Costuming--Darth Maul's Sith robes and IRG uniforms

Hey everyone! It's me, Chris. I just wanted to know if any of you have any hints on Star Wars costuming, to get me started thinking (and maybe even eventually working).

There are plenty of Websites and forums out there, but not too many really sound like they know what the hell they're talking about. Anyone that can point out some of the better sites, forums, experts, personal advice, or costuming materials/methods will receive my undying gratitude (and maybe even some cash compensation at a later date). I don't want to waste my money or time dealing with incompetents, and I am VERY sincere about eventually starting some of these Star Wars costuming projects.

I am DEFINITELY looking into creating/making a set of black Sith robes similar to Darth Maul's in TPM (and/or Palpatine's . . . whoops, I meant Darth Sidious, of course). That is #1 on my list, as I am Omaha's regnant Sith Lord. I am most interested in this as the Sith are my primary interest, and it also looks like the patterns, materials, time, and money required would be minimal (at least when compared with making stormtrooper armor, for example). Looking exactly like Maul (with the possible exception of the horns and makeup) is my stated and earnest goal with this.

#2: I would also like to craft either a movie-accurate Imperial Royal Guard's uniform (complete with force pike), or something similar to Kir Kanos' kick-ass uniform detailed in the Dark Horse Comics series CRIMSON EMPIRE. (If I had a choice, I would definitely score the CRIMSON EMPIRE get-up first. (Oh my God, is that SUCH a COOL uniform!) [Scoring Kir Kanos' double-bladed glaive would be a near-orgasmic experience for me, but (A) I doubt that the pattern for such even exists outside the graphic novels, and (B) I don't think that the local law enforcement authorities would take too well to me walking around with such an item in full view of the public.]

A couple of other future ideas on my list include a scout stormtrooper kit (a.k.a. the "biker scouts" from ROTJ), a basic Imperial stormtrooper's armor/outfit, and either Boba Fett or Jango Fett costumes (I'm not tall enough to be Vader, and oh God does that BREAK MY HEART).

Well, I'll post this and see what you all think. Please be serious, as I am, and I don't want to be made fun of or have my time wasted. If you can help, or even just want to talk about it, please contact me whenever it is convenient for you. Thanks, and I appreciate your time and effort, should you choose to respond!

Darth Tharon (CHRIS)
Apprentice Sith Lord and Dark Ruler of the Omaha Metro Area

This is a good question. Where in the heck does the 501st get the goods? (Not that I'd be caught wearing Stormtrooper armor. Doesn't go with the hair.) There has got to be a site that specializes in Star Wars garb. I'll keep my eyes open for you Chris.

Oh and by the way... If you really don't want people to make fun of you, don't call youself the Dark Ruler of Omaha. You're just askin' for it man! See you Sunday!

In response to Rogers question about where the 501st gets their stuff... We have our sources. In response to Chris's assumption that going Darth Maul won't cost as much as stormtrooper armor... Dream on. That is, if you want it done right. I have a few good sources that I will divulge to you, but with LucasFilm lawyers constantly scouring fan sites for potential lawsuits I will take the info off of these boards to give to you. The 501st has an unwritten order to not divulge information about costume sources to anyone not known by a member of the 501st. This makes it harder to locate items, but is much safer for the costume creator. Anyways, I'll hook you up as much as I can. Also, I was checking out LighTech and found that I can give my Graflex a LighTech blade. This will be cool, and hopefully a lot safer than a glass blade. Later, all.

John, are you serious when you said that Sith robes may cost AS MUCH as stormtrooper armor? Wow . . . that's pretty hard to believe.

Of course, I have no problem paying for quality, and to be a Maul clone I will be willing to do that. However, with the outfit only being cloth and simple accessories, and 'trooper armor being made of hard plastic and synthetic composites, I figured it was a no-brainer that the Maul/Sidious robes would be WAY cheaper.

However, if they are not, then thanks for the heads-up, because I will have to really start saving in that case.

Will be glad to talk stormtrooper armor with you anytime, as I am going to do that, and once I get a decent-paying job, I will save up to get it done.

On that note, anyone with ANY leads on a decent job--I would REALLY appreciate ANY info you could give me on the topic, because being unemployed SUCKS. I had to burn about half my current savings just to pay some bills, and I'm getting desperate. ANY HELP that ANYONE can offer will be GREATLY APPRECIATED (and may lead to a dinner on me if the job turns out).

Thanks for reading and responding, all! Later!

Darth Tharon, Dark Ruler of Omaha (yeah baby)

You are corret there are tons of sites and boards you can read. TK was also correct to do the Maul right you have to find the correct boots and the material is an expensive wool. I am a member of many prop/costuming boards and I would recommend spending some time reading the Replica Props Forum at http://rpf.prop-planet.com/index.php
then asking some questions after reading alot and searching old threads. There is tons of information there but do not expect much if you are new and do not know anyone yet, if you start asking for stuff, they will tell you to go to ebay. I am working on my Vader costume so I am with you in the sith thing but I do not know enough about the Maul or Emporer to be really helpful. I will try asking some of the guys who I believe know.

Good luck with the costume and job search.

David

David (Vader71), thank you for your support as a fellow Sith, and also for your advice. I will take it and check out the sites you listed when I can. I appreciate the extra effort you took to post some sites and some advice rather than just content that was noncommittal. It's always nice to see people when they offer truly substantive help when bellying up to the bar, rather than just window-dressing. No insult to any of the other posts; I'm just very happy to have an additional site or two to check out, rather than just the moral support!

I would just jizz myself if I could either (A) personally make (out of sheer personal pride, this is my first choice) or (B) con somebody competent into making for me some obsidian-black hooded Sith robes that look EXACTLY like Sidious' and Maul's.

