Hot Topic Shopping: TMI Mini Stele and Lanyard

I was shaking with excitement while standing close to the The Mortal Instruments (TMI) City of Bones (CoB) merchandise racks at Hot Topic. I could not order online because of the pshipping rates and not knowing what size and feel the merchandise was. I was practically presented with a major challenge. I was not wanting to spend a lot because I have to purchase The Infernal Devices (TID) series on Kindle and that is costing somewhere around $40. So, I had to satisfy my yearning heart and my miserly pocket.

TMI merchandise racks at Hot Topic

The clothing was very expensive. I loved Isabelle's dress but with being expensive its sleeves are transparent lace sleeves. I have purchased a similar dress from Target, without the sleeves, and plan to couple it with a black jacket. So this was a skip. Next, I loved the silky, stretchy, dress that has the skyline from the movie's poster. It was super expensive at $40 and I am saving for TID. Clary's thigh length black shadowhunter gear is not for me. I touched Jace's jacket *drools* and I could totally buy the small size that would fit perfectly. But it is very pricey for me at $50+ something. Its buckle accents and zippers are gorgeous. The hoodie is super cozy and the jacket material is jean-like. The $14 something journal has very less pages and its size is pretty small too. Next, there were the pins. The ones with the guys' photos on them were not for me, and I was fighting the urge to impulse buy the $6.50 4 runes pins. 

The jewelry was so beautiful. Isabelle's whip is my favorite piece from the movie, but I am not fond of snakes and the merchandise for some reason has a snake head and tail incorporated in the whip's design. So, I skipped that. For the price of Isabelle's ruby necklace, the Morgenstern ring, and Jace's necklace, I decided to put my money into the $8.50 lanyard and the $12.50 mini stele keychain.

Jace's mini stele keychain and lanyard w/ charm

Jace's stele was a pen, actually and I figured it would stay hidden in my study all the time. So, I decided to go for the mini stele which works like a keychain. My car would love that. It is pretty big, considering how small it appears to be in photographs and on the Hot Topic website. The lanyard is not the rough type, but a satin-like fabric ribbon on which the textured runes are printed. There is an angelic rune metal charm to it, and a plastic cover with a TMI cast photograph. It's like the way people wear their IDs but this is the Shadowhunter pride rather than any other. I am in love with my shopping! Do check the photos below for size comparisons of the mini stele and the charm in the lanyard. 

Metal charm size show, lighted mini stele keychain

The metallic charm attached to the lanyard is good quality, thick and has weight. The stele itself is hollow inside. The body of the stele is hard metal and it runs on 3 quartz batteries that light up its tip a bright blue at the push of a button. The light is pretty powerful, it lights up a good three feet.

Also on the shelves were tee's (expensive!) and the NYX Parallel Worlds cosmetics box - I have already bought that and I need to write a review soon! Until then,

Nighty night Shadowhunters!