December 2015, The Galaxy Collection, was one of the strongest offerings that I have ever seen from a subscription service, and we’ll see how this month’s theme for LVL UP+, The Invasion Collection, measures up to its predecessor.
Good things and dynamite come in small packages, it is said, although the preconceptions that the openers bring to bags of goodies can vary widely. In this case, this month’s accessory comes in a black drawstring bag, which many of those buying the women’s accessories may associate with jewelry and many of the nerdy fanboys may associate instead with Dungeons and Dragons polyhedrical dice. “Wow, I’m getting some cool dice? Wait, what is this?”
This turns out to be a superb Star Trek Friendship Necklace from Quantum Mechanix. If you see a misty look in your friend or significant other’s eyes when you give them the other half of this friendship necklace, it is less likely that they are touched by your sentiment and more likely that they are moved by the inscription, which is from the dialogue of one of the most powerfully wrought moments in cinema history: “I have been, and always shall be, your friend.” Kidding aside, it’s an amazing piece, and if you don’t have anyone to share this friendship necklace with, you can wear it proudly by yourself, as the two halves are magnetic.
The socks this month include “I Believe” alien Socks from Sock it To Me, and exclusive Destiny socks from Bioworld. Both pairs look comfortable and distinctive.
LVL UP+ debuted its first T-shirt this month in The Invasion Collection, and what you get is an exclusive Heart Invaders T-shirt from Level Up Design Labs. This is a great looking tee that matches both pairs of socks, and the heart theme is just in time for Valentine’s Day, either as an occasion to give a timely gift or, more likely, as an occasion to flaunt your unique tee.
Which brings us to this month’s Wearable, which is an exclusive Space Invaders Hoodie from Level Up Design Labs. This is the first hoodie from LVL UP+, and it bears a repeating Space Invaders pattern. The hoodie is a light cotton/polyester blend, and you’ll be able to wear this long into the Spring or even on cool nights in the Summer, so you’ll likely be getting quite a bit of use out of this wearable. My recommendation if you’re trying to be as comfortable as possible in these cold days, though, is to mix it up and wear last month’s Star Wars lounge pants with the Space Invaders hoodie while you’re binge watching Jessica Jones or X-Files.
As I mentioned last month, LVL UP+ is fast becoming one of the best subscription services available, concerned not only with curating a monthly gaming culture care package, but also with designing unique, stylish, items. Next month’s theme is Dead, “with fashionable apparel from The Walking Dead, Deadpool, and Harry Potter,” to quote the website, so if you’re a fan of any of those franchises, you should definitely follow this link so that you can be one of the lucky ones next month.