The Dorky Diva

fandom. fashion. fun.

Hello!

Welcome to The Dorky Diva! I'm Savanna, a Star Wars fanatic who tries to sprinkle fandom into every day life. Follow along for new cosplay updates, outfit inspiration, beauty reviews, convention coverage, and more!

Outfit of the Day

Star Wars Launch Bay at Disney's Hollywood Studios is finally open to guests and I had the pleasure of visiting the new exhibit today. I love wearing everyday cosplays to Walt Disney World so my outfit was themed around Han Solo. I paired an awesome Han vs. Greedo t-shirt with a pair of dark je…

Star Wars Holiday Gift Guide for Her

The holiday season is here and if you're anything like me, you've only started shopping for Christmas gifts. If you're having trouble finding the right Star Wars gift for your favorite fangirl, don't worry. I've got you covered! This gift guide is Dorky Diva approved and sure to make that special lady in your life smile this holiday season.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Tour Tee. Her Universe and Hot Topic have teamed up to create this beautiful tee shirt for the release of Episode VII. The text on the back resembles a band tour shirt and the muted colors have a very vintage looking vibe. The front features some of our newest beloved heroes including Finn, Rey, Poe, and BB-8. You could pair this top with a pair of shredded jeans or a high waisted skirt for different occasions. Find it HERE at Hot Topic's website.


Irregular Choice C-3PO Flats. The odds of completely falling in love with these metallic droid flats from Irregular Choice are 3,720 to 1! These limited edition shoes have special details at every angle. C-3PO from the front, "Star Wars" from the heel, and a stunning print from A New Hope on the bottom. I would pair these with a simple black dress for New Years Eve. Find them HERE on Irregular Choices's website. 

Design By Humans

Looking for the perfect Star Wars T-shirt for the biggest fan in your life? Search no longer! Design By Humans now offers a huge selection officially licensed Star Wars shirts featuring designs from all seven films. DBH has a wide variety of amazing designs specifically created for the release of S…

Infinity Con

Infinity Con, located in Lake City, Florida, turned out to be a surprisingly impressive small sci-fi convention. This was the first time I’ve attended Infinity Con and only the second time the event has been open. Sci-fi conventions are usually spread out over a weekend but this one was only on Sat…

Ralph McQuarrie's Concepts Live Forever

Fans of Star Wars or conceptual artwork should immediately recognize the name Ralph McQuarrie. This man was responsible for all of the original and beloved Star Wars concept. In 1975, McQuarrie was asked by the creator of Star Wars, George Lucas, to illustrate several scenes from his film script. Unfortunately, McQuarrie passed away in 2012, but his legacy still lives on and his work continues to play an influential role in the Star Wars universe.

In the current animated series, Star Wars: Rebels, tons of original works from McQuarrie are directly being used. Here are just a few examples of how McQuarrie's legacy is living strong.

Chewbacca/Zeb
Garazeb Orrelios, the rough and tough Lasat known as "Zeb" from Star Wars: Rebels, is a perfect example of how an original character concept from Ralph McQuarrie is being used now. As seen in this side-by-side image, Zeb's design was contrived from unused concept art of Chewbacca. It's not a direct rendition as Zeb's lower half is different from the Chewbacca sketch, but his facial features are almost identical to McQuarrie's concept.

Chopper
C1-10P aka "Chopper" is also taken from a McQuarrie character sketch. The image below shows how R2-D2 was originally drawn. R2-D2 turned out to look a lot like McQuarrie's concept, but with less arms sticking out from his dome and his legs are different. Chopper inherited these arms from the dome and almost the exact legs from the sketch. Chopper is also a little shorter than the finalized version of R2-D2, which was most likely taken from this concept as well.


May the 4th Be With You

May 4th, official Star Wars day, is quickly approaching us and it's time to start thinking about ways to celebrate this galactic holiday! From baking Dark Side cookies to building LEGO ships, there are so many things you can do to celebrate Star Wars on the 4th.

LEGO Mini Wookiee Gunship
For a pre-May 4th celebration, check out your local Toys R Us store to build a free LEGO mini-Wookiee Gunship. This event is for children and will go from 12pm-2pm on Sunday (May 3rd). The Wookiee ships are exclusive to this event and will only be available while supplies last so don't miss out on this fun opportunity. 

