Today I bring you Social Justice Warrior Natasha Romanoff of the Avengers. I’d planned to end the theme with her, because she walks the line between SJW and vigilante. But I had to reshuffle for reasons that will become clear tomorrow. In any case, Natasha is on this side of the line because she works with and for the government, trying to spread justice within the boundaries of society.
About the Look
I’ve long loved Black Widow. One of my absurdist claims to fame is I’ve been voted “most likely to be a Russian spy” by multiple and disparate friend groups. I have an appreciation for Russian culture — the architecture, the fashion, the literature, and most especially the ballet — and a disdain for American capitalism. But I’m not a spy, I just play one online.
Natasha Romanoff is quiet, competent, and efficient. She keeps a level head, assesses the situation, and gets the job done. Natasha trusts herself, and a handful of close peers. And she trusts the concept of order. That there is a way things should be and a way things should work. There are rules and there are consequences for breaking them. Natasha embraces consequences— they indicate the universe is working.
Winter is my favorite season. Many people find this odd. Winter is cold and dark and lonely and a metaphor for death. But that’s when I feel the most alive. Black Widow is cold and dark and lonely and a metaphor for death, too.
About My Look
The Marvel Cinematic Universe decided to use Black Widow’s classic costume as a template for SHIELD’s uniform. This choice made Natasha’s black catsuit simultaneously iconic and mundane. My black leggings and tall (but flat!) boots reflect this uniform and provide the traditional silhouette. The sweater retains the color palette and the spikes at the shoulders reference the bullets that she wears at her waist and wrists. Plus I’ve been obsessed with Natasha in a sweater since she wore one in Bucky’s hospital room in Marvel’s Fear Itself 7.1.
The leggings are old, they’re actually this Star Wars design, but the words are faded. The boots I purchased in 2018 to wear for the “Captain Killy” cosplay I wore at Star Trek Las Vegas. The sweater — which I love!!! — was an amazing thrift store find this Costober shopping season. I got the compact mirror at a convention at least a decade ago and it is one of my favorite possessions. And the hat was made by the incredibly talented Christian Milik as part of the Maetel cosplay I wore for Anime Boston also in 2018 (it was a really big year for cons).
or Commission a Look