If you’re like us at Temple of Geek, your closet is already bursting with geeky t-shirts. Tees that reflect favorite fandoms have long been a staple for the pop-culturally obsessed.
If this describes you, you might be in need of a bigger closet.
Last September, A Geek Girl’s Tees joined a growing array of small shops specializing in t-shirts emblazoned with fandom-themed quotes, slogans, and designs.
Geek blogger Michelle Stallings launched A Geek Girl’s Tees after custom-making a trio of Haunted Mansion shirts for a trip to Disneyland. A Ravenclaw who enjoys geek culture and playing games, her motto is, “Flaunt your fandom.”
Her goal in starting A Geek Girl’s Tees was to tap into more niche fandoms and create merchandise with original designs she wasn’t seeing in the marketplace.
Stallings has long been active in the geek community, creating the blog A Geek Girl’s Guide in 2015 as a “place to be openly geeky about things I love.” The website features reviews, recommendations, guides, how-tos, and other geeky content.
She also founded Geek Blogs Unite, an online community of geeky creators that includes a Facebook group and Instagram and Twitter accounts.
A Geek Girl’s Tees offers tees, tank tops and hoodies, children’s shirts, baby bodysuits, bags, mugs, and stickers. The shop’s designs pay homage to everything from movies to video games, science fiction to anime, and tabletop gaming to Broadway.
Stallings’ designs feature playful quotes and graphics plucked from such properties as The Witcher, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Star Wars, My Neighbor Totoro, and Kim Possible, as well as Disney movies like Frozen and Moana. Some are instantly recognizable. Others allow fans to advertise their passions in a subtle, sneaky way.
Theater aficionados will appreciate the musical-themed tops referencing such productions as Hamilton, Les Miserables, Wicked, and Hadestown. Good, old-fashioned games are also well represented. Examples include Dungeons & Dragons, Settlers of Cataan, and Clue. And if you’re into girl power, you’ll find plenty of items to add to your wardrobe.
Stallings prints every item to order, allowing customers a broad choice of styles and colors.
Temple of Geek Chic recruited a group of seasoned cosplayers to rock A Geek Girl’s Tees at the Santa Monica Pier. The group included Rae , Alexandra, Christina, Maddie, and Aaron.
Wicked Witch Women’s Flowy Top
What we love about it: The highlight of this Wicked-themed scoop neck tee is its flowiness. The cut is stylish, flattering, and bears a slogan inspired by one of our favorite songs from the musical.
Model Rae found the top “very comfortable.” She’s a fan of the witchy, Elphaba-green lettering and appreciates that it’s “kinda blousey,” making for an attractive fit. Rae wore a size medium.
The fabric of this top is a little sheer, so you might want to layer it over a tank top.
Mandalorian Mantra T-Shirt
What we love about it: We, too, are obsessed with Baby Yoda, but it’s nice to see some merchandise saluting Best Dad Mando. Our favorite thing about this design is that it’s simple but recognizable. It features The Mandalorian creed in a Star Wars-y font beneath the silhouette of the bounty hunter’s signature helmet. The white on black is an understated alternative to flashier Mandalorian merch we’ve seen.
Aaron modeled a large. He liked the fit and feel of this tee.
Hogwarts Heartline T-Shirt
What we love about it: We’ve never seen anything quite like this Harry Potter-themed top, which features a subtle outline in striking Gryffindor red. That’s saying something, considering the wealth of wizarding merch that exists in the Muggle world. The clever design is ideal for Potter-philes who want to advertise where their true home and heart is.
“I like that it’s reminiscent of a heartbeat,” model Madison said. “For those people who breathe Harry Potter, it’s perfect.”
Madison wore a size small. She liked the fit of this comfortable, flattering basic tee.
Grinning Ghosts T-Shirt
What we love about it: Disney has released a slew of Haunted Mansion apparel since the classic dark ride celebrated its 50th anniversary. However, as with the 999 Happy Haunts, there’s always room for one more. This distinctive design depicts the silhouettes of the Mansion’s famous Singing Bust Quintet, complete with bowler hat-wearing Cousin Algernon and toppled-over Uncle Theodore.
The spooky font features a favorite lyric from the “Grim Grinning Ghosts” song against a cheery turquoise that pairs well with “Haunted Mansion purple.” This is a fun alternative to official park merchandise.
Alexandra modeled a large. She said the fit is true to size and noted this style features a heavier cotton. She liked the top so much, she planned to wear it to Disneyland after our photo shoot.
“It’s perfect to throw on for a Disney day if you don’t want to go really aggressive with a bound,” she said. “It’s simple and unique, which is nice to see at Disney.”
Kuzco’s Poison Women’s Curvy Top
What we love about it: We’re happy to see underrated gem The Emperor’s New Groove getting more love lately. This homage to the animated classic – yep, we said it – is an ode to one of our favorite villains, murderous sorceress Yzma. We especially love the llama in the middle of the circular emblem with the not-so-subtle label signaling Kuzco’s impending doom.
Christina modeled a size 3X and illustrated how you can use the tee in an Yzma bound. She tends to size up her tops for comfort, so she liked the fit.
Overall:
While there are other shops that have been offering similar lettering-based apparel for years, Michelle Stallings brings her own creativity and original ideas to A Geek Girl’s Tees.
We love how the lettering and minimalist images blend seamlessly with the look and feel of the fandoms they represent. Stallings is obviously a super geek who has put thought into her designs.
Another great thing about the shop is the comprehensive and diverse selection of fandoms represented. Whether you’re into D&D, Disney, or a dose of female empowerment, you’ll find something you like. Stallings is constantly adding new designs. The sheer variety on offer guarantees a color, style, and fit that works for you.
As always, we stan a shop that accommodates plus-size fans, offering sizes up to 3X.
The simplicity of the designs means they pair well with jeans and leggings. They’re also versatile enough to build looks with a little more flair.
We wonder how the t-shirts and some of the lettering — especially the white, which already seemed a little faded — will hold up over time, but we look forward to seeing how this new brand grows and matures.
We geeks like to say we have too many t-shirts, but secretly we can’t get enough. If you’re looking to expand your collection, A Geek Girl’s Tees is a promising place to start.
To shop A Geek Girl’s Tees, visit the website or check it out on Instagram.
More Fashion Reviews:
Temple of Geek Chic: Tee Rex Tee brings playful puns and mashups
Temple of Geek Chic: Insert Coin supplies gamers with comfy, clever tees
Temple of Geek Chic: Horror blazers let you show your creepy side
Temple of Geek Chic: Hoodies Feature Art Inspired by D&D, CSGO
