Significant Other Approves - +10!

By Keelah Monster Cosplay

Valentine’s Day is coming up and whether you are celebrating with your cosplayer in a home you share or meeting them somewhere, or even celebrating at Katsucon as I wish Robert (my boyfriend) and I were (we’re having a belated Valentine’s Day due to his senior year being a large workload this year), you want to get them the perfect gift possible, maybe a nice little figurine or keychain if you’re just starting out, perhaps a collar or cuff that matches one of the their cosplays or fandoms if you’re serious (Or a piece of jewelry if you’re super serious).

But keep in mind, above all most geeks and cosplayers want something cool, fun, and unique that fits their interest, DeBeers and the like will tell you diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but the fact of the matter is that diamonds are cold, hard, impersonal, and come from a bevy of disgusting practices including child slavery and modern colonialism not to mention are severely up charged, misrepresented, and overrated simply because some fat cat company says so at the expense of thousands of African children.

 Social justice indignation aside, you can read more about the massive problems with the diamond industry here at Amnesty International, I’m here to help you pick out a gift for your cosplay SO, so here’s a few suggestions that are a bit more wallet friendly (and most of them are more human rights friendly too!) than diamonds.

8 Bit Flower Bouquet from ThinkGeek - $10

For this post, I’m not going to suggest things specifically, I’m going to suggest places to go and ways to figure out what your SO would like. I don’t know your love interest, so I’m not sure entirely what you should get them, this is using examples from my experience on what to do. For the sake of avoiding hypocrisy and also making sure you find the most unique and amazing gift possible, I’m going to avoid most mainstream stores and tell you flat out that Etsy or making something yourself or commissioning a crafty friend is point blank the best way to go, but if you don’t mind some potential sweatshop labor, Thinkgeek is a tried and true surefire shop for any geek to give gifts, they are a great company, but again, shop at your own risk as far as sweatshop items because they’re more a geek department store than a place that makes their own items, granted not every mass produced item is sweatshop fodder, you may find some that are in a place so big and diverse.

From The Hobbit Collection by Shiro Cosmetics

So, here are some basic ideas for things your cosplayer may like that can be bought from known reputable companies: Does your cosplayer have their makeup pallet yet? It doesn’t matter what gender they are, every cosplayer worth their salt (barring skin allergies of course) usually likes to have a pallet for their character even if it’s just some concealer or bronzer. Well don’t worry, because Shiro Cosmetics has you covered. It’s owned by a lovely person named Caitlin (not to be confused with IFD’s Caitlin, who while wonderful, isn’t the same Caitlin!) and I have personally received assistance from her in selecting pallets for many of my cosplays. Is your SO cosplaying a character with a non-human skin color like gray or purple or green? Well if you email her with the character’s name and a pic in case she isn’t familiar with them, she can help you put together a lovely three color pallet for toning and blending AND she’ll sell you the colors at an increased size so they can be used as foundation. Also, most of her colors can be made into high pigment lip glosses.

Arcane Magic: Dark Fantasy by Fyrinnae Cosmetics

Shiro doesn’t have exactly the color you need or you don’t need that much, just an eye shadow? Or maybe you need some epoxy or some shimmer? Well head on over to Fyrinnae cosmetics. All their products are vegan, long lasting, and I can personally attest to their variety and vibrance. They have wonderful customer service, though they don’t offer the same size customization and personalization that Shiro Cosmetics does. Also, their lip products may look like glosses, but they aren’t! They’re actually long lasting opaque lipsticks; they are simply applied like gloss. Both shops are reasonably priced and a good alternative to the sham of a business that is Lime Crime (As with my above rant, feel free to look up their years of poor business practices, shoddy formulas, and upcharges on basic micas, not to mention borderline racist advertising for their China Doll set).

Makeup not for your SO or they’re very picky about it? Not a problem, consider browsing Etsy or asking a crafty acquaintance to sell you a small prop or accessory piece, you can find almost anything for any fandom there, from ribbons to jewelry to prop weapons to masks and latex pieces, commissioning some small finishing touch can be the most thoughtful gesture imaginable to a cosplayer since so much of our expendable income goes towards costumes.

