Tom Wright

Whether you need fancy footwear for a fun geeky outfit or shoes for an occasion like prom or the wedding, Etsy seller Death Star Doll has you covered. She not only makes nerdy shoes, she makes super classy designs. Her Wonder Woman, Star Wars, and Pulp Fiction designs look like they were printed that way instead of modified. It’s seriously impressive.

She takes custom orders and turnaround time is two weeks.

Check out more of her designs after the break.

Product Page ($40 and up via WGW)

Photos courtesy of Paul Pape and Paul Michael Design/Etsy

Geeks are quite creative when it comes to memorable events in their lives—especially weddings and proposals. For the most hardcore fans, ring boxes and even the engagement rings themselves get specialized with a geeky theme. It’s a big moment when you decide to spend your life with someone who is probably just as, if not more, passionate about a fandom as you are. What better way to make them remember that moment forever than by having the items in your proposal be geeky too?

Over the years we’ve shown you a number of amazing custom made rings and ring boxes with themes from Batman to World of Warcraft. But how are these works of geeky art created? If you’re interested in making a special custom engagement ring or ring box but don’t know where to start, we have you covered.

We spoke with two of the best in the business, Paul Michael Design and Paul Pape Designs about how you can have your own custom engagement ring or ring box made. Take a look inside the process with our guide and find some inspiring photos after the break.

Photo via Paul Michael Design/Etsy

It may seem like obvious advice, but to begin the process of creating your own custom engagement ring you should have an idea of what you want.

“The most important part about having something custom made is forming an idea of what it is you want exactly. The nice thing about that initial idea is that it can change and morph into almost anything,” Paul Bierker, founder of Paul Michael Design, told Fashionably Geek.

Bierker advises potential custom ring buyers to have a solid idea for the theme and scale of the ring. You might want something large and obvious because that’s your fiancée’s style or you might want a more subtle, symbolic geeky theme for the ring. Decide if a very literal look or a subtle look is what you want.

Once you have this idea, it’s time to look for someone to make your dream ring a reality. See if anyone has any recommendations for a maker they’ve had a good experience with. Bierker said to always take a look at a maker’s reviews, history, and reputation during your search. All of this is easy information to find nowadays online.

If you’re nervous about hiring a maker directly even with this information, Bierker suggested going through Etsy or CustomMade instead. They have an additional layer of support from their sites and act as another venue to reach out to if you need extra help.

“You also want visualization and communication in the design process [from your maker]. CAD [computer-aided design software] can create a photorealistic rendering and can provide a finished product comparable to the work. Some CAD techs do beautiful pictures but the end result is not congruent,” Bierker said.

Caption: A final “Game of Thrones” design is realized and approved. Photo courtesy of Paul Bierker

It’s important to trust your maker and keep communication open. During Bierker’s process, he asks his clients a number of questions to figure out exactly what they want. Once they have a solid idea they email back and forth with some concepts. When they have a direction, they hold a web meeting where Bierker shares his computer screen with the client and so they can see him build the ring right in front of them.

The client’s budget is examined throughout the design process as they discuss how extreme they want to go and what materials they’d like to use. Then they can offer an estimate to the customer.

“Once we agree on a price then we build a prototype and it’s pretty quick from there. Literally what we do is the minute we have a concept approved we create a 3D model suitable for manufacturing,” he explained.

Caption: A 3D rendering. Photo courtesy of Paul Bierker

Paul Michael Design will then start manufacturing the ring, casting the metal, using a wax-cutting machine, gathering stones, and doing everything needed to assemble the ring. Customers are updated with pictures throughout the process, which is very interactive. This way you don’t have to worry about your ring turning into something you don’t want it to be. That’s why it’s important to find a maker who communicates well.

“I really think a design is a living, breathing sort of process If we’re building something out and the client doesn’t like the direction it’s heading in, we always revise to do what the customer wants. Ultimately it’s their piece and we want them to be stoked with everything we do!” Bierker said.

Once that process is complete and the customer is happy with the ring, they manage the payment and delivery. Paul Michael Design ships worldwide and a whole custom job takes about 4 to 6 weeks. It’s important to check these last details as well when deciding on a maker.

