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Closet Cosplay: Pretty Little Liars & Shadowhunters Crossover

This Tuesday is an ultra exciting day on television. We will be graced with the mid-season premiere of Pretty Little Liars – with the intriguing #5YearsForward jump – and the series premiere of Shadowhunters, the new series based on Cassandra Clare’s book series The Mortal Instruments. Obviously we are obsessed with both of these fandoms and as the good fangirls we are, we’re dedicating an entire week to discussing these thrilling television debuts. Welcome to PLL/Shadowhunters Week on My Fangirl Life!

In the lead up to all the excitement, perhaps you’d like to spend tomorrow (or really any day) dressed like your favourite characters from these shows. Don’t worry – we’re here to help with all the fashion inspiration you need. While trying to decide whether we should pull together a PLL Closet Cosplay or a Shadowhunters one for this post, we discovered just how easy it is to transfer from one to the other. So today the My Fangirl Life team is here to share with you tips on how to change your outfit from Liar to Shadowhunter in only 3 steps. Read on for Closet Cosplay: Pretty Little Liars & Shadowhunters Crossover!

If you’re still not up with the game and don’t know what Closet Cosplay is, I am happy to be the one to teach you, because it is magical. As Kris wrote in her very first Closet Cosplay post:

Closet cosplay is the act of dressing like your favorite fandom character in your everyday life… The key to Closet Cosplay is that you use your bountiful creativity & fashion skills to take a costume & turn it into a date night or work or casual outfit.

The best parts about Closet Cosplay is that you create these outfits with clothing and accessories you already own, and you interpret the character in your own style.

Now that you’re all caught up on what we’re doing today, let’s get on with the point of the post! Kris, Justine, and I got together to create outfits for each of us inspired by characters from both of this weeks feature series. Read on to see how we did it.

KG as Aria Montgomery

Aria likes to mix patterns and textures, and to add varied accessories to create an eclectic look. We have some style elements in common, though she does tend to be a little more “out there” at times than even I am. Her style is a mix of girly pieces and edgy details, so I put on a heart-covered cardigan, a leather skirt with a casual shirt tucked in, and patterned fishnet stockings. The outfit is finished with a sparkly camera necklace, to commemorate Aria’s love for photography.

Justine as Spencer Hastings

Spencer is the preppy Liar, just as Justine is the preppy member of our group, so this was an easy choice. Justine donned a pretty black dress and a black blazer, added a gold collar necklace, a gold wrapped bracelet, and preppy black shoes. We captured her running out the door with her laptop in hand!

Kris as A

When we dug into Kris’s closet, we realized that she doesn’t really dress like any of the actual Liars, but that her wardrobe is easily reminiscent of A…. so we decided to take this spin on it. She put on some black leggings, a black sweater, and an oversized leather jacket with the hood up (obvi) and some awesome black chelsea boots. She then skulked outside a window… instant A!

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, we’re showing you Closet Cosplay outfits that can be switched from Liar to Shadowhunter in 3 easy steps each. I’ve outlined how we made the change below!

KG as Clary Fray

To make the switch to Clary, I took off the cardigan, switched my necklace to one reminiscent of Shadowhunter runes, and untucked and tied the shirt. This resulted in a casual street-style Shadowhunter outfit… you know, for when Clary needs to move unnoticed through the actual world.

Justine as Isabelle Lightwood

To turn from Spencer into Isabelle, Justine shed her blazer and collared necklace, spread out the gold wrapped bracelet (which, SURPRISE! is actually a snake!) to bring a whip to mind, and switched into her best Shadowhunter combat boots. In this she’d be ready for battle but able to easily mix into any mundane crowd.

Kris as Alec Lightwood

The switch from A to Alec was actually pretty simple. Kris pulled down her hood, took off the jacket, and grabbed a bow (ok… so maybe that was only like 2 steps, but we were trying to make it fit with the post criteria…). Convincing Shadowhunter though, right?

As you can see, these two shows have some style inspiration in common! What do you think of our outfits? Let us know if you try out a PLL or Shadowhunters inspired Closet Cosplay… or if you find another way to go from one to the other. We’d love to see what you come up with!

Cheers,

January 11, 2016 0 comment

Closet Cosplay Doctor Who Fashion & Beauty TV

The Definitive Ranking of Clara Oswald’s Outfits from Series 9

written by Justine Alyssa

This past weekend was the season finale of Series 9 of Doctor Who… Tear. The main thing to come from this is that Clara Oswald is gone. More tears.

But there’s one thing for sure. She definitely went out with style. Like literal style, I am in love with her clothes. A little while ago I did a Definitive Ranking of ALL of Clara Oswald’s Outfits. Today I’m going to rank her outfits from Series 9. This season there were a lot of the similar basics we’ve grown accustomed to, except she was also wearing pants a lot of the time. Weird! Making this list was a little trickier than the previous one, for starters, I don’t have any of these items (yet!) and haven’t cosplayed Clara from Series 9.

Read on for the Definitive Ranking of Clara Oswald’s Outfits from Series 9!

8. The Girl Who Died

This outfit started with a jean shirt which was excellent. I have a jean shirt myself, but then there were some added Viking layers and I grew less fond of the outfit. The colours are fun and it’s a great outfit for running around with Vikings, but it’s just not really my style. Therefore it gets the spot at the bottom of this list.

