Being Geek Chic is a blog about one woman navigating the male-dominated industries of production and tech. It's written by Elizabeth Giorgi, Founder, CEO and Director of Mighteor - one of the world's first internet video production companies. Learn more about Mighteor here.
Women don’t get to be the hero very often. In the movies. On television. In media in general. But in real life? Oh, ladies are the heroes all the damn time. At our jobs. In our personal lives. With our friends. With our families. But when you’re having a bad day or week or month, it can be easy to forget just how powerful you really are. Sometimes, the only way to get back to yourself is put on the metaphorical cape and regain our hero-like status.
Here are 24 ways you can be your own superhero and get your powers back:
1. Put on a totally kick-ass outfit. Think of it as your armor for the day.
2. Create a new playlist of songs that make you feel awesome. My special mixes always includes artists like Banks, Beyonce and Kadebostany.
3. Go running. Feel your lungs burn. Your muscles tingle. Feel fast.
4. Lift some weights. I find a full set of bicep curls makes me feel like I’m going to kick some ass.
5. Put your arms up in the air. Reach for the sky. Breath in deeply and feel all the power of your human body controlling that breath. Let it out slowly and loudly. Feel the power of breathing. Feel alive.
6. Meditate. Think about the bigger picture. Imagine the smallest of things. Realize that you are part of all of this.
7. Think about a woman who you think is a hero, but you don’t know and would like to. Ask that woman out for a cup of coffee. Tell her you want to have an afternoon being badasses together.
8. Give yourself a rad, superhero worthy nickname. Like, The Manager. Or Betty Broot.
9. Watch an episode of Marvel’s Agent Carter. Or binge the whole thing. Peggy Carter is a lady to take inspiration from.
10. Re-read your favorite book with a female hero. Focus on her. Try to embody the things you admire about her.
11. Tell someone a secret you’ve never told. Realize the power of letting go. Bask in the realization that power is not held in the dark.
12. Make a list of the three women in your life whom you admire most. Call them and tell them why..
13. Next time you go out to dinner with your partner, friend, coworker, whoever - compliment them on something meaningful.
14. Update your resume. Be really focused on adding things to it that highlight your best qualities.
15. Sign up for a new class. Of any kind! A dancing class. A circus class. A kickboxing class. Go and realize that new skills take practice. Commit to doing it.
16. Create an “I’m Awesome” file on your email client. Put any kind emails or words of encouragement you’ve gotten from friends, colleagues or family in them.
17. Plant something. An herb. A flower. A tree. Remember that you will get to reap the rewards of forward thinking very soon.
18. Give yourself a report card. Think of four or five areas of your life that make up your day to day and grade yourself. Be thoughtful about those grades and provide yourself feedback. Go back six months later and see if you’ve made improvements where you wanted to.
19. Play hooky for an afternoon and do exactly what you want to do. Go to the movies. Get frozen yogurt. Go for a bike ride. Doesn’t matter. You are on your time.
20. Take a risk. Book a flight. Just drive somewhere. Ask for the job. The point is to put yourself out there in a new way.
21. Start planning your next Halloween costume. Make sure it is very super.
22. Teach your pet a new trick. And then give them a very appropriate sidekick like super-powery name for said new trick.
23. Take on a fear. If you’re afraid of heights, go to a tall building downtown and stare out the windows. If you’re afraid of the dark, hang out in the dark for at least one hour. Try meditating while doing it.
24. Forgive an enemy. Remember, the people from our past who we don’t forgive have power over us.
Editor’s note: At Being Geek Chic, we believe being a geek and being a chic woman can be synonymous. When Gemma asked if she could provide her top tips for feeling like a fab geek, well, we had to oblige. Thanks, Gemma, for your excellent post!
Do you want to walk out the door every day feeling like you are going to solve problems, kick some ass and be generally awesome? In essence, do you want to feel like Captain Marvel on the train or Wonder Woman while waiting in the queue at Starbucks? Yeah, me too. And it’s not as hard as you may think.
The first key is to have a solid wardrobe together with a few really classic items that can be paired with all kinds of other pieces. Think stunning black dress, which makes you feel hot and powerful. Or super comfortable, but fashionable black boots which go with everything but make you feel like you could kick down the door. Key wardrobe items need to be versatile. Go for colours like black, white or a neutral like stone. Don’t be afraid to splurge for quality. It will make you feel great in the clothing AND they’ll last longer. Besides, if you’re smart and powerful, you should show it!