Caption: Final finishing. Photo courtesy of Paul Bierker

As for how much a custom geeky engagement ring will cost you in the end, it depends on the details and materials. Bierker said for Paul Michael Design a custom ring can start around $300 but go up to $12,000 depending on the materials wanted for the job.

Photo courtesy of Paul Pape

As much passion as goes into crafting the perfect geeky ring should go into creating the perfect custom geeky engagement ring box. Similar to the ring process, Paul Pape of Paul Pape Designs told Fashionably Geek it all starts with an idea.

“I don’t like to hinder the creative process.  They can have something as simple as a list of things he/she likes, or information as detailed as a specific color on a specific object.  As long as they have an idea we are good,” Pape said.

Pape has handmade over a hundred different custom engagement ring boxes, working with clients so each one meets their specifications. Once the client contacts him, the process moves along smoothly. His first question is when they want the piece in-hand. With boxes and rings, keep in mind whether or not you have a specific date for your proposal so you can have your custom product in time. Custom makers like Pape are often in demand, so don’t be surprised if there’s a wait time. Pape said on average he can make a piece in 2 to 4 weeks but during busy seasons like the spring and holidays a wait can be up to 2 to 4 months. Know when you need your box and plan ahead for contacting makers so there’s enough time. Rush pieces do happen, but since booking takes place in advance be prepared if there’s a wait.

With this “need by” date, he then works backwards to find an ideal ship date and then starts talking ideas.

“Some clients have something very specific in mind.  Others have an idea or a theme. I work with them to create a piece that speaks to their likes and make it truly unique to their experiences,” he explained.

Pape’s biggest tip to anyone interested in having a custom engagement ring box made is to have an idea of what you want but keep an open mind during the creative process.

Photo courtesy of Paul Pape

“I’m blessed with a weird sixth sense to what makes a wonderful ring box, and I trust my gut a lot with the process.  If you come with something that I think can be tweaked from great to fantastic, be open to it,” he said.

Once an idea is solidified, payment in full is required to lock in the ship date. Like a custom geeky engagement ring, a custom box won’t be cheap. Pape’s boxes typically range between $300 and $500, though they can cost as much as $800.

Then the design process starts.

“If a client wants sketches, that would be the next step, but I don’t do them for every job because I am either recreating an object so the sketch would just be of that object, or because my sketches aren’t the same as the three dimension finished piece. I’m happy to oblige the request though,” Pape said.

Photo courtesy of Paul Pape

To create the boxes, he can work in clay, wood, metal, paper or with a 3D printer depending on the piece. Once he starts work he takes photos to send to the client if they want updates before it’s done. Communication is also important to Pape as it is with Bierker, so Pape has an open email policy for clients to contact him at any time if they want to see how things are going. Final photos are taken of the completed box along with a video walk through and then it is overnighted to the client. Each of Pape’s boxes come with a lifetime warranty, so if anything happens to it, the client can ship it back to be repaired or replaced free of charge.

“That’s how much I believe in the work I do.  You aren’t just buying a ring box, but a permanent work of art that is customized to you, that you can treasure forever,” Pape said.

If you’re still interested in customizing your own geeky engagement ring or ring box now that you have a little insight into the process, Paul Michael Design or Paul Pape Designs would be great places to start your search for a maker. However there are other options you can consider as well. Here are a few more of our makers you can choose from:

Photo via TheModelMaker.net

The Model Maker

Photo via Earthartgems.com

Earth Art and Gem Jewelry

Photo via BitsWithByte/Etsy

Bits With Byte

Photo via Takayas Custom Jewelry/Facebook

Takayas Custom Jewelry

Photo via VaLaJewellery/Etsy

VaLa Jewellery

Photo via Brittany Foster/CustomMade

BMF Jewelry

One of the best things about superhero comics (and the old Batman series) is all of the CRASH! BANG! POW! that goes on in bright primary colors.

If you’re a fan of the KABOOM!, you can wear these DC Heroines Crash Bam Women’s Leggings and walk down the street confident in the knowledge that you’re just as kick ass as they are.

