Han Solo Costume on a Budget

[Risu]

Hi, I know people have already asked a ton of questions about this costume, but the answers are usually only the high end or for ANH. I'm trying to put together an ESB costume for comic con with the smallest budget possible. I just learned how to sew and put together a jacket with reasonable success, so I intend to sew the pants, shirt, and jacket myself using patterns. If anybody can tell me the names/numbers of some really accurate patterns (riding pants and aviator shirt maybe?) that would be great. For the jacket I'm either going to use the Dawn Anderson pattern or take apart my costumebase jacket and make it in decent fabric with some modifications.

As for boots, I don't have the money to spend on real leather boots, I'm looking for low-end costume stuff. Less than $30 preferably. I know I saw a pair that looked really accurate on a costume site a couple years ago, but I forgot where it is.

The best bloodstripes I've seen are the iron on ones on ebay, but I've heard mention of some made by Corellian Exports, although I've never seen them or heard if they sew on/iron on/etc.

The last piece I'm searching for is the hardware for the belt/holster. Particularly the buckles. I can make the leather parts myself, but I have yet to learn how to weld. Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[bleyd]

Just drop Vince a PM or goto his website. He's a real standup dude and am sure he'll help you on your way to a good Solo.

http://corellianexports.astromechbuilder.com/index1.htm

 

[Risu]

I sent him a message. His stuff looks great, but I can't imagine it's affordable. Any ideas where I could get my hands on the buckles from the gun belt?

 

[edgejedi]

Have you tried Tandy leather for the buckles? You may have to shape the edges, but if i remember rightly that the best place to find them in the states. Worst case, pick up the cheap Costumebase belt (not leather, be sure to Make an Offer and dont use BIN) and just take off the buckles???

 

[Risu]

I thought about that, but after looking at pictures, his buckles look very poor. I actually go to Tandy every week and looked at buckles today. That's definitely what I'm going to be using, I just have to find a way to attach the separate gun belt to the buckles.

I also contacted CE, but they don't have very good pictures. Does anybody have closeups of their bloodstripes or other pieces?

 

[Risu]

Also, does anybody have any experience with these?

http://www.costumecostumecostume.com/patches.htm

They're about two thirds of the way down the page. They look nice, but they're only long enough to gt into the boots, not go all the way to the bottom of the pants, and they're (presumably) quite stiff as they ARE patches. Can anybody confirm or deny that?

 

[AshGL1914]

Wow...Joe Kerezman!!! Nope, don't buy anthing from him run away. Fast!

John

 

[Lancer]

well I got my ESB/ROTJ bloodstripes from him last year. ordered. arrived in 3 weeks from date of order and I had email contact in between. seems he is a bit hit and miss on his service.

 

[Risu]

Lancer, could you please post a picture of your stripes? Are they flexible enough, or do they feel like a giant patch down your leg?

 

[Lancer]

http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=46479

this is the link to my thread when I was doing my costume. the stripes are fine, flexible and comfortable to wear once stitched onto the pants.

 

[Risu]

Wow, those look really good. The postage sounds terrible, but it may not be so bad to the US. I think I may end up going that route. Thanks.

 

[defyitall]

I've bought bloodstripes from J Kerezman 3 times. I had trouble with ship time on one order. So 1 out of 3.

Some people have used Chef's shirt pattern for the ESB shirt.

If you want to save money and you can sew, the costumebase stuff can be a nice inexpensive base for modifications. The soft goods I speak of; not the holster.

There's no $30 costume boots that are accurate. Just the round toe, vinyl ones that fall apart.

I'd recommend looking into rubber riding boots. They're less expensive than full leather ones but have a more correct look.

Rubber Boots!

 

[Risu]

So are long ship times the only problem people have had with Kerezman, or are there other things?

How do I go about getting that shirt pattern? Is there a site or do I contact a member here, etc? Also, is there a pattern available for the pants? I believe they're some kind of riding pants, right? They look like they have a seam running up the backs of the legs and across the seat, but I haven't seen many good reference photos.

What are those boots in the photo you posted? They look pretty good. I always thought the rubber ones looked really baggy abd wrinkled, I'd rather go with cheap vinyl costume boots if it came down to it. Also, can anybody link to the specific kind of Russian boots I've heard are on ebay? I looked around and found a few different pairs, not sure which are the most accurate.

