Cyber Monday at ThinkGeek!

This APPLIES TO INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS as well!

Free shipping AND further discounts at ThinkGeek! If you're international, this is a very, very good deal (as international shipping can range from US$30-80).
Expires at midnight!

ThinkGeek's international shipping is the main thing that saves my paycheck from them, so, uh. This is a good deal. Christmas shopping time!

CODES:

CHASER for US customers
SEEKER for international customers

GO FORTH AND ADMIRE THE GEEKY STUFF 

Pens That Work Everywhere

Metal Inkless Micro PenCHECK PRICE

Fisher Space PenCHECK PRICE

Inka Pen Travel PenCHECK PRICE

• The Metal Inkless Micro Pen is basically a near-indestructible pencil that writes in a lead based alloy and can be carried around on your keyring. Good for signing receipts, waterproof, works anywhere and doesn't need sharpening. $38.99 (
• See the Jac Zagoory Beta Inkless "Go To Pen" Key Ring on Amazon

• The Fisher Space Pen is a pen that writes in SPACE. Space pen. Super space pen. TO THE MOON! But seriously, this is the actual pen they developed for space, used by real astronauts. It writes upside down, right side up, and in temperature extremes and telescopes so that it fits in your luggage more easily. Or your space helmet. You can choose from silver rocket colour or the deep black of space. (although fun fact, Space isn't actually black, it's just that the stars are so far away that their light is infrared when it reaches us so we can't see it). $19.99 
• Get the Fisher Space Pen on Amazon.com
• Fisher Space Pen with Stylus on ThinkGeek

• The Inka Pen Travel Pen is another super pen that works in hot or cold, high altitudes or underwater! Good for divers, explorers and people who work in dreadful conditions. Like the rain. It doesn't look as cool as the space pen, but it folds down into a 3" little pen, and the handle converts into a little case that you can carry on your keyring, so it's much more portable. It even has a secret stylus - and you can get refills, too! Not to mention the magic words "lifetime manufacturer warranty". $12.99 
• Buy the Nite Ize Inka Pen on Amazon
• Also see the Inka Mobile Pen + Stylus (ThinkGeek)

Also see the True Utility Telepen Telescopic Pen and the Maxpedition All-Weather Trekker Pen. And of course, the super impressive Uzi Tactical Defender Pen

Dress Up As Captain Malcolm Reynolds

Mal's costume is based on classic cowboy-wear. If you have the money (a LOT of money) there are sites out there that specialise in TV and Film replicas - Mal's coats and pistol, for example. If you don't have several hundred dollars, you can easily put together his outfit yourself (or a very close version of it).

Costume Elements

• Coat
• Shirt
• Trousers
• Suspenders
• Gun
• Boots
• Dog tags
• Spaceship

• Duster (coat) - the exact replica versions of Mal's 'brown coat' are very expensive, but you can buy them. There are increasingly cheaper custom made options out there as well, from costume companies and private creators. These will be made for your size, but will take longer to be made and shipped out.
• Firefly Captain Malcolm Reynolds Cosplay Costume Free Sizes
• Firefly Captain Malcolm Reynolds Cosplay Costume

• Otherwise just get a generic cowboy duster. It should be light brown ("mustard"), have a small collar and no shoulder flaps and hit just below the knee. There are real, decent quality dusters from US$90 and up, and there are lots of cheap gunfighter costume options available in the $30 range.
• This kid's version below left is pretty much perfect for a tiny Mal 

• Shirt - he wears eight or nine different ones, but always collared, buttoned, long sleeved shirt in a single colour. The red shirt is probably the most dramatic and best suited, colour-wise, and the one that's used the most in promotional art and screenshots, so is also the best known, but any plain, long-sleeved, collared, earth-coloured shirt would do. And I lied; the clay-brown shirt he wears fighting the Operative at the end of Serenity (the film) is actually subtly striped (or checked in large rectangles - hard to see!)
• E.g. Wrangler Men's Cowboy Cut Work Western Shirt
• Colours Mal definitely wears throughout the show include: brick red, grey-brown, dark brown, blue-grey, plain grey, black...

• Suspenders and trousers - pretty straight forward, just buy similar styles (for example the ones from Amazon below, or browse through the links afterward). The trousers have a stripe down the side, which you'll have to add yourself with ribbon.

• Mal wears various different suspenders - doesn't really matter which, although he seems to wear this light brown type the most, he also wears black ones and lighter brown - again, plain and practical and earth colours.

• Boots - riding boots will look fine, or pirate-style boots, with the flap cut off. His boots are actually low-cut shoes with glued on spats. 

