Where can I buy a costume?
The 501st does not sell costumes. For more information on costume building prior to making any purchases or building armor we highly recommend you first understand the CRL for your costume. 501st CRLs can be found here: https://databank.501st.com/databank/Costuming:CRL
Additionally each CRL is developed and maintained by a detachment. Each detachment has forums in which you can gain more information on where to source materials for your costume builds and build threads by other members that you can follow for reference. We strongly suggest getting familiar with detachment forums and build threads. Once ready to make your journey into building a costume be sure to start your own build thread on detachment forums to share progress and get feedback prior to submitting for approval.
How long does it take for me to get approved from the point I submit?
Being as command staff is full of volunteers with their own jobs and family needs we generally consider weekends the best time for our GMLs to review costumes. Sometimes costume reviews can happen during the week or as time dictates availability for them. Unless there are outside circumstances such as Elections and Census time periods, high quantity of submissions, or personal matters we generally hope to review costumes within the week and either approve or respond with required adjustments.
I bought a costume from ‘x’ website/vendor and they say it’s 501st approved. Does that mean once I get it I will be approved?
No.
Costume approval is based on adherence to the CRL in word and appearance first. Accuracy to screen references and CRL references as well. Additionally, costume fit on the applicant must be accurate to visual references. As such no costume is 501st approvable just based on what a vendor may say.
Buyer beware. Many costumes sold online prebuilt or out of the box ready to go. Or even purchased from sellers who are approved 501st or claim to be do not meet approval standards. It would be best to research the costume through detachment forums prior to making any decisions on sourcing costume materials.
I don’t know how to build a costume and hope that I could just buy one. Can I?
As mentioned previously, beware of just buying a costume anywhere. Through experience most costumes purchased as such do not meet basic approval standards and require adjustments, sometimes major. First and foremost, research information on the detachment forums for the costume.
Part of what separates a 501st approved, screen accurate costume from a very good looking deluxe Halloween costume is the detail in making each element just as they were made in films. Members take pride in not just having a costume but having essentially a replica that could have walked off the screen. That’s not to say that you need to learn how to vacuform plastic overnight, but it does mean to say that the detail matters and as such that’s where detachment forums are your best source of information on sourcing the materials needed to build your costume properly.
Who can build my costume for me?
Really, you should build your costume. Not just because it’s your costume, but because the methods and details in building it are invaluable for long term costume maintenance. No costume remains perfect over time. Cracks in armor happen, fabric wears and tears, paint chips. Knowing how to build and repair your costume is part of your responsibility as an approved member of the 501st. Costumes that aren’t maintained will be noted by a Garrison Officer to the owner for adjustments and if they remain in disarray will be retired and require adjustments and further resubmission for approval.
As far as people who can build your costume for you. Members don’t always offer to build or commission builds as it’s a lot of time, and work. It’s more likely that members may offer to get together and help guide and teach how to build armor so you can do the build process yourself. You’re more than welcome to ask members about costume building, but we don’t expect members to commission building for others and it’s entirely up to the individuals in the garrison whether they do or not.
What kinds of material can I use to make armor?
In most cases it’s not about the material so much as it is accuracy to appearance and screen references that said there are a few things to note when considering this question.
First understand what the CRL specifies as acceptable materials.
Worbla and Foam materials are not acceptable for hard armor costumes. Troopers for example will not be approved with this material. Some EU costumes or costumes with minor components that are hard material can potentially use these materials but they must be accurate in appearance and specification to the CRL for the costume.
Full metal armor is usually not a good way to go. Considering the Din Djarin Beskar armor. Can it potentially be made of pure metal? Sure, but usually it’s not accurate in appearance and brilliance to the costume requirements. The actual costume is made from plastic/rubber/urethane type materials and then made with a very specialized paint process. As such metal armor is actually less accurate due to the process used for screen armor.
Can I 3D print armor?
With 3D printing becoming more accessible to the general public and many individuals buying 3d printers for the purposes of building costumes this brings a new level of costuming build processes and expectations. FDM printers tend to be cheaper for more build volume and great for printing large components such as helmets, however they also leave very visible print lines that are far from the quality of expectations in a screen accurate costume. SLA printers are fantastic at printing small details and not having a lot of print imperfections that come with FDM printers but usually are more costly for large area printing as such it is possible to print pieces of something like a helmet and then connect them together, but the risk there is that just by purpose of puzzling it together there could be some inaccuracies in the finished piece.
This being said 3D printing armor is completely reasonable on these requirements:
- The armor must be accurate to the costume. A stormtrooper from the Original Trilogy has asymmetric imperfections by design due to the process used to build fiberglass armor in the films. Most all 3d print files out there are inaccurate to the costume as such.
- Cheap/Free files many times aren’t accurate to the costume but look good enough, beware of the files used for the costume build
- Components must look like they were never 3D printed. This takes a lot of time sanding, filling, prepping and finishing that is higher level skill sets of costume building. Be aware of the work that will be needed for an accurate costume when using 3d prints. Any costume with visible 3d print lines on components will require adjustments to those to be approved.
- 3D print material varies greatly in quality of a costume. PLA is the most popular 3d print material, however it is very susceptible to heat as such trooping in PLA plastic has many members finding their costume has warped and is now no longer correct. In some cases it completely destroys the armor. Be aware of the materials used and the risks of such.
I’ve got an armor from someone who was previously approved with it in the 501st. Does that mean the armor is already approved?
No.
Since approval is based on the current CRLs, state of the armor, accuracy in appearance and fit on the costumer no armor no matter its history is approved until it has been submitted and approved by the current owner of the armor.
I’ve heard something about temporary approval, what is it and how do I get it?
Temporary approval is a situation where an applicant has submitted a costume for review but has not been approved yet. The CO and GMLs have given temporary costume approval to troop at a specific event. Temporary approval doesn’t mean full approval or approval for every event until the costume is officially approved.
Temporary approval is a rare thing. Almost always if there are adjustments needed for a costume that have prevented full approval then no temporary approval will be given as well. Temporary approval is also never given for LFL endorsed events. The few cases it has been given out are when a costume is essentially 100% basic approval level and for some reason (Census, elections, etc.) has not been able to be processed for full approval.
TL;DR: don’t expect to receive temporary approval. Focus more on full approval.
I’ve heard that I can be a Cadet without having an approved costume. What does being a Cadet require and what do I get from doing so?
Being a cadet is a great way to get involved with the 501st while you are working to become a member. As a cadet you’re welcome to join the garrison at events and assist in being a spotter for the troopers. Spotters are always valuable to us in armor especially. Ever wonder why we can’t hit our targets? Nobody can see in those helmets.
Can I use a blaster from a different trooper with my costume? For example, a DC-15 with a stormtrooper?
Our current policy on what equipment can be used with which troopers is predominantly only the same era, same faction as well as what makes most sense.
For example, a Scout Trooper with an E-11 blaster would be reasonable, however an officer with a heavy blaster would not. No troopers with lightsabers for example (unless the CRL allows it).
Another example that would not work is a clone trooper with an e-11 blaster as they are completely different eras of the Star Wars saga.
Equipment for a costume must also be approved by GMLs. Although they are not required for basic costume approval, using any with your costume must be submitted for approval to use along with your costume.
For any questions on what equipment can or cannot be approved with your costume email gml.ut501st@gmail.com