7. The Magician’s Apprentice/The Witch’s Familiar

I like a lot of things about this outfit. I like the boots and the jacket. I like the grey sweater and I like the pattern of the dress. Together though I’m less of a fan. I don’t think this is the most flattering outfit for Clara. The skirt is too long for someone so tiny and the sweater over-top makes her look larger than she actually is. But as I still love the individual items it doesn’t get the bottom spot.

6. Sleep No More

Here is the return of classic Clara. This is a very typical outfit for her. I like the added pop of colour in the skirt and the simple black top. The sweater and skirt are nice and they pair really well together but overall this one isn’t very memorable. Just a nice cute outfit.

5. The Woman Who Lived

We only see Clara very briefly in this episode but when she come running in at the end she looks fabulous. I want a black sweater similar to this with a little white ruffle around the collar. This and the grey skirt she wears it with makes a perfect outfit. And it’s an outfit I would definitely wear in my everyday life.

4. Hell Bent

This little blue and white waitress outfit is just perfect. It’s so cute. It’s a perfect Clara take on a style we haven’t seen her in. I could probably sew this one if I wanted. If only I had a 12 to cosplay with!

3. The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion

I love so much about Clara’s look here. The black jacket gives her a cool and professional, but also sinister look. I no longer have a black trench coat like this, but just looking at this makes me want one. She looks so classy. It’s great for an episode where we never really knew if she was good or bad.

2. Under the Lake/Before the Flood

I think this is Clara’s most adorable outfit of the season. It’s just so cute! I almost want it, but then I don’t think it’s something I would ever actually wear. But it works really well for her. It’s different, very British and so in her style. I also love the yellow and blue. I’ve started wearing more yellow as well, such an excellent colour!

1. Face the Raven

I’m a big fan of this look. Clara’s sweater is gorgeous. I love the grey and added white. I have a grey dress with a white collar that is very similar to this sweater. It’s definitely the closest thing I have to a Clara outfit from this season. And the funny thing is that I owned it long before the first photos from this episode came out.

Overall I don’t think there’s anything from this series that I’d put in the Top 5 of my previous ranking. The last few might make the Top 10, but by that point there are just so many fabulous outfits to rank!

I’m happy there are only a few weeks now until the Christmas special. I’m excited for the return of River, but I’m really gonna miss Clara.

Thanks for reading! What’s your favourite Clara Oswald outfit? Let me know in the comments.
– Justine Alyssa

December 10, 2015 0 comment

Closet Cosplay Disney Fashion & Beauty Harry Potter High Five Legend of Zelda

October High Five: Easy Halloween Costumes

written by Kristin Glass

Are you still looking for that perfect-yet-easy Halloween costume? Whether you’re reading this post right after it went up and still have a couple weeks, or if you found this during your time of need the night before Halloween, I hope that I can help you to figure out a costume that is easy, affordable, and fun. In the past year or so, I have discovered the secret to easy Halloween costumes, and I’m here to share it with you today in this month’s installment in our High Five series. Read on for my list of 5 easy Halloween costumes that you can probably make from your own closet.

The answer to all of your problems is Closet Cosplay. For those of you who don’t know what this is, you can check out our post on it here, but I’ll give you the description in a nutshell. Closet Cosplay (also known as Disneybound or Everyday Cosplay) is all about dressing in outfits inspired by your favourite characters using clothes that you already own. You’ll see some examples below that will help you out. Basically you often end up looking like modern-day, fashionable versions of your character, which is a fun twist!

My favourite part about this is finding outfits that fit in with my personal style (I like to call mine Hipster Folk Princess). Each of the members of the My Fangirl Life team makes pretty distinct fashion choices all the time and this carries over into our everyday cosplay habits – for example, Kris usually ends up looking like a grungy hipster in every outfit she does, but she still always looks like the character. I imagine that if we each tried to do a Closet Cosplay for the same character, they would end up being very different.

For Halloween purposes, I recommend that you choose extremely recognizable characters and maybe go a little overboard with the details. Sometimes in everyday life I try to tone down how obvious my inspiration is, or pick a character that isn’t that well-known, but for Halloween you want everyone to get your costume.

So here we go, 5 costume ideas that you can probably already make from your own closet, or at the very least through a cheap trip to the mall.

1 – Modern Disney Princesses

There are so many possibilities for this one. Even if you’re not one to wear stereotypical “princess” colours, I can almost guarantee you that you will be able to find an outfit from one of the princesses that you can channel. Merida wears green. Belle is always sporting either blue or yellow. It doesn’t have to be pink or purple. I mean, none of them really wear much black but other than that I’m sure you can make it work! Focus on details that bring across your character.

In the Rapunzel photo below you can see that the colours I wore were so Rapunzel, but I added lots of flowers in my hair and a frying pan necklace.

We’ve done so many other Disney princesses too. Here’s a list with links in case you want to see any of them: Snow White, Merida, Elsa (Blue Dress, Coronation, and Blue Dress again), Anna, Ariel, and if you want to mix it up a bit with femme Princes, Eric and Hans.

2 – Link or Peter Pan

If you’ve got a lot of green in your wardrobe, you might be able to pull off either Peter Pan or Link from Legend of Zelda. Which one will depend on what types of clothes you have available to you, but Kris has broken down all the differences in her recent post Closet Cosplay: Link vs Peter Pan. Check it out for some handy tips on this one!

3 – Wonderland Characters

The fun part about Wonderland is that there are so many characters with lots of different colours, so I think almost anyone should be able to find one that works with their wardrobe. Of course, the most recognizable of all is Alice, which I wore below.

