X-wing pilot coveralls brand help

What is the best brand of coveralls to use for the X-wing pilot flightsuit?

Thanks!

 

Probably any orange coverall that you find on sale will do, just be sure to buy 2 pairs, one to cut up for pocket material.

The kind of coverall material I would suggest is cotton twill. It's what I will be getting for mine.

Here's a site with very reasonably priced ones:
Coveralls

 

THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE A PERFECT OFF THE RACK JUMPSUIT TO USE FOR THE PILOT OVERALLS. THE MOVIE USED OVERALL WAS A RACING JUMPSUIT

A FRIEND OF MINE HAS DONE ALOT OF RESEARCH INTO THE JUMPSUIT AND THE FLAK VESTS. EMAIL ME AT ETOC630@HOTMAIL.COM, AND I WILL FORWARD HER PATTERNS TO YOU. THEY ARE FOR CONVERTING MECHANIC'S COVERALLS INTO SCREEN ACCURATE ONES.

 

Capslock Reaper! Sheesh.

Well I'm in the information gathering stages for my X-Wing pilot still. I'd be interested to know as well which jumpsuit would give you the best headstart, or if the only way to be even relatively accurate is so go with a pattern and make it yourself.

 

yeah, sorry, the work computer had the caps set lol

The answer is, it depends on how accurate you want the jumpsuit to be. and how much you are willing to spend. Cheap and easy, but not accuate would be a Orangle Military Jumpsuit.

My jumpsuit is made from a modified Mechanic's Jumpsuit. using some patterns my friend made to modify them. The final outcome is very accurate to the movie used jumpsuits, and I'm currently working on a second Jumpsuit for a Tie Pilot.

There are a few people out there offering the jumpsuits already modified, but the prices are up there.

If you can do the sewing yourself, using the patterns, you can make a accurate jumpsuit for under $100

 

Why do it the hard way...
I've done 4 flightsuits =2 Imp Techs,2 black TIE Pilots
Go look here: http://pub77.ezboard.com/fimperialfleetregimentfrm12.showMessage?topicID=5.topic

Just do it from scratch,then you'll end up with what ya want,the way it should be.

 

Woofer here are pics of the flightsuit I've made using the coveralls.

http://home.comcast.net/~cobbaa/Pilot_stuff_014.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~cobbaa/Pilot_stuff_011.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~cobbaa/Pilot_stuff_012.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~cobbaa/Pilot_stuff_017.jpg

Sorry...can never get the darn images themselves to post here

The chest pockets and the twin needle top stitching on the torso are a little hard to see in the pics. Each flightsuit only costs me the the amount of the coveralls and it can be even cheaper if you can find some blaze orange poly/cotton twill to use instead of the second pair of coveralls.

I believe that if you have a little sewing skill (I hadn't touched a machine in nearly 10 years when I decided to make this costume) or have access to someone who can do it for you, then you really shouldn't have to spend a lot of money on a good quality costume.

That's the reason I give away patterns and instructions for the asking for things I have made myself (I'm the friend Reaper is referring to). I just want other people to have fun with this hobby without thinking they have to go broke to have something nice. The biggest cost will be in time of course, but nothing makes me feel better than wearing something I made myself and getting compliments on it. Makes the hard work more than worth it.

 

Well if you are going that route thats a pretty high recommendation

I do hope to get together with Mookie before I start to try and learn the pitfalls and what areas to avoid in making my costume.

 

I do hope to get together with Mookie before I start to try and learn the pitfalls and what areas to avoid in making my costume.

Whoo, boy... Are you sure you're up for all that? Which reminds me, I need to finish my jumpsuit reference page.

 

Nice pics and flightsuit,Angelariel.

Only reason I suggested what I did was that when I did mine,I dug around (mostly at Wal-Mart) in the $1-yd and $2-yd fabric til I came up with fabric that I wanted (correct color,weight, blend,etc).Took a lil bit of diggin' (like a month or 2 max)but I found what I wanted and for CHEAP.

I hear ya Angelariel.That's why I do my own costumes and props. 1. they can be done very inexpensively
2. can be done inexpensively
3. can be done inexpensively
4. you can tweek/ mod til yer happy
with how it looks

Just my opinion:
why spend $35-$40 on something and mod it,when you can spend $10-$15 and make it yerself.And YES,it DOES make the work worth it.

