loranicolas-blog

[loranicolas-blog]

09.20.2016 - Tuesday

Melv is out of town so it’s a mommy-and-son-week.

A week ago, my bestie, Jay Paranada, wanted me to be a Jigglypuff for my next #challengetuesday. It’s so easy I barely consider it a challenge, but he wrote it in my FB wall and everything, so I can’t undo it. Here you go, Jay. Congrats for giving me my most boring casual cosplay so far. Even its power is literally to put others to sleep. 🎤😮😴💤💤

I told Kalel I was going to be a Jigglypuff today. I asked him which Pokemon did he want to be.

Kal: Pikachu!

Me: Why?

Kal: Because he’s so cute. Like me!

Me: Um, okay. 😂

This kid. He is cute but I told him he probably shouldn’t be going around telling other people that. LOL.

[loranicolas-blog]

X-men Group Casual Cosplay

So I decided to do group casual cosplays once a month. I did it twice in September though (Sailor Scouts from Sailormoon, click here), because I didn’t have any from August, when I started. Next one will be in October, and I am so excited with all the Halloween-themed possibilities! I have some things in mind, but suggestions are welcome! 

I got 23 of my lovely family, friends and even some friends of friends to band together to be my X-men! I wanted to keep it within the list of core, active and/or well-known/fan-favorite X-men, so I had to veto certain characters who are more associated with the Avengers or other groups, as well as characters that were only X-men for a hot second. And sorry, Mystique lovers--she is widely considered as an X-men villain, so you will not find her here. Buuuuut...I gave Quicksilver a pass. And Blink (well, she is X-men!). Because of the movies. And because they have cool powers. 

Below are all the looks we came up with, along with our Instagram handles:

My son, Kalel--in his stroller--as Professor X and me (@dailycasualcosplays) as Storm. Since I posted these in sets of four in Instagram, and I only had 23 people, I had to put my hubby, Melvin (@themelv) twice--as fully clothed Wolverine, and a formerly vetoed version he originally wanted his “casual cosplay” to be. But it did require some effort, and it’s damn funny so I added it in there anyway. 

Leanne Cabrera as Jean Grey, Brandon James (@bmichjames) as Cyclops, Jared Philippe (@iamken85) as Gambit, Erin McMillan (@merida409) as Rogue. 

Sacha Iskra (@sakurawine) as Beast, Chris Ignacio (@chris_iggie) as Iceman, Keurim Hur (@apresledeluge) as Angel; Alison Lea Bender (@alisonleabender) as Jubillee.

Lily Dwoskin (@dramaqueen1219) as Kitty Pryde, Jamie Shin (@jamiegparton) as Nightcrawler, Alex Chester (@alexfchester) as Emma Frost, Jonelle Margallo (@jaslan98) as Bishop. Shout-out to Jonelle’s use of pillows as her “set”, and her clutch bag as her “gun”. Genius!

 Sara Eaton-Valencia (@the_valencia) as Colossus, Rebecca Lee Lerman (@lermanrlee) as Polaris, Viet Vo (@vopix) as Warpath, and Aless Vecino (@thegeekinthearchaeologist) as Psylocke. 

Reenie Nayden (@reenie112) as Dazzler, Megan Mann (@themeganmann) as Quicksilver, Isabelle Van Vleet (@isabellevofficial), and Dana Hontiveros (@danaphysio) as Magik. 

This is the biggest one I’ve attempted so far, and my, was it a challenge to get them all edited, laid-out and post-ready this Monday. Thank you to everyone who participated and for making this happen. Thank you all for sharing your creativity with me! Until the next group casual cosplay. Mutants, out. 

[loranicolas-blog]

09.19.2016 - Monday

I could not have chosen a better day to debut my Storm casual cosplay. It’s been rainy and cloudy all day! Storm is absolutely my favorite X-men. I chose her look in the 90’s cartoons because aside from the nostalgia, that show truly captured the majesty and the amazingness of this character in a way that the movies did not. About my casual cosplay, I know this particular version of Storm wears all white, but in my mind’s eye, it’s always been white–and black. In my research for this, almost every screen shot from the 90’s cartoons that I saw had these intense shadow highlights, which is probably why I remembered her suit to be white with some black, hence the skirt. I substituted the yellow parts of her suit for gold (belt and bracelets). I also mistakenly bought these earrings suitable for wide-lobed ear piercings two NYCC’s ago. Since I can’t use them for my ears, (I have normal sized ear piercings) I just put one in an old necklace pendant and the other in a silver ring. I thought that was pretty creative and was worth mentioning. Hehe. Anyway, I’m a big X-men fan, so I decided to open up the casual cosplaying for others. I’m so excited to share what they came up with next!

[loranicolas-blog]

09.18.2016 - Sunday

Went to the Medieval Faire today at Fort Tryon Park way uptown as Esmeralda from the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Get the look: white top + purple skirt + black flats + gold accessories (Esmeralda typically has gold bracelets, but not pictured here for some reason) + purple headband + wide belt (to get that corseted look). 