Our blog team wore a selection of Closet Cosplay outfits when we were in Disney World in February, and this one was one of my personal favourites. You can also check out our post We’re Disney Bound in Disneybound: Wonderland Edition for ideas for the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts.

4 – Hogwarts Students

For this one, we’re not talking wizard robes or anything like that. In the photo below, Justine is dressed in a distinctly Hufflepuff-coloured outfit that looks fit to be a school uniform. Her wand is a nice little accessory (it’s Cedric Diggory’s) which you may need for this option, but there are tons of DIY tutorials online on making wands, or you can purchase one at most nerd stores. What self-respecting geek doesn’t want to own a wand anyway?

So pick your favourite Hogwarts house (or wizard school) and get started, Deathly Hallows necklace optional. If you want to see ideas for being a Slytherin student or a Beauxbatons student (I don’t belong to a Hogwarts House), check out our post Off to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Disneybound Style. There are some other ideas in the post too, including a Death Eater, Hedwig, and Yule Ball Hermione!

5 – Post-Apocalyptic Survivors

This one is a little less Closet Cosplay and a little closer to actual cosplay. That being said, these clothes actually did come out of Kris’s closet. Though her outfit wasn’t inspired by any specific character, it was inspired by a situation: life as an Apocalypse Survivor. There is so much you can do with this idea with a bit of creativity! At the bare minimum all you need are some ripped or distressed clothes, perhaps some leather, a cool weapon like a bow or crowbar, and a badass expression on your face that conveys your zombie-killing expertise.

For more ideas on this theme, check out the gallery from the shoot that Kris attended in her post My Fangirl Life Cosplay: Post-Apocalyptic Photo Shoot.

Photographer: Cassandra Von – Model: Kris of My Fangirl Life

The possibilities with Closet Cosplay really are endless. We’ve also put together a bunch of outfits before that don’t really fit in anywhere, so I thought I would link them here in case one of them sparks your interest: Pinkie Pie, Aristocats, The Avengers (Iron Man, Hawkeye, and Loki), Nancy Drew, Clara Oswin Oswald, Members of One Direction, and Disney Villains (Jafar, Cruella, and Ursula). You can also click the banner at the bottom of this page to see a list of posts on everything we’ve done, or just pick a character and come up with your own!

I hope that you find this month’s High Five – AKA list of five random things that we want to talk about – helpful with your Halloween planning. Let us know in the comments or on Twitter at @Fangirls_Online if you do any cool Closet Cosplay costumes! We’d love to see what you come up with.

Cheers,

October 21, 2015 0 comment

Closet Cosplay Disney Fashion & Beauty Legend of Zelda

Closet Cosplay: Link vs Peter Pan

written by Kris Padget

Have you ever wanted to be a daring adventurer? One who is light-hearted and can make a game out everything? Who will daringly face off against those who are older, more experienced, and better armed because you are just that darn confident in your abilities? I am, of course, referring to young Peter Pan.

Or how about a different kind of adventurer? One who traverses fields, mountains and forests? Who would be willing to leave your home & everything you knew just to save a captured princess? No, I am no lamenting about being Mario… I mean Link, Hero of Hyrule & Savior to Princess Zelda.

I have a secret for you: you can be that adventurer in your everyday life… you just have to pick the right outfit! In honour of today’s release of Pan, let’s analyze:

The biggest hurtle when trying to closet cosplay Link is not appearing to be dressed as Peter Pan. I’m not dissing Peter Pan; I adore the story of the Darling children and their dashing hero. Something about a boy who never wants to grow up really resonates with me. However his outfit is overwhelmingly green & iconic-ly recognizable. This is a plus if you are Disneybounding for a day at one of Walt’s many fine theme parks, but will be the end of you if you’re going for subtlety… or if you are actually attempting to be the hero of Hyrule, rather than Neverland. A Peter Pan “costume” will rarely be mistaken for Link, although if you are surrounded by a group of Disney-hating gamers it is possible (that being said, I doubt hard-core Disney-haters play Zelda… the two fandoms share the same sense of whimsy).

Basically trying to be either one without being mistaken for the other is a logistical nightmare… but never fear for Kris is here! To avoid this trap I have compiled a quick comparison of Peter & Link’s costumes and made sure to point out the best ways to distinguish yourself as the appropriate savior.

The Green Tunic

Both Link & Peter wear one. It’s the key to either outfit. But how can you use the Green Tunic to distiguish which you are trying to Closet Cosplay? Look at shape and texture. Peter’s is light (like it might flow a bit in the breeze) with petal-cut edging on the bottom & sleeves. Link’s, on the other hand, looks heavy (like it might protect you from a dull weapon) with structured tailoring. When picking an outfit, pay special attention to the fabrics. Peter Pan lives in a tree in Neverland; he probably fashioned together his ensemble from things found in the forest. Embrace this with floaty materials, such as chiffon, silk or even a simple, smooth cotton. Link lives in Hyrule where he is constantly questing. He would probably get his tunic tailor-made with only the most durable of materials. You should choose fabrics that are heavier or textured.

Another distinguishing factor is that Link will sometimes wear things under his tunic. If you are taking advantage of this layering (either by putting a long-sleeved tee under your tunic or a sweater over your shirt) try to stick to brown, beige or white. Green will just look like an extension of your top & will probably seem more Peter than Link.

To Tight or Not To Tight… that is the Question.

