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Nerdy Ramblings

Putting Together A Mavis From Hotel Transylvania Costume

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I’m not going to let this *waves arms around* ruin my Halloween. I’m still going to dress up. I still decorated. Sure, it’s not the Halloween I wanted but it’s the Halloween I’m going to deal with. This year I’m going as Mavis from Hotel Transylvania. I’ve watched those movies probably 100 times since October started. Did you know that a 4th one is in the works? I can’t wait! They’re such fun and cute movies. Now, I did purchase my costume but most of the items needed to be upgraded. I would have been better off just putting it together myself but oh well. I’m going to show you guys how to come up with your own Mavis look!

Dress:

The dress is a simple black dress with a mock turtle neck and 3/4 length sleeves. I’m sure some of you might have something in your closet that works! If not, here are a few options.

The Drop Women’s Karen Short Sleeve Mock Neck Body Con Mini Dress: This will cost you about $28 on Amazon! But it’s the perfect style and look for Mavis.

Verdusa Women’s Mock Neck Short Sleeve Buttoned Ribbed A Line Skater Dress This one is between $24-$26. It’s a skater style instead of a more fitted dress.

Both of those dresses are on Amazon but if you can easily find similar dresses on resell sites like Poshmark or Depop. It’s a great way to help reduce the amount of waste out there and you can save a few bucks as well. Honestly, it’s such a simple dress you can find it anywhere.

Arm Warmers:

I wasn’t sure what else to call them but you know what I’m talking about. The pair that came with my costume were very small and just didn’t work. Here are a few fun options.

ToBeInStyle Women’s Mesh Sheer Fingerless Novelty Gloves: They work perfectly! These are the exact pair that I ordered and I am very pleased with them. They were $13.95 and fit much better than the picture on the listing.

Seeksmile Spider Web Lace Halloween Fingerless Gloves : These gloves have a fun spider web design similar to the gloves Mavis wears when she gets married. I think I saw gloves pretty close to these at Spirit Halloween as well.

Tights:

In every movie Mavis wears black and red tights! The pair that came with my costume fit OK but I knew I needed something a little bigger. Right now you can find them in person at Spirit Halloween and other Halloween pop up shops. You might even come across them maybe at Target or in other Halloween sections. Here are a few online options.

Leg Avenue Women’s Nylon Striped Tights: Around $8 on Amazon but this is the brand you’ll find pretty much everywhere.

ToBeInStyle Women’s Wide Horizontal Contrast Stripe Tights Opaque Hosiery: These are between $10-15 on Amazon. They have plus size listed as an option but be sure to read the reviews to see how accurate that is.

Shoes:

She keeps it simple with what’s basically red Converse. But you could use any red shoe really! I went on Poshmark and found a pair of red Converse to use. I was able to score a good deal because I didn’t feel like paying $50 for shoes. I almost bought a pair of red wedge sneakers on Amazon but they were obviously trying to be a weird Converse knock off and I felt weird about it.

Wigs:

Mavis has a pretty simple hair style. It’s basically black with a flip and some fun bangs. What wig you buy will really depend on your own skills. You could easily buy just a basic black wig from any cosplay store and cut/style the wig how you like. I’ll list a few of those along with some pre-styled Mavis wigs.

Black Curly Vampire Mavis Cosplay Wig: This is the wig I bought. It’s actually pretty good for $18 but I don’t think the bangs are accurate. But it does have the flip and works for now.

OneDor Women’s Short Black Straight Hair 50s Cosplay Flip Wigs with Flat Bangs: Not a Mavis promoted wig but it’s pretty easy to make work. It again has the flip and the bangs could easily be trimmed. In the reviews someone said they easily used it for Mavis.

Aura: This is a wig from Epic Cosplay but that could be styled to work for Mavis. It already has a small flip and would just need the bangs styled.

Now, if you already have black hair, or hair that can easily be styled but you don’t have bangs I have a simple solution for you! Clip in bangs. I thought about going with that option myself but my hair is a bit of a mess right now and stuck with the wig. But it’s a simple way to make your own natural hair work for you.

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See how simple it is! Sometimes she wears a cape and you can find those everywhere. If you want something accurate though, Spirit Halloween sells a Mavis cape online only. The same goes for fangs. It’s not something you “have” to do but you can find various types of fangs everywhere from Amazon to Halloween shops. Once conventions become a thing again I plan on wearing her to one. It’s such a comfortable costume and would be perfect for walking around all day. What are your plans for Halloween?

Have You Ever? Convention Edition

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I came across this blogging prompt on A Geek Girls’ Guide while catching up on my blog reading. I’m not going to lie, I miss conventions. If I had known the year was going to go the way it did, I probably would have attended C2E2 in Chicago. I’m pretty sure that was one of the last “bigger” conventions that was able to go on as planned. Hopefully later next year we might be able to get back to conventions, but I’m not holding my breath. Now onto the questions!

Have you ever been to a con?

Yes! I’ve been to a few conventions including C2E2, San Diego Comic Con, NYCC, and HeroesCon.

Have you ever traveled far to go to a con?

