Star Wars OOTD: A Pop of Rey

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What I Wore:

Rey Leggings: Think Geek
Tunic: Nordstrom Rack
Slingbacks: Payless
Jason Wu Clutch: Gifted
Choker: Hot Topic
Porgs: Funko
TLJ Novel: Target

I love these Rey Leggings by Think Geek not only because Rey is one of my favorite characters in Star Wars but because my husband Jason gave them to me as one of my Birthday gifts in January. He isn't one to shop for fashion pieces for me so I was very shocked upon receiving them!

These leggings are on-size-fits-all which, I know, sounds questionable. I was worried about the length since I'm just a couple inches over five feet but I found that wearing them like high-waisted jeans created a decent fit. They're actually very comfortable and I love the quality. The first day I wore them out a guy at Home Depot told me, "Those are the coolest leggings I've ever seen!". I'd have to agree. And guess what!? They're still available to purchase from the Think Geek website for $24.99.

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I just so happened to have a tunic that I got a couple of years ago from Nordstrom Rack that matched perfectly with the leggings. I love the bold color and feel it really brings attention to the Rey wording and Rebel symbol on the leggings. I decided to dress up this outfit with some slingbacks I've had forever from Payless, an adorable clutch by Jason Wu for Target that my friend Casee gave to me, and a Choker from Hot Topic because I rarely wear any other necklaces besides chokers these days. The thing I love about the tunic and leggings combo is that it's a look you can wear throughout the year and a combination that you can easily dress up or down. Plus, long flowy tops and leggings are extremely comfortable.

My two new little buddies, aka the cutest Porgs ever by Funko (from the Galactic Plushies line), joined me on my shoot and were fascinated by The Last Jedi novel by Jason Fry. Who else has read it or is currently reading it? That first chapter totally caught me off guard. What an incredible way to start things off! I'm still only 3 chapters in and not because I dislike it but because I find it difficult to sit down and read. If you have any tips, I am all ears!

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I hope you enjoyed this new Star Wars OOTD! As always, I will share "Outfit Outtakes" from time to time on my social media pages and exclusive photos on my Patreon page. Be on the look out!

Solo & Lando Itty Bittys

Update: 4/21

PopMinded, a pop culture collection by Hallmark, revealed on their Instagram account yesterday a photo featuring the new Itty Bitty characters from Solo including a new Lando plushie we haven't seen yet. As I reported below, both Han and Chewie are now available to purchase in stores. PopMinded also mentioned that Lando as well as Enfys Nest (no photo available) are online exclusives and should be on the Hallmark website very soon.

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On April 20th this Special Edition set of Itty Bittys including Han Solo and his fury friend Chewbacca will be released at Hallmark! The duo will be priced at $16.95. There is no word whether or not this will be an online exclusive like some of the plushies are or if it will also be available to purchase in stores. I have to tell you, Chewie in goggles is my new favorite thing. What do you think?

In other news, you might be interested in knowing that the Lando Calrissian Itty Bitty that I talked about in this Star Wars 2018 Itty Bitty post is now available on the Hallmark website for $6.95. You can order him online or have him shipped for free to your nearest store here.

Be sure to check out this list of Star Wars Itty Bittys coming out this year. I can't wait to add Queen Amidala to my collection!

Special thanks to Itty Bitty Corner and Megs Itty Bittys for the information and photos concerning the Solo plushies.

A Funko Force Friday

Although this time around Force Friday wasn't exactly official it was still the day most of the merchandise for the upcoming Solo movie was released. Retail stores didn't seem to have special marketing or as much product as they usually do which was disheartening but on the upside there will be a lot more merchandise that will gradually be released before and after the film debuts.

My list of Force Friday items consisted of Funko merchandise which will probably come as no surprise to you. I do, afterall, refer to myself as the Funko Queen. My first stop was BoxLunch where I picked up their Exclusive Flocked Chewbacca Funko Pop for $14.90 (common Pops are $10.90). There's just something about Chewie in goggles that I absolutely love! I also got Lando Calrissian because I can't resist his sense in fashion. That blue and yellow combo makes such a statement.

You didn't think I was done did you? Enfys Nest was a MUST buy for me. I actually think I'm more excited about this character than any others from the movie. As soon as promotional photos began to be released I was immediately drawn to the design of this character, especially the helmet! After finding out that Enfy is probably going to be female (there was a French trading card of the character which translated to "her") I became even more attached to this character because I've been longing to see more female baddies in Star Wars. And last but not least, I also picked up the Range Trooper. Because I'm a Trooper kind of girl and I'm stoked to see these guys in action.

