01 - The Journey Begins

November 2, 2019



Once you decide to start down the Build Your Own Star Wars Costume path, and you've decided what you're costume is going to be, you're then faced with the THE BIG QUESTIONS:

Are there any rules that would keep me from getting approved in the costume I like most?  (Are height and weight, size and age, factors?)

How do I even get started?

Where can I buy pieces and parts?

Are there some places to buy (or some suppliers) better than others?

What kind of armor should I get?

Who can help me?



ARE THERE COSTUME LIMITATIONS?

First of all, while on a personal level I'm not a huge believer in Super Tall Jawas, Round C3PO's or Tiny Darth Vaders (except for kids; THAT I think is just cute as all get out), it doesn't seem like there's much in the way of telling people what they can and can't do.  That said, there ARE some costumes that seem to be a little  . . . "friendlier" to those of us (like myself)  who aren't . . . "typical Star Wars Cast body types".

Stormtrooper armor can hide quite a bit (though it CAN be a Big Challenge if the armor needs to be adjusted a lot to fit you, whether you're a lot bigger, taller, shorter or smaller).  Rebel Pilots, Imperial Officers, and Tusken Raiders are some great options to consider.





HOW DO YOU GET STARTED?

As for where to get started . . . if you have a friend (or in my case, a relative) who's done this before, that's a Huge Advantage.  If you're blazing a new trail, a great place to start is to go to a 501st event and talk to the members there.  Everyone I've met is Super Kind and Helpful.  (Seriously, this is one of the most open and accepting and understanding groups of people you'll ever meet.)

If you're not sure where and when the events in your area are, if you're too far away, or if you just like doing a little more research first, go to the 501st web page.  There's tons of information there, including a link to a page (and the discussion forums) for the Garrison that covers your area.

There also are some Extremely Helpful Facebook pages and blogs that are well worth searching for and joining.

With Reef as my guide I joined my local garrison (Timberline Garrison, covering Idaho and Montana), and a couple Facebook Pages (First Order Stormtroopers - THE most helpful site; Anovos First Order Stormtrooper Kit Building Group - very informative, and 3D Printed Armor and Weapon Props - because, well . . . IT'S COOL!).


While you can't officially become a "member" of the 501st and Garrison pages until you're ready to submit for approval, you CAN join the forums and ask questions and stuff.  Plus it's a great idea to introduce yourself as a perspective member to your local garrison; they'll be a ton of help!



WHERE CAN YOU BUY PIECES AND PARTS? 

ARE SOME SUPPLIERS BETTER THAN OTHERS?

WHAT KIND OF ARMOR SHOULD I GET?

A Great Resource for those looking for Stormtrooper Armor is whitearmor.net.  There is no better place to start when you're ready to shop.

Other resources include:




Star Wars Kit Finders











(There's more than one Star Wars Kit Finders page, BTW) 







Note:  this stuff can be Expensive.  It's an investment.  But that also means that there are Too Many people out there hiding behind safety of the internet who are more than happy to rip you off.  Tons of confirmed stories of people who "say" they have armor to sell (eBay is notorious) and even legitimate companies (like Anovos) can keep you waiting for months . . . Even YEARS . . . for your items to be shipped . . . so Be Careful!

Armor comes in a couple different materials, each with it's pros and cons.

I opted for a Flexible Fiberglass kit made by Jim Tripon (he's in the Philippines).  While it's what I wanted, I also really got lucky.

More about that in the next post!