Shopping Small, Geeky, and Girly with Your Biggest Fangirl
Written by Kristen Chavez and Victoria Male:
Hello! We’re Kristen Chavez and Victoria Male, the hosts of the Your Biggest Fangirl podcast. At Your Biggest Fangirl, we seek to be the best vehicle for an in-depth intellectual exploration of fan culture and fandom from the unique perspective of the fans themselves. We do this through meaningful and entertaining dialogues with other fans, creators, and scholars, celebrating what it means to be a female fan. We’re particularly interested in being a resource for all fans, with tips and guides to help you make the best of your fan experiences—so the opportunity to help with this geeky gift guide is a perfect one for us!
We love being able to share our fandoms in our day-to-day lives, whether it’s through wearing a Harry Potter scarf to the office or a casual tee emblazoned with a favorite character. As much as we love our fandoms, we also love the passion of our fellow fangirls which is why we’re dedicating this guide to small, female-fan-run businesses—some of which we’ve been lucky enough to feature on our show!
Apparel from Elhoffer Design
Whether you need the best look for a convention or a stylish outfit for the office, Elhoffer Design is the ultimate place to find clothes that infuse your fandom into your everyday. Victoria once modeled a Game of Thrones-inspired wrap dress for Temple of Geek, feeling fabulous and empowered.
Aprons and Scarves from La Jolie Fraise
If you’ve ever wanted a beautiful, custom-made anime apron, look no further than La Jolie Fraise. This shop specializes in beautiful, handmade printed fabrics made with hand-carved stamps. Whether it’s a Totoro or Sailor Moon apron, or a soot-sprite-scarf, La Jolie has you covered.
Shirts and Tote Bags from Erin Lefler
Erin Lefler is a licensed Lucasfilm and Netflix merchandise artist, but she’s also lent her talents to her Marvel, Disney and even Rocketman fandoms! While you can buy her prints, you can also find some as shirts and pins to complete your fandom wardrobe. One of our favorite pieces is her group shot of Marvel female characters. Find that one as a shirt, a print, or snag a tote bag like Tessa Thompson and Karen Gillian did!
Cat-themed Swag from Jenny Parks Illustration
We have been absolutely obsessed with Jenny Parks’ artwork, where she mashes up your favorite fandoms with cats! Some of her works are officially licensed; her Star Trek, DC, and Supernatural themed shirts are offered at Hot Topic. With all of the options available, including her own website above, you’ll find the perfect gift for your cat-loving fandom friends. Or yourself. Live long and pawsper.
(You can also find some of her art as earrings at Sparkle Designs’ shop below!)
Jewelry from Sparkle Designs
From musicals to superheroes, Sparkle Designs has hand-stamped jewelry necklaces, bracelets, and rings featuring quotes or moments. Other necklaces capture pieces of your favorite book. If you can’t peruse the stock at the conventions that Sparkle Designs attends, they also have an online store to fill your needs—where you can also find prints, ornaments, mugs, and more!
Perfume from Elden Fragrances
Alright, you’ve got your outfit honoring your favorite character ready. The best way to finish off your ensemble? Adding a scent inspired by that character! Elden Fragrances captures the essence of your favorites, like this Little Mermaid-inspired one featuring fragrances of aquatic flowers and ocean breeze.
We hope you found a few of these recommendations helpful! You can hear from some of the creators themselves by tuning into the Your Biggest Fangirl podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify and checking out our website.
Follow Kristen Chavez on Twitter and Victoria Male on Twitter, and keep up with Your Biggest Fangirl on Instagram and Twitter! Check out the rest of GeekFold's holiday gift guides here.
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