Hello there! I’ve always wanted to have a very high quality jedi costume, and I was hoping to get some information on how I can get one made for me. I know nothing about costumes, as my focus has mainly been on movie props and lightsabers. So this world is all new to me, and I’d love to learn more. Is there anything I should know about jedi robes, such as any minor details that are important to a completed costume, what materials are best, and where to get the various pieces for a complete costume? Any information you’re able and willing to give, feel free to post it! I’m more than happy to learn. Thanks!
Movie Quality Jedi Robes
- Thread starter Sonic10
- Start date
A couple of things to consider when it comes to Jedi costumes.
One: budget. How much are you looking to spend? There are certainly lots of affordable options but you often sacrifice quality if you go too cheap.
Two: intended use. Are you looking for something meant to troop in or are you looking for mostly a display costume for your collection? If you intend to troop, what environment do you live in? Jedi costumes have lots of layers and they add up fast, often using heavy materials so if you live in say Florida, you may omit the heavy wool robe, or substitute the wool for a linen to keep cooler. Things like that are important to decide up front because it will determine your budget.
Three: replica or custom? If you're looking to make a custom Jedi character it can often be much less expensive than making a replica costume but you gain the advantage of total self expression and there are ways to make it look as though you walked right out of the films, even if your design is totally original. There are literally hundreds of characters to choose from if you go the replica route and you can get almost dead on replicas too if you prefer it. If so, who do you identify with as a character?
I hope this helps.
One: budget. How much are you looking to spend? There are certainly lots of affordable options but you often sacrifice quality if you go too cheap.
Two: intended use. Are you looking for something meant to troop in or are you looking for mostly a display costume for your collection? If you intend to troop, what environment do you live in? Jedi costumes have lots of layers and they add up fast, often using heavy materials so if you live in say Florida, you may omit the heavy wool robe, or substitute the wool for a linen to keep cooler. Things like that are important to decide up front because it will determine your budget.
Three: replica or custom? If you're looking to make a custom Jedi character it can often be much less expensive than making a replica costume but you gain the advantage of total self expression and there are ways to make it look as though you walked right out of the films, even if your design is totally original. There are literally hundreds of characters to choose from if you go the replica route and you can get almost dead on replicas too if you prefer it. If so, who do you identify with as a character?
I hope this helps.
Thank you for your reply!
For budget, I’d like to try for something in the mid range. I’d like to be as high quality and detailed as I can, but not go completely overboard since I’m not quite at that level of desire yet. Out of curiosity, how much would an expensive costume be?
As for the use, I plan on wearing the costume around. Whether it be to cons, around the house, etc. Definitely won’t be just a display costume. I live in California, so the weather isn’t too much of an issue I’d think compared to other places. Is wool what is traditionally used in these costumes?
Finally, I’d say I’d be good either way. It might be pretty cool to go for a custom character, especially if it’s possible to make it the same quality as a replica would be. I’d also say I’d be open to a replica, and it’d probably be Obi-Wan’s robes from episode 3. I am curious, has anyone made a replica of his robes after the fight on mustafar? I always thought that’d make a pretty cool costume.
Doh2
Sr Member
For Jedi robes, I highly recommend Mystik Merchant:
Mystik Merchant Robes & Cloaks
Never off the rack, tailored to fit, at on-the-rack bargains! Robes, cloaks, mantles, and custom garb. If you don't see it, inquire and we'll design it custom!
mystikmerchant.com
Various types of wool were used for the Jedi outer robes but the most common was a coating weight wool. For Obi-Wan ROTS he has an inner tunic made of interlock type jersey material, an outer tunic made of a crinkled cotton fabric, khaki pants, and a wool outer hooded robe.
I see! That’s good to know. Do you know of any places I should look at that make the inner and/or outer tunics with those kinds of fabrics? Also, what separate pieces are required to complete a whole jedi costume?
I’ve seen the robe and tunic options from Disney, how do they compare to the costumes as on screen and to ones made by third parties? I have a hard time trusting Disney products to be accurate or high quality.
NOD COMMAND
New Member
Hello! Are you still making these?
I made them out of 100% linen because linen is literally the coolest to wear in warm humid weather. Good quality linen is machine wash and dry, and will fade in authentic fashion. Also it drapes very like the wool they used in the original three movies. The pattern I use was discontinued because of a lawsuit claiming it was "too authentic" back in the early '80s. I took this as a sign I was on the right track.
The cloak calls for 6 yards of fabric, the tunic takes 4 yards, the dickey takes 1 yard. The obi and shoulder armor takes another 2 or three yards.
As you can see, an entire inclusive authentic outfit took me 13 yards of fabric for a size large, or an average man. Small people would take slightly less. The one XXL i made took 15 yards. Yes, if you sacrifice authenticity you could do it for less yardage, but mine were part Christmas gifts of love and I am OCD when it comes down to it. (My specialty is medieval to Renaissance fashion, with hand smoking,cartridge pleating and embroidery) My family totally knew that once I started it I would do it right.
So cost. Linen is $15.00-$35.00 per yard. A sewist would charge 2 to three times the cost of materials for their labor. Cotton broadcloth runs $7.00 to $8.00 per yard. Broadcloth is thinner but does not drape as richly. Your strategy could be to find a sewist and purchase your own linen on a wholesale site. Fabrics-store.com
Or fabricwholesaledirect.com. are my go to linen wholesalers. The latter also sells cotton broadcloth. WARNING. I would recommend AGAINST any polyester in fabric. It's hot. It absorbs sweat smells. It stains.
Good luck!
Anm8r
New Member
Psab Keel made 2 sequel Luke Skywalker costumes for me that turned out awesome and that I wear almost every year to conventions
If you're going for authenticity, using the right fabrics makes all the difference. Natural fibers are best for breathability and they were used more than synthetic ones in these costumes. Silks, raw silks, wool, cotton etc are the fabrics of choice for Prequel Jedi.
Here's my most recent commission. A Qui-Gon Jinn inspired ensemble. The client didn't want an exact replica, so some changes were made to distinguish it from the original.
Here's my most recent commission. A Qui-Gon Jinn inspired ensemble. The client didn't want an exact replica, so some changes were made to distinguish it from the original.
I searched high and low for the perfect pattern for my troupe. This one has the correct type of obi, shoulder sash/armor, and small tuck just at the edge of both the inner and outer robes. The correct number of layers. The innermost is abbreviated as the layers can become warm. Most events are either indoors or out in warm weather, so I also made mine in natural unbleached linen for the inner robes. The dickey(abbreviated layer) is in bleached linen, not optically whitened. The outer robe was “PottingSoil” colored linen. All linens purchased through fabrics-store.com.
Pattern sizes I used were small for the teenagers, Large for the man, and I easily adapted for the XXL sized black robes by widening and lengthening the pattern considerably. I used linen instead of 100% cotton because linen breathes and cools better even when sweating or saturation. Also Linen or wool with “flow” or drape better with movement. Pure cotton tends to be crisper. Linen/cotton blends work well for the colored fabric, but you’ll find for the natural, unbleached or undyed color, only a pure linen, wool, or silk will look correct up close.
Pattern sizes I used were small for the teenagers, Large for the man, and I easily adapted for the XXL sized black robes by widening and lengthening the pattern considerably. I used linen instead of 100% cotton because linen breathes and cools better even when sweating or saturