SPOILERS AHEAD
Life after Infinity War has been rough. The Sartorial Geek is hosting a celebration of life event at WORD Bookstores in Brooklyn on Saturday May 26 to honor those we lost in the third Avengers movie. Please join us either in person or in spirit. We’ve created a geek chic fashion guide to help you dress for the occasion.
Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today to get through this thing called life…
Oh shoot, wait, wrong intro. Let’s start this again. Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Harry and Meghan… No, wait, wrong again. Dammit. Okay one last try.
Dearly. Beloved.
We are gathered here today to get through this thing called a post Infinity-War world where we lost too many of our faves both pre and post snap. And now, we’re left wondering how to go on and act like our hearts weren’t ripped from our chests a few short weeks ago. Now, I know the majority of the world is currently caught up in the dress code for the Royal Wedding. (Myself included, let’s be real). But, have you considered what you would wear to a Royal Funeral?
When it comes to the losses in Avengers: Infinity War, I have my own theories on the post-snap world and how that will be resolved. (*Cough* Or reversed *cough*). So, what I would like to focus on here today is the dress code when paying respects to a couple of the tragic losses that occurred PRE-snap. Namely my two out of this world faves – Loki and Gamora.
First up, let’s start with Loki.
My dear, dramatic, snake son Loki. Listen, we can debate all day but at the end of the day… Despite his coming around and the good he ended up doing, Loki was a villain. He was PROUD to be a villain, and I loved him dearly for that. Loki has arguably had the most growth throughout the last 10 years in the MCU. (Second only to Tony Stark, but that’s a post for another day.) The fact we went from his attack on NYC in The Avengers to him coming around full circle saying, “We have a Hulk,” in his final few cinematic minutes may or may not have brought tears to my sentimental eyes.
And while I know we’ve seen Loki die at least twice so far only to come back and wreak havoc, for some reason I really do think this is one of the deaths that will remain permanent. To honor Loki, one would need to kick up the flair for the dramatic in their ensemble.
Luckily, like Loki, I also have a flair for the dramatic.
So, this one was a very easy choice for me. I chose this green, bodycon style dress from Fashion Nova. It is accented with tiny gold embellishments all over. Loki would definitely deserve a dramatic headpiece. But nothing is as over the top as his own gold horns.
I look at this as one would look at attending a wedding. You want to be glam but not overshadow the bride. In this case, we do not want to overshadow the deceased. So, I stuck with a simple black veiled headband from H&M. To make up for the simplicity of the headpiece, we amp it up a bit with huge square sunnies from Free People and a very bold green lip (color is TRICK by Kylie Cosmetics).
One thing we saw in both Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 and Thor: Dark World is how stunning a funeral in space can be.
They really take the idea of celebrating life to another level. While there is great sorrow, there is also astounding beauty. Between the wardrobes, the ceremony, the arrow with fire that turns the ashes into what almost looks like tiny little stars to become one with the universe… There is so much vibrancy to be found. So, I tried to stay true to that when it came to an outfit fit for paying respects to Gamora.
This. Cape. Though.
This cape by PrettyLittleThing is a thing of beauty. As gorgeous as it looks photographed, pictures don’t even do her justice. Though we did not witness a funeral on Gamora’s home planet since the loss there was massive and destructive and chaotic thanks to Thanos, the iridescent tone of it reminded me of something we would see on Asgard.
I absolutely love that it can be worn down and around you like a hug that is offering comfort. But it also has hidden handles that almost look and feel like drumsticks sewn into the sides so that you can wear it fully out as if you are spreading your wings. The cape is clearly the big focus of this look. So, I wore my hair pulled off my face and a simple white tank dress underneath to let it shine as it’s meant to.
Gamora’s death in Avengers: Infinity War was heartbreaking even before the moment she died.
The scene that still sticks with me is when she asks Peter Quill, her boyfriend and by her own admission the love of her life, to kill her should Thanos ‘get her’ due to what she knows about the Soul Stone. Peter struggled with the ask. But still, after some coaxing, he planned to honor her wishes and do it only to have his decision taken from him by Thanos and the Reality Stone.
Despite that, we know that Gamora loved him fiercely and truly. The stars under my eyes are a nod to her love for Starlord. The rest of my makeup is classic – dark eyeliner and a red lip but not as bold as it could be to really let the amazing cape take the focus.
It’s important to remember that a vital part of mourning is keeping the spirit of those we have lost alive.
I am here to offer some great tips on just how we can implement that superhero style for years to come. Weirdly a lot of people are surprised to hear how long I’ve loved the comic world of Marvel. They’re even more surprised to learn how much. It’s a weird stigma that it’s a genre just for the boys. And because I am a fashion loving lady, I must only care about the movies for the eye candy.
Well, that stigma is old and dated and just not true. More women than ever are finding a home as a Marvel fan for so many other reasons than a good-looking cast. Female superheroes like Black Widow and Captain Marvel along with other strong female leads like Nebula, Gamora, Mantis, Okoye, and Nakia are vital to the mission both in Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy. They kick ass and, more often than not, save the day with their unique strengths and abilities.
And as for the argument that I can’t mix a love of fashion with a love of superheroes?
The below, which I have decided to title ‘Avengers Ensemble: Keeping the Superhero Spirit Alive in a Post Infinity War World’ (I should rework that title…) puts an end to that.
First up let’s talk about some ways to keep your favorite superheroes around your aura in subtle, easy ways all day long.
From Funko Pops to Snapchat filters, notebooks at work to latte art, or even some old fashion communication devices thrown in, as you can see there are many ways to bring a bit of superhero spirit into your workday.
Next up you can try some accessorizing with some obvious choices:
Like some character printed socks or pins. Or, you can also try some custom jewelry. (Etsy is a gold mine for unique jewelry pieces!) Wanting to show your pride more subtly? Check out these Captain America inspired booties I got from ASOS.
I know what you’re thinking. Since when are silver red and blue star boots subtle? But I’m talking subtle in representing for Captain America without a graphic or other officially licensed items. These booties are also just really fun. And, they add an unexpected touch to any look.
If you’re feeling REALLY down and need a bigger, more obvious boost, well…
Follow in the footsteps of my three-year-old niece. Keep your fave in both your heart and your head.
The Marvel Civil War is over. (Which I for one am grateful for as a fan of both Tony and Steve. Plus, that era in the MCU is a time and a movie I never want to revisit.) So, here in this post we are breaking up some ways to represent your love for Team Iron Man and Team Cap looks. Solely for the theme of it and not for the symbolism of choosing.
(I think it’s obvious what my choice would be anyway.)
(Iron Man. It’s always Iron Man.)
ANYWAY. Let’s check out what some Stark Spirit in action looks like for everyday life:
The two Iron Man bodysuits above are among my favorite purchases. They fit perfectly under so many things. You can even wear them as a layer under a dress or other top when you don’t want the graphic to be so obviously displayed.
If you are wanting to wear this piece as a way to display your love for your fave, the two looks above are some ways to make that work.
With the red bodysuit, I went loud and proud. I wore it under some H&M leopard print pants. Since this is very loud and mixing both prints and bright colors, I toned down the overall look by adding a black blazer from Nordstrom, and black Dolce Vita ankle booties with gold buckles.
With the black bodysuit, I wanted to go a little more feminine and a lot more low profile. So I did big curls, some high-waisted jeans from ASOS and threw on a pair of Topshop gold heeled sandals. Of course, I had to add some signature leopard print to this look too so I chose a thin cardigan from a local boutique. I accessorized this look by pairing three necklaces (it’s tough to see.) But they spell out I <3 with a Captain America shield charm on the third one.
I reworked the same leopard print cardigan in another outfit. But the goal here was a true laid back and comfortable look.
So, I chose this “You’re my Hero” licensed Iron Man t-shirt with some textured joggers from Cotton On.
The smile you see above is one of a naïve girl just prior to seeing Avengers: Infinity War. My face afterward told quite a different story!
One of the things that makes being a Tony girl so much fun is that you really can wear gold glitter pants with red heels and a Stark Industries jacket and people barely bat an eye at you.
But the Ultimate way to prove you’re Team Tony forever?
Meeting Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan and choosing this for your picture, duh:
This was by far my favorite way to mix fashion and comics and as much as I LOVE Cap and Bucky (and I really really do!) I have been an Iron Man girl for almost my whole life. So, in the end I just had to let them know and represent. Sidenote: They were really cute about taking this picture and I love them even more for being such good sports.
So now that we’ve brought Cap back into the mix, let’s explore how to show your Captain America aesthetic with the next few looks.
