Looking for something cute to wear to D&D night? Recently launched fashion brand Guild Party is here to fill the need for stylish RPG-themed clothes to don for your next tabletop adventure.
Created by former visual effects artist Lindsay Orndorff, Guild Party recently debuted The Fighter Collection, which combines the designer’s love of tabletop role playing games and geek fashion. It blends modern apparel with fantasy aesthetics. Inspired by the “idea of medieval knights,” the collection features tees, pullovers, and dresses.
Lindsay said the brand’s top priority is creating clothes that look great and are comfortable to wear. “Overall, I wanted to create pieces that could be worn in everyday life as well as at the gaming table.”
Lindsay doesn’t have a traditional fashion background, but that hasn’t stopped her from carving out quite a niche in the field. In 2012, she and a friend started the geek fashion blog Set to Stunning. Two years later, Lindsay entered the Her Universe Fashion Show at San Diego Comic-Con. In 2017, she won the fashion show’s judges prize with a couture look inspired by the animated film Princess Mononoke. She then went on to design collections with Hot Topic. In 2018, Lindsay left the video game industry to start her own business.
Guild Party’s Future
The Fighter Collection is “only the beginning” for Guild Party, she said.
“Not only do I have ideas on how I want to expand the current designs in terms of colors, length, and style, but I have ideas for other classes that I’d like to include. I want to make sure that people have the opportunity to rep the style and class that they love best.”
The brand’s evolution will take time, Lindsay said, but the results will be worth the wait.
“I want to make sure I’m creating pieces that people actually want and not being wasteful with what I create. I’m very much a slow fashion brand. So if you can be patient, I promise I’ll make it worth it!”
Temple of Geek Chic had the pleasure of setting up a fantasy-themed photo shoot highlighting Guild Party’s The Fighter Collection. Our party included D&D fans @christina.is.crafty and @maddie_whovian, along with geek fashion enthusiast @lavendervroman. The shoot featured props and costume pieces handmade or provided by @christina.is.crafty.
Available Now
Fighter CLASSic Embroidered Unisex Tee – Black/Teal
Fighter CLASSic Embroidered Unisex Tee – Pewter/Ruby
A custom embroidered fighter and sword emblem elegantly elevates these classic, well-fitted t-shirts. The tees come in two rich color options: Black/Teal or Pewter/Ruby. The embroidery is a minimalist, but highly effective detail.
According to designer Lindsay, the Fighter tees reflect the brand’s mix of “hard” armor and weaponry with soft fabrics and designs.
“The emblem tees bring softness through with the subtle embroidered designs,” she said.
This concept is executed very successfully in these tees. We love the subtlety of the embroidery and found them to be flattering and true to size. The 100% cotton fabric makes for a comfy fit. If you like a looser fit in your tees, consider sizing up.
Maddie modeled the teal in extra small. Lavender modeled the ruby in medium. Christina wore a teal in extra large.
Fighter Floral CLASSic Unisex Tee – Black/Teal
Fighter Floral CLASSic Unisex Tee – Silver/Ruby
Delicate roses wind around the blade of a sword in a gorgeous, screen-printed design you’ll be itching to wear to your next D&D night. The word “fighter” is gracefully etched along the blade. The design perfectly embodies Guild Party’s signature contrast of hardness and softness.
This 100% cotton tee comes in teal and ruby color options, which are both striking. It’s difficult to choose between the two. This is a unisex style that fits true to size. You’ll want to size down if you like a snugger fit.
Christina modeled the ruby in extra large. Lavender modeled the ruby in medium. Maddie wore a teal in extra small.
Available for Preorder
Fighter Shield Pullover – Black/Teal
Fighter Shield Pullover – Silver/Ruby
While we love all the Guild Party pieces we tried during our shoot, the Fighter Shield Pullover was, by far, our favorite. This tunic-style top boasts a truly unforgettable design. We couldn’t stop raving about THOSE SLEEVES, but also how surprisingly soft and heavenly this sweater feels.
The pullovers come in a thick, warm, marshmallowy bamboo/cotton stretch fleece. At the same time, they’re not so warm that you couldn’t get away with wearing them in sunny SoCal. Guild Party’s website describes the sweatshirts as “extra cozy” and that’s exactly what they are.
Lindsay said the tops are “inspired by slashed sleeve tunics, but with a modern twist.” They’re definitely unlike anything we’ve seen before. The tiny embroidered sword emblem is a lovely detail. Don’t ask us why, but the fabulously poofy bishop sleeves feel really good, like a nice hug.
Maddie, who describes herself as “more of a rogue and a bard,” pointed out that the sleeves are “more festively bard-like than fighter,” but that didn’t stop us from gushing over them.
“I like how big it feels,” she said. “These are fun, very D&D sleeves.”
Maddie modeled a teal in XS. Lavender and Christina wore the ruby in medium. The pullovers run a little large so size up or down accordingly.
Fighter Longsword Dress – Black
Fighter Longsword Dress – Ruby
Fighter Longsword Dress – Teal
In keeping with Guild Party’s emphasis on subtle details, the focal point of the Fighter Longsword Dress is a bodice with seams evoking an armored chest plate. “The Longsword Dress features style lines and color blocking that looks like you’re wearing a breastplate,” Lindsay explained.
There are many things to love about this sleeveless midi dress. The soft, smooth Ponte de Roma fabric feels substantial but not overly heavy. There’s an invisible zipper at the back, which preserves the clean lines of the piece. All three of the color options are stunning. We especially admired the bright teal paired with steely gray.
The skirt passed our twirl test, as well as our ultimate geek fashion test – the pocket test! The side pockets are deep enough to carry a cellphone or all your dice for your next gaming session.
“Your dice goblins can dump all their dice in your pockets,” Maddie said.
All three of the Fighter Longsword Dresses are ideal for creating cosplays or casual cosplays. Along with the many D&D-themed possibilities, they’d be excellent for anything fantasy or medieval. They’d also work wonderfully for Star Trek looks or superhero styles — think Thor or Asgardian chic!
As well as being a great foundation for closet cosplay, the Longsword Dress would make a handy basic for any wardrobe. Even if you’re not particularly geeky, you could wear this one-of-a-kind style to work, a party, or on a casual outing.
Guild Party announced Thursday that the Fighter Longsword Dress is now available for preorder in Amethyst, a deep purple shade.
Christina wore the black in extra large. Lavender modeled the ruby in medium. Maddie wore the teal in extra small.
Overall:
We’re extremely impressed with Guild Party’s Fighter Collection. It’s focused, sharp, and well executed, minimalist but memorable. We love the playfulness and creativity of this line and had so much fun styling and wearing the pieces.
“I think that it’s very hard to find cute D&D-themed clothing and I think these are really cute,” Maddie said. “I would wear these to D&D night.”
Maddie added that she’d love to see Guild Party develop lines for each D&D class in the future, which seems to be in line with Lindsay’s vision.
The brand’s decision to keep things simple pays off in this collection. Using just a few luscious colors that really pop was a clever decision. The clothes reference that fantasy aesthetic gamers love, but in a way that doesn’t look cheesy or dated. As always, we appreciate Guild Party’s inclusive sizing, which ranges from XXS to 5XL, depending on the item.
A lot of planning, thought, and imagination obviously went into these designs. There’s a cinematic flair to them, which makes sense considering Lindsay’s visual effects background. Every piece in the collection is a marvel and fits the RPG theme perfectly, but in an unexpected way. We look forward to seeing what Guild Party has planned next.
To learn more about Guild Party and check product availability, visit the website.
Photos by Monica Duarte