 

LOL, Angelariel, how convenient you should post those links JUST as my friends & I were discussing X-wing jumpsuits for CelIII! I'll check out your site. Have been scouting blaze orange cotton twill in all the local fabric stores, with no success. There is blaze orange in every OTHER kind of fabric... polar fleece, muslin, chiffon, tulle and vinyl... I may wait until late summer anyway. They'll stock it for hunting season. No rush; I've got a year or so.

 

Angie, did you have to rip out the seams in the arms and legs to sew on the pockets and flaps? Then sew them back up, of course.

And why is Ed calling you his "friend"? I'm sure he's proud of his sister, isn't he? He should be.

 

Thank you so much for the nice compliments everyone.

TR-2066 I love your idea for making the flightsuit too. It's hard to find a good basic jumpsuit type pattern since Simplicity discontinued their 50s- style "Grease" mechanic's coverall costume pattern. Kwik-Sew does make a good jumpsuit pattern, but only in women's sizes.

Renata check your PM box. I know what you mean about trying to find the right fabric. I ran short for two of the suits I was making and had to settle for a fabric that was just a tiny bit off, but it was only for collars on two of the suits and no one noticed (I hope).

Hi Lori! Yeah I undid the seams on the arms and the outer seams on the legs to sew on the pockets. I'll REALLY have to get some better stuff written up very soon. Maybe after the prop party tomorrow I can get it done. About that "friend" thing, I'll have to wait till Ed gets back from MegaCon to ask him about that...IF he makes it back next week. Him and Lum hanging out together, Orlando better looks out .

 

Cool....use it,that's why I put it up and wanna share it.I can't be the only one who wants tomake stuf & do it inexpensively.Just use your own wardrobe.
AND your imagination.Study the jumpsuit pic

(http://www.swtroopers.com/coveralls/coveralls01.jpg)

and make the details to your size.

if before you start or after ya have ANY ???s
drop me an email.I'll help ya out how ever I can.

 

[image=http://www.hometown.aol.com/strahd54/images/halloween%20saber.jpg]

Those are standard army surplus orange coveralls, available on any number of websites.

For the sole purpose of offering an alternative opinion, I recommend buying only ONE pair.
Because::::

1) Coveralls already have pockets
2) Only 1% of STAR WARS Fandom can recognize the difference between those pockets and "official" pockets, and out of that 1%...
3) Who could possibly care?
There comes a specific line in the sand when going too far is going too far, and buying 2 coveralls when you only need one is it.

 

Also why I gave the info on how I did mine.Much easier,
to do without having to spend $30 +,if one is willing to put out the effort to make it themselves.Then one can have,or not have,all the details one wishes.
My thoughts...why spend $25-$40 when it can be done for $10?

 

A lot of people want to do accurate costumes for other costumers to see and appreciate.

I think most of us who have been costuming for a while, and appearing in them in public, know how clueless the average non-Star Wars oriented people are.

 

From my own experience, even totally SW oriented people can not tell the difference in proper X Wing pockets.

Every costume has its own distinctiveness, something that you absolutely positively HAVE TO get right else risk the entire illusion. For Vader, only a precise chest box will do. For Solo, that vest has to be spot on, and for the Bespin Luke, those pockets have GOT to be precise duplicates. Certain costumes are defined by their pockets, bespin Luke being top of the list.

Now for Xwing, after you have the helmet, chest box, white vest, the pockets really do not add up to a hill of beans. In terms of what makes an Xwing suit into an Xwing suit, 80% of the battle is won by having an ornage suit with black books, and another 17 % can be achieved with all the accessories. THe last 3% is reserved for the things that only 1% of the SW population would appreciate. Ask me if that is simply worth the effort, and the answer is an unreserved no. It isnt.
I have been wearing my 97% accurate Xwing suit around Grade A 501st members who have not mentioned a thing, and I believe it is because they honestly wouldnt know the difference in proper pocketing if it came up and bit them.

To all XWing makers, may I highly recommend that if you are going to pour time and effort into anything, make it your helmet. Make a unique helmet design that exists nowhere else.

Here is mine:::
[image=http://www.hometown.aol.com/strahd54/images/helmet%20triplet.jpg]

An activity of creation is never wrong, whereas pockets can get monotonous, and far less necessary.

 

I appreciate you opinion Boskone and I like your costumes as well...especially that helmet (LOVE those custom touches). But from personal experience with the costumers I know, the little details ARE appreciated. Any time I wear or display my pilot get- up I get complimented on the little things that go into making it. Just this weekend at a prop party I was asked by many, many people about those flightsuit pockets just as much as I was asked about various other parts of my costume. Even from the 501st folks (since they're the ones I mostly hang with...token Michigan Rebel that I am ) I get a lot of compliments on the look of every art of the costume.