It’s pretty easy to throw together some Captain America team spirit by simply dressing as you would to celebrate the 4th of July and throwing on some patriotic gear. I, of course, had to go a little extra and essentially become an American Girl Pinup instead in this bandeau bathing suit and stars and stripes skirt, both courtesy of ASOS. The headscarf was a long skinny scarf from Forever 21 that I wrapped around my head several times to make work. The lip is my favorite red of all time – the matte Mary Jo K by Kylie Cosmetics.
The next look has the same idea of some red, white, and blue.
But, as you can see is much more wearable in everyday life. This WILDFOX COUTURE tank has the flag print already represented with the logo on the front of the top. I brought in some more red with the same Mary Jo K matte lip, some white with these ASOS mules, and some blue with the ripped jeans.
Some days even I just want to hang out in a tee-shirt and some cutoffs.
Of course, there is plenty of opportunity for that too. This licensed Marvel t-shirt from Target was in the young boy’s section. I paired it with my favorite pair of destroyed cut-off shorts and some leather hi-top sneakers. Since this look is more mellow and has less of my signature bold or feminine touches than I generally like to add, I went for a ‘classic beauty’ makeup look with heavy bronzer and a bold red lip. A pair of thick glasses and my hair in a half bun pulled it all together for a casual but still ‘me’ look.
If you’re going for a more evening vibe:
You can still represent by throwing on some of the accessories we talked about earlier in this post. For example, I was feeling very over the top glamour with the get up above so I paired these Cap inspired ASOS beauties with a simple black Nordstrom dress and stockings with over the knee socks. Throw on a faux fur coat to really set it off and give it that something extra. The great thing about these booties is that they also look awesome with some cuffed jeans and a white tee for a little more laid back look if that is more your speed.
If you simply cannot declare a side, or you are more of an all hero type of fan, these next couple outfits are for you.
This outfit was one of my favorites because it was unexpected. I loved this tank top especially because of the bright colors and how it was so clean with the lines of character names instead of a big picture on the front like most other Marvel licensed clothing items I’ve come across. It was actually found in the pajama section at Target which brings me to my greatest advise when coming up with wardrobe choices – think beyond than your usual go-to sections. Nothing is off limits. I’ve worn things from children’s sections, pajama pieces as dresses and t-shirts, and in a pinch used some tulle meant to wrap gifts with as straps for my shoes as some recent examples.
With the colorful top I went mostly black with the rest of the look minus some white snake-skin boots (not pictured).
These are awesome with a Lucite heel and it made me feel a little more animated overall but the look would work just as well with plain black booties as well.
If a headpiece is easier or more comfortable for you to try instead of a bright white or texture bootie, I added in an ASOS rainbow pom-pom headband to bring in another element to the rainbow colors of the top.
Makeup wise I kept my face pretty neutral minus a little color on my lips since the focus is on the colors of the outfit and there is already quite a bit going on. I went with a purple Too Faced matte lipstick.
Wakanda set the scene for one of the biggest movies of the year…
AND one of the most epic battles of Avengers: Infinity War. So we, of course, need to acknowledge and pay homage to this beautiful place. In the look above I wore some vintage sunnies, some high-waisted mom jeans and the black Dolce Vita booties from earlier in the post.
But the real focal point of this look is this to-die-for post-card inspired map of Wakanda tee by Kashmirvii. They have some unbelievable unique designs including some other Black Panther pieces and if you love T’Challa, Wakanda, and the movie as a whole as much as I do I highly recommend checking out their store.
Now we’ve covered funeral looks and how to dress when celebrating your heroes for most of the year… But what about when you have to stick to a more specific theme?
The holidays can be a tough time but having your superhero spirit guides with you makes it a bit easier to manage.
There are plenty of options for this both custom made like the CHRISmas trio (tank purchased from Redbubble) and Marvel has plenty of licensed holiday gear too whether you go down the the ‘ugly sweater’ path or choose to celebrate with the whole squad in this all hero themed sweater.
Bonus gift all year round:
A bestie that shares your superhero addiction and will dress the part right alongside you.
Well , we’ve made it to the end of the line with comic book couture. Though it’s never easy to say goodbye, hopefully some of the looks and ideas above have inspired you to find ways to carry your faves with you. Whether they were among the many, many losses in Avengers: Infinity War or if they were some of the the lucky few who made it through (for now).
If you’re emotionally ready to revisit Infinity War, shop our Amazon affiliate link here!
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Heather Chapman
Heather runs FilthyCuteXO, a daily fashion blog featuring outfit of the day, accessory spotlight, outfit flashbacks, style news, etc.
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