Now that the basics are resolved, you can start to have fun transforming yourself into an ass-kicking lady of power. A coat is definitely an essential wardrobe item if you live in England, like me. But be bolder. How about this cape from Superdry? Capes aren’t just iconic and emblematic of all the best good gals, they’re super practical. With a cape you can keep your core really warm but not get too hot as your arms aren’t restricted. (And you might need to punch someone, so you want that freedom of movement, right?) Bonus points for practicality, because a cape coat actually makes a great transitional coat from the winter through to the warmer end of spring.
What’s the one thing all “Super” Women have in common? I would argue, they embody a bit of sexiness. They aren’t afraid of the power and loveliness of their body. A little black dress is a perennial favourite item for many women for this very reason. It’s important to have fun with it and add tough items to give it that extra punch, so to speak. Metal accessories will definitely do the trick.
Comfort is also key. No one can be truly awesome when they’re uncomfortable. If you’re going to bound between buildings (meaning… run from meeting to meeting in a busy metropolitan) then maybe a cardigan would be useful for your lifestyle. The best material to go for is a light cashmere, but if you can’t afford cashmere, cotton will do. When you’re on top of the world like a real kick ass lady, then splurge and get yourself the good stuff.
Most importantly, own your attitude. If you are a strong person, you should speak with strength. If you’re a smart person, don’t be afraid to show it. And if you’re witty, go ahead, crack those jokes! If you’re all three, well, let’s make a comic book about you!
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Post by Gemma Collier is a mum of one and lover of all things vintage. She works part-time as a personal shopper, but when she’s not working she loves writing, playing dress-up with her little girl and curling up with a good book.
Say hello to Anna Lee Mueller - Glitzy Geek Girl and our Lady Geek of the Week. She’s a geek chic hair stylist living in the heart of Texas with her one-eared cat, Pixie, and running her own salon, Hair by Anna Lee. Find her on Twitter (@GlitzyGeekGirl), Pinterest, and YouTube. Oh, and don’t forget to follow her on Instagram, too.
Don’t have a Halloween costume yet? We especially love Mueller’s blog as we prep for All Hallows’ Eve. Get inspiration from her Black Widow costume tutorial, master her Wonder Woman-esque eyeshadow technique, or bump up your look with her Mermaid hair DIY. Have a little more time on your hands before your Halloween parties? Check out Mueller’s impressive tutorial on crafting Shrek’s warrior Fiona. Need to pull something together more quickly? Carry around Mueller’s Quibbler DIY and be ready to answer questions regarding Crumple-Horned Snorkacks and Nargles.
Just how did Mueller decide to launch her profession as a geeky hair stylist? What would she tell her “silly, awkward” 13-year-old self? What fictional boy (who lived) would she take out for a drink? Read on!
Q: How did you discover your passion as a geeky hairstylist?
A: When I was little I played with a LOT of Barbie’s and My Little Pony’s. But I would spend more time brushing or braiding their hair (or manes) than actually playing with them. My passion for hairstyling never went away even after I attended college. I enjoyed going to school and getting an education, but I still felt very connected to the beauty industry. After receiving my bachelor’s degree, I decided to go to cosmetology school! I can proudly say I have my own salon business, and one of the best ways I’ve been able to promote it is through my blog and attending comic conventions. I know that seems a little strange, but men and women of geek culture can hopefully feel comfortable coming to me for hair style advice. It’s so fun to be connected to both of those worlds. For too long stereotypes have limited who is considered “geeky” or who is “stylish.” I say you can be both! And you should be proud of it!
Q: When did you discover you were “geeky?”
A: It was probably when I was in high school that I realized I really LOVED playing RPGs. That’s also the time I began reading Harry Potter. I just felt more content staying at home being a geek than going out to socialize. That’s when I discovered it for myself. But now looking back I realize I have been geeky for much longer. When I was really little, before I was even able to play video games on my own, I would watch my older brother play for hours. So I always tell people I owe my geekiness to him. :)
Q: You can choose one superpower. What is it?