Peter Pan is a man in tights. There’s nothing wrong with that; I’m just stating a fact. Link’s bottoms are debatable. Sometimes it appears he’s wearing white leggings, other times khaki pants, and occasionally he looks nude under his green “dress”. My advice is to use this key difference. If you are being Peter, always do Green-on-Green. They can be different shades (his are), but the combination of a green shirt & pants/skirt will emulate how Peter sports all-green all-the-time. To be Link, match your green dress with white tights or your army green shirt with khaki slacks. This will ensure you are identifiable as Zelda’s beau.

Accessories

Some accessories must be classic because there is no other way to explain why Link & Peter have made all of the same choices when completing their looks:

Hats – Both boys sport a green hat. Peter’s is a small green cap, while Link’s is long pointy elf hat. I doubt you are going to wear either in real life. Instead rock a green fedora for Peter or beanie for a more hipster version of either. The most important thing to remember s that Peter’s cap has a little red feather in it. Use this.
Shoes – Brown is the color of choice here. Peter, again, goes light with slipper-like fairy shoes. Try ankle boots, mocassins or Toms. Link is still being a hardcore with intense boots meant for long walks through fields, forests, and mountains. Try combat or riding boots.
Belts – We all know Link carries around about a million different things at all times (sword, shield, bow, claw shots, slingshot, bags of bombs, a giant wallet… and the list goes on…). His belt is appropriate for supporting all of these essential items. It is thick and heavy. Peter’s is thin, more like a cord tied around his waist.
Weapons – Peter carries a dagger while Link has a sword & shield. I don’t recommend carrying around either in public.
Fairies – The similarities continue when you consider that both Link & Peter are usually accompanied by a fairy. Navi is just a round (& annoying) ball of light, while Tinkerbell is a (vixen of a) humanoid girl. If you are picking accessories featuring a fairy this can be a helpful distinction.

Your accessories can play a big part in clarifying your character. Throw in an ‘obvious’ Zelda call-out to make your intension clear. I love triforces hidden in jewelry, etc. because if you get it you get it… if you don’t it’s just a pretty triangle design. Or maybe you have a Master Sword necklace, like KG. For Peter Pan, there are some items that hint towards his story: a thimble, an acorn, a ship or lost boy imaging.

peter-pan-versus-link-zelda-closet-cosplay

My Closet Cosplays always end up looking like hipster versions of any character.

Geez, now that I’ve broken it down, these outfits don’t seem the same at all. And I know you will have no problem making sure all of your Disneybound friends know exactly who you are channelling the spirit of. If you are sporting a Peter Pan or Link look be sure to share it with us on Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr.

Love & Luck,
Kris

Image Source: Peter – Link – Feature Image

October 9, 2015 0 comment

Closet Cosplay Doctor Who Fashion & Beauty TV

The Definitive Ranking of ALL of Clara Oswald’s Outfits

written by Justine Alyssa

I have admired Clara’s sense of style since from the very beginning. Not only has Ms. Oswald become one of my style icons, but so has Jenna Coleman. There were some major fangirl moments at Edmonton Expo a few weeks ago when I got to meet her ?￰ﾟﾘﾄ?

We talk a lot about fashion here on My Fangirl Life. Both Kris and KG have outlined their styles in detailed posts. While I haven’t got around to mine, I think this is a bit of a preview. In the past couple of years I have worked towards dressing more like Clara/Jenna. I love the collars and short skirts. I love the black tights and short heeled boots. I love all the red.

It’s well known by now that I like to cosplay Clara. She was my first ?. Since then I’ve accumulated a number of screen accurate and alternate versions of her outfits. I’ve also sewn myself a Victorian dress.

In honor of my style icon, and because I just met her, here’s the Definitive Ranking of ALL Clara Oswald’s Outfits from Season 7.5 and 8. I realize Season 9 is currently airing but I’ll save my ranking of her Season 9 outfits for a later day.

28. Last Christmas

The outfit from the most recent Christmas special finds itself at the bottom of the list. It’s just a nightgown and a housecoat. Nothing special. But a pretty decent outfit for a trip to the North Pole.

27. In the Forest of the Night

I just don’t think this outfit works. The shirt is boring and doesn’t seem to be in her style. The backpack is cute but the yellow sweater around her waist seems a little childish. I guess it works when you’re a teacher, dressing casual for an overnight school trip, but for running with The Doctor, not so much.

26. The Crimson Horror

In creating this list it was often difficult to slot the Victorian/Medieval dresses in with more modern styles. The dress we see in “The Crimson Horror” is beautiful, but it’s definitely the least beautiful of all the Victorian dresses Clara wears. The choice of fabric and colour just aren’t the most flattering on her.

25. The Rings of Akhaten

This is the first in a number of dress and jacket outfits that we see from Clara. I think at the beginning they were still trying to figure out what her style would be and ended up stuck in a cute-but-simple rut for awhile. The dress is collared, which is a step in the right direction, but there’s nothing else exciting here. Though I do like the red bag. I have a similar one.

24. Cold War

This outfit is very similar to the one from “The Rings of Akhaten”, just a little fancier. The dress looks cute (do we actually get to see the rest of it?) and I do the oversized military jacket. It provides some nice contrast in the outfit. But overall, nothing too memorable about this one.

23. The Bells of Saint John

This outfit seems like something I’d wear on a casual day out. I have boots that are very similar. Again, this outfit is simple but not too exciting. It seems like something you would wear every day, not something you wear on your first adventure with The Doctor. Though for running around with him, this outfit does seem rather practical.