[loranicolas-blog]

09.17.2016 - Saturday Today, I am a female member of the Green Lantern Corps. Well, specifically for Space Sector 14G. My son asked me why he can't eat candy before lunch and I said, "Because I am the law." Well, as far as he's concerned anyway. #greenlantern #intergalacticpolice #dc #dccomics #droxelle #sendrina #kaylark #femalegreenlantern #nerdygirl #geek #casualcosplay #cosplaycauseitssaturday @dccomics

[loranicolas-blog]

09.16.2016 - Friday I was in a shoot pretty much the whole day for a new web series so I had no time to do my casual cosplay today...so I'll just do a #flashbackfriday from last May when my fierce Asian lady friends and I made a music video to protest the casting of Scarlet Johannson as Major Motoko Kusunagi in the Hollywood adaptation of Ghost in the Shell, as well as the frequent whitewashing of Asian roles in most Hollywood films. All our outfits were Motoko Kusunagi-inspired and we all wore purple hair extensions as our little homage to her purple hair. Check out the video here.

[loranicolas-blog]

09.15.2016 - Thursday

I know, I know...I’m such a DC girl! I also could have been Marvel’s Wasp, but I like bees better. Get the look: black jeans + yellow top + black flats + yellow framed aviator shades + gold belt + yellow and black striped head scarf.

[loranicolas-blog]

09.14.2016 - Wednesday

Me: Love, I’m wearing this polka-dotted dress today. Who can I be?

Melv: Polka-Dot Man.

Me: What? For real?

Melv: Yeah. (Looks it up) Batman villain from the 60’s.

Me: What’s his power?! Make everything look fabulous!? 😂😂😂

Super thanks to my wonderful cousin, Leslie Lewis, @leslielewisonline for giving me this fun frock. Love you to bits. 😘

[loranicolas-blog]

09.12.2016 - Tuesday

Today is  Challenge Tuesday! This Kairi casual cosplay from Kingdom Hearts was requested by Katelyn Catalina. Hope I did your favorite character justice! Sorry I CAN’T do crocs. Lol.

[loranicolas-blog]

09.11.2016 - Monday 

Super thanks to my cousin Christina Lewis Halpern for giving me this beautiful green dress! I knew right away what I'd use it for... Poison Ivy! Get the look: green dress + jade necklace + rose ring + flower earrings + floral bag.

And when there's Poison Ivy around, Batman can't be too far.

[loranicolas-blog]

09.10.2016 - Sunday

My friend Alex Chester, wanted me to be a moogle today. Challenge accepted. 

[loranicolas-blog]

09.09.2016 - Saturday 

Missing my Squall, Melvin, who is out of town, so it's a Rinoa Heartilly kind of day. Get the look: denim vest + black tank top + navy blue shorts + black boots. I got creative with the accessories: I put our rings in a necklace that I had (didn't bother taking out the heart pendant), wore peacock earrings--which is the closest thing I have that is an homage to her wings, and silver bangles as an homage to her Blaster Edge.

[loranicolas-blog]

09.08.2016 -  Friday 

Today Kalel and I are Ponyo and Sosuke. Melv would always say “I love all the Lora’s” --just like what Sosuke would say about Ponyo, so he’s always been my Sosuke. But he’s out of town so sorry Melvin, your part has been recast with your mini-me.

[loranicolas-blog]

09.07.2016 - Thursday

I realized that as a musical theatre actor, I pretty much already casual cosplay on every other audition, even before I started this project! Today I went to the Aladdin call wearing this.

[loranicolas-blog]

09.06.2016 - Wednesday 

Here’s my Sailor Jupiter casual cosplay. Get the look: green skirt + white top + pink belt + boots + socks + rose earrings. My ring used to be a pair of earrings that I got from NYCC. But one of them broke, so I made it into a ring, by gluing the earring into an old ring I don’t use much. Voila, just made a newly repurposed accessory. I thought the necklace was a nice touch because it resembled her gold tiara. 

[loranicolas-blog]

Sailormoon Group Casual Cosplay

09.06.2016 - Wednesday

Last week, I got eleven of my friends (and family) to do my Sailormoon casual cosplay with me and i'm so excited to share what looks they came up with, along with their Instagram handles. I’ve posted them in the order they appear in the series: 

Reenie Nayden (@reenie112) as Sailormoon, Kalel Olaes as Luna, Melvin Olaes as Tuxedo Mask (@themelv), Keurim Hur (@apresledeluge) as Sailor Mercury. 

Alison Lea Bender (@alisonleabender) as Sailor Mars, Lora Nicolas Olaes (Me @dailycasualcosplays) as Sailor Jupiter, Leanne Cabrera as Sailor Venus, and Alex Chester (@alexfchester) as Chibiusa.

Jared Philippe (@iamken85) as Sailor Neptune, Bruce Jones (@brucebattlespinkrobots) as Sailor Uranus, Sara Eaton-Valencia (@the_valencia) as Sailor Saturn and Erin McMillan (@merida409) as Sailor Pluto. 

Sometimes you casual cosplay alone, and sometimes you're lucky enough to have friends as geeky as you to join in your idea of fun. Thank you to all my Sailor Scouts! Ya'll nailed it! 

[loranicolas-blog]

Crashed an audition for Heathers the Musical today wearing this and got seen. Get the  look: red top + printed skirt + red argyle socks + boots.