Product Page ($29)

This is one of those days where I realize just how deprived I was as a kid when it came to leggings. I mean, when I wore them, they were called stirrup pants, went into your shoes and generally came in solid colors.

Now? Now they come with all sorts of cool designs and there’s not a foot strap to be seen. And you can even wear Darth Vader and the Death Star on your frakkin’ legs!

Kids these days. I tell ya. No idea just how good they’ve got it.

Product Page ($35)

This may well be one of the best examples of fashionably geek that we’ve ever seen.

Betabrand recently put out a casting call for new models and looked for a very specific type of woman to model their new Spring clothing line; women who have doctorates or are doctoral candidates. Bravo, Betabrand.

See more pictures after the break.

(via Buzzfeed)

It's almost March 14th, and that means it's time to celebrate Pi! Happy Pi Day... three days early!

Taking a moment to appreciate the irrational number is completely rational. You can honor Pi Day in a variety of ways, and Boutique Academia and I would like to help you think of Pi every day with a gorgeous Pi necklace. Just like the rest of the items in Boutique's Academia shop, it's not only a stylish piece of jewelry, it's smart. Go ahead, browse all the math jewelry and science jewelry in her shop. Pretty cool, right?

For this giveaway, you can choose one of these three Pi pieces:



They're all beautiful and perfect to wear any day of the year. What I like most about these necklaces is that they go with anything from a t-shirt to a little black dress.

Here's how to enter to win a (1) Pi necklace from Boutique Academia:
1. Go over to Boutique Academia, take a look around, come back here and comment to let me know about your favorite item in the shop. This step is required and all you need to do to get a single entry.
2. Like the Boutique Academia Facebook page and comment that you've done so. This is optional and will get you one more entry.
3. Follow @amy_geek and @BoutiqAcademia on Twitter if you aren't already and Tweet the following: Enter to win a Pi necklace from @amy_geek and @BoutiqAcademia: http://www.geekwithcurves.com/2014/03/giveaway-pi-day-is-almost-here-win-pi.html #PiDay
This is optional and get you one more entry.

When the contest is over, I'll assign numbers to all the entries (one person can up to have three entries) and choose a number at random.

You can enter until 11:59pm EST on Sunday, March 16. I'll choose a winner by 9pm EST Monday, 3/17, and contact them by email. The winner has five (5) days to reply to me with an address and necklace choice. This contest is open to everyone - worldwide. Woohoo!

Good luck!

Though ladies have been getting more and more geeky products tailored to their tastes, makeup and cosmetics is an area that’s still growing. There’s so much potential when it comes to makeup bags, for example, and I’m glad to see someone jumping on it. Bioworld Merchandising is offering bags featuring Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, and Harley Quinn. You can pre-order now for an estimated arrival date in April.

And even though they’re called makeup bags, they’re great for on-the-go sewing kits, pencil cases, and much more!

Check out the other makeup bag styles after the break.

Product Page ($9.99)

A couple weeks ago, we got our first look at the new costume for The Flash but it was just a taste.

This reveal from Warner Bros. Television gives us a full body look at Grant Gustin as The Flash.

The iconic costume was designed by 3-time Academy Award winner Colleen Atwood, who also designed the costume for Arrow.

What do you think? Are you looking forward to seeing it in action?

(via IGN)

Of all of Catwoman’s looks over the decades, the catsuit in Batman: The Animated Series may be my favorite. I adore the gray bodysuit and medallion belt. Cosplayer Mary Collette absolutely nails the look, too. She’s got the costume replicated perfectly, and it looks like she has the slink and sass to go with the ensemble. All she needs to complete the look is a black cat.

Photos by Scorpio Concept Designs and Photography.

More of the series after the break.

Send your cosplay pics to tips@fashionablygeek.com.

(via WOCBC)

YOLO doesn’t mean “you only live once.” Where did you hear that? That’s silly. No, YOLO means “you obviously love owls.” I mean, why else would they make an awesome t-shirt that says that? T-shirts never lie. Ever. And owls are obviously awesome too. So make sure to buy this shirt so everyone knows what YOLO actually means–spread the truth, wear this shirt, or there may be consequences. #NOTJOKING

Check out a close-up of the design after the break…

Product Page: ($19.95)

(via Cheezburger)

Keep warm and go incognito with this new Pandito balaclava from Blamo Toys. The cotton knit panda hat was designed by Spencer Hansen, and it provides almost full face coverage to mask your true identity. While the ski mask is perfect for hitting the slopes, I think you could get away with wearing it all the time. You could take it to the next level by only wearing black and white clothing with the mask. Go ahead, embrace your inner panda.

See more photos of the Pandito after the break.

Product Page ($40 via IBFT and LS)

boobsdontworkthatway:

muskrat-john:

Some folks asked me to Tumblr yesterday’s DORK TOWER.

Consider it Tumblr’d!

BTW: The line “Boobs don’t work that way” in the comic is a nod to one of my favorite Tumblrs: http://boobsdontworkthatway.tumblr.com

Hey That’s us! 

( You’re our favorite too.) 

A perfect breakdown of the excuses for ridiculous depiction of women in comics (and by extent, other pop media), including the all-time favorite arguments like “she’s liberated and/or sexy”.

Congratulations for the always-awesome boobsdontworkthatway for getting a shout out! :D

Little penguins wearing tiny sweaters is enough to warm anyone’s heart just on principle. Look at them for goodness’ sake! Once you find out that it’s not just for looks, you might melt into a puddle. The Penguin Foundation at Phillip Island Nature Parks uses knitted jumpers to help save penguins affected by oil pollution. It only takes a tiny amount of oil to kill a tiny penguin; the oil mats feathers and can lead to death from exposure and starvation. Additionally, penguins can be harmed by preening and ingesting the toxic oil.

That’s where the jumpers come in! When oiled penguins are admitted to the park’s clinic, they get a jumper to keep them warm and to stop them from preening. Some penguins even get superhero versions with capes like you see above (yes, those happen to be stuffed penguins)! If you like to knit, you can download the pattern here and create jumpers to send to the park. If you can’t knit, you can always donate.

See more penguins in jumpers after the break.

(via BuzzFeed)

Female Armor Rhetoric BINGO (PDF) by OzzieScribbler (again, yours truly)

A week after successfully publishing the Female Armor Bingo, I present to you its spin-off: Female Armor Rhetoric Bingo!

This card refers to the defenses/apologia that’s used against the critique of skimpy female warrior outfits.
I did my best to collect the most pervasive arguments used to justify bikini armors and similar costumes.

Very special thanks to ami-angelwings of eschergirls fame for suggesting back in 2013 to make two bingo cards (original unpublished version was a mix of the tropes and arguments defending them).

Breakdown of all the squares under the cut.

Keep in mind that actual arguments, depending on a given discussion, may be worded a bit differently, but if the general idea is the same, you can cross the relating square:

• "Men are sexualized too!"
  No, they are not, especially when it comes to battle wear. Nothing is better example of male character serving as power fantasy than putting him in bulky armor while his equally strong female peers run around half-naked.
• "She would look too manly in a regular armor!"
  What about “She would look actually protected in a normal armor”?
  Also (unless it has a giant codpiece), a regular armor is not masculine be default, we’re just taught to associate it with men.
  Also also, there are many ways to make armor feminine, yet fully protective.
• "This outfit is normal for her culture/climate!"
  Talking about made-up culture that this made-up character is from? It’s not like the creators just… created this fictional culture and located it in a hot climate to suit their (and/or their audiences) preferences to excuse a silly outfit, riiight?
  Also, when she’s not in her homeland’s climate, why wouldn’t she dress more appropriately for the weather?
• "Male barbarians also fight half-naked!"
  Yeah, they do. Funny how their half-nudity looks so much more comfortable and practical than that of lady barbarians.
  If only lady barbarians could also fight wearing only loincloths instead of fur bikinis…
• "Don’t expect fiction to be realistic!"
  I don’t. But I expect it to be consistent.
• "It helps with her agility!"
  (Born from the double-standard belief that male characters are supposed to be strong, while female ones should be agile.)
  Oh yeah, a chafing, pinching chainmail bikini or floppy underboob or that spiky variation of Borat speedo-thing would be SO COMFORTABLE and non-restricting compared to a leotard (or anything made from actual fabric)… Totally!
• "She CHOSE to dress like that!"
  Let me quote rheiders:
  

  A strong female character is still a character—she has no agency, she has no choice. Everything about her appearance and actions is dictated by her creator. It is only through good storytelling and character writing that we begin to believe the character is alive and possessing of free will, but that’s just an illusion. SHE IS STILL JUST A CHARACTER, created by someone else.
  

