Star Wars costumes in everyday life

I've been thinking about this for a while now and it seems that costumes get made for an event or something similar and then maybe they come out again for another event and in general don't get worn very much. Seeing as a lot of time and effort goes into making them it seems a shame to not wear them that much. I know a lot of costumes can't be worn in every day life, things like stormtrooper armour and a lot of Padme's dresses, but are there costumes that can be worn as normal clothes? Would an Imperial Officer uniform make a good suit? What costumes are there that could be used as normal clothing

Has anyone else thought about this, or am I the only one?

 

An Imperial Officer costume may pass as regular clothes however people may mistake it for a Nazi uniform. I don?t see any other Star Wars costume really working as every day clothes.

There?s a Star Trek documentary that interviews a few fans who wear their uniforms every day. One woman in particular insisted on being called ?Commander? and she really came across like a nut. Star Wars and Star Trek are fiction and real life is real. IMHO pretending that you?re really a starship commander or a Jedi is delusional behavior. This is not aimed at you GrandMofPeanutButter. I understand your reasons for wanting to wear your costumes are different than these people.

 

I'm a member of the local Pagan/Wiccan community, so my outer Jedi cloak does double duty at many Pagan events. Without the rest of the Jedi costume, it's a generic long sleeved cloak, so it works.

My friend and I have been known to wear our kit in public when we do photo shoots in various places around town, and we attend fireworks displays in full regalia complete with glowing lightsabers. We switch the sabers off during the actual fireworks, but before and after, we have loads of fun. Of course, we don't tell people we're really Jedi, or expect anyone to address us as such. Although we always grin when somebody says "May the force be with you!"

 

For as much pride as I take in doing my costumes well, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing any of 'em in public, outside of a convention or event. But that's also just me.

 

I was thinking more along the lines of just the jacket and trousers with a pair of smart shoes or boots with the trousers worn over the top of the boots.

Do Jedi cloaks work well as coats?

That's sort of why I'm looking for 'normal' costumes, ones that wouldn't stand out. I've often seen costumes in films and thought 'I can see myself wearing that'. There are some things I wouldn't wear outside of a convention, and some things I wouldn't wear at all.

 

I find my Jedi cloak works well as a coat, depending on the weather. It's not waterproofed, and I would not rely on it in freezing temperatures, but for spring and fall, it's great. It kept me warm this summer when I was camping with the Pagan community- it was freaking HOT all day, then got cold at night. The cloak was great then, and being full enough to wrap around me was a bonus. However, wearing any kind of long cloak in an urban environment requires some caution- hike it up good on escalators and such.

 

Rebel Fleet Trooper, if you don't wear the helmet, belt, or gun. Maybe if you lost the boots, too. Then it's just a weird blue shirt with a black vest and grey army pants.

 

I have been dressed as a Rebel to a convention and got the remark from a friend (who had previously not seen the costume): "I thought you would be in costume!". He had not seen my blaster or helmet then yet, though.

Sleeveless hooded wool cloaks are great. They were very common in medieval times. I know of people who made them for LARP:ing originally, but started wearing them every day.

 

A few of Padme's clothes (Coruscant white nightgown and blue robe) can actually be pretty functional nightclothes. But maybe I'm just crazy in wearing them.

I actually wore my Leia basic white dress to church service one Sunday, but nobody said anything.

Anyway, I think Han's outfit could be worn in public, minus the blaster (and possibly the boots). That's the only one I can think of.

 

Minus the cardigan, I think you could possibly get away with Leia's Bespin dress as well, (in my opinion it's a very easily worn as a two piece suit with a difference, I've seen a few real tunics and matching pants in a similar colour and style.)

 

I have an Imperial Officer's uniform, and no way would I be caught dead in public with it on if it weren't for some sort of an event or Halloween. I am inclined to agree with bluephoenix.... that officer's uniform does resemble a Nazi uniform. And while I could care less what some people think of me, I do care about whether I cause some undue angst to those who might be offended at seeing something that reminds them of the evil Nazi regime... that and I would feel like a big dork if I were wearing a costume when there wasn't a specific purpose behind it.

- Bill

 

Btw. The Imperial Officer's uniform was based on a German WWI uniform. Not a nazi uniform, but most higher-ups in the nazi party had been officers in WWI so ...

 

Actually, if we really want to get technical about it, they resemble the Civil War double-brested uniforms than they do either of the German uniforms.... but I get your idea.

- Bill

 

I know a lot of people use those Civil war patterns as a start but the actual fit and tailoring is much more 20thC and closer to the styles worn in WWI and II. Civil war uniforms tend not to be built so much in the shoulder area and the fit is not quite so angular, the aesthetic of the time was not for the triangular square shouldered look but much more barrel like and that is reflected in the cut of the uniforms. The angular look in men's suits really seems to slowly develop from the 1880s.
Higher ranking officers of Germany etc. in WWI and II tended to get their uniforms made by individual tailors which is why the workmanship and fit is so much crisper than the thos who had army issued kit. And it is the tailored uniforms rather than the standard fare that is seen referenced in the uniforms of SW. And yes, it was a big influence just think about the Stormtroopers and the helmets, and the name Vader....

It is also very similar to Police uniforms of the early 20thC as well as Chauffeur uniforms of a similar time. The collar and flap going to the shoulder especially.

Anyway, about the closest I would get to wearing a SW costume outside a convention etc. is my mara green tunic. It is essentially a dress that could be worn alone especially now with the revival of 1980s fashion.... Big plastic bracelets and tights with it.... bonza!