• Belt, holster and gun - the belt is just a belt, the holster is a bit tricky but easily winged (or you can buy a readymade holster and belt), the pistol is the hardest part.
•  You can use another gun, but the only realistic versions are the (quite expensive) replicas listed below, like the Malcolm Reynolds Metal-plated Pistol Prop Replica. There's also the Captain Mal's Pistol Replica Resin Kit.`
• There are plenty of cheaper generic cowboy pistols on Amazon.

• Dog tags - Show that you fought for the Alliance in the Unification War with your own dog tags.
• ThinkGeek now sells Malcolm Reynolds Dog Tags. While these are optional, they also make an awesome little collectible for later.

           

• The ship! - Mal is nothing without his ship, unfortunately, he can't really ride around in it while on Earth. But you can always slip a Serenity Keychain into your pocket!

The replica of Mal's gun is available from ThinkGeek, as well as via Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk - only the last one will ship to countries outside the USA. 

Zombie Warning Posters, Signs and Tape

These zombie themed warning signs are a must have for any Halloween party, night of the living dead or macabre science laboratory in which the boundaries of life and death are perverted. So when your innocent visitors skip into the arms of the staggering, flesh hungry undead, you can point smugly to the signs and say, over the sounds of their screams, "you were warned". Also suitable for retail use.

Zombie Warning Signs and Posters on Amazon.com!
Make sure people get the point and sow the seeds of doubt and fear with some official looking warning signs.

Zombie Warning Tape from Amazon.com!
Mark off the danger areas of your back garden and inside the house and wrap it around the letterbox or any visitors that lurch suspiciously slowly in their drunken stupors!

Zombie Signage from ThinkGeek!

Biohazard and Zombie Crime Scene Tape from ThinkGeek!CHECK PRICE

Zombie Posters from ThinkGeek!CHECK PRICE

More Zombie Signage!

Dress Up As Disney's Aladdin (Street Rat Costume)

Screenshots of Aladdin's street rat clothing

Are you looking to dress up as Aladdin? Not really a fan of sewing? Well, I've put together an easy list of bits and pieces that will turn you into the perfect mangy street rat! 

Aladdin's most recognisable costume is his city outfit, the raggedy street rat/thief costume. While he does have a fancy Prince Ali costume, you're not going to be able to put that together easily (it's basically just a version of the Sultan costume, and can be bought online).


The Costume Aladdin's most iconic and easily recognisable costume is quite simple.

This Aladdin doll is a
pretty good costume
 reference!

There is no official version of this costume for sale, so you'll have to make it by hand, commission it or put it together from bits and pieces.

• He wears whitish or yellowish salwar (or chalwar) pants (you can also look for harem or afghan pants). There is supposed to be large square yellow patch (a.k.a a 'hobo patch') on his pants, just below the right knee. You'll have to add this yourself.
• A little purple waistcoat or vest.
• A dark yellow or red belt of cloth (you can easily use a cummerbund) wrapped around his waist
• A red fez. As everyone knows, fezzes are cool.

If you get cold easily or don't dare walk around bare chested and sexy looking, you can add a pale yellow or white shirt underneath.

The Purple Vest

The Style A740NP High Quality No Pocket Unisex Uniform Vest is pretty much perfect for Aladdin. You can also find it listed as the DayStar 740NP No Pocket Unisex Uniform Vest. 

If you don't like that one, then there's always the Desert Prince Shirt and Vest.

The Belt

• This Red Satin Mens Cummerbund is a safe and popular choice.
• Alternatives: cummerbunds or plain cloth wraps. Can be red, yellow or orange

The Pants

Aladdin wears loose, white (or off white) trousers. The waist doesn't matter, as the sash wraps around the top. You'll need to sew (or stick) your own diamond yellow patch on below the right knee.

If you can't find actually accurate trousers, then the closest option is probably the so called "parachute pants", if you can find them in white (they tend to come in the wrong patterns and range in bagginess, so some are perfect and others are completely wrong. The women's ones are usually the closest).

• The Off White Patiala Salwar and Dupatta Set
• These white Pirate Renaissance Medieval Costume Pants Trousers are a reasonably good match and can be reused in other costumes
• Non-baggy but comfortable Lounge Pants
• These UFO Cotton Parachute Pants aren't quite accurate but can be worn as streetwear
• If you feel daring, you can make your own using this Belly Dance Chalwar Pattern

Aladdin Costumes for Women!

If you want to dress up as a female Aladdin, here are a few more clothing choices (obviously you can still use the items suggested above).

• Cotton Harem Pants Bandeau Jumpsuit Romper
• Capri Gaucho White Pants
• This sewing pattern: Kwik Sew Harem Pants
• There's also the Hathaya's Harem Pants Pattern which is probably better for Jasmine

The Hat

Choose A Red Fez Hat!

Honestly, it doesn't really matter what you pick. A fez is a fez. His hat didn't have a tassel, so you can just cut that off when you get the hat.