22. Into the Dalek

“Into the Dalek” Clara has everything that I love… but is also completely wrong at the same time. Points for tucking the shirt in. And points for finally including pants. But then the pants don’t appear to be real jeans and what’s with the eyes on the shirt? I get that there’s probably some higher-level symbolism here relating to the Daleks in the episode, but it’s still weird.

21. Nightmare in Silver

This one just screams “I’m gonna take on the world”…but in a an adorable way. Clara looks ready for business. I really like the flowered skirt. The tight leather-like jacket provides some nice contrast from the skirt and collar. All-in-all, I enjoy this outfit but don’t find it memorable.

20. Deep Breath

Onto the second Victorian dress. This one is a beautiful green with gorgeous detailing on the front. You might mistake Clara for a perfect porcelain doll in this episode… which is pretty fitting plot-wise. What I dislike is the dress’s skirt, which might be why it’s not featured in the image above.

19. Kill the Moon

Clara spends the majority of this episode in a spacesuit, but there are early moments back on earth where she’s strutting about in this cute dress. I like the addition of the belt around the middle; it’s a staple for her style. With the added bonus of making the dress far more flattering. The pattern appears fun, fun enough that I’m wondering where I can pick up my own!

18. Death in Heaven

Clara’s farewell outfit from the Season 8 finale is simple and comfy. I love the large white sweater. With her jeans it’s exactly what a young professional would wear on a day off. My favourite part, though, is the green jacket. Coloured jackets are so much more fun that black ones. I want!

17. Hide

While this episode was certainly memorable (don’t you just love the scary ones???), I’m not sure the outfit was. That being said, I like that she’s discovered blazers. This one provides excellent structure against the flowy dress. The dress is also a different cut than we’re used to seeing on her. It’s a simple, but nice change.

16. Dark Water

I really like this dress. Like, really! It’s so pretty, with a perfect baby-doll style, but casual enough that she can run around impersonating the Doctor (which involves a lot of energy & plenty of flailing). The dress is covered up for the majority of the episode, but the glimpses we get are excellent. The outfit structure (dress, black tights, heeled booties) is a style I base a number of looks around.

15. The Caretaker

Shorts! That’s new… and super fun. The scalloped bottoms are a fun detail on a basic closet staple. The tucked shirt is excellent, as are the tights. This is very much a teacher outfit for Clara, and I could see myself wearing something rather similar on a trip to the mall.

14. Time Heist

Oh my! Va Va Voom. This suit is so neat; it’s wonderfully different. And that colour! Naturally the purple is a throwback to Eleven ? . I also love the loose tie. She looks professional and yet casual. We never see Clara dressed like this again, which is a shame. I think it works quite well on her.

13. The Day of the Doctor

This is the first outfit on the list that I’ve cosplayed. I bought a very similar dress and jacket online and wore the whole look for a day at Calgary Expo 2013. The red dress is very Clara (this girl does love her primary colors), and it’s obviously paired with tights and heels. The jacket she’s wearing works so well for the nature of this episode. She’s riding a motorcycle, flying through the air, running all over London, and generally trying to keep up with the Doctor. I image this outfit would be quite practical for a day of running errands. Cute and practical: a brilliant combination!

12. The Snowmen

This dress is classic Victorian goodness. Jenna’s general look is so well-suited for period dress. I cannot wait to see her as Queen Victoria! The colour and style are very sophisticated. It helps with the governess look, and plays to the kind-of Mary Poppin’s thing she has going. This dress is structured similarly to some of the previous Victorian dress, but I prefer the fabrics used here.

11. Flatline

“Flatline” is the episode where Clara tried to be Amy Pond. Plaid, pants and sneakers are very un-Clara (and so very Amy!), but she still pulls it off. Perhaps it’s because a pair of wedge sneakers and a cross-body bag were incorporated in, two things that are very Clara. Either way, this is a very casual look that reminds us that Clara is just a normal human who doesn’t always have to be super done up. She still looks gorgeous wearing it while doing her best Doctor impression.

10. Robot of Sherwood

When I first saw this dress I immediately wanted to make it. I haven’t yet as I have other sewing projects ahead of it, though I don’t think it would be that hard. Clara looks like a medieval princess in this episode. Her hair and the head accessories are brilliant. Plus, if you want to impress Robin Hood, red is the colour to wear. If I was ever going to a Renaissance Fair perhaps I’d actually make this one. It’d be a fun and different style to try sewing.

9. Listen

This blue dress is gorgeous. As I’ve discussed with Kris, Clara seems the type to own an expensive going-out/date dress (one day when I’m not a student…). The cutouts on the front are fun and sexy, and for once we see Clara in something more form-fitting. She’s often found wearing things that tuck or come in at the waist but not a fully contoured outfit. It’s an excellent look for her!

8. Mummy on the Orient Express

I guess this is also a dress that’s form-fitting, but it’s flapper style and so detailed that I forgot abut it.The bead-work is exquisite and must have taken hours & hours & hours. The colours and design work well together, and are on point for the era. Huge Fan! Plus her hair. Such a chic little bob! I would love to have an opportunity to dress-up 20’s style! Such a fun period for fashion.

