As someone who creates written content and short form video/photo content, I wanted to share some long-form content creators on YouTube that I enjoy every spooky season.
Whether it is merch searches, decorating ideas, boo-basket ideas, merch hauls or going to haunts that I am, I must admit, that I am too afraid to attend myself. Here are my recommendations, so happy watching!
MERCH/DECOR
Starting with one of the most popular creators and so enjoyable to watch, Jade the Libra.
She goes on merch searches and then decorates her home beautifully. She is a joy to watch.
She also merch searches and decorates beautifully with a sense of fun and comradery.
GHOST HUNTING CONTENT
Sometimes you just want to go on an old-fashioned ghost hunt! Here are some great paranormal investigators to watch:
First one is Kelsi Davies. She is a medium and investigator that has ALL to tools and searches for the paranormal with a sense of respect for those departed.
Next up is “Ghost Files” on Watcher. Since they gained fame on Buzzfeed “Unsolved”, they have evolved into well-versed ghost hunters, and Shane’s skepticism always adds some fun to the videos.
FUN SPOOKY OUTTINGS
To kick us off, we have Kevin Heimbach, who is an absolute expert on all things Halloween Horror Nights. He attends as many haunts as possible, does fantastic walk-thru’s for chickens like me 😉
Next is Ghoul Host. She really does it all, haunts, shopping, decor for spooky season. She also has a fantastic sense of style.
Next is Pinup Palmer. In addition to being a co-host on “Svengoolie” on MeTV, she goes to spooky events, shops at fun spooky-themed places and loves to hit up spooky-themed events in the LA area. In addition, if you love pinup style, she’s your gal!
Last, but not least, is whimsy-goth, Ashleigh Olson. She is a master at hitting the thrift shops for whimsy, gothic, a little of both. In addition, she is another fashionista!
I hope that you will try these channels out, give them a like and a subscribe if you want as well.
So, I’ve been playing this this idea for a while. Also, I wanted to do something special for the 10th anniversary. While I did see that I could have actual physical cards made, I also realized they are expensive, and ain’t nobody got money for that right now! So Hey, less waste, and I created all these from CanvaPro and did NOT use AI.
I tried a couple of cards with some stylized AI at the beginning to make them look like they were paintings or a comic book page, but two things: they didn’t add anything to the look, and I was using AI, and I felt icky about it. I removed those posts from Instagram and TikTok, but they might still be “out there”. Internet is forever. But, if you see them, know that I was just toying with an idea, and I won’t be doing that anymore.
So, to the cards! I love posting OOTDs. They are my main style of content, and, I think, the most helpful to people. I have these Goddess Oracle cards I use daily. They are Tarot-adjacent, but a great way to get a quick look at/inspiration for the day ahead. I thought, “This could be a great way to give someone outfit inspiration!” I made three “suits” of cards that align with the name NerdySparkleGoth.com, as each represents a little bit of me and what I’m about.
I’ve posted a few short-form TikToks and Reels with a selection of cards and the OOTD pops up at the end. You can also tap “pause” and pick your OOTD that way. The videos have not been doing great, but I think they might catch on. I just need to figure out the best music to add, hashtags, etc. These algorithms make me crazy!
I’ve put up a few cards in this article to peruse. The pieces are listed in a generic fashion (ex. tall boot or comic print skirt). I will continue to post specific OOTD’s with shopping links in separate posts. Also, reminder, I do make a small commission on Amazon as an Affiliate (I made $11.50 last year total, so lunch is on me!).
Please let me know here or on socials how you like the cards. If you get inspo, or don’t. I’d love to know. I want to always be an inspiration to people of all sizes, ages and gender-identification with special attention paid to how much these things cost.
In addition to the cards, I wanted to write about some fashion topics people are talking about, one being budget-friendly fashion. I have done a lot of research on what companies I buy from. One in particular has really cleaned up its act in the last couple years. Using recycled fibers to create new garments from old fabric. They do smaller runs to prevent dead stock issues. They screen print designs on denim instead of using water and chemicals to “distress” the jeans. This information came from independent sources, not propaganda, btw. I have also come to learn that almost all of our clothes/accessories are made in the same place and in the same way. While not perfect, they pay their tailors and seamstresses more per piece than other factories in the area. When you convert it to US dollars, it is above our minimum wage. They listened to us and made big changes. I am going to keep encouraging those steps in the right direction. One note, I do wish “they” would get better social media creators to do their videos. So cringe, but I think I’m just salty because they pay me no mind because I am too old I guess. Oh well, this is my hobby and not my job anyways. Womp, womp.
Further, I recommend only pieces I myself own and keep. I keep things for years too. I do not do “hauls” where I toss a pile of junky clothes into a trash heap. I do twice yearly donations of clean, and in good condition clothes (they either no longer fit me as my weight fluctuates, or I have moved on from a particular style) to a local shelter that is LGBTQ-friendly, and their thrift stores do not over-price what they sell (you know who I’m talking about). I do NOT donate to two certain charities, one that does not support LGBTQ persons and the other over-prices out the whazoo! Not cool.
So, that’s it for me over here. It is FINALLY spooky season, so Huzzah!!!
Hope all is well with you all. I’m good, kid is good, pets are good, job is good, house is good and car is also good! So, good! I appreciate all the love and support from you guys!
When I originally started this site back in 2016, my son and I were pretty immersed in the cosplay/con world. We formed a cosplay team, 9 O’Clock Bedtime Cosplay. The name came from a rude ex-boyfriend that despite traveling with us (on my dime), refused to head back to the hotel for the kiddos bedtime; but to be honest, how else are you going to date someone else at the same time if you don’t shuffle the girlfriend and her kid off to the hotel?! We also started this site, named raisingaheronotavillain.com. A mouth-full, but accurate.
The lapse in my romantic judgment aside, the kiddo and I had an amazing time, but time does go on as you know. Before I knew it, I had a middle-schooler that didn’t want to cosplay with his mom anymore (shocking, I know). So, I kept going with the site under a new name, InPlainSight.style. The idea being that rather than non-stop, screen-accurate cosplaying, I would begin to incorporate my style and nerdiness into my everyday wardrobe.
Over time, friends and fellow cosplayers started encouraging me to publish a guide to help others learn how to do the same. As the site’s popularity grew, so did the demand for a book. So, I decided to combine the most-useful articles, put them in one place into a workbook-type format. “In Plain Sight: Using Everyday Cosplay to Express Your Inner Superhero”, offers readers a step-by-step guide to getting started with Cosplay, the various types and styles of Cosplay, how to create everyday looks, and the world of Bounding. The book includes shopping guides, sources, convention pack lists, Con pack lists and more.
As time passed, my style grew to include more of goth styles I love, as well as sparkly pink and kawaii clothes, mode-styles and J-Fashion, so I rebranded to “NerdySparkleGoth.com”.
Please take a look around, click on the links to shop around and drop a comment if you’d like. All are welcome here, regardless of size, age and/or identity. Remember, clothes do not have a gender, so you can wear anything and everything you want! Let me help you find those pieces to look and feel your most confident self!
Thank you so much for your continuing support and encouragement! It means so very much to me. Don’t forget to drop me a comment or an email with what you like/don’t like on this site, as well as what you aren’t seeing, but would like to see.