A: This is such a fun question! And I gave it a lot of thought because there are SO many superpowers I would love to have. So I decided I would like to be able to shape-shift into any animal whenever I’d like. I picked this because that gives you so many options. It lets you almost be invisible (because no one will know it’s you)… It lets you be able to fly (if you choose to be a bird) .. It can give you super speed (choose to be a cheetah) .. And it can give you super strength (become a grizzly bear) .. You can also sneak around easily (like a little mouse!) I think that would be SO MUCH FUN!!
Q: If you could take any fictional character out for a drink, whom would you choose and what would you drink?
A: Harry Potter. Hands down. We would have to drink Butterbeer, too. It would be incredible to talk to him and hear about all his amazing adventures first hand. To me nothing compares to the story that JK Rowling created. So if I could speak to the real Harry and listen to his emotional journey I would. I find his bravery so admirable, and I would love to tell him that.
Q: What would you tell your 13-year-old self?
A: I’m really not that much different now than when I was 13. I’m silly, awkward and still can’t talk to boys very well. I would like to tell myself that someday you are going to be very comfortable in your own skin. I think any teenager can admit they aren’t quite sure where they fit in. I didn’t try too hard to be popular, but I remember not being too confident in myself. Now, I am happy, relaxed and having so much fun enjoying life.
Emma Bauer is a Being Geek Chic Contributor. Clearly, she’s got great taste. She is a PR enthusiast, history scholar, tea drinker, fashion devotee, and of course, aspires to Be Geek Chic.
Follow her on Twitter: @emmalynnbauer
“Of all people, you know who I am…who the world needs me to be. I’m Wonder Woman.”
Growing up, when something went wrong, did you ever twirl through your living room (maybe tripping over a cat or two), in the hopes of turning into Wonder Woman to save the day? Did you don a Wonder Woman suit for Halloween and stick your tongue out at boys? Looking back, did Wonder Woman change your perspective on feminism or what it meant to be a girl?
Since her debut in the 1940s, Wonder Woman has both shaped and been shaped by society. This is the premise of Kristy Guevara-Flanagan’s documentary, “Wonder Women! The Untold story of American Superheroines.”
In the documentary, Guevara-Flanagan tracks the evolution and legacy of Wonder Woman, exploring how popular representations of powerful women often reflect society’s anxieties about women’s liberation. Go watch the documentary’s trailer and just try to tell me you’re not filled with feminist pride – ready to twirl around your living room again.
Need even more from Guevara-Flanagan? Check out Wonder City, the online companion game to “Wonder Women!”. It’s a cute, fun, “choose-your-own-adventure” type game that challenges the player to think critically about power and gender.
Now, “stop a bullet cold, make the Axis fold. Change their minds and change the world!” You can start by reading Guevara-Flanagan’s interview with Being Geek Chic!
Q: Where did you find your inspirations for the film?
A: I started researching Wonder Woman after reading an article about Gail Simone, Wonder Woman’s first female writer in 60 plus years! I started looking into the Wonder Woman’s origins, and learned about her creator, the Harvard-trained psychologist and inventor of the lie detector, William Moulton Marston. I actually hadn’t known much about Wonder Woman beyond the Lynda Carter incarnation on TV in the ’70s, but Marston and his early comics fascinated me. Marston wanted to create a hero in opposition to all those male superheroes who were out there. He also recognized the educational value of comics, and really felt women should be able to do anything a man could, but with more grace and diplomacy. And when I read those early comics, I really did find a very radical female hero… even by today’s standards.
Reality is tough. To pretend like this has been a week of gratefulness and positive thinking would be a real joke and the most disingenuous thing I could do right now. The fact is that the world is really bumming me out. And I wish I could be like Wonder Woman.
So instead of pretending like the world is just business as usual, I leave you with this thought:
At times like these, we can not escape into our fictional worlds. I admit that a brilliant movie or enthralling book are a great source of solace for me in times of fear and trauma and exhaustion. But right now, we must do our best to be brave. This is what heroes do. And right now, without the benefit of capes or CG-animated powers, there are heroes out there trying to unravel the mess that bad guys and terrible circumstances have created. If even one of us can be the little guy or gal in the corner comic panel that says, “over there!” then we need to try. We all need to be brave.
Have a good weekend, my friends. And be safe.
Here are some of my scribblings across the interwebs this week:
P.S. that lovely Wonder Woman art comes from the amazingly talented Melissa Ballesteros. If you like it, here’s her shop.