7. The Caretaker

I love this outfit so much. I want the skirt more than any other Clara item. The pattern is unique & kind of like an old person’s sofa, but in the best possible way. I find it incredibly fun and flattering. Anyone want to sell me one??? I also love the tucked burgundy top. I definitely never had a teacher this stylish! I don’t quite understand the collar clips she’s accessorizing with, but perhaps it’s a British thing. It does make her look more professional.

6. Dark Water/The Caretaker and Season 8 Promotional Photos

In making this list I often asked myself, “Would I spend $200 on that dress?”…or “Have I spent $200 on this dress?”. That is how this dress found itself so highly ranked. It was barely featured in an episode, yet it is very important to me. Last summer a friend and I bought this dress together. I was sad. It was expensive. She insisted. And together we split the price. I love it, but I didn’t realize how much until last weekend at Edmonton Expo 2015. I wore it for my photo-op with Jenna Coleman (in the flesh!). She recognized it and said she doesn’t see many people wearing it. I said thanks and that it was expensive. She smiled and then I was giddy for the next hour ❤️ This dress will now be treasured forever.

5. Asylum of the Daleks

As I said earlier, and in a post just a few weeks ago, this was my very first cosplay. When I assembled it I knew very little of what I was doing, but I don’t think I could do it any better if I redid it today. I love the short red dress. I have a multitude of red dresses and I’m now wondering if that’s a little inspired by this “Asylum of the Daleks” look. The belt, whisk, and red sneaker wedges have now become classic. It’s definitely the most popular Clara cosplay you see at Comic Expos. Jenna said herself in her panel a few weeks back that she wants to be remembered as Soufflé Girl ❤️.

4. The Name of the Doctor

I love this dress so much. It’s a perfect example of ‘classic school girl’. The green and blue checkered pattern is so very British. In this outfit she is the Impossible Girl. I found a dress very similar to this a couple years ago and wore it the 50th Anniversary in theaters. This is one of few occasions she’s wearing brown boots, which is a nice change.

3. Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS

I was in love with this dress the first time I saw it. The dress is, again, red with a classic school girl collar. It’s dynamic as she’s running through the TARDIS and makes her look vulnerable when she’s trapped. I have searched and searched the internet for it but it’s now so expensive whenever it pops up that I’m pretty certain I’m never going to own it. But I do have a pattern I could use to make it… and I know you can buy very similar fabric online. If I had an Eleven for a photoshoot I would make this dress in a heartbeat! I do have a basic red dress with a black collar though, and it makes me think of Clara and her Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS every time I wear it.

2. The Snowmen

I don’t remember what my thoughts were on this dress when I first saw the episode, but when it became my very first sewing project my love for it grew. It’s Victorian but less classically so than some of the other dresses she wears. It’s a perfect dress for running from The Snowmen and discovering the TARDIS. I wonder if I can revamp my version a bit with the sewing skills I’ve acquired since I first sewed it? I wore it to one photoshoot a couple years ago, but I thinks there’s still so much potential for a Clara and Eleven winter shoot. Someone find me an Eleven!

1. The Time of the Doctor

Now I realize I’m cheating here with a tie for #1 – but I have a legit reason for doing so. I had forgotten about the cute yellow sweater outfit! And instead of redoing ALL of my photos, because I love this outfit so much, and because it would have been in the top 5, I decide to tie the two outfits from “The Time of the Doctor” in the top spot. Easy fix to a silly mistake.

I cannot say enough about what she’s wearing here. Her Christmas outfit with the red skirt and black cardigan was my second-ever cosplay. I even wore it to Christmas dinner that year (where I just happened to pull a green hat from the Christmas cracker!). It will always hold a special place in my heart. I stumbled upon a yellow sweater, just like the one above, last year. I often wear it with a black collar and it makes me smile every time.

In my opinion Clara has never looked better than in this episode. It’s just too bad I’ve never been able to rewatch it. I think I’m over the Regeneration, but this episode just might bring back too many feels.

And that concludes my ranking of ALL Clara Oswald’s outfits! Would you change anything? Which is your number 1? Please let me know in the comments. Stay tuned for Part 2 in a few weeks when I rank her outfits after Season 9! I’m scared to think what state we’ll find my favourite companion in at that time…

Thanks for reading!
– Justine Alyssa

October 8, 2015 0 comment

Closet Cosplay Cosplay

My Fangirl Life Cosplay: Post-Apocalyptic Photo Shoot

written by Kris Padget

October 1, 2015 0 comment

Closet Cosplay Disney Fashion & Beauty

Closet Cosplay: Elsa Part 2

written by Kristin Glass

A few weeks ago, I started to put together a post about Closet Cosplaying or Disneybounding Elsa from Disney’s Frozen. It turned out that I had WAY too many clothes that just screamed Elsa at me, so I broke the post up and did the first part on Coronation Elsa. Today I’ll be sharing with you my everyday looks for Elsa’s outfit after she’s let go and become the ice queen.

This outfit is all about the bright blue, some sparkle, and the colour of Elsa’s hair. I’m lucky in that I’m also blonde, but I still found bringing in some gold touches helped to get the point across. If you can’t remember exactly how Elsa’s dress looks (who are you anyways?), here’s a photo:

And now to continue on my quest to dress like the Queen of Arendelle. Here’s the first look:

This is a pretty classy outfit that I could wear to work or anywhere that I want to look put together. The blue dress is a little dark for Elsa, but the lace pattern and light blue shining through totally make it work. The blazer is perfect Elsa, with the blue fabric and gold buttons. Of course I accessorized with my favourite snowflake earrings and a side braid. I think this look totally seems like something responsible Elsa would wear in real life.