First and foremost though, I don't get into making things really detailed for the sake of others and their opinions of my handiwork. I do it for myself. This was the first costume I've ever made since it is THE one I had wanted since I was 12 years old. I tend to be a very detail oriented person about many things in other parts of life so naturally that spills over into my costume and prop hobby as well.

I'm not saying everyone has to be that much into the details, but I am and I don't plan to ever change that.

 

ok, first, I called Angie my friend and not my dearest, loving Non blood Twin sister, only for simplicity. it does not deminish my love and respect for the girl

Now, about the Jumpsuit. It might be your experience that as long as it is orange, it's ok, but it's not my experience.

This weekend was the first time I wore the costume, but I have been around pilots for as long as I have been into this. When you stand someone with an accurate flight suit next to a military cut one, you can immediately tell the difference. not only the material, but the cut and fit.

Now, The military one might be enough for you, and that's fine. I know a few people who agree with you. but for the same reasopn that the pockets have to be the exact ones on the Bespin jacket, alot of people agree with the Flight suit, and even the number and types of ribs on the vest must be perfect.

And as I see it, buying 2 rather in expensive coveralls to do the accurate jumpsuit, is not crazy.

 

There can be two schools of thought on this:

Duplication Vs Illusion. Not necessarily the same. An accurate costume does not immediately translate into fullfilling the illusion. Now I found this out via the most direct way possible, in the heat of the fire of a costume contest. I was next to a klingon. A ribbed forehead growling long hair walked-right-off-the-tv screen klingon. Accurate in every detail. I was a Borg. A borg made of electrical tape and vinyl and black shoulder pads and pretty much unorthodox in every possible costuming way (which is my advantage, not being tied to the "regular" way).
And I slaughtered that poor klingon. I beat him. I won. ANd he was flabbergasted
(Pics of the Borg on my Website below, in the costume section)

Now we are all after the illusion, the illusion of being real. A one for one duplication of the same materials, same procedure, same tools, is not the only way to achieve that illusion. We are after the final product, not the procedure. In fact any procedure that gives success in the illusion is a correct procedure. My borg was not made the same way TV borg are. Different materials, different tools, etc. YEt the illusion was captured. I got him. To sum it up in a phrase:
"It is not what the eye sees, but what the eye THINKS it sees."
This can be used for any endeavor. If you are after an exact duplication, then that is one thing, but the real goal is the illusion, which we do have a choice on.

 

Well, it's not that I have an objection to buying or modifying military surplus. It's just that all the ones I've seen are $90+ and designed for 6 foot tall guys. Which would entail lopping off at least a foot for me and nearly cutting it in half for my very petite buddy, who also wants one. There ARE female pilots nowadays, aren't there? I guess they're holding on to their suits...

 

Is it sexiest to say that female pilots can sew their overalls?

Anywho I got my overalls for $30. That seemed to be the going rate.

 

Duplication Vs Illusion. Not necessarily the same.

Not to heat this up but I tend to agree that going the 100% screen accurate route isn't always the best idea.


There are just some things in the movies that when seen up close do not look as cool or nice.

I think in some cases there is such a thing as being too screen accurate.


A seemtress on a movie set isn't going to spend too much time on something that gets 2 seconds of screen time. Your costume on the other hand will get a lot more "screen" time and sometimes I think it's better to make it more real that what is done on screen.

I know mookie is probably filling out my Legion Discharge papers as of now but It's my opinion.

I think both schools of thought are ok.

I do appreciate a completely detailed costume.

But let's just say even if I had a 100% accurate costume (which I don't) I would never send a pilot packing at an event because he had a Military flight suite on under his stuff instead of a screen accurate jump suit.

As far as being around the 501st and them no knowing your stuff wasn't accurate.. Well I think I can safely say many of them probably did notice but just didn't say anything.

Most of your Fellow Costumers will notice. Most wont care as long as it looks real and fits the over all look of the costume. It's only the rude ones that'll rip on someone for something like that out of the blue.

That is unless you ask.. If you ask a costumer for their opinion be ready for it no matter what it may be.

Sure there are lines that need to be drawn but there are a lot of very nice costumes out there that are less than 100% accurate and they look just fine.

I use this. Does it look like something that could be real or does it look like a costume?

That said though. Show up at a Jedi convention with a bath robe and flashlight and then the'll be a problem.

 

Bottom line is (for me anyway) do what you're comfortable with, be creative, be proud of yourself and what you've created, and above all HAVE FUN...that's what costuming is all about.