My next stop was Hot Topic where I bought Funko Blind Bags/Boxes aka my ultimate weakness. I purchased two of the new Mystery Mini Blind Boxes ($7.90) and one of the Mystery Mini Bling Bag Plush Keychains ($5.90). I took a few minutes to feel the different weights of the individual boxes. I KNEW that one of them had to be Chewie because of the weight and lack of noise the box made when I shook it. I'm just that good I guess? Of course, I'm super happy with my Chewbacca (1/6 ratio) though I'm not as thrilled with my Dryden Vos. He is, however, very detailed and one of the more rare figures with a ratio of 1/36. If anyone is interested in trading, let me know! I'm on the hunt for Enfys Nest. As for the Plush Keychain, I pulled the Imperial Patrol Trooper (3/18 ratio). Yay! I would also really like to get Chewbacca and Lando.

I also went to the Disney Store but they only had two Solo items (a backpack and water bottle). Target still had some figures and LEGO sets left but I was actually looking for more Mystery Mini Boxes. They have exclusive characters (pictured above) that you can only get there but it seems that the stores haven't yet received them. They also weren't carrying the new Micro Force Series 3 Blind Bags which includes some characters from Solo. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for both of these items!

Funko did an awesome job with these figures, didn't they? For even more Solo collectibles from Funko check out their blog post here! And if you're interested in seeing even more photos from my Force Friday adventures be take a peek at my Instagram.

So, how did your Force Friday go? What did you purchase? Let me know in a comment below or send me a Tweet!

Star Wars ComLINKS: Favorite Forces of Destiny Season 2 Episode

Welcome to the twenty-eighth 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!

"Favorite Forces of Destiny Season 2 Episode" begins today through March 25th!

Forces of Destiny recently returned with 8 new and exciting episodes free to watch on the Disney YouTube Channel. Which episode was your favorite and why? Did you like discovering how Princess Leia came upon the Boushh disguise in Bounty Hunted? Or perhaps you enjoyed seeing the Porgs get into mischief while Rey was training on Ahch-To in Porg Problems. What is it about these shorts that you enjoy? Do you like how they fill in the gaps to the stories we already know and love? These are just a few prompts to help you get started.

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

One of the things I love most about the Forces of Destiny episodes is how beautifully they intersect with the stories from the films. I continually find myself amazed and completely delighted with this series written by the talented Jennifer Muro. I especially loved the second season which recently aired free to watch on the Disney YouTube Channel.

My favorite episode from Season 2 is Bounty Hunted which is set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. It is suggested that Chewbacca mentions Maz Kanata to Princess Leia as a means to help them rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt. R2-D2 accompanies them as Leia questions Chewie whether or not they can trust a friend of Han's for a matter such as this. After finding Maz, Leia is surprised and continues to be so after Maz shows great ethusiasm in seeing her boyfriend Chewie again. Interestingly enough, Chewbacca picks Maz up and makes a happy Wookiee growl returning his affection for her. I never would have expected that Chewbacca would favor Maz but I absolutely loved it! I think it's safe to say that this pairing is now official, am I right? Afterwards Maz tells Leia that Han has talked much about her and reassures Leia that a plan to save him from carbonite would present itself. We know that Maz is in some way connected with the Force and during this moment it's evident once again. I believe Maz knew what was about to take place. Sure enough, the four of them are suddenly being targeted by a Bounty Hunter in Boussh disguise. Together they use their unique abilities to defeat the Bounty Hunter! Leia then acquires the armor and weapons (Thermal Detonator anyone?) from the Bounty Hunter to use as a disguise to save Han. The episode ends on a super sweet note with Maz expressing to Chewie that she likes Leia and to tell Han she's a keeper. Don't worry, I won't judge you if you got a bit teary eyed.

Overall I think it was a fun and interesting episode to see just how Leia ended up with the Boushh disguise. It's fascinating to see small gaps throughout the films that are filled in by the Forces of Destiny episodes. Not that I or anyone else ever questioned exactly how Leia acquired the armor, but it's nice having a short side story like this one because it adds more depth to this important sequence in the film.

Now it's your turn. Which episode from Season 2 was your favorite and why?

Representation in Star Wars

*It has been brought to my attention that this post has offended many fans. This was supposed to be a positive post about Star Wars representing EVERYONE. People with different skin colors, hair colors, various cultural backgrounds, people with disabilities and mental illnesses, etc. It was also not my intention to make hair color seem more important than skin color. My intention was to not leave anyone out. I'm very sorry to those of you who I have offended.