Her Universe Deals
One of my favorite clothing companies, Her Universe, will be having some special deals and promotions exclusively for May the 4th shoppers. Be sure to check their website on Monday to see what deals they are offering. All of their new Star Wars products are gorgeous!  


ThinkGeek Promotions 
Another amazing company that I have talked about on my site several times before is having some special deals for May 4th. From May 1st-4th, you can get 20% off all Star Wars products on ThinkGeek. You also get a free limited edition May the 4th pin when you buy $20+ of Star Wars items from May 1st-7th. 

Upcoming Details in Star Wars Rebels: Season 2

I hope that by now all of you have seen Season 1 of Star Wars: Rebels. The season finale left me with joyous tears and restored hope for exciting new animated Star Wars content. I was very happily surprised by the quality and content of the show since it started up so quickly after Clone Wars ended. Dave Filoni and his team of writers and artists are probably the most talented people in the business and I am glad to see that the show is returning for another season. I wanted to talk about some highlights that we can be looking for in Season 2 of Rebels, which does not have an air date confirmed yet. The second season premiered at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim, which I did not get to see. With that being said, I know nothing about the season premiere, so this post will not contain any spoilers! All of the content that I will be discussing comes straight from the official Season 2 trailer or interviews with Dave Filoni.

Sabine's New Look
I'll start off with one of my favorite characters from the show. Sabine Wren is a spunky Mandolorian artist with quick-wit and some major painting skills. She sparks a fire in my fangirl heart because I feel like I am very similar to Sabine in many ways. I like to do creative and artistic things, just like she does. I also think I somewhat resemble her with the short hair and brown eyes. Anyways, Sabine will be getting a new look in Season 2! Dave Filoni noted that he doesn't know very many people with colored hair that let their hair stay one color for too long. Soon we will see Sabine with an aqua/teal colored hairstyle and newly painted armor. Her right shoulder bell features the number five, which I'm assuming is for her call sign, Spectre 5. The other shoulder bell pictures some sort of creature but I can't quite tell what it is. Her costume also has "adventure gear" which includes more belt pouches, gauntlets, handplates, and leg flares. It looks like there is a long sleeved shirt layered under her original short-sleeved one too.

The Force Awakens at SWCA

"The Force Awakens", the seventh Star Wars film, had a large presence at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim last week. From panels, to interviews with the cast, and a new trailer, this upcoming movie was the center of attention at Celebration.

Starting on Wednesday, Star Wars fans (including myself) were lined up in order to get a seat in Thursday's panel with JJ Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy. While I didn't get in line until very late Wednesday night, some fans had been waiting outside since 8:00am. The queue line was moved inside the convention center around 6:00pm, which was nice to shelter people from the weather and dropping temperatures. JJ and Kathleen were kind enough to send pizzas out to all the people who were waiting in line late at night. I've waited overnight for many Star Wars events and this is the first time I've ever heard of the director sending dinner out to the die-hard fans.

When Thursday morning rolled around, the queue line was slowly shifted into the main arena and the panel began. JJ and Kathleen were interviewed about their involvement with the new film and what the Star Wars saga meant to them on a personal level. I remember when I first heard that there would be a new Star Wars movie coming out, I was a little skeptical. I loved the prequels but I am also a fan of practical effects and felt like the CGI in Episodes I-III was a little overdone. JJ announced in the panel that practical effects and real costumes would be heavily used in "The Force Awakens". After hearing that bit of news and seeing his passion for this task, I have total faith in him to create an awesome Star Wars movie.

ThinkGeek Upcoming Releases 2015

I've previously talked about one of my favorite companies, ThinkGeek, that produces the most unique and creatively designed nerdy merchandise out there. ThinkGeek had a large presence at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim with their merchandise booth and convention exclusives. In addition to their Star Wars exclusive items for sale, they offered press kits for members of the media that were attending the event. These kits came in the form of an Admiral Ackbar Mimobot and featured many of their new Star Wars products that will be released later this year.