 

[Dave Ward]

I'm also interested in finding a pair of ESB pants I could sew a bloodstipe to.

 

[defyitall]

Just search google for riding pants pattern or chef's coat pattern. Or search the big name pattern companies websites like Butterick, McCall's, etc.

The pants are riding pants. The have the curved seam on the back of the leg and over the butt. No pockets of any kind. Pretty tapered to fit into the boot. ANH were made of a brushed denim. The ESB and ROTJ are a heavy twill. Not sure if it cotton or polyester. The only pants I've seen in person are the ROTJ pants at WSMI and they had a pretty pronounced twill pattern. On those pants the blood stripes were embroidered onto a strip of the same material and then the material was stitched to the pants. Behind the side seam not over it. The front creases are sewn in.

Thos cheap vinyl boots are just that: cheap. You can go with them if you wish, I found them by searching Darth Vader Boots in google shopping. They don't look great in person and tend to fall apart after extended wearings. My problem with them is that they aren't the right shape or cut. The toe is too round and obviously there's a side zipper. The rubber riding boots are the right overall look and cost the same as those vinyl things.

Finding boots on ebay can be a long and never ending process. I've never found anything that was correct myself. Everything I find is usually too low in shaft height; like 16" The boots need to be more like 18" I've tried east german Officer boots, WWII officer boots, Russian Officer boots, etc. I've had the most luck just searching English Riding boots in black. But I mean leather riding boots are still expensive even if used. Not gonna find any for like 5 bucks.

As far as ESB pants to sew the stripes to?

Uh, you could try and search for brown men's riding pants. but I've only found them in black in the past. Some people use work pants like dickies. They're pretty much the right color. You can sew the stripes over the side pockets and sling the holster over the back pockets. They come precreased so you can get away without sewing the front crease.

I'll have all 3 of my Han Solo costumes up for sale maybe this weekend. ANH, ESB, ROTJ with duster, a gun belt, boots, wig, resin blasters, etc. I'm clearing house.

 

[jcoffman99]

I'd be interested in the gun belt. Shoot me a pm if you'd like to work something out.

John

 

[Risu]

Thanks for the info. As far as material goes I'm not an expert and I haven't seen the pants in person, but I've seen pictures of the screen used ROTJ pants and they look like wool twill to me. Almost exactly the same as a pair of Wested Indy pants, but darker. Would you mind PMing me prices on your ESB pants, shirt, boots, and gun belt? I'd appreciate it very much.

 

[defyitall]

I'll have pics and prices up this weekend. I have to sit down and take pgotos and figure out what I want to charge first. I appreciate the interest. I'll PM when the thread goes up.

 

[joeranger]

As the "on a budget king", this isn't that tough of a costume to assemble.

Heavy off white shirt. I cut off the collar, cut a v-neck and sleeves. If you can sew it will look better. I used hot glue.
Vest - Black BDU jacket that would be too small for you. Again. I cut and hot glued the best I could.
Pants - Tight blue pants (can be dyed) Shouldn't have pockets. I used masking tape to make the stripes. Two long strips and then even lines. Paint with latex paint or fabric paint.
Boots - Cheap vinyl costume boots. Good enough but they do fall apart after a while.
Belt - old leather belt with riveted peices of metal and scrap leather. Holster formed with leather while wet and baked dry and soaked in wax.
Blaster - Hasbro painted.

 

[Risu]

Thanks for the tips, but I'm really a screen accuracy nut and when it comes down to it the need for SA usually wins over the tight budget. I have a problem. Haha.

As far as the gun goes, I've got a metal airsoft Mauser that I'm going to mod as soon as my blast-tech order gets here. I know how to tool leather, so that's not a problem, its just pricey. At this point I think I might try to find some proper color/material pants in a thrift store and modify the pants themselves instead of a pattern. I still have no idea what the shirt actually looks like or is made of, hoping to get a better look at it next time I watch ESB.

The one thing I don't feel comfortable paying full price for is the boots. Unlike with my Indy and Doctor costumes, the footwear for this one can't really ever be worn in daily life. As SA nuts as I am, I don't think I could pay over $70 for a pair of boots, and even that much is a bit of a waste.