  And unless the character is supposed to be a suicidal dumbass, she wouldn’t choose to dress like that for combat.
• "Her strength comes from uncovered skin!"
  Also known as “There’s A GOOD REASON for her to be almost nude!”.
  If her powers come from being exposed… Why doesn’t she run around naked? Oh, I get it, she’s too decent for that!
  Then why the minimal outfit she chose looks so uncomfortable and/or defies physics? Is there a special reason for that too?
• "It’s (just) fantasy/sci-fi! Magic/science protects her!"
  Okay, I can buy that. Does the magic/science is also what holds her improbable bikini in one place?
  And if it protects her male peer in the same way, how come his outfit isn’t equally “light-weight”?
• "It’s stylized!"
  The cheapest excuse for any type of bad artwork.
  "Style" itself does not explain anything! A well-designed style is ought to be consistent. It’s not a good style when there’s obvious double standard at work.
• "Women are weak, so they need light armor!"
  Ignoring for a second how sexist and ridiculous it is to suggest that women are naturally that much weaker than men… LIGHT ARMOR EXISTS. There are numerous types of it. And it can (and should be) fully-covering!
  Search for leather armor or gambeson and stop suggesting it’s better to expose a character’s torso than to dress them in something not made of metal.
• "Girls are SUPPOSED to look sexy!"
  So much wrong with it I don’t even know where to start.
  It brings half of the population to one objectifying function.
  It implies “sexy” has one fixed meaning.
  It implies an outfit can’t be sexy appealing and functional at the same time.
  It implies there are no other times during which a warrior character can focus on being sexy (as in, times outside of battle).
  TL; DR: There is nothing girls or women are ‘supposed’ to be!
• "That’s the best way of marketing to men!"
  Why is this even used as an excuse?
  Not only it implies that there are no women or homosexual/asexual men in the audience, but also that straight men are by definition sex-obsessed morons who can’t say no to a patch of female skin showing. An argument that insults every possible group at once!.
• „She was designed in a country where sexualization is cultural!”
  (This one usually refers to Japan or Korea)
  As much as respecting cultural differences is important, it really does not excuse objectifying half of the world’s population. It just exposes that there might be some deeply-ingrained problem among the population that creates such things on regular basis.
• „Stop complaining and make it yourself!”
  A.K.A. “If you don’t like how women are represented games/comics/movies then go and create one yourself!”
  Because instead of being critical of faulty content creators everyone should become a content creator themselves!
  It’s not like making a game/comic/movie takes TONS of time, money and effort… or that even in the era of crowdfunding through Kickstarter indie projects still don’t reach the same audiences as big studio productions.
  Creating things is so easy and we don’t see better representation just because we’re too lazy to take care of it, RIIIGHT?!
• "It suits her fighting style!"
  Are the inevitable nip-slips part of her fighting style? And what kind of martial art is suited for high heels and metal bikinis?
• "She embraced her sexuality! She’s empowered!"
  A phrase almost inseparable from the Strong Independent Woman archetype.
  It’s not a bad idea to create a female character that consciously takes advantage of her sexuality and feels empowered by that… But insisting that being sexual is the only way to make women empowered is restricting, misogynistic and unoriginal.
  And making every female character like that takes any power from the idea. It then becomes just a very obvious excuse to have as many “sexy” women as possible without feeling guilty about it.
• „There’s nothing wrong with showing a bit of skin!”
  MOST DEFINITELY! There is nothing inherently wrong about nudity or partial nudity. Just keep in mind that in context of a battle it makes no sense to expose random parts one’s body!
  There are actually ways of fighting topless that do make sense! Take notes!
• „Why do you even care? It’s just for fun!”
  Dunno, probably because media actually affect people and their opinions?
  Because women are not catered with fanservice in the same way as (straight) men are?
  Because women are actively excluded from many forms of entertainment and thus not allowed to have same kind of fun as men?
  If we’re at it, why do you care so much to prove me wrong?
• "Art shouldn’t be censored!"
  Asking for logical and respectful designs is not censorship.
  It’s also not that artsy or creative when overtly objectifying outfits are considered a norm in popular media.
• "She defeats her enemies through distraction!"
  Let’s just hope all of her enemies are horny idiots who loose their focus when a bit of female body is in sight. Or that she doesn’t distract her male friends in the same way.
  Otherwise…
• „She’s indestructible! She doesn’t need any protection!”
  Fair enough. Does it mean the outfit is also not uncomfortable or embarrassing to her? Or that this costume can defy any laws of physics? Being indestructible, doesn’t she feel cold or chafed?
  Wouldn’t it make more sense for her to fight naked?
• „You want every woman to be covered from head to toe!”
  Well, only if every man is covered in the same way. Other than that, I just expect logic and consistency from all the designs.
• „She’s so badass that she needs no armor!”
  She’s also so badass that she consciously chose outfit as impractical and uncomfortable as possible, just to prove how badass she is by wearing it!
  It’s not like she could just go topless, like her equally badass male peers.
• „Great story makes up for those ridiculous designs!”
  So we’re not expecting visual media to be holistic anymore?
  The art and story are allowed to contradict each other for no good reason?
  The audience’s immersion is not broken when a dramatic story clashes with silly visuals?
  Willing suspension of disbelief has no limits from now on?
  Good to learn! Guess I need to forget everything I learned about storytelling theory.