These products, prices, and release dates may change before they are actually released but here is a peek at what you can expect from ThinkGeek in 2015:


These R2-D2 and C-3PO Can Coolers will keep your drink cool in the upcoming Tatooine-like weather. They will sell for $9.99 each and are slated to be available for purchase in late May 2015. 

SWCA: Tips for Newbies

If you're planning on going to Star Wars Celebration Anaheim or any sci-fi convention this year, then I have some useful tips for you. Conventions can get overwhelming if you're a first timer so below are my top seven pieces of advice for you when attending SWCA this week. 


Pick up your badge early. If you ordered your Celebration ticket early and got your badge in the mail, sweet! You're already one step ahead of the game. If you have to pick up your badge on site, try to do it on Wednesday before the convention. The lines on Thursday morning will be long and will take away from your time in the exhibit hall. 

Pack snacks. I am guilty of not eating very often when conventions are going on because I get too busy and forget to eat. There are usually small stores or gas stations close to convention centers where you can grab snacks or some bread and PB & J. Make it a priority to stop by one of those stores on the first day of your trip. If you pack a sandwich in your convention backpack with some mixed nuts and water, you'll be ready for anything. Plus, you'll save time by eating on your own schedule rather than waiting 30 minutes or so for an overpriced convention hot dog.

Have a loose plan. I feel like planning for a convention is a true art. Some people over plan (I did this this at Celebration VI) and others don't have a plan at all. Getting the right balance of planning is tough because it varies from person to person. I would suggest having a loose plan with room for random opportunities that may pop up. If you schedule every minute of the convention, it doesn't give you any wiggle room for events that may go over time. Take a look at the convention schedule, mark down a few panels that really strike your interest, and then play the rest by ear. It's more fun that way!

Weekend Projects

I visited my family this past weekend for Easter and I was able to work on a couple of Star Wars projects while I was home. My boyfriend got me an ARF clone trooper helmet kit for Christmas a few months back and I haven't had much time to work on it until now. My best friend also asked me to make a TIE Pilot comm pad for a costume that she's working on. Both were two very different projects but I enjoyed working on them.

I started with the TIE comm pad because I knew had to make it from scratch and I didn't know how long it would take me to complete. Before touching any materials, I did my research to see what the comm pad needed to look like. Knowing that I didn't have enough time to sculpt a comm pad and cast it in resin, I decided to use some spare ABS plastic that I had lying around.

SWW 2015 Guests & Tips

Disney's Star Wars Weekends is my favorite annual Star Wars themed event that I have been attending ever since I was really young. The first time I ever personally met an actor from the Star Wars films was back in 2009 at Star Wars Weekends. Ever since then, I have been one of "those people" that waits in line overnight to get an autograph ticket. I've also had the privilege of marching in the daily parade with the 501st Legion. This event is such a great place to make new friends and celebrate Star Wars fandom with people who are just like you! 

There are daily shows with celebrities, a parade featuring the celebrities and members of the 501st Legion, and nightly fireworks for this event. Not to mention plenty of meet-and-greet opportunities with some of the best Star Wars characters, both good guys and bad! For first time SWW goers, I have some tips for you. Like I said previously, I've been going to this event since I was a toddler so I know how stressful it can be for someone to do everything at SWW in just a few days. Here are my tips:

Star Wars 20Q Game

Have you ever played the 20 Questions game before? I used to play this a lot when I was younger, especially on long road trips with my family. Well, how about putting a Star Wars twist on this old game? Uncle Milton created a Star Wars version of this classic game and I have to say that it's pr…

Star Wars Celebration Anaheim: Exclusives

Star Wars Celebration is right around the corner! Some of the merchandise booths released images of what items they will be selling exclusively for Celebration Anaheim. I told myself a few weeks ago that I wasn't going to spend too much money on merchandise during the convention but so many awe…

Star Wars Costume Exhibit in Seattle

Rebel, Jedi, Princess, Queen: Star Wars and the Power of Costume is a new traveling costume exhibit that  currently resides at the Seattle EMP Museum in Washington. It features 60 handmade costume from the Star Wars saga, all the way from Episode I to Episode VI. My friend Michael Bert recently had the opportunity to see this exhibit in person. Enjoy this exclusive interview with him about his experience seeing all of these original costumes. All of the photos in this article are courtesy of Michael.

