A new favorite piece of merch
This post is not sponsored, but it's sure gonna sound like it. This is because I am now the proud owner of a piece of the Steady Hands' Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba collection.
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know that I call myself a Kny Closet-Player. Not actual cosplay, for that requires effort to actually look like the character, and like, crafting ability. I instead focus on vibes, especially when I go out to KnY events where people will likely be decked out in KnY merch. However, in day-to-day life, I might only go so far as to wear and carry subtle items that either remind me of a character or are so subtle that only people who know it will recognize my fangirlish ways. To date, only one person has noticed my Muichiro shoelaces without me first pointing them out, and she has the powers of Kimetsu no Magnet in her eyes too.
I already stick out in day-to-day life as a foreign fangirl in Japan, where fandom is not as flamboyant as back where I’m from. As much joy as I got in trying on @reicchel's extremely cozy Giyuu haori, and as much joy as random strangers got in seeing an extremely recognizable haori in public while she was wearing it out and about, she is a braver person than I am and I just am not willing to put up with getting that much attention every day. Subtlety in daily fandom is an art, or so I tell myself as I resist more obvious fandom attire.
That doesn’t mean I don’t want them, though. Some of them it pains me not to have, until I remind myself that I wouldn't wear them in daily subtle life and instead always save such perfect items for only certain KnY events. But then when those very events come around I want those clever items all over again.
And then sometimes they have designs subtle enough that I think, “I can totally get away with that in daily life,” and I feel pained all the more. Like the kind of pain that a family curse gives you that eats away at your life for years.
That brings me to the story of my new favorite cardigan:
Ever since @kuwajima (a.k.a. Peach) showed me the new designs coming out, I have been sorely tempted by this one because it would fall squarely in that “if you know it, you know it” style of merch that I love. Plus, having tested out the Giyuu one, I knew it would be super cozy. But I resisted! Because I am paid in dirt (a.k.a. yen)! So I am practiced at resisting! After all, I already knew Peach would be bringing the Corp vest that I wanted to try on, and trying things on is usually enough for me to satisfy the nerdy fangirl fashion drive (or so I tell myself, through gritted teeth).
When preparing for her trip, she asked me again if there was anything I wanted… and I resisted.
Thankfully Peach and Reicchel knew better than to believe me and they got me this present. As Peach was going through her suitcase and bringing out gifts, I was hiding so I could be surprised, and in my heart of hearts, I was thinking, “Ubuyashiki cardigan, Ubuyashiki cardigan, Ubuyashiki cardigan, Ubuyashiki cardigan, Ubuyashiki cardigan” like Muzan’s heart being overtaken with desire for blue spider lilies (coincidentally, also a design Steady Hands has done).
I am very happy with it. Even this is a bit much for my usually neutral wardrobe, but I feel comfortable going out in it both in terms of design and practicality. There was a cold snap for a few days last week and I was very, very pleased to get more use out of it already instead of waiting for winter. It was an “Oh, dang, I was going shopping uptown this afternoon but it’s colder than I thought it would be. Guess I better turn back and put on a thicker cardigan : D” kind of fortuitous cold snap. I apologize to anyone in my area who was eager for warmer weather; my wishes were selfishly stronger.
No one said anything on that shopping day but it was crowded enough that I’m certain there were people who recognized it. But that is exactly how I like my fandom fashion that I am willing to leave home in. Not blatantly obvious, but something you’d have to have watched more than a few episodes to recognize. That is more satisfying to spy out in the wild, after all!
And one of the best parts is that it is official merch!! It has the Shueisha/Aniplex/Ufotable stamp of approval!!
The day after I got it I started falling asleep on a bus while taking Peach out into the countryside (for fandom reasons. Kaigaku-related reasons. There was a lot of Kaigaku). But then I started thinking of this gift again and couldn’t stop myself from smiling. I really am such a simple fangirl.
But also, I feel more bold about wearing bold things when I am in the company of other flamboyant fans. Peach brought other cardigans, too, so I got to borrow more.
Thank you both, Peach and Reicchel!!! The Ubuyashiki cardigan shall get lots of use out here!!!
stormborns
origamiaround
turnnoffyourmind
discoholicmusic
yousharknotpass
baratheonpilled
pixelskylines
