Colum, OH Rebel Legion

I know we talked about this at one of the meetings once...but what is up with this "elitists" club? I tried to join the other day because I figured my costume looks pretty damn great for a Jedi.

I was denied because BLAH BLAH BLAH a whole freaking list of reasons. Ok, I can understand not allowing Jedis wearing bathrobes and pajamas as a costume...but I put too much damn work into my costume to not even be considered.

I looked at a bunch of the other costumes on the site and saw TONS of costumes not following the "canon" or whatever code. WTF is up with that?

As you can tell...I'm pretty pissed.

 

I dunno man, as soon as I get some of my pics ready, I'm gonna try joining, but ask Emily, she may know more when she returns from her trip to Chicago.

 

Hi there...saw your post and thought I'd offer any help I can. I'm NOT part of the group that reviews costumes for membership into RL, so best I can do is offer advise.

It would help to have some kinda reference for what your costume looks like...got any pictures you can post? What were some of the suggestions they made?

Here's my jedi costume

I do know that RL command staff has been in the process of updating their costume standards, to make sure all the costumes coming in are pretty darn accurate. And trust me, there's nothing "elitist" about us here in Midwest Base. You got every right to vent a lil...but even one of our local group had to modify his jedi costume to make it into RL.

No worries! Like I always tell people..."have lightsaber, will travel"

 

Well, I hope mine works...I busted my butt to get everything as close to accurate on an Obi-wan as possible...right up to letting my beard grow for 2 months. Don't even get me started on how long it took me to make my lightsaber. Seriously though, without spending hundreds on my costume, I think it's a pretty good job, and John (is it jon or john?)'s was pretty good too... Besides, I don't wanna be the only one (or two with Em) in RL down here!


Krash, do you think it would be best to add pics of individual pieces of the costumes as well as the straight up and action shots? I mean like, a close up of the saber, CU of the belt, CU of the robe, etc. That way they can see the work that went into things as well as how it looks on, since that can be misleading.


Also, what's up with their site? I can see it on IE, but I mainly run firefox(what I run at home due to a virus problem) now, and it won't show up when I check it at home.

 

[image=http://bigjon.no-ip.org/photos/0_halloween2005/pboo3.JPG]

[image=http://bigjon.no-ip.org/photos/0_halloween2005/pboo4.JPG]

My only real complaint is the fact that I don't have hundreds of dollars to spend on my costume. I literally made this costume with leftover materials and the spare cash I had. Sure, my belt is not "Jedi standard" but my complaint is...since when was there an "actual Jedi" on the Rebel Legion who conversed with Yoda and Ben about what our fan costumes should look like...oh wait...there are no such things as real Jedis. Hence why they shouldn't be so picky!

I can truly understand the need to cut out some of the costumes. For instance like this one I found at a costume site:

[image=http://www.partypants.fsnet.co.uk/male/jedi-robe-deluxe.jpg]

But I just don't get it. Why does a Jedi costume have to have all the requirments that they suggest? Not all Jedi costumes in the movies have pouches or food capsules. I just really think it is a group of people who have to have everything perfect before they will let you in. Hence my calling it an "elitist" group.

[image=http://rebellegion.com/images/cos/590-A.jpg]
Where's this guys pouches?

[image=http://rebellegion.com/images/cos/66-A.jpg]
Where's her covertech clip? (and since when did Luke and Darth Vader wear covertech clips?)

[image=http://rebellegion.com/images/cos/330-A.jpg]
Look! A T-Shirt as an inner tunic! Wait...wasn't that not allowed in the rules above? Hmmm...

[image=http://rebellegion.com/images/cos/439-A.jpg]
What the heck is this?

You get my point?

So I see that there is "Formal" and "Informal"...but how come I wasn't approved for informal then? I mean seriously. I honestly think that anyone who put more than 1 hour into their costume should be considered.

So explain this to me now.

 

see, this is why i did an obi-wan costume with pouches and food pellets...but you're right. This is supposed to be fun, why not let you in? Not every jedi is gonna wear the same exact belt, even if the ones from the movies did.

 

Yeah...that was my point. I figured every Jedi dresses in what is available. Hence why Bariss Offee has luxurious robes and Ben Kenobil from ANH has rags.

Oh well. At least I'm a part of this group. That's always a plus.

 

I'm hoping to join RL as well and just sent off my application to them not long ago, so fingers crossed. From what I've seen over on their boards it almost seems like a difficult time to join up cause they seem to be in a transition, like Krash said before. *shruges* I don't know I guess if I don't make it in I could be understanding, but judging from the pics posted on the boards here of all of your costumes it's my personal opinion that none of you should really be rejected into the RL. Eh, that's just my two cents right now.

 

Now that I see your costume, (while overall I think it's excellent) I do see where that 1 aspect of your costume would be holding up the process. If you want to talk over in the jedi costume forum on RL...I can assure you that everyone understands costuming on a budget. I didn't submit my pictures until after I knew all my costume elements were as close to movie accurate as possible. Honestly, a wider belt and either food capsules and/or pouches and I think you're good to go!

The way I understand it, your 1st costume has to meet the "formal" requirments. Once you've got 1 formal/movie accurate costume, anything else you do can have special modifications to them. It's the same way in the 501st. If you PM one of the moderators/admins at RL...I'm sure they could explain that better then I could.

