Temple of Geek Chic Review
Looking for a reason to hit the beach and stretch out the last days of summer? SixOn Clothing provides the perfect excuse with its collection of striking, yet subtle video game-themed swimwear. If you happen to be a cosplayer, you’ll have even more reason to snag some gorgeous, geeky swimwear before the winter chill sets in.
Founded by seamstress and designer Nancy Lam, SixOn Clothing is a California-based, gamer culture-driven brand. Its mission is “to bring nerdy everyday fashion to fans” and help them “become their favorite characters in real life.”
Lam got her start in college, designing punk and goth-style clothing, before moving on to cosplay commissions. She started designing cosplay hoodies and branched out into other types of cosplay fashion.
She draws inspiration for her original designs from anime characters and video games, including Kingdom Hearts, Devil May Cry, Final Fantasy, Legend of Zelda, Overwatch, and TV series The Orville. Along with its swimwear collection, SixOn’s website offers tops, dresses, outerwear, shirts, accessories, jewelry, and other merchandise.
Recently, Temple of Geek Chic enlisted two of our favorite cosplayers, Mina Kess and Aaron Rivin, for a safe, social-distanced photoshoot featuring SixOn’s Kingdom Hearts-inspired swimsuits.
SixOn Aqua Bikini Swimsuit Cosplay
This pretty two-piece bikini is modeled after an outfit worn by Keyblade wielder Aqua. The design is fun and flattering with a unique color combination of pink, navy, and black. Small references to Aqua’s costume are what really make the suit, including the white, ruched sash at the waist and flirty corset-style ties at the sides.
We styled the bikini top’s straps like a traditional halter, but they can also be crisscrossed in front and tied around the neck to more closely re-create Aqua’s look.
The suit could easily be worn as part of a cosplay or for a day at the beach with non-geek friends, who will never know you’re wearing your favorite fandom.
Practically speaking, this suit is a dream. Made of nylon and spandex, it’s got a comfortable stretch. The top provides ample support. An adjustable elastic band at the back allows flexibility for different body types. Mina modeled a size small.
Shion One-Piece Swimsuit Cosplay
If you’re more of a one-piece person, SixOn’s tribute to original Organization XIII member Xion offers a geeky twist on the basic black swimsuit. With fun pops of purple and cute details, like button accents at the bust, a metal belt buckle, and white ruffles along the bottom, this suit is modeled after Xion’s outfit from Kingdom Hearts III. If you’re unfamiliar with the game, you might mistake it for a sophisticated piece of designer swimwear.
Like the Aqua bikini, this piece is insanely flattering with a halter tie, a ruched tummy panel, lots of stretch, and structural support that should make for a good fit across the sizing spectrum. Mina modeled a small.
What we love about them: Mina was most impressed by the quality of this pair of suits, which she described as “absolutely incredible.”
“They fit really well and have a bit of stretch to them, so they’re comfortable and flattering,” she said. “The design and detail are beautiful and such a good reflection of the characters’ costumes that they’re inspired by. These have clearly been made with love — by fans and for fans.
SixOn Keyblade Master Swimsuit Cosplay Shorts
Based on another design from Kingdom Hearts III, these swim trunks pay homage to Riku. Maybe it’s the bright, yellow sports stripes on the front or the plaid bottoms that make this design feel one-of-a-kind.
The shorts are loose-fitting with an elastic waistband and string tie, allowing for comfort and versatility. They could go straight from the Con to the beach or a basketball game. The handy Velcro pockets will come in handy for storing geeky gear.
Aaron modeled a large.
What we love about it: “It’s not easy to find geeky-inspired fashion pieces that subtly balance their geekery with fashion, but these really feel like they do,” Aaron said.
“People who know Kingdom Hearts will appreciate it immediately, while those who don’t wouldn’t look twice — my favorite type of fan merch!
Aaron also admired the fit and feel of the trunks. “They’re soft and incredibly well made, and probably the most comfortable bathing suit I’ve owned,” he said.
“I’m glad we’ve still got summer weather going here in L.A., so I can get some more use out of these this year.”
Overall:
With original designs that evoke iconic video game characters without being too obvious, SixOn might be our new favorite swimwear brand. These sharp-looking suits make it easy to cosplay at the pool, but even if you’re not a fan of Kingdom Hearts, you’ll probably still want to wear them.
We adore all the little details that make these pieces feel special. We were also blown away by the quality and attractive fit of the suits, which should last long enough to be part of your wardrobe for many summers.
Best of all, this swimwear is affordably priced. You won’t pay any more for them than you would for a decent suit from a retail clothing store. In addition to the suits we reviewed, SixOn offers at least six other swimwear designs and sizes up to 2XL.
You’ll also find lots of other cool apparel and merch to help you level up your style in the brand’s Kingdom Hearts collection. Check out all the brand’s offerings at sixonclothing.com.
Photos by Monica Duarte.
