MY FIRST POKÉMON CARD TOURNAMENT

Introduction – Falling for Pokémon

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen that I’m really into Pokémon cards right now.

This started for two reasons:

• 1. My Interest in Retail: As a buying professional and someone obsessed with the retail industry, I find the rapid growth of the Trading Card Game (TCG) market, especially the Pokémon Trading Card Game (PTCG), fascinating. TCGs are forecasted to grow 7.68% annually through the end of the decade, and PTCG sales increased by 22.68% last year. So, for the sake of my career, I had to figure out firsthand what’s behind their growth.

• 2. My Need for a Social Hobby: As a post-grad twenty-something, I’m realizing how hard it is to meet people in person. In a perfect world, I’d join a run club or do CrossFit, but with my injured right foot and knees, that’s not an option. Partying is fun, but it’s not sustainable, and it lacks the intimacy I’m looking for. When I was a kid, I made friends through Pokémon, so I’m hoping I still can.

  
  

So yeah, Pokémon, and PTCG, are front of mind.

Because of that, I went to a Pokémon card tournament with my best friend two weeks ago, and I felt it deserved a moment on JoshuaMillerClothing.com.

Today, I’m sharing that experience and what I felt along the way.

What We Wore

I wish I could say what Joshua and I wore was a spur-of-the-moment stroke of fashion genius, but we’d actually been planning and talking about these outfits for a while.

Joshua and I love the irony of the Elon Musk aesthetic.

So, we wanted Joshua to wear in an outfit that poked fun at that look while still feeling intentional and curated.

We chose a SpongeBob gamer t-shirt, a black blazer, and a propeller hat for him.

Since his outfit leaned into the primary colors, plus green and black, I tried my best to match.

I wore a floral shirt from Express, one of my favorite cardigans, a black tie, and green Express chinos.

To finish the look, I added my signature red party glasses so we shared the same colors.

Individually, the outfits are fun.

But together, they ask a bigger question: what does it mean to be fashionable?

When you place a trend-forward, well-styled outfit (mine) next to an ironic Elon Musk Halloween costume (his), you’re pairing what’s conventionally correct with what’s conventionally incorrect. But if they complement each other so well, are either of them really out of style?

If two drastically different looks can sit side by side and still work, it makes you wonder why we chase fashion trends at all when you can achieve something thoughtful and cool with a propeller hat and an Amazon t-shirt.

It challenges the idea of “correct” fashion and celebrates the beauty of the unconventional.

It’s humorous, well-informed, and more than anything, perfectly us.

And I’m really proud of it.

My Deck – N’s Deck (Zoroark & Reshiram)

I wish I could say I was confident heading into this tournament, but I’d be lying if I did.

Balancing full-time work, a doubled commute, and content creation while also trying to sleep, eat, and do laundry is exhausting. So I haven’t had as much energy to dedicate to the game as I’d like.

Thankfully, Joshua built me a fantastic N Deck to use for the tournament.

This deck means a lot to me, both because I see myself in N and because of the memories attached to these cards.

The deck is based on N, a Pokémon Trainer from Black and White, and his signature Pokémon.

When I met N as a kid playing those games, I was deeply moved by his story.

He’s a misunderstood creative who was forced into a life of power he didn’t choose.

Because of that, he hides his creativity, style, and heart from the world.

Watching his story helped me feel seen because I’ve felt that same fear of expressing myself.

But seeing N choose isolation and conformity over connection and authenticity made me realize, even as a child, that I wanted to do better.

N’s story is a reminder to live life as yourself and be brave enough to show the world who you are.

I also find his personality charming.

He’s smart, witty, and self-assured, even if it’s an act.

I’ve always admired his bold style and quiet confidence.

In short, I wanted to be like him.

And the story behind the cards makes it even better.

This deck was built for me by Joshua, and it felt like a sign that it came out right when I decided to get back into Pokémon.

It felt like Pokémon was welcoming me back.

I love the cards in this deck.

Zoroark has always been one of my favorites, and this deck has four of them.

But most importantly, this deck features a full-art Reshiram that Joshua and I pulled together during our trip to Oak Park last month.

That day marked the beginning of our first summer together since college.

It also felt like the prequel to a new chapter, once Joshua finishes law school.

Oak Park is high on our list of cities to move to in 2026, so walking around that day felt like stepping into our future.

This card now represents that feeling.

The Tournament

I’ll skip to the chase. I didn’t win. Not even close.

Everyone played four games. I won one (against Joshua), tied one, and lost two.

I came in 9th place overall.

I’m a pretty competitive person, so finishing that low would usually bother me. But I’m actually proud of this.

Playing in this tournament was nerve-wracking.

It was a new space, full of new people, and I ran the risk of getting steamrolled at a game I’m still new to (and having my Pokémon credibility totally ruined, which would be devastating but kind of funny).

But I showed up, and I played.

I met a few cool people who taught me a lot, and I had a great time.

Conclusion

Playing in my first Pokemon Card Tournament was an experience I’ll never forget.

I feel really lucky to have been able to make a great memory with my best friend and for all of the joy that Pokemon has brought to my life. 

Pokémon is about becoming the best you can be through hard work and community, and I’m proud to be living those values everyday. 

I hope the little boy who played Pokémon Black on his DS would be proud of who he grew up to become.

I know I am.

I’m excited by the quest I’m on, and for the first time ever, I can’t wait to grow up.

Thanks for reading!

-JM

P.S. - After the tournament, Joshua and I bought 3 booster packs to soothe our sorrows and we ended up pulling a FULL ART PIKACHU!

---

I’ve set a goal for 2025, and I need your help to hit it. I want to grow my email list to 50 subscribers. Pretty soon, I'll be sharing exclusive content with just my exclusive subscribers. To sign up, just click the link below, type your email, and hit enter. You’ll be glad you did. : )))

SUBSCRIBE