Woodstock Music & Art Fair, Day 4 (1969)

This post, much like the act it features, saves the best for last and is better late than never. I learned in my research for this week's outfits that Jimi Hendrix was always scheduled to close the show, but he was supposed to perform at the end of night 3. Weather circumstances and general disorganization pushed his set out to 9 am on the 4th morning, and many festival-goers never actually saw him play.

Final fun fact: Jimi played "The Star-Spangled Banner" that morning in a nod to his own previous military experience as a member of the Army's 101st Airborne Division.

Woodstock Music & Art Fair, Day 3 (1969)

I noticed that I've done alright in highlighting performers of color with my outfit choices this week, but they're still all dudes with guitars. Here, then, is a bit of gender balance in the person of Janis Joplin. She may not have been conventionally beautiful, but she was electric and talented and someone who left the music scene far too soon. Heartbreak never sounded so beautiful...

Woodstock Music & Art Fair, Day 2 (1969)

I realized this morning at work that the point of doing daily posts like this is to then post them on the days they're meant to commemorate! Sadly, I got got sidetracked by a nap and yummy dinner and "Outlander" on Blu-Ray last night and didn't get my second Woodstock cosplay posted.

But better late than never - after all, Jimi Hendrix didn't get to play until the morning after he was supposed to close the show! So here's Carlos Santana in all his early glory, with a gorgeous red Gibson guitar and a mop of curly hair to die for!

Woodstock Music & Art Fair, Day 1 (1969)

As promised from my Instagram feed earlier today, this is the first of a set of posts to commemorate one of my favorite musical events of all time. Happy 47th anniversary to the Woodstock Music & Art Fair! This outfit was worn by Richie Havens, the first performer to take the stage on day 1 of the festival. I'm becoming progressively more impressed with my own artistic talents as well; that guitar was all done by hand with the photo of Richie's instrument for reference! Keep an eye out for some Latin flair tomorrow, as I'll be highlighting a new artist from day 2. Peace!

San Diego Comic-Con 2016, Day 3

OK, all you nerds and nerdettes from waaaaay back in the day, this is where the con starts getting really good! September 2016 marks 50 years since the little sci-fi show that could, Star Trek, made its debut on NBC-TV -- and the world was never the same. It's been watched by civil rights icons, scientists, and presidents. Fans of the show insisted that NASA name America's first reusable space craft after the USS Enterprise.

The big anniversary panel for the show just ended a little bit ago, but the franchise is still going strong. It's one of the most eagerly awaited movies of the summer, and will be coming back to television as part of CBS-TV's new streaming service. It's also been tinged with sorrow of late, with the passing of both Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin, who originated the role of Chekov in the JJ Abrams Trek.  He was by all accounts a sweet and very talented young man whose loss is being keenly felt by his castmates. The outfits I chose to replicate represent male and female starship uniforms in Abrams' movies. The male uniform (in command gold) belongs to an ensign, in honor of Ensign Chekov and the late Anton Yelchin. The female uniform belongs to Zoe Saldana's Lt. Uhura. As ever, live long and prosper!

San Diego Comic-Con 2016, Day 2

It's Friday, and that means the second day of San Diego Comic-Con 2016 is in full swing. There'll be celebrities and nerds and pop culture fiends galore, and I'm insanely jealous that I'm missing it. I'm particularly sad to be missing the panel for AMC's The Walking Dead, as I've been a fan of the comics since my husband pressed the digital collection into my hands shortly after our wedding and told me I needed to catch up.

Fans of the TV show are just now learning what we readers have had a while to digest - Negan is coming and it won't be pretty! No spoilers here, of course; just know that it's going to be gleefully profane and violent and awesome. In honor of the panel I'd be camping out for today, I re-created an iconic look for a fan-favorite character: Michonne. This is the outfit she wore on the cover of issue #19 when she was introduced with her katana and her "pets". Badass in the zombie apocalypse has never looked so good!

San Diego Comic-Con 2016, Day 1

Well, ladies and germs, this is it - the big grandaddy kahuna of the nerd/con scene is upon us! Comic nerds and other sci-fi/fantasy/geek pop culture aficionados of all stripes will descend on Southern California to cosplay, mingle, see and be seen. Today is day 1 and not even the actual weekend yet, but there's still plenty on the schedule of events to take in. Since I am cleverly disguised this year as a responsible adult who can't actually take off work to make the con, I figured I'd live vicariously through my crafty creations.

This is my first costume of the weekend, and I was inspired by the simplicity of this panel's title - "Cosplaying 101". Supergirl is rapidly becoming one of my favorite members of the capes-and-tights set on TV, so I decided to create her iconic outfit, as worn by Melissa Benoist in her portrayal of Kara Danvers/Supergirl.  There'll be more geeky goodness to follow during this Comic-Con weekend (an outfit a day), so stay tuned!