A Brony's dream

On that note, another thoughtful gift is something completely unrelated to cosplay that your SO could otherwise not afford because of the combination of bills and cosplay costs. I am an avid tea drinker and while not my SO, one of my best friends frequently buys me tea or accessories for making a better cup of tea since she knows I could never afford those things on my own. Be it cute casual clothes, alt fashions they like, snacks or drinks they enjoy, even a bottle of their favorite alcohol, one less extra thing they no longer need to debate setting cosplay money aside for is a gift in and of itself. Hell, I also collect figurines particularly Mass Effect and My Little Pony, my BF got me Soarin’ and Spitfire as well as a few other blind bags last year for my MLP collection, and then this year he got me Garrus and Grunt Funko POP! Figures to go with my Tali and Mordin figures. Books also never go amiss.

The Ferrari Wig by Arda Wigs

Another big cosplay piece you could offer help with is a wig. While there are other places, I recommend Arda Wigs or The Five Wits. Arda has a larger selection that comes in a bigger variety of colors and are better for styling, but Five Wits has many great pre-styled wigs for those who can’t style for themselves or don’t have the time. Their prices are close enough that neither will break your bank and both are subject to multiple sales a year AND Arda now has a punch tab discount program.

Don’t buy wigs on Etsy. Buying a custom styling job is different, but don’t buy pre-styled wigs on Etsy as a rule as many of the MLP wigs that are sold there are actually either two cheap wigs sewn together or one cheap, unstyled wig with ears attached. Buy your ears from Yaya Han or have them commissioned and clip or strap them onto your head or wig, it’s not worth a $60 upcharge for a shoddy pair of ears to be sewn into a $15 wig as some wig sellers on Etsy have been known to do. Arda has many tutorials, Five Wits has many pre-styled wigs that are inexpensive, and Etsy has many talented stylists who you can commission to style a wig that you bought or picked out. Don’t fall for a scam.

Now this last suggestion is likely out of most price ranges, but if it isn’t and your cosplayer doesn’t make their own costumes, having a full costume commissioned for them that they’ve been wanting is a very, very thoughtful and kind gesture. The problem is the inexpensive ones you see online are generally from sweatshops or worse, Milanoo, which buys at random from different sweatshops so not only are you getting poor quality and slave labor work, but also you don’t even know just how poor the quality.

 The reason this will break your bank is that you HAVE TO go to a reputable commissioner and the average seamstress wage (at least in most cities I’ve looked into) is $25 an hour, costume work can take days, in my first article you may recall I broke down how long Tali and Jaina each took me? And the thing is, those weren’t even the final drafts. Think long and hard about this one unless you bring in a six figure income yearly, but it IS a nice, thoughtful gesture.

Mana and Health Necklace Set - $24 by ZooZim on Etsy

Apart from the aspects of finances and picking between many wonderful options, the act of buying a gift for your cosplayer should be a snap if you know them well enough. And if you’ve only just started dating? Play it safe and get them something small and simple.

Price and size shouldn’t matter for a gift, these are only loose suggestions based on what a cosplay requires to be completed, in the end all that matters is that you thought of your loved one on Valentine’s Day. Love is in the air, so grab your love interest of choice and hit Silver sun Strip for some DLC style dating!...But don’t go for sushi...Trust me…You Mass Effect fans know what I’m saying.

Keelah Monster (formerly Tali'Belle) is a fashion and costume design student with twelve years of cosplay experience. She operates Fleet and Flotilla: Dextro Couture and Salvage on Etsy. Her main cosplay is Tali'Zorah Vas Normandy and her current preferred convention is Dragon Con. You can keep up with her on DeviantArt  or Twitter. And of course, you can find her posts here on I Feel Delicious!

Link Roundup - Sunday February 2, 2014

Baby, it's cold outside! Most of the US is experiencing a cold snap. Tempers are running high, everyone is stuck inside. So what are you gonna do about it? You're gonna check out these DELICIOUS news stories from the past week. Scroll past the Gil Elvgren penguin pinup girl to start reading. It's worth it!  ~Caitlin

Experts are up in arms over the petition started by a teen to include a plus size Disney princess. I think it's a fabulous article. Read more here in an Examiner article by Kathryn Darden  and more on this and plus size mannequins and their effect on realistic body image in an article by Marcey Cruz at Plus Model Magazine, here.