I'm sorry, but when Maul makes his first entry in Episode I (coming onto the HoloNet viewscreen with arms crossed just behind Sidious), and then looks SO COOL facing down 30 armed enemies toward the end prior to his fight with QGJ and OWK--I just want to be like that, y'know? Cool looking, bad-a$$, and all that s**t.

My Sith robes fantasy aside, does anyone know where I could find a genuine Imperial Royal Guard helmet made by Don Post? I've heard he does the best IRG helmets out there. Obviously EBay is an option, but does Post have his own site where they can be purchased, etc.? I'll go off and do a little research on my own now, but as Woodrow Wilson once said, "I use not only all my own brains, but all those that I can borrow."

Thanks to any and all for your help in my quest. I'm kind of shooting for having either a complete IRG uniform (helmet, force pike, heavy blaster pistol, armor, gauntlets, and robes), complete stormtrooper or biker scout armor, or my Sith outfit (hooded robes, lightsabers, belt, boots, gauntlets, etc.) within the next year or so . . .

Okay, let's try asking for something reasonable. J/K. Don Post has discontinued their Star Wars line. The contract is now fully with (shudder) Rubies. You can, however, still find the occasional Royal Guard mask online for a fair price under $100.
http://www.mirax.iwarp.com/links.html This is a link to some tutorials and deatails.
http://www.fschobbies.com/scifi/starwars/masks/ergmask.html This one's for an $85 Royal Guard mask. Good luck on this one. I paid about $75 for my RG mask, but the link is dead.

Yeah, I do have some pretty lofty goals, don't I? But I see no point in wanting something if you don't go for the best!

Thanks, John, for the kick-a$$ sites listing also. I will be meandering over those that you listed as well. You definitely know your stuff and represent the 501st in that regard quite well.

I have done a lot of research and have quite a few sites I've checked out, but there is no one single, definitive site that categorically and comprehensively covers EVERYTHING that you would think would need to be known about a particular project. I'm not complaining, but rather than searching all over the Net for stuff, it would be nice to have it all in one place--and approved by Lucas himself as canon, no less!

Maybe that will be my next project: learning how to program and code and create some site with an address like www.sithrobes.com, or www.imperialroyalguardcostume.org, where people would log on, do their research, and then kiss my butt and tell me how great I was. Then I could exploit it, be RICH, be connected with my boy Lucas, happy, have free time to kill, a Ferrari, and all sorts of other fun stuff! Oops, pardon me . . . I have to change my underwear now.

Back to reality. I did find out today while researching that Don Post had indeed discontinued making their IRG helmets, but I'm hoping to find one over the Net somewhere to start my uniform off. Next, I'll search for and/or create Kir Kanos' double-bladed combat quarterstaff from Crimson Empire and Crimson Empire II. OMG, was that thing COOL.

Thanks for the posts, and I will definitely be consulting more after I have some money saved up and start this project in earnest!

You will find John is the ONLY local 501st person worth knowing.

DT I know someone who is in the process of making the Maul costume and he plans on doing the Emporers robe after that. If you want to get a costume that replicates the original Maul let me know. He has three of the four fabrics figured out and is looking for the fourth now. I do not expect these to be inexpensive though.(FYI)

I know I am working on Trooper armor and a Vader and its alot of work to get the best pieces and equipment for your costume.

What you need to know is most parts are made and are technically not legal. Only Rubies has the lic. to make SW costumes. There stuff is nice to the average fan but it is NOT movie accurate! So no single site will give you everything or all the info you need so that LFL does not "hopefull" take notice.

Good luck with you costuming, sounds like you have a great start.

Okay, I have to take exception to some of Vader71's comments. Okay, only one. Specifically: "There stuff is nice to the average fan but it is NOT movie accurate!" I happen to know a few "average fans", and like me they hate the Rubie's stuff. If I could, I would organize a nationwide boycott of that crappy costuming company. Their masks look like overstocked Don Post, which they probably are. And that's not bad, but where are they? Where are the new masks? Who wants to wear a cheap plastic kids costume? They may look good in movies to show clueless adults, but has anyone actually seen someone wearing one? I haven't. Rubies needs to 1. release their new line of masks. 2. Upgrade their crappy "deluxe" costumes to something that is actually "deluxe" and ditch the plastic and rubber kids suits. They're embarrasing. I think that most of us thought that LucasFilm was starting to get on track with Master Replicas (Heaven help them), but I know I cried for days when I heard Rubies got the exclusive contract for Star Wars costumes. Sorry, you just opened a can and I had to vent. I hope someone from Rubie's sees this. Bastards. Anyway, again I apologize for the Chris length post, and Vader71, I would appreciate that information about the Maul costume as well. Peace (except to you Rubies, damn you).

OK the Rubies comments I can live with. My point was they are not really good costumes. Heck even the delux stuff is not that great and fans make much better replicas. Its the underground issue that needs to be understood.

On the Maul I will have to get the final info, like I said he is working to get the correct fabrics. Shoot me an email and we can talk about it more.(dbognich@-spam-cwparchitectc.com)

John and David, thanks for all the facts and the insight you've given. You are both gods. I am really getting excited about being able to get this thing going once I have a job again. I don't really want to deal with Rubies, and will be doing my stuff on my own as best I can.

David, I will definitely be sending you an E-mail sometime, because you definitely sound like you have your $h*t together. And that's not a compliment I throw around lightly. (There's probably room for someone to make a comment there, but I will just wait and see . . . )

And John, for a "Chris-length" post (and ouch, that was a good one!), it would have to be a LOT LONGER, if you know what I mean! Heh heh heh!