The next outfit:

I also feel like this look is totally work-appropriate if your office is somewhere that you can wear fun patterns. This dress is awesomely Elsa-inspired, really bringing out the purple of her eyeshadow and pairing it with the blue of her dress. In my hair I have the Elsa-inspired bow that Justine bought me for my birthday last year. I love these frilly socks and felt like they were the perfect touch to this pretty and professional outfit.

On to number 3:

This adorable outfit is perfect for a casual day at the mall or even brunch with the parents. The sparkly skirt and Elsa hair bow add some fun touches, while the collared shirt and cardigan keep it classy. I’m also still wearing my snowflake earrings!

Now for the final Elsa look in my closet:

Ok, so this one is a bit of a joke. It is actually kind of my Halloween costume from last year when Kris, Justine, and I were Hipster Disney Princesses. That being said, I wear my Let It Go shirt in real life, and I want to wear the moccasins and beret too (though not together). The only thing the jury is out on is the fur vest, but the world of fashion is telling me that it’s a thing.

Have you ever done a Frozen closet cosplay? Let us know in the comments or tweet a picture to @Fangirls_Online! We can’t wait to see what you’re wearing.

Cheers,

September 26, 2015 0 comment

Closet Cosplay Disney Fashion & Beauty

Closet Cosplay: Coronation Elsa

written by Kristin Glass

This week I decided it was time to put together another Closet Cosplay outfit. It is so fun and creative… and I just love to go through my closet and think about new and exciting ways to wear my clothes. If you aren’t familiar with Closet Cosplay, it’s basically taking clothes from your own closet to dress in an outfit inspired by your favourite fandom character in your everyday life.

I went through my clothes the other day, thinking I’d pull together an outfit or two inspired by Elsa from Disney’s Frozen… because she’s totally part of my style inspiration. I’ve dressed as her once before, at Walt Disney World earlier this year, and it was definitely a lot of fun. Little did I know that taking on this task with my full closet in front of me would result in WAY too many outfits to put in one post! This means that you’ll be getting an additional Elsa post sometime in the next few weeks.

For today, I’d like to discuss Elsa’s coronation outfit. If you can’t remember what this looks like, here’s a quick photo:

Isn’t she fabulous? I love the colour combinations in this outfit, and I was excited to see what I could find in my own closet that would fit in. As it turns out, that was more than one outfit… apparently I wear the colours in this look often. Here we go:

I pulled out a dress similar to Elsa’s dress colour, a light cardigan similar to her cloak, and added some fun details that bring it all together: snowflake earrings, a purple bow to bring in the other purple colour, a gold necklace, and black patterned tights. I threw my hair up in a quick bun… not quite as pretty as Elsa’s. The final touch was to bring in the blue of Elsa’s gloves with my wrist-warmers.

This outfit is a great casual-but-pretty look. It’s dressed down enough for most activities and dressed-up enough to wear even out for dinner or drinks.

On to the next outfit:

This outfit is a bit different in that I didn’t bring in too much green… just through the bow in my hair and the delicate necklace. These black and gold high-waisted shorts are absolutely fabulous and look great with the tank and oversized cardigan that emulate Elsa’s cloak, and the short heeled black boots. The touch that brings in the blue of her gloves on this one is my awesome large bag. Of course I again wore the snowflake earrings (an Elsa must) and the bun in my hair (a Coronation Elsa must).

I feel like this outfit is a bit more trendy and great for a coffee date with a friend or a day at the mall.

And on to the third Elsa look:I paired this awesome collared dress that has a high-low hem with the same oversized sweater from earlier. I then added a gold belt and my large blue bag. I kept the purple bow in my hair and the snowflake earrings (obviously!). For footwear, I put on a pair of black oxfords.

This outfit is great for work (though I might throw on some black nylons depending on the day), or for a family brunch. Be careful though, if you have young cousins or young family members they just might mistake you for Elsa when wearing this…

And the final outfit:

When I found these purple ombre tights in my drawer, I just knew I had to find a way to wear them. I paired them with a green skirt and black tank top. I brought in Elsa’s blue gloves with a bright blue cardigan, and put on a pair of black heeled boots.

This outfit is perfect for a casual date night. It’s cute, flirty, and fun but not too dressed up… I can see wearing it for dinner and a movie or even when just going out for drinks.

There you have it! All of my Coronation Elsa looks. Keep watch in the near future for some other Elsa-inspired outfits taken right from my closet… because who doesn’t want to dress like the Queen of Arendelle?

What do you think about these looks? Which is your favourite? Do you have a Coronation Elsa outfit in your closet? Share in the comments!

Cheers,

September 5, 2015 0 comment

Cartoons Closet Cosplay DC Comics Disney Events Fashion & Beauty Marvel

The Great Closet Cosplay Challenge – IGGPPC Summer Camp

written by Justine Alyssa

You may have noticed from a couple recent posts that My Fangirl Life are at summer camp with IGGPPC this week!

Each day there has been a closet cosplay challenge. As big fans of closet cosplay and disneybounding we decided we needed to participate in this challenge. Instead of posting an individual post for each day, here are the first 4 closet cosplay challenges:

Day 1: Disney Prince

Justine jumped at another chance to be Hans. She pulled out KG’s ‘Hans’ dress and was reminded of that time she was poor misunderstood Hans at Disney World. She continued to recreate the look with a white blazer, pink scarf, gold belt and black boots.