Skinny middle class white girl goes to Yoga class. Skinny middle class white girl notices overweight black girl in class and makes assumptions about her based on skin color and weight. Read the original article here and the rebuttal here at Black Girl's Guide to Weight Loss by Erika Nicole Kendall. Bravo, Erika.

Facebook user uploads a video of a fat chick dancing (and rocking out). She captions it with derisive words, but this girl has some moves and is worth watching. It makes me want to dance again. Check out the video here. 

In XOJane's "It Happened to Me" feature, Bree Davis details what it's like to be friends with an Internet troll. Read more here. 

Maternity wear is hard to find. Plus size maternity wear that doesn't look like a potato sack is almost impossible to find. Sally over at Already Pretty suggests some awesome plus size maternity wear options that are stylish and look super comfy. See her picks here. 

Speaking of style and fashion: Meet Jillian Mercado. She's a model for Diesel and she has muscular dystrophy. This girl just might be my new hero. Read her story here, at Refinery29. 

Jilly over at Refashionista.net shows us how to make a Johnny Was designer tunic look-alike - for less than $5. See her inspiration and the refashion here, on Wannabe Wednesday at the Refashionista blog.

Agence France-Presse over at Rappler raps on a study that shows sex and pregnancy are poorly understood by women in the US. Read the article here.  And keep an eye out on I Feel Delicious as we aim to change that - sex and sexuality are fun! And an important part of your health and wellness.

Fox News reports that being shorter may lead to feelings of inferiority. I'm not sure how I feel about this, as someone who's only a hair over 5 foot 3 inches. Read the article here.  Maybe Napoleon just had low self-esteem?

The Telegraph posted an article here, on how two women could change the face and future of South Africa. Strong women in global politics - we like that.

Aziza al Habsi reports on the aspiriations of women in the Middle East. Read her article here, at the Oman Observer. 

Pope Francis is up to causing trouble again. This time, he said publicly that women should have a larger role in the Catholic Church. Read more here at Time. He's silent on the subject of ordaining women priests, though. So we can only guess what he's up to now. Go Frankie, Go!

Matthew Tucker reports on the work of Sean Scheidt, where burlesque performers are shown in costume and then in their everyday wear. Breaking down the idea that burlesque performers are all tramps, whores or worse, this piece on Buzzfeed is a must see. 

Got a news-worthy link? A blog post you want to share? Let us know. Post in the comments below or get ahold of us on our Facebook Page. We want to see your work and hear your opinions!

Weekly Link Roundup - January 12, 2014

By Caitlin Seida

This week we take on nudity - and why it's okay if an actress is okay with it - violence against women in Africa and the middle east, why Katie Couric really should do more research, women in the tech industry, comic book characters and their race and gender identity and more. Paula Deen can rejoice - butter is in, and it's okay! Also, a tear-jerking video of two elephants reunited after 20 years and a rage-inducing rant from the star of "Call the Midwife." This week has been a busy one in the blog-o-sphere, and we're here to catch you up. 

Entertainment and Tech

Lena Dunham and Judd Apatow talk about why Dunham's character on the TV Show Girls is always naked - responding to a rather poorly worded question from a reporter. Refinery29 has the scoop. 

Love it or hate it, Amanda Hess's piece "Why Women Aren't Welcome on the Internet" has been setting the 'net ablaze this week. Agree or disagree with her stance, she provides a totally new look at online harassment. 

Is anyone really surprised that women have more social media presence than men? This report over at The National Association of Realtors confirms what anyone who has ever used Pinterest already knows: Social media is dominated by women. 

Poornima Vijayashanker over at CNN Money explains why the lack of women tech founders is about more than just a lack of knowledge. Read her piece "Stop Telling Women They Just Know How to Code." 

Afghani women are turning to the Internet to hide from threats and violence. Read Gopal Bantam's hard-hitting piece over at Bloomberg Politics.  The 'net is a global community, and we need to recognize that. 

Laverne Cox, the media's favorite transwoman as of late, tells Katie Couric to shove it - with dignity and grace - with regards to invasive and insensitive questions about trans people. Read the whole scoop on Salon.com. I think I'm in love. Laverne, will you be my BFF? 