Since I live on the East Coast, I actually travel to a few conventions. The farthest is San Diego, a cross country flight. But I normally turn it into a bigger vacation. I love to travel though, so it’s not a big deal. I’d even like to attend a convention over seas once, or maybe up in Canada. Of course it does make attending conventions a little more expensive.

Have you ever attended the same con multiple times?

It’s pretty much all I do! I try to add a new convention every now and then but I have my favorites for sure. I’ve been to San Diego 5 or 6 times I think? C2E2 around 10? It all blurs together but I’m a creature of con habits.

Have you ever gone to a signing or photo op?

I’ve done both! These days I lean more towards photo ops. I just think it’s a little “cooler” to have a photo with a celeb and I’m less likely to loose that photo. I know I’ve lost or misplaced a few autographs. They are getting more expensive though so they don’t happen as often. I’m very curious to see how these things work when conventions start back up.

Have you ever cosplayed at a con?

Yup! I’ve only done it a few times, and normally just for one day of the con. I’m not someone that has a full schedule of costumes. I’ve done USO Hawkeye, Catwoman, Black Widow, and Elektra. I’d love to do more in the future!

Have you ever worked at a con?

I’ve never worked a booth but I’ve worked conventions as Press before. It’s a lot of work. You’re running back and forth to interviews, trying to figure out your own schedule on top of what you’ve been invited to cover. It was fun but I’m glad I don’t do it anymore. It became very stressful and took the fun out of conventions for me.

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I hope to see a few others take part in this! If you do, let me know in the comments so I can check out your post!

My “Lucifer” Poshmark & Depop Finds

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Every now and then I get an itch to try and find some screen accurate (SA) items from some of my favorite shows and movies. This time around it’s the show “Luficer.” In order to find out what items to look for I’ve been using Lucifer Style along with Worn On and Shop Your TV. I try to focus only on clothing I know I’ll wear like jackets or certain tops.

Sanctuary Camo Bomber Jacket: Chloe Decker // 3×5 // 4×08

Collage By: Lucifer Style

This was one of my first finds! It’s a jacket worn by Chloe Decker in a few different episodes. It’s actually really comfortable and I got it for just $25. The hardest part about shopping online via places like Poshmark is sizing. You can’t return items because of sizing/fit, so make sure you do your search on size charts. I’ve really lucked out and normally go with a larger size if available. It’s rather something be a little too big but wearable instead of too small.

Silence + Noise Stays On Tour Satin Bomber Jacket: Chloe Decker // 2×13

Another really fun jacket! Like I said, I’m trying to stick to things I know I’ll wear. It was hard to find this one in my size but it worked on in the end. Sometimes you just need to keep checking, sometimes on daily basis.

Zara (Basic) Crepe Bomber Jacket: Chloe Decker

When you search for this online, you’ll get a few of those “Hollywood Leather Jacket” sites. Ignore them. There is no reason to pay $150 for something like this when the original didn’t even cost that much. I paid $18 for this. It’s very light weight and will be great for Spring. Plus it’s black so it goes with everything.

Topshop Petite Lattice Stud Sweater: Mazikeen // 2×17

I had zero luck finding this on Poshmark, so I hopped over to Depop to see what I could find. I found one U.S. seller and while it was a size Small, I had to take the chance. This is my Holy Grail item. It fits OK but I went back to search again and found a few UK sellers. I lucked out finding someone who would ship to the U.S. and the larger size is on the way. If that one works out I’ll just sell the smaller size. Fingers crossed!

I’m keeping my eyes peeled for a few more items but that’s my little collection for now. It’s actually been fun to try and hunt pieces down. I’m very excited to see what the new season of “Lucifer” brings fashion wise. I’m sure I’ll see something that tickles my fancy. Anyone else out there looking for SA clothing? Let me know!

5 Fandom Friday: Favorite Book to Movie Adaptations

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I took a little break from 5 Fandom Friday but I couldn’t pass this one up! I can’t wait to see what everyone picks this week. There’s a lot of adaptations out there to pick from. Now let’s get to it!

1. Jurassic Park

This shouldn’t be a surprise at all. I love both the book and the movie. They really did a great job of bringing the story to life but making changes when needed. In my opinion, some of the best adaptations are when changes are made. It helps keep it fresh and exciting. Plus I spend less time comparing them mentally!

2. Silence of the Lambs

Again, no surprise here! I’ve read the book more times than I can count, and watched the movie more times than I can remember. Again, there are enough differences between the two that you might like one more than the other. I enjoy both for various reasons. I actually have a few different copies of both the book and the movie. Maybe I have a problem.

3. Misery

I actually didn’t read this book until recently and whoa boy. You think the movie is violent? You should read the book! I think it’s one of the better Stephen King adaptations. I think part of the reason for that is the story isn’t anything mystical or magical. It’s just a stalker who happens across her target.

4. The Martian

This book had me on the edge of my seat and actually in tears more than once. I still can’t believe how stressed out I was. I picked the book up before the movie came out and was really pleased with how they took it from page to screen. Again, changes were made but they worked and added to the story. The book had a lot of science (for obvious reasons) but the movie did a great job of making it more “user friendly.”