As with the original bingo card, special thanks to the people who helped me to come up with square contents and revisions: @ami-angelwings of eschergirls, Tica of repair-her-armor, psdo of costumecommunityservice, Ryan ‘Jabberwock’ C. and my friends who didn’t want to be credited by name!

Female Armor BINGO (downloadable PDF) by OzzieScribbler (yours truly)

As a special present for Bikini Armor Battle Damage first anniversary, I present to you: Female Armor BINGO!

Feel free to use as a reference to quantify how ridiculous any female armor is.

edit: Updated the link into downloadable PDF!

Breakdown of all the squares under the cut.

For the record: the game refers to the context of wearing skimpy “armors” for battle (any other context, like cosplay, is excluded)

• Bikini/lingerie shaped
  Let’s just say that an outfit designed like this doesn’t deserve to be called “an armor”.
• Random patches of skin uncovered
  Really disturbing when otherwise full-cover armor has random holes through which we can see (and easily damage) boobs, stomach or thighs.
• Thong
  It would be stupid enough to use thong as underwear while going into battle, an armor with thong-shaped bottom half is just absurd.
  First of all, metal wedgie, OUCH. Second, your bare ass is possibly the best target ever.
• No head protection
  This problem usually applies to both genders, as many designers fear that character’s identity will get obscured. But once there are helmets, there’s a big chance they’d get defaulted as part of male gear. Because women aren’t women if you can’t see their hair, right?
• Looks nothing like the male version of the same outfit
  If they’re supposed to be the same item, they need to have something in common. Doesn’t mean that they can’t be gendered in reasonable ways.
• Sharp ornamental edges that can pierce skin
  Granted, male armor tends to have ridiculous amounts of spikes too, but it appears that only women wear those directly on their skin, even though it’s potentially self-harming.
• Cleavage
  Because boobs aren’t there unless you can clearly see the cleavage. Who cares if it invites enemy to aim at your heart?
• Looks like a bra, gives no breast support
  Once there’s a bra/corset shaped part in the armor, it should at the very least function like an actual bra. Yet it barely ever does.
  Boobs just float in the air and once jiggled they go back to one place all by themselves. Outfit is there just to cover the nipples.
• High heels
  Repat after me: “No one in their right mind wears high heels for battle. No one in their right mind wears high heels for battle. No one in their right mind wears high heels for battle. High heels are too fucking uncomfortable and unstable to fight in them!”
• No underwear
  Related to Metal pieces worn directly on bare skin below. One would expect the bare minimum of padding under armor to be the basic underwear. Guess when the armor itself looks like a bra and panties it serves as underwear itself.
• Boob window
  When a cleavage goes one step further and takes the shape of unnecessary hole over the boob area.
• Skin-tigh metal
  The outfit, being an armor, is supposedly made from metal, but latches onto the wearer’s skin like a latex suit, or better yet: bodypaint. Bonus points to chafing if it’s chainmail.
• Boobplate
  Breastplate doesn’t need to be “fitted for female form” with twin bulges to put your boobs in. They actually weaken the armor in significant way. There are quite a few excellent articles on that matter.
• Thigh-high boots
  Peculiarly female-exclusive part of costume design (men in the same costume tend to get knee-high footwear). Boots so tall don’t seem particularly comfortable, and definitely not easy to put on. And if they’re made of metal or hard leather, as armor should be… good luck with moving in those.