Health, Sports and Wellness

Caitlin Constantine tackles the women and pull ups issue that the US Military brought up this week. It's about more than just biology. Read her take over at the Huffington Post. She brings up some pretty valid points. 

SB Nation reports on an annual Alaskan tradition. Every year the Talkeenta Bachelor Society auctions off - well, themselves - to raise money for women and children in crisis. Read the coverage of the "Wilderness Woman Competition" here for an odd look at the (only slightly ironic and kind of fun) competition. 

UFC's Matt Brown has proven himself kind of a dick by insisting that women MMA fighters should keep on fighting - only if they're topless. Read all about this guy putting his foot in his mouth over at MMA Mania.  Anyone want my ten foot pole? Because I'm not touching this one. 

We all know there's an income gap between men and women but the gap is closed in at least one area. The world's top ranked tennis players pull in the same income as men. Read more over at The Herald Sun. 

Butter consumption is at a 40 year high, and that might not be a bad thing, health-wise. This piece over at Women's Health explains why.  I can't believe it's not....oh you know. 

Imani Grandi at RH Reality Check isn't just mad - she's pissed and she explains why in her article "Feticide Laws Advance 'Personhood', Punish Pregnant Women."  Totally worth a read for anyone concerned about women's reproductive rights.

Women's perspectives of healthy genetalia and what's "normal" (not that there's any such thing) "may be" influenced by exposure to modified images. Read more in a report over at Science Daily.  And if you need a reality check, go look at the variation of women's genetalia over at the Large Labia Project (obviously Not Safe for Work.)

Culture And Media

Willa Paskin takes on the "likeable woman" archetype in Slate's piece "What's so Bad About Likable Women?"  Read for the importance of unlikable women characters. 

Smithsonian Mag released a piece on the women who mapped the universe - and got absolutely NO credit for it. Read here.  Astronomy never felt so powerful.

Over at Reason.com, Shihka Dalmia reports on the rise in female gun ownership in India. 

Call the Press! Call the Midwife Star Judy Parfitt paints herself as kind of a twat, calling women who opt for plastic surgery "pathetic."  I'm not sure I'll be watching anymore - what I do with my body (natural, artificial, cosmetic or medically necessary) is my own damn business and I don't take kindly to anyone judging me for it.

The Foreign Policy Blog offers up an interesting chart, comparing what researchers found was "appropriate apparel" for women Muslims. The verdict? Cover your hair, not your face.  The chart - and article - are worth viewing. It's interesting to see this cultural preference and how it varies from place to place, and also how it falls in line with conservative Christian and Jewish mandates for women to cover their hair. 

Listen to "Never Again" with Betty Makoni - this week she takes on the African Genocide of women on Nehanda Radio. $10 can buy a bus ticket out to  save the life of someone looking to escape the violence. So why are we wasting funds on campaigns that just aren't working? 

Fatherless children? It's all women's faults, according to Wall Street Journal writer James Taranto. Read his ridiculous piece here, along with the snarky commentary that makes me fall in love with op-ed writer Amanda Marcotte.  Forget working outside the home and the Pill - we're here to birth babies and stay shackled to the stove! Maybe then our boys would grow into strong, worthwhile men. Ahem.

Buzzfeed can be snarky, critical and downright trashy, but writer Tabir Ahkter hits the nail on the head in "13 Reasons Why Not Fitting In As a Kid Makes You An Awesome Adult." Where my weirdos at?

NPR's thought provoking piece on artist Orion Martin asks the question "Who Gets to Be a Superhero?" Examining race and gender identity in comics, this piece is a must click for all comic book fans.

Fashion and Image

Stylelist outlines this winter's Must Have!!!!! accessories. Gimme those boots, please!

Speaking of boots to die for, Sally over at Already Pretty gives us plenty of eyecandy in her Ode to Clarks Shoes. 

This week's Reader Refash over at Jilly's Refashionista blog comes from Trish, She turns two thrift store coats into a stylish trench for a fraction of the cost. With a bit of steampunk edge to it, this coat NEEDS to be seen by the public!

J's Everyday Fashion Blog calls out to those of us who can't walk two feet in heels by featuring wedges. I love wedges. And so does J's. 