I've always supported the idea of Star Wars representing more characters that the fans could relate to. When it was announced that the star of The Force Awakens would be led by a female I was shocked and obviously thrilled. I ended up feeling a very strong connection with Rey because of the anxieties that she went through (I wrote more about that here) and it was an overall surreal feeling to see a young woman featured so strongly in a franchise I absolutely love.

They surprised us again with Rogue One's Jyn Erso but there was a little less enthusiasm this time around from the fans. Why? Because the character was yet again a brunette. To be honest this didn't irk me like it did a lot of other people. I felt that because the fans were being so particular that they were missing out on the fact that another female was going to have the spotlight. At this point I knew that Kathleen Kennedy wanted to make change as far as including more females in significant roles as well as representing different ethnicities in the films. I believe that she has done tremendous work in making this happen since Disney acquired Lucasfilm. So in the back of my mind I didn't fret because I knew what her goals were. I also knew that realistically they needed to pick the right actor for the role even if that person happened to be another brunette.

But something happened recently after I went "blonde". I was thinking of the possibility of portraying one of the characters and as I went through the list of my favorites I realized that I now looked a lot less like them because of the color of my hair. Does it matter if I don't look exactly like a Star Wars character and want to resemble them in some way? Of course not. I've seen people with blonde hair dressed up as Leia, people with all different skin colors portraying Rey and they all look amazing! But the feeling that I experienced in not having a prominent female character from Star Wars that shared the same hair color as myself was very new for me because as a brunette I've always had that connection with the ladies of these movies. I couldn't help but feel upset for females who were actually born with blonde hair and experienced this, especially the younger generation of fans. Disney provides a wide range of animated classics that feature Princesses and other lead female characters with various hair, skin, and eye colors as well as different ethnicities and I believe that we'll continue to go in that direction with Star Wars. I believe it because The Force Awakens introduced us to General Hux aka as everyone's favorite red head. Rogue One blessed us with the infamous Asian duo, Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus. And don't forget Admiral Holdo and Rose Tico from The Last Jedi. Two characters with very different body types and shades of hair. The representation in Star Wars has grown immensely!

As silly or unexpected as it may sound, I think since dying my hair that representation in film has become even more important to me. There aren't many ways to describe the feeling when you discover a character in a franchise that you can relate to whether it's their outward appearance or a similar inner battle, a physical disability such as blindness or a mental illness like anxiety. Even stories of characters who are orphaned but find their path through life or characters who are ridiculed but never lose hope have a great impact on people, especially children. These characters encourage and inspire. And even though they're fictional they give us that little boost we need to make it through another day because they resemble real people in the world. They are characters we grow up with. They are some of our heroes.

With that said, I'm going to continue to celebrate all of the new characters in Star Wars (like those I mentioned above). I think this positive approach will make a greater impact and show the creators how much we love the diversity they're giving us rather than bashing on them for, as an example, the lack of a prominent female character who is blonde. I think when we do choose to speak up about representation that there's a better way of making our thoughts known rather than complaining or harassing members of Lucasfilm on Twitter. And remember, with all of the new films, TV shows and other upcoming content we're bound to see many more fascinating new and diverse characters! As Master Yoda would say, "Patience you must have, my young Padawan."

Smuggler's Bounty: Endor Unboxing

Yub Nub! If you're a fan of Endor and also really like cute things this month's Smuggler's Bounty box is for you! This time around I didn't know about any of the contents inside the box. Nope. Not even the Funko Pop (this one, by the way, is one of Jason's favorites!) I was very surprised by the exclusive items that were included and can't wait to use it all. Watch the video below and let me know in a comment below or in a Tweet if you also got this box and what your favorite item was!

Smuggler's Bounty, the only official Star Wars subscription box by Funko is $25 (not including taxes, shipping, and handling) and is delivered every other month. The next box will be sent out in May and is Solo themed. If you've never signed up before, you most definitely should!

Disclosure: This Smuggler's Bounty box was provided by Funko. All opinions are 100% our own.

Star Wars ComLINKS: Favorite Rebels Season 4 Scene

Welcome to the twenty-seventh 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!

"Favorite Scene from Rebels Season 4" begins today through March 28th!

The final episodes of Star Wars Rebels are upon us and though many fans are saddened that this series has come to an end I thought it would be fun to lighten the mood and celebrate the final season by talking about our favorite scene. Which scene surprised you? Made you emotional? Left you in a place where you just couldn't stop thinking about it? This is a tough one but I'm excited to see everyone's different answers and why you chose that specific scene from Season 4. Of course, these are just a few prompts to help you get started.

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

There are many scenes from Star Wars Rebels Season 4 that I truly love. From the short but endearing gesture when Chopper extends his tiny droid claw to Hera's hand to the jaw-dropping moment Ezra brings back Ahsoka. But it turns out that the one scene that tore at my heart the most is also the one that I can't stop thinking about.