• Nipples that poke through metal
  Somehow the skin-tigh metal is so tigh that erect nipples show though it. Either that or the boobplate was molded with them. Creepy either way.
• Bared back
  Marginally less prevalent than Bared belly (below), but still very popular way of turning warrior lady into an easy target practice.
• Covers only nipples & genitals
  What’s… the… fucking… point…
• No pants
  Because nothing says “this character is definitely not male” than taking pants from them… and leaving them just in a g-string or a loincloth at best.
• Bared belly
  Goes naturally with bikini-shape, but many other designs feature inexplicably uncovered midriff as well.
  Why should we protect this part, anyway? It’s not like there are squishy vital organs inside or something, right?
• Cameltoe
  Skin-tigh outfit taken to the logical extreme… We already overemphasized the character’s breasts with boobplate, let’s take it one step further and make the outline of her vulva visible thanks to skin-hugging panties.
• Metal pieces worn directly on bare skin
  All kinds of armor need a lot of padding!
  Even if a well-crafted chainmail doesn’t chafe, even if breastplate is comfortable, they will be of no use in fight unless something is worn unbeneath!
  Armor itself protects from slashing damage and redirects blows, while the padding absorbs the impact which would otherwise cause serious bruising or even internal bleeding.
• Almost naked for an adventure in cold climate
  So not only is she fighting dragons in a bikini made of metal (or in this case, maybe fur), she does it in the middle of ice-cold tundra!
  Her people are immune to frostbites, you say? Funny the same-race guy somehow has a fur jacket, then. Seems legit.
• More metal used on boots/gauntlets than to cover vital organs
  In the reality of life-or-death situations limbs are expendable. Deal with it.
  You can live without an arm or leg as long as your head and torso are intact. But apparently arms and legs aren’t as “sexy” as boobs and belly, so they get to be thoroughly covered more often by female armor.
• Underboob
  Related to the Looks like a bra, gives no breast support above.
  Sometimes known as ‘reverse cleavage’, it’s when boobs defy their own anatomy and the laws of gravity and stay perky at all times, even though there’s no support for their lower part and they should dangle freely.
• More advanced the armor = skimpier
  Oh Skimpy High Level, the bane of many roleplaying systems. Where’s ANY logic in that? Nothing about this implies that high level armor is more protective. It breaks willing suspension of disbelief even if we accepted the existence of armor bikinis.

Special thanks to everyone who agreed to consult me in creating this game! Ami from eschergirls, Tica from repair-her-armor, Ryan ‘Jabberwock’ C., Jenny Islander and many of my friends who want to remain unnamed. Your revisions were a big help!

Send your cosplay pics to tips@fashionablygeek.com.

(via WOCC)

These dinosaur leggings are the next best thing to travelling back to prehistoric times. Also, there will be no worries about becoming a light snack for a T-Rex. They feature an all over print with a dinosaur scene and come in a polyester lycra blend for a nice snug fit.

See more pictures after the break…

Product Page ($58)

This beautiful drawing is the work of Perry Maple who has given the citizens of Gotham a whole new image. They look like they’ve stepped right out of a retro cartoon and they’re gorgeous. An animated series based on these heroes and villains would be something I’d love to see.