5. JAWS

It might be time for a JAWS re-read. It’s been awhile since I’ve read it but I watch the movie anytime it’s on TV. Plus I own a few different versions of it. There’s a lot of stuff in the book that didn’t make it into the film but I don’t think it affects it negatively. It’s a fine balance, especially when a book it on the larger size. You really have to pick and choose what will make the best story.

I feel like I’ve made this exact list before, probably for a Thursday Movie Picks list. But oh well. I like what I like and none of these choices should surprise anyone. I expect to see “Jurassic Park” on a few lists but I’m curious if any of the others will. I expect to see a few “Hunger Games” and “Harry Potter” picks! What are some of your favorite book to movie adaptations?

Adorable & Affordable Collectibles Available At Sideshow Collectibles

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That title is a little redundant but oh well. It rhymes in some odd way too? I don’t collect figures as much these days. I just don’t have the space and Hot Toys keep rising in price, as is expected. I do keep an eye out for smaller and more affordable figures though and here are just a few that I’ve come across!

Catwoman with Whip Cosbaby: $32

I love how adorable cosbabies are! They’re produced by Hot Toys as well which means it’s a reputable company and good quality. They can be a little hard to find though. I know Disney carries some of the Marvel figures and Sideshow offers them every now and then! The price is pretty reasonable as well. Personally I love this Catwoman and I’ve been adding more of her items to my collection. This might have to go on my list.

Catwoman Vinyl Collectible by Cryptozoic Entertainment: $29.99

I ordered this as soon as I saw it! I think the style is pretty fun and different. Plus you can’t beat the price. I mean $30? I just love the attitude that comes across in this little figure.

Iron Man: Avengers Endgame Mini by Iron Studios: $39

Iron Studios is another well known collectible company. I love that more and more companies are coming out with more affordable, plus smaller, options. Not everyone has the wallet or space for larger items. That shouldn’t mean they have to settle for toys from Target. Plus it’s a nice option if you have kids your life that you want to introduce to more “fancy” collectibles.

Black Widow Action Figure by Beast Kingdom: $80

I think I squealed when I first saw this. I mean, just how adorable is she? She’s one of the more higher priced items on this list but it’s still pretty affordable. She comes with some interchangeable parts which probably explains the price. The best part is I believe she’s actually in stock!

Captain America Action Figure by Beast Kingdom: $80

Another adorable figure from Beast Kingdom! Who can say not to a bearded Captain America? Just like Black Widow, Steve comes with some extra parts. He’s $80 as well but personally I’d pay anything for a bearded Steve Rogers.

Black Panther Designer Collectible Toy by Unruly Industries™: $90

This is the last one for today and I have to say, maybe the cutest. I love this take on Black Panther! I think it’s really fun and different. It’s a little higher in price but it looks worth it to me. The line features other characters as well like Wolverine and Peter Parker.

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That’s it for now! I might do another post like this in a few months, or if I see anything new pop up for purchase. The collectible world can be a little overwhelming, and feel pricey, but it doesn’t have to be! There really is something for everyone these days.

Well, Guess I Won’t Be Going To San Diego Comic-Con After All

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If you missed the news, CCI announced on Friday that for the first time in 50 years, San Diego Comic-Con is cancelled.

For the first time in its 50-year history San Diego Comic Convention (SDCC), the organizers behind the annual pop culture celebration, announced today with deep regret that there will be no Comic-Con in 2020. The event will instead return to the San Diego Convention Center from July 22-25, 2021.

Recognizing that countless attendees save and plan for its conventions each year, and how many exhibitors and stakeholders rely upon its events for a major portion of their livelihood, they had hoped to delay this decision in anticipation that COVID-19 concerns might lessen by summer. Continuous monitoring of health advisories and recent statements by the Governor of California have made it clear that it would not be safe to move forward with plans for this year.

I’m not surprised at all. I think all of us who had plans to attend knew this was coming, it was just a matter of time. They had yet to put hotels on sale (minus Early Bird), guest announcements stalled, and I imagine that they started to receive requests for refunds. Those of us who had badges were worried about how everything would be handled though. Thankfully, we have the option of rolling over our badges to next year. I think that’s the road I’m going to take. Maybe if I had a day or two it would be different but I’m not going to give up Preview Night and 4 Day badges. I’d much rather hold onto them and try and make next year work than be 100% out. I have a lot going on next year but if I try hard enough I can make SDCC happen. As far as our condo goes, we were able to get a full refund which was really great. The owner we were working with was just really fantastic through this entire thing. She reached out a few times to see how we were doing and issued our refund the same day. If my group knew all of us were going to be able to attend next year, we might have tried to keep the place but at least two of us are out and there’s no way we could swing the extra money per person. That means back to the drawing board!

I’m not going to lie, it still stings to have to cancel reservations and flights. Again, I 100% understand and agree but to have something you’ve been planning for a year just taken away still hurts. No Disney. No Queen Mary. No hanging out with my friends. But I’m glad the cloud that was SDCC is now cleared away. The waiting was the hardest part, especially seeing how CCI isn’t always the best with communication.

Here’s to hopefully seeing everyone next year! Please stay safe out there and wash your hands!