Michael Bert's interest with Star Wars started in 1977 after viewing A New Hope. He became a super fan after countless viewings of The Empire Strikes Back during the summer of 1980.  That movie cemented Michael's interest in everything Star Wars for the last three and a half decades.  Most recently, Michael became a member of Vader's 501st Legion as an Imperial Royal Guard. He currently troops with the Midwest Garrison and resides in the northern suburbs of Chicago. 

Q: First of all Michael, what encouraged you to check out this new costume exhibit in Seattle?
A: A few months ago, I read an article about a new Star Wars costume exhibit that was premiering in Seattle on January 31, 2015. I also saw Anthony Daniels on The Comlink website covering the premiere. It looked amazing. I was hooked. The exhibit was scheduled for a 9-month run in Seattle before moving on to 12 other cities. Seattle was the first city, but no other cities were announced at this time. I didn't want to risk missing this exhibit, so I planned a weekend trip to Seattle. I have the original trilogy costume book that was released in October 2014. I found the pictures and significance  of each costume fascinating. I read that there was a lot of information at the exhibit on what inspired the designs of the costumes, the trials and tribulations of getting them made, and the actors comments on wearing and working in the costumes. Give me a bunch of behind the scenes information, and I'm there. I also like to participate in trivia contests. I thought this exhibit would yield interesting facts that I could use to win future trivia contests. Besides, Seattle is also the home of Boeing Field and I could incorporate the Boeing tour during the weekend.    

Q: When you first saw the exhibit, what was your reaction?
A: Excitement! After entering the doors to the exhibit, there is a large staircase brightly lit with cold white light. The walls had a series of parallel metal tubes lining the wall and blue and white L.E.D. tubular lights were mixed in. It gave you a sense of being inside a space ship or even in the cold hallways of Echo Base on Hoth. Finally, I was in The Empire Strikes Back. You got the sense you were headed for something special, something totally different. After ascending the stairs, a prototype Yoda was waiting for you and directing you to the main floor of the exhibit. This perfectly set the tone for what was ahead. I spent at least 20 minutes on the stairs, taking it all in, trying to stay focused, and enjoying similar reactions from other guests as they entered the exhibit. Once I was on the main floor, I didn't know where or what to look at first. I noticed a second floor that allowed a birds eye view of the main floor. I quickly made my way to the second level for an overview and decide where to start.  

Over the next 5 hours, I was able to see the entire exhibit. I started with an early admission time, which meant less people in the exhibit. It didn't get crowded until mid-afternoon when I was done or revisiting certain costumes. All the costumes had detailed information on their significance and place in the movies. Sometimes there were touchscreen devices that allowed you to view a clip from the movie where the costume is seen. Other times, there were digital voice recordings of the actor or designer giving insight on what it was like to wear or design the costume. I appreciated the historical and cultural aspects that influenced the designs from different world wars to ancient Chinese, Japanese, and African society. Swatches of material from different dresses or robes were there to touch. This gave you a real sense of  the fabric's weight and texture. The exhibit did a great job of comparing and contrasting the costumes from the original trilogy to the prequels. A continuous Star Wars music soundtrack played in the background, adding to the excitement.  


Celebration Anaheim- You Won't Want to Miss!

Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California is coming up very soon! The event will be held April 16th-19th at the Anaheim Convention Center. I attended the last Celebration event that was hosted in the United States and I am extremely excited to be surrounded by Star Wars for four days again. In t…

Star Wars Battle Pod

I recently had the opportunity to play the newest Star Wars arcade game called Battle Pod. It's only been released in the US for a couple months so I haven't seen very many reviews of the game. I went to Dave and Buster's to check out what Battle Pod was all about.

Battle Pod looks exac…

Welcome

Hey skyguys and galactic girls! I'm Savanna, a not so normal 18 year old with a passion for anything and everything Star Wars related. Ever since I was really young, I was surrounded by Star Wars. My mom and older brother are both huge fans as well and are a big reason why I am such a die-hard …