See more pictures after the break…

(The Argyle Gargoyle via io9)

These comic books have been turned into something amazing thanks to the steady hand of Swiss artist Mathias Schmied. He carefully uses a razor blade to cut the pages and then layer the bits to create new 3D images. Sometimes he even removes the characters all together leaving a negative space that lets your imagination do the work.

See more pictures after the break…

(Design Taxi via Endless Geyser of Awesome)

Filming for the next season of Doctor Who has been under way for a while, and intrepid fans have been tracking down the shoots to get a glimpse at the happenings. Seeing the new Doctor, Peter Capaldi, is probably at the forefront of any visitor’s mind, and that was definitely true for one little girl in a Dalek costume. Roxann and her family luckily happened upon shooting in Cardiff. Over at her blog, her mother says:

“My youngest has autism and when matt smith said he was leaving she was worried, because she goes on adventures with doctor who and Clara and she was worried that the new doctor ( Peter ) would not like her and wouldn’t want to join in her games.”

So, Roxann patiently waited and she finally got her chance to talk with Peter Capaldi. The new Doctor reassured Roxann in the sweetest way. He took out his phone and scrolled through photos to show the girl one of him, Matt Smith, and Jenna Coleman. Then he told Roxann, “They say it’s okay for me to be the Doctor, so I hope you think it would be okay for me to be the Doctor too.” Sniffle.

Watch the video of the exchange after the break.

(Gallifrey Base via BuzzFeed)

What if Merida existed in the modern day? She might carry a crossbow and rock a kilt. That’s how cosplayer Zoisite-Virupaksha sees her. Her take on the wild ginger from Brave has the princess riding a motorcycle and donning a leather jacket and boots. I think it’s perfect. I love the inclusion of the crossbow and that the t-shirt has the familiar bear emblem from the necklace Queen Elinor gave to Merida.

Photos by Jade.

See more of the series and her more traditional Merida costume after the break.

Send your cosplay pics to tips@fashionablygeek.com.

(Tumblr via Cheezburger)

No matter what happens, your best friend is always your best friend. You are like Batman and Robin and even when you’re apart, you’re still together. This sterling silver necklace is the perfect way to show that you and your crime-fighting best friend are never really alone. That is, unless you start arguing over who is Batman and who is Robin.

See another picture after the break…

Product Page ($90 This Is Why I’m Broke via technabob)

via http://www.reddit.com/r/woahdude/

This hooded sweatshirt will turn you into everyone’s favorite psychotic jester in the most adorable way possible. It’s got a zippered front that helps divide it into the black an red color scheme and the hood is even a jester’s hat.

See another picture after the break…

Product Page ($89.99 via GeekAlerts)

(via Reddit)

Leonardo DiCaprio’s The Wolf of Wall Street has a name that begs to be mashed up with Star Trek. We’ve already seen a parody poster featuring Worf in the starring role, and now there’s a frakking perfect trailer for The Worf of Starfleet. It’s put together in the same style as the original, and YouTube user doubleg1701 has chosen just the right scenes and clips for the silly cut. This is a movie I desperately want to see.

Watch the parody trailer after the break.

(via GAS)

Stormtroopers are lousy shots–I mean, those helmets are pretty hard to see out of–which explains why their targets at the Imperial shooting range are so… forgiving. This Han Target T-shirt features a captured Imperial target that shows, in embarrassing detail, that stormtroopers are excellent at shooting around a target.

Good news for Han, though, right?

Check out a close-up of the shirt after the break…

Product Page ($14.00)

Fox News is gonna have to come up with some new graphics in the “War On Christmas” stories, because Santa’s getting an origin story that’s rooted in Viking mythology, called Winter’s Knight.

Sony Pictures will be teaming up with Kon-Tiki producers Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg and writers Ben Lustig and Jake Thornton to bring a script to life that’s loosely based on L. Frank Baum’s 1902 book “The Life And Adventures Of Santa Claus.” Presumably it features Santa as a Viking Warrior who fights yetis 364 days a year and then gives out their heads as presents for Christmas.

What? It would be so cool.

Photo via caiomm.

(Deadline via io9)