Just for Smiles

Parents, this one is for you. Today.com reports on an exhausted new mom's take on "expert" sleep advice. Anyone who's ever had to share their life with a tiny human will be snorting with laughter.

Dogster.com's Lauren Zimmer reports on how her dog used his "cone of shame" as a tool during recovery after surgery. Hilarious!

Not a dog person? Catster's Lauren Bailey gives us a chuckle with her list "5 Ways My Cats Completely Own Me."

David Letterman Smooches Amy Poehler - and her reaction is awesome. Check out the video over at CNN.com.

Over on wimp.com, there's an adorable video of two elephants being reunited after 20 years.  Shades of "Christian the Lion" but without the carnivorous aspect.

Mental Floss features 13 words of the year from other countries. It almost makes me want to nagelprotest the US's declaration of "Selfie" as the word of 2013. 

Sunday Roundup: This Week In the Blog-o-Sphere

By Caitlin Seida 

Did you miss what was going on this week in the world of the blog? Here's a roundup of some of our favorite stories from the past week. Topics range from delicious things to eat, reasons you should pick out a new frock at a consignment shop and the awesomeness that is Alyssa Milano. Give these stories a glance and enjoy!

Health, Fitness and Food

The Texas A&M University Extension Office brings us a little motivation in keeping our New Year's Resolutions with Walk Across Texas - 7 Reasons to Love Exercise.

Maria and Josh over at Two Peas and Their Pod bring us 31 Healthy Recipes to Start 2014 Right. The cranberry orange roasted Brussels sprouts make me want to get creative in the kitchen.

If you're sick of being healthy, head over to Purl Bee and make use of their glittering torrone recipe.  I can just taste the sticky sweet honey now.

Jen at EPBOT gives us some much needed counsel in her post "5 Ways to Help Your Loved One Through a Panic Attack." 

Fashion, Beauty and Self Image

Zachary Valenti shows us that body image issues don't just affect women - he bravely shares his story of coming to terms with his body over at Salon.com in "Man Boobs and My Decade of Shame"

Sally at Already Pretty brings us a rundown of consignment shopping vs. thrift shopping. If you've ever wondered which is a better bet for which clothing items, this post is a must read.

Ms. Misantropia brings us some fun fashion trends for spring 2014. I'm enjoying the embroidery

The Lancashire Evening Post brings us a story of 12 real military wives of all shapes and sizes channeling their inner pinup vamps for a spicy calendar to benefit a chairty supporting current and former military personnel and their families.

The Cyberbullying Research Center lets us know what we, collectively, have learned about cyberbullying in 2013.

Feminism

Versha Sharma and Hanna Sender point out what we already know over at Vocativ - Hollywood Movies with Strong Female Leads Make More Money!

Rebecca Fernandez and The Women Take Over offer a look inside the brain of the media powerhouse Jezebel in an interview with founder Anna Holmes.

Liz over at Hello Ladies offers up a list of inspiring moments for women that happened in 2013.

Things That'll Make You Smile

Mashable brings us the story of a really neat dad who packs AWESOME notes with his kids' lunches. You can follow his adventures over at And I'm the Dad. 

Liz Acosta of Dogster brings us to tears with the story of Grammy Faith, a puppy mill dog who was kept in a rabbit cage for 12 years and is finally free.

And here's the story of a rockin' grandma who hand knits character from The Hobbit in intricate detail. If your New Year's Resolution was to be more crafty, here's your kick in the ass.

And if you need a smile, Alyssa Milano holds her own against radio host and "comedian" Jay Mohr after he calls her fat. Keep it classy, Alyssa and show 'em how it's done!
Update: Jay Mohr has apologized and with humor, grace and aplomb, Alyssa accepts. Read her response at the LA Times for a chuckle!

Do you have a neat link, blog post or interesting story to share? Let us know in the comments below or visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ifeeldelicious. Share the love, ladies!

What's trending now... some of my favorites

Not all real women have curves.
This is a wonderful viewpoint that many of us miss. Thank you so much for sharing it.



How easy it is to fake a 15 pound before/after photo?
Looks pretty much like every ad out there for weight loss pills.

'Regular Women' In Lingerie Remind Us What Imperfect, Un-Photoshopped Bodies Look Like
Love these photos.