag? Which one is your favorite or holds the most meaning? These are just a few prompts to help you get started. Prepare your entry and make your way back to the homepage of AAHA on June 14th and add your link to the link-up!

GUIDELINES

1) Your Website, Blog, YouTube, Podcast, etc. does NOT have to be SW related.
2) Your entry must be family-friendly.
3) Please include a link to (or mention) "Star Wars ComLINKS" in your entry and don't forget to use the hashtag #starwarscomlinks when applicable!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Everything that I collect I go about collecting in the same way - If I love it ("liking" it doesn't count), I buy it. I think buttons and pins make for fun collectible items that are much more affordable than say, Sideshow figures (though I do have one of a certain Sith Lord). My oldest of these is probably the Jedi Training Academy button from when I first saw the show at Disneyland's Tomorrowland. Although I've never worn it, I used to have it on display when I was a teenager and only recently came upon it again. It's always exciting to rediscover a collectible item that has meaning. Some of my favorites include the Queen Amidala and Hera Syndulla buttons that Jerrod Maruyama made exclusively for Star Wars Celebration Anaheim. I couldn't attend and he knew how badly I wanted them so he kindly sent them to me along with extras I gave away here on the blog. This cutified version of Amidala and Hera are exactly the sort of thing my heart loves. I also treasure my Star Wars Celebration Anaheim Pin because of the memories it brings me back to.

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I like to display my pins in various ways. I have two memory boards in our kitchen that stick them on but for privacy purposes, I don't have a photo to share with you today. This is where I like to feature some of my favorites and occasionally I swap them out so each one gets some love. I'm just silly, I guess. I have the pins that I'm not using in a folder with special inserts made especially for pins that I got at the World of Disney a few years ago. These are perfect if you're an organizational freak like I am. Any extra buttons I have I like to keep in a small box.

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As for using and/or wearing my pins, I've recently started using them to decorate tote bags with. I love the character it adds to the bag and it makes me happy knowing I'm actually using them. They can be great conversation starters too! I've also worn them a couple times on a jacket or cardigan, which always looks good.

At some point I'd like to find a nice cork board so that I can display more of them along with the Disney buttons and pins I have. My thoughts are that if you're going to collect something, most or all of it should be out to enjoy. Am I right?

What does your collection look like? Join us and be part of this month's link up!

Special thanks to That Film Girl, Britt for editing these photos.

My "Cute" Jabba the Hutt Collection

My Jabba the Hutt collection happened without me even knowing it. Obviously I am addicted to chubby (aka "cute") things and sometimes just can't help but make purchases based on my adoration for such items. So really what happened was some of my favorite companies jumped on the bandwagon of creating cutified Jabba items after Funko released their Jabba the Hutt Pop in 2012 and I just bought most of it. Makes perfect sense, right? The funny thing is, I'm not the biggest fan of Jabba but I happen to love his good side regardless if that exists beyond my collection or not. In my world, he is mostly behaved.

The Jabba Funko Pop was my first Jabba figure that I picked up from Star Wars Celebration Anaheim. Prior to this item I had never seen the slimy crime lord depicted in such a way. The obsession was real.

My small (not currently available) and large Jabba Tsum Tsums were my second purchases. They are the best Jabba plushies I have seen yet! I remember buying the small one and coming home voicing my regrets not buying the large one. My husband told me I needed to go back and buy him and it's a good thing I did because he has become a major part of our living room (his throne is the top of our couch) and he continues to make many appearances on my social media accounts.

When Funko released the exclusive Jabba mug in the Jabba's Palace themed Smuggler's Bounty box I couldn't have been happier! To this day it's still one of my most favorite items out of all the boxes that have been released. I use it on a weekly basis!

Recently Funko released Star Wars MyMojis which are 1.5 inch vinyl figures featuring three variations of each character. I got lucky and picked the bag with the exact Jabba I wanted. THAT. FACE.

There's this awesome shop called My-D Pins in Anaheim near Disneyland that sells all kinds of collectibles. I was there last week and found the Jabba Tsum Tsum pin from the Star Wars Tsum Tsum Series 1 Mystery Pin Pack for $3.00! I like being able to pick out the pins I want rather than paying $27.99 for 5 mystery pins.

If you're a Jabba fan you might also like this post which includes several links to other merchandise featuring Jabba the Hutt's cuteness.

P.S. I apologize that some of these photos aren't up to par like they usually are. I was having some difficulties this week. You live and learn!

Star Wars Cosplay & Fashion at Star Wars Reads

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The free Star Wars Reads event held in Rancho Cucamonga, California at the beautiful outdoor mall Victoria Gardens celebrated ten years of galactic fun over Memorial Day weekend. This was my second time attending and I had so much fun seeing friends, meeting new people, and admiring all the talented cosplayers and Star Wars fashion. My favorite part of the day was the character parade. Members of the 501st Legion, Rebel Legion, Mandalorian Mercs, and the Saber Guild all participated in the perfect kickoff to the event!

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Everywhere I turned there was a smile in sight! It was heartwarming to see people of all ages participating whether they were helping run the event or enjoying the activities, photo ops, music and story times with their friends and family. Iconic Star Wars themes played throughout the day which really added to the mini con-like vibe while the incredible cosplays and unique Star Wars style made you feel like you were in a galaxy far, far away. I documented much of what I saw to share with you today though trust me when I tell you that there were so many more people dressed for the occasion than this!

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Vicki won the costume contest! She's so creative!


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I met my favorite droid!!!


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My lovely friend Liz from The Rogue Rebels!


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My awesome friend Kyle and his daughter Maddie aka the best Father/Daughter cosplayer duo there is!


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My sweet friends Danielle and her daughter Sloane!


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My rad friend Jared rocking his Chirrut shirt from SWCO!


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John makes an incredible Kanan Jarrus!


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See yourself here and would like credit? Don't hesitate to send me an email!

Star Wars OOTD: 80's Shoretrooper

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WHAT I WORE

Shoretrooper T-shirt: c/o Silk It 2 Me
Vigoss Jeans: Nordstrom Rack
Vest: American Eagle
Wristband: Smuggler's Bounty
Born Wedges: Nordstrom (Similar)
Choker: Handmade
Lipstick: "Winter Red" by Real Her

Silk It 2 Me is a fairly new brand owned by a fantastic geeky couple who wanted to see more pop culture tees on finer clothing. They take pride in using high quality materials and eco-friendly inks on all of their products. Their t-shirts range from sizes Small to 3XL with no price increase which is a rarity these days. You'll find several designs in their online store most of which are Star Wars related. No complaints there, right? Be sure to follow them on Instagram for all their latest updates and special giveaways!

Besides the fact that this is the best Shoretrooper t-shirt design I have seen, I am also absolutely in love with how soft and comfortable it is! I decided to style it with an 80's rock-inspired vibe that still meshes with today's fashion trends. I tucked the shirt into my jeans and layered a lightweight vest over it. The final touches included a Star Wars wristband that I just received from my Smuggler's Bounty Box (my favorite subscription box ever!), a choker I made myself (and by "made" I mean I cut some black ribbon and tied it around my neck), a pair of chunky black wedges and a dark red lip.

As you can see, this is a really simple style to achieve with room for adjustments depending on your taste. Layering is the trick to give any outfit a bit more character!

For more of my Star Wars OOTD posts, click here. Be on the look out for extra photos from this shoot on my Instagram and Twitter. There will be exclusives on my Patreon page as well!

Disclaimer: This post was a collaboration with Silk It 2 Me. All opinions are 100% my own.