Hello there! I’m Anaria 🙂 I live in New Zealand with my husband and daughter (and six cats). When I realised most of my social media posts were about Star Wars fashion, I started this blog in 2014 to write about my finds and purchases, and it’s grown from there.
Want to know a little bit more about me?
I met my husband through our shared Star Wars passion – we bought collectibles from each other online, I helped write a few articles for his Star Wars New Zealand (SWNZ) website and he helped me build a jedi comlink prop for my costume. Now my husband and I run the SWNZ website together! Our first Valentines Day together, he gave me a japor snippet he hand carved from wood – I wore it inside my wedding dress two years later. My husband proposed to me at Villa Balbianello in Italy – the filming location for Padme’ and Anakin’s first kiss and wedding scenes from Episode 2. I had recreated Padme’s lake retreat gown for the trip, but the proposal was a complete surprise, and wonderfully romantic (our story was included in this StarWars.com article).
If you’d like to read more of our Star Wars life together, check out our personal blog at Villa Varykino.
I love costuming, and currently have 23 completed costumes, with several more in progress. Most I made myself or with my husband’s help, but I also own three screen used costumes – Dame Vaako and necromonger costumes from ‘The Chronicles of Riddick’ and a Sister of the Dark costume from ‘Legend of the Seeker’. I’m always trying to learn new techniques and improve my skills – my long term project is a Queen Amidala costume. I joined the Rebel Legion costuming club in 2004 with my very first costume (a jedi knight), and later joined the 501st Legion in 2005 with an Imperial officer costume. I have held base/garrison level positions in both clubs, and was elected to the Rebel Legion council for a year term in 2013 (my husband is a long standing 501st Legion member, joining the club with his stormtrooper armour in 2001).
I’m a rather obsessed Star Wars The Old Republic (SWTOR) mmorpg player. I currently have 39 characters on Satele Shan server – my Republic main is Anaria (jedi sentinel), and my Empire main is Banshila (sith sorcerer). I’ve played since the beta release, and have been a subscriber since day one – and got my husband and daughter hooked on it too! Prior to SWTOR, I played countless hours of Jedi Outcast, Jedi Academy, KOTOR, and Battlefront (1 and 2).
I’ve been collecting Star Wars items since 2002 – my main focus is female characters like Rey, Padme’ Amidala, Princess Leia, and also jedi characters like Aayla Secura and Shaak Ti. I have a particular soft spot for collectibles of costumes I have, like ‘Snowbunny’ Padme’ and Princess Leia in the metal bikini. My husband and I have been interviewed on NZ national television, radio, newspapers and magazines about our love of Star Wars, costuming, and collecting, and we have both also presented at the Star Wars Celebration conventions (I presented panels on Star Wars fashion as part of the Collecting Track at Star Wars Celebration in 2017 and 2019). It’s something we love to share together, and it’s a huge part of our daily lives. There is something Star Wars in every room of our house, including life size droids and costume displays, collectibles and artwork – and of course, lots of Star Wars fashion in our wardrobe!