Day 2: Pixar Animals or Objects

Kris struggled for a little trying to figure out what Pixar character best personified her style. But throughout all the looking she kept coming back to Carl from Up! He’s not exactly an animal or an objects, but it’s the Pixar character that Kris dresses the most like on a daily basis. She stuck true to her “neutral” tendencies and paired a white collared shirt with tan joggers & a boxy brown jacket…topped off with a hair bow to mimic Carl’s bowtie.
Plus we blew up some balloons to complete the look.

Day 3: 90’s Cartoon

Kris and KG came up with this one for Justine…because apparently she kind of dresses like Arthur in her everyday life. It was easy, she already had the yellow sweater and a perfect white collared sleeveless shirt. Paired with some denim shorts and red shoes she quickly became Arthur. Plus of course a backpack as the two of them are both still students.

Day 4: Marvel AND DC Comics

The three of us have already Disneybounded Marvel characters so Kris decided to take a different take with this one. The challenge was Marvel OR DC Comics, why couldn’t Kris be both? Why can’t she love all of the comics?!

To support both sides Kris pulled out her Marvel comic book skirt. The rest of the outfit was less exciting with a simple black tank top and necklace. She had originally pulled out her Marvel shirt, but it was just too much with the skirt. What she really wanted was a Batman shirt (something to keep her eye out for now!). Kris grabbed her Batman and Robin stuffed animals instead to show her support for DC.

Who else is participating in the closet cosplay challenges? Let us know or share your photos with us in the comments!
– Justine Alyssa

August 16, 2015 0 comment

Closet Cosplay Concerts Fashion & Beauty Music One Direction

One Direction Fashion: What to Wear to a 1D Concert

written by Kristin Glass

The My Fangirl Life team has a multitude of concerts scheduled this summer. Edmonton is apparently a mecca for some of the biggest acts in music this season, so keep your eyes here as we document the shows we attend for your reading pleasure – we’re calling it our “Summer of Concerts”. So far, you can check out our reviews of Maroon 5, Eric Church, OneRepublic, Ed Sheeran, and Shania Twain.

Tomorrow is one such concert. In fact, it’s probably the concert we are most excited about out of all of the ones we have attended or still have to attend. Tomorrow we are going to see One Direction live… and up close! Kris and I got pretty lucky (more like very lucky) and scored floor tickets… in the 8th row… two seats away from their centre catwalk ☺️?￰ﾟﾘﾭ?!!! So basically, it’s going to be the best day of our lives, and we’re plotting how to catch the eyes of our favourite members of the band.

If you’re new to our blog, you may not have yet heard about Closet Cosplay. Basically, this is the act of dressing like your favorite fandom character (or, you know… boyband member) in your everyday life. What better occasion to pull out our best One Direction inspired outfit than attending their actual concert? And better yet, we actually have tickets to a VIP pre-party. I, for one, have never been to anything like that so I am extremely curious as to how awkward it will be, and how many moms will be there with their 13-year-olds, just judging Kris and I for being full-grown women fangirling over 1D.

Anyways, we took to our closets to put together the best outfits we could inspired by our favourite boys, at different points in their style (and music) evolution. Read on to learn more about One Direction fashion over the past few years.

EARLY 1D

Louis Tomlinson circa Up All Night
Any proper Directioner will know that in the beginning, Louis wore almost nothing but stripes, collared shirts, red pants, boat shoes, and suspenders. There are still glimpses of these things in his wardrobe today, but he’s become much more grungy and intense.

I wasn’t able to include all of his classic features, but think I put together a great Louis-inspired outfit paying homage to his early days!

Niall Horan circa Take Me Home
Niall is and always has been a pretty casual guy, though he’s glammed himself up in recent years. Back when Take Me Home came out, Niall lived in t-shirts, jeans, khakis, zip-up hoodies, casual shoes, and collared shirts buttoned all the way to the top. He has always enjoyed pairing bright colours together.

When I put on the below outfit, I definitely felt like Niall. I was casual and comfortable, and I had a practical backpack to carry around all my stuff, because that just seemed like something Niall would have.

RECENT 1D

Liam Payne circa Midnight Memories
Liam turned into a total babe between Take Me Home and Midnight Memories… though he’s my favourite member of 1D so I may be a little biased. Regardless, this is when he really figured out how to dress. During this time, he wore a lot of leather, distressed denim, and plaid shirts. All these items can still be found in his wardrobe today too!

This outfit is possibly the most badass Kris has ever looked… and I think it totally works! The crowning touch is the necklace in the shape of Liam’s arm tattoo (I’ll confess… it’s mine… she bought it for me last Christmas).

Harry Styles circa Four

Harry has probably always been the most fashion-forward of the boys. From the beginning, he totally embraced a hipster grunge look, though nowadays he’s gone a little too girly and flowy for my tastes. That being said, this type of look totally works for an ACTUAL FEMALE!

Kris put together a stellar outfit that I could legitimately see her wearing in everyday life. The combination of the leather skirt, flowy scarf, and hat also definitely add up to equal Harry Styles. One Direction Closet Cosplay - Harry Styles

Or maybe dressing exactly like the boys might not be the best way to catch their attention – you decide!

Are you seeing One Direction on their On The Road Again Tour? Where? What are you going to be wearing? Do you have any more One Direction fashion advice? Let us know in the comments, and check back later this week for a review and some commentary on our concert experience!

Cheers,

July 20, 2015 0 comment

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