There is a bit of a transition process going on (especially in this region)...but it's a good transition for all of us. There is this stereotype of RL being nothing but a bunch of "bathrobe jedi" in comparison to the movie quality accuracy of the 501st. We're trying to change that and represent the good guys just as well as our Imperial counterparts.

Trust me...it's still fun (check out the JKOC gallery for all the costuming/charity events we do here in Cleveland). And there's nothing in the RL costume standards that says every belt has to be identical, just (I'm quoting) Belt with a wide leather main belt, thinner secondary belt on top of the main belt, and a buckle. They all don't have to be identical!

Again, (Jo-Nic) I think you're 1-2 steps away from the finish line (and it's worth it). If the rest of you guys want to build a RL costume (doesn't have to be a jedi)...sign up on the forum and ASK questions in that costumes forum! I signed up on RL after working on my costume (without being a member of RL) for the better part of a year.

 

Ok. I get what you're saying.

 

In the individual costume forums...sure, it might help? At the very least you'll get good/honest opinions from people (kinda what I'm offering here...but better to do on RL board) who've been doing this for a long time. If you wanted to submit an "action" pose for your membership application...sure, IF it shows off the features of the costume people are going to be looking for in the requirments. The important thing is that your picture (1 shot) shows all the required elements.

Once you're a member of RL...and you want to add a more dramatic pose, go for it!

 

Greetings...
I would like to add a little to this conversation....I am XO of the Midwest Base at the Rebel Legion, a Council member at The Jedi Assembly, and as you can see...a Council member at Chicago Force....

First let me say...to a degree...I share your pain...yes...indeed...this is supposed to be fun....BUT the one thing that you might not understand about all of this is the fact that in the past, Jedi costumes have gotten a bad rap....many WERE poorly constructed...and..."bathrobe" style. Because of the bad reputation of Jedi costumes, many times there was simply a "No Jedi Costume" rule for many canon and non-canon events. Both TJA and Rebel Legion wanted to start to remove that "stigma" and up the quality of Jedi costumes so that we would be welcome to participate. I recently got asked by an Illinois member who was also denied membership if he could still participate in an event that is upcoming...since the event is a non-canon event...I told him that he was indeed welcome to participate. Even as a forum poster at RL or TJA ...you can always ask if an event is canon or not. I will be loaning this individual some pieces of my costumes to assure that he will feel comfortable with his Jedi costume and have a good experience.


Indeed, both at the Rebel Legion and The Jedi Assembly...this was no easy or fun task...but you have to start somewhere. There was a great deal of discussion by both groups...and an amount of argueing. I am also a member of the 501st...and I can assure you....their process for costume approval is still more stringent....they have a standard to uphold...and uphold it...they do. It has allowed them to be part of many different and wonderful opportunities.

These minimum standards were finally agreed upon and will, in the future, be adhered to. Also, as Krash noted...there are some changes and upheavel going on. We are trying to make the Rebel Legion and TJA more visible and more welcomed by organizers of events. Some of the costumes that, as you noted, are not up to par are in the process of being re-examined and some of the costumes will be asked for upgrades and new photos.

We DO want you to go out and have fun with your costume...we also want it to be a good experience. Even canon Jedi costumes are not always recognized by John Q Public...and it is certainly not fun to be excluded for events, not recognized, and generally shoved into the background.

Personally....I love Jedi costumes...they are my favorite...and I don't long for any other Rebel costume...not all feel that way. To many...a Jedi costume is just a starting point...for me..it is the ending point. It took me literally 2 years to put together all the pieces of my costume....I constantly upgraded as finances would permit...and now...looking back...I am glad that I did.

None of this will probably make you feel any better...but please understand that this is all part of a rather painful process for the costume groups too.

 

Boy I leave for Chicago and come back with all of this! lol....mostly Geoff has said the best about it. The idea is that it should be fun, but also Rebel Legion does still have to be able to live up to the Stormtroopers and all from 501st. And Rebel Legion is not as known and they do not want to be the "bathrobed jedi" group, they want to be taken just as serious. So there are some aspects were they need to go beyond the regular costume so that they can live up to there "sister" group. At least that is what I got from it. Besides, you can't complain about a Jedi costume....try doing a Leia or worse a Padme, now THAT is fun...in order for a Padme/Leia simple costume to be for RL, be ready to spend $$$ on it....at least 200-300 at least for a good one. I'm not even thinking about the major TPM Padme's (not including the handmaidens I have that cost about $300 each). But yeah thats just me...

 

I think you should keep working. IT IS something to be proud of when your done. Ive been working on my boba fett for a while and spent over $800 so far. Im hoping to join the 501st as soon as i can get together a jet pack which could very well take another couple months depending on money. Even if we dont get in lol, the worst thing that happens is we throw costume parties and go out to dinner or bowling hehe...now thats a sight to see...

 

Yeah, I'm working on clone armor for next year but I still have to drop 50+ lbs first. Also working on an A'sharad Hett as soon as I can find a tusken helm, and a couple of previs concept costumes, like the black anakin robes from the art of ROTS book. Still, the obi is my bread and butter lol.

 

After C3 I've now have a desire to aquire a set of armor as well....clone or TK, or both if I could ever have the resources to pull that off. They're just freakin' sweet! But I'll always have a certain attachment to my Jedi robes as it is so far my first and only, heh that kinda ironic...attachment and Jedi.