In the episode Jedi Night just before the lives of the Ghost Crew change forever, Hera tells Kanan that she loves him and they share an emotional kiss. With this being the first episode of the return of the season I wasn't expecting anything momentous to happen and apparently I was oblivious to all of the signs within the episode hinting to Kanan's death. So when the explosion from the fuel post hit I exploded as well but in tears of disbelief and the sorrow I felt that Kanan didn't get to say it back to her. Or did he?

As Kanan protected his family from the roaring flames with his unmeasurable force powers Hera leaped towards him in an attempt to save him from the blaze that would engulf him once he let go. But he force pushed her back sending her into Ezra's embrace aboard the Imperial Patrol Transport. Kanan then turns slowly to face Hera and gains his sight back locking eyes with hers. The quiet moment they shared together on Lothal in The Occupation quickly ran through my head as the scene became slightly blurry from my misty eyes. Kanan had previously expressed that he wished he could see her and Hera responded with, "You could always see me." I felt that Kanan expressed his love for Hera not only by sacrificing himself to protect her and "the kids" but with his now bright eyes. In that very brief moment he looked so deeply into her eyes with such certainty and purpose that I'm sure she knew.

What a tragic but beautifully directed scene! Everything from the visuals to the score was a stunning experience one that I have gone back to several times and had the exact same emtoional response to. This moment was brutal for me because I have loved these two since the beginning of Rebels. They are one of my favorite couples in Star Wars and I can say with 100% certainty that they have the healthiest relationship out of all of them. They have always loved each other, even if they hadn't said it. They were a team. They talked things out. They respected each other and trusted their individual strengths and abilities when the time came to use them. Kanan knew they were in good hands when Hera piloted the Ghost through difficult circumstances and Hera believed in him when he had to make tough Jedi decisions. My heart was broken over the fact that they wouldn't be able to be with each other after expressing the words that made their relationship official. But little did I know that I would be brought some comfort in finding out in the series finale that their love would live on through Spectre 7 aka their son, Jacen Syndulla. I still can't believe it and find it so unbelievably sweet. Oh, and that Wolf symbol on Jacen's shoulder just about broke me all over again. What a love story!

What did you think about this scene? Are you also a Kanera fan? Let me know in a comment below or send me a Tweet!

Thanks to Star Wars Rebels Wikia and StarWars.net for the photos.

Bullying In The Star Wars Community

Throughout my many years of blogging I have witnessed several instances where youth are feeling hesitant to wear their Star Wars apparel to school because they're afraid of being bullied. If this sounds surprising to you, please know it's a very real issue that both boys and girls are facing today. No one at any age should be made fun of or feel ashamed for outwardly expressing themselves by wearing their favorite Star Wars clothing and accessories. I've seen tons of fans stand up to encourage these kids to be themselves because everyone is different and therefore they enjoy various things. But here's a question I have for you, is our Star Wars online community projecting this same message out there the way that we should be? I don't think so.

Within this online community I have been told that the gap between my two front teeth make me look ugly, that I shouldn't have recorded a Star Wars reaction video without any make-up on, that some of my closest friends can't be my actual friends because I only know them "online", that because my husband doesn't normally watch the new Star Wars trailers (to avoid spoilers) with me he's not a real fan and I should be with someone else. These are just some of the hurtful and ridiculous statements that have been made towards me. I don't want to focus too much on my negative experiences because with the anxiety I deal with it's easy to get wrapped up in them all over again if I think too much about it. I just want to remind you that behind those articles, podcasts, costumes, videos, and social media posts are real people and we are all going through something whether big or small even when we don't seem like we are and being bullied makes it worse. Think before you speak and contemplate before you write.

So many of us, including myself, are quite passionate about supporting the youngest generation of Star Wars fans by encouraging them to wear their Star Wars apparel to school no matter what anybody says and reassuring girls that Star Wars is for females too. However, I find it baffling that we send this positivity their way only to go right back to our negative ways amongst social media by making others feel bad for liking something we don't and questioning whether or not a female's love for Star Wars is real. This has gone too far! We need to start living out what we're preaching because one day those kids are going to be blogging about Star Wars or writing for StarWars.com, they'll be Podcasters, YouTubers, Cosplayers, etc. and if we let the online Star Wars community continue in the direction that it's going in they're going to be living their childhood struggles all over again. Yes, there will always be those bumps in the road because people are just mean but the least of those struggles should be in an online community that was once much more positive and exciting to be a part of. We're supposed to be a Star Wars family and there's no room for bullying in a family.

I consider myself the biggest Star Wars fan but I don't wholeheartedly love some of the movies in their entirety like Rogue One and The Last Jedi and that's ok. I can enjoy Star Wars however I want to and because I've developed a rather thick skin over the last seventeen years I don't let anyone tell me that I'm wrong or bully me over it though some still definitely try. In fact, I was recently told that by being a Reylo fan I am what is part of the problem with the Star Wars community. Though I quickly but gently responded I honestly felt slightly offended. You know what the REAL problem is? The fact that some people make up rules for Star Wars fans on what is ok and not ok to like and that if your particular preferences don't fall under their made up categories you're wrong and they're going to have issues with you. To be clear, this is what I'm hearing, "You should wear your Star Wars shirts to school no matter what anyone says but this is how you should be a fan." What a double standard! These kids look up to us and we need to be better. I choose to celebrate what I love about Star Wars and lift others up each and every day. I'm not saying I'm perfect. I'm sure I could do better on some days but this is what I ultimately strive for. If you think you're too far out in your negativity to start making adjustments, I think there's still hope for you. You can be the change this Star Wars community needs. Are you ready?

THESE ARE YOUR FIRST STEPS

1) Refrain from aggressively putting an element of Star Wars down in a conversation with a person who truly loves it. There are ways to have calm and respectable discussions about what two people like and dislike. Stop and listen. It can be interesting to learn about what makes that character or moment in Star Wars so special to that person. Agree to disagree if you must.

2) Don't question whether ANYONE is a "real fan" or not and let them fanboy or a fangirl the way that they want to.

3) When a new piece of Star Wars information or trailer for the next movie drops talk about the things you are interested in or are excited about rather than bashing what you dislike about it right off the bat. Don't let your first response be a negative one. Chances are if you're allowing yourself to respond negatively with a franchise you love you're probably doing this with other areas in your life too. Be positive!

4) Give people compliments when they reveal new Star Wars projects they've worked hard on or when they've acquired a new collectible they're excited about. "Liking" Tweets and Instagram posts are always nice but when was the last time you took a minute to leave a comment? Be a human, not a robot.

5) Stop acting like a bully and learn to stand up for others who are being bullied. I once went through something very unpleasant online and while I received countless private messages of support very few people chose to openly express their support on their own platforms. It wasn't that I expected it, I try to never expect anything, but through that experience I definitely felt like I was drowning.

Lastly, I do want to touch a little more on the issues of our youth.

If you're someone who has young ones in your life please never stop encouraging your kids to openly share their love of Star Wars. Tell them if they're too scared to wear their Star Wars shirt or backpack to school that they should just DO IT. Remind them that Luke Skywalker made a choice to become a Jedi even though he knew his Uncle wouldn't approve. It was a difficult journey but it was all worth it because it made him happy and he became one of the greatest Jedi! Rey was scared, for a very long time, but she finally decided to embrace who she was by choosing to let the Force guide her and by doing so she felt she had purpose. She felt alive! We have so many characters within the Star Wars universe to reference when having these discussions about being yourself with our youth. Even if you're not someone who is around children very often you can still make a difference. The next time you're out shopping or at the movie theater and you see a kid wearing a cool Star Wars shirt give them a compliment! It's little moments like these that give them that extra boost of confidence to continue to be themselves.

It also helps to use your own examples of trials you went through. And if you don't have one, there are many who would be willing to share. I actually had a moment of second guessing myself not too long ago.

As a thirty-two year old Star Wars fan I can tell you that I am always confident wearing anything from my wardrobe that is Star Wars related. However, when the "decorating your backpacks with buttons and pins trend" started a while back I was actually hesitant to do it. I LOVED the idea but I wondered if it was too much of a youthful look for a woman of my age. I already struggle with my outward appearance and age not exactly matching. I receive unwanted comments from complete strangers more often than you think. But then I realized how silly I sounded mostly because I am ALWAYS telling people to wear what they love. I knew that I liked this idea and had always wanted a creative way to display my favorite buttons and pins and so I did it. And you know what? Since day one I have received endless compliments on my backpack and collection of buttons and pins. They've sparked conversations with people that I have truly enjoyed and wouldn't have otherwise had. It makes me happy and I wanted to share this because whether you're a teenager, someone who is my age or even older I just want to tell you that I think it's very important to be yourself because you won't experience full happiness otherwise. It may be difficult in the beginning but I promise you it's always worth it!

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Starting today, please take action! Stop the bullying. Let people be themselves. Be kind. Be positive. Be a light.

What other steps can we take to make the community a happier place? I'd love to know your thoughts. Leave a comment below or send me a Tweet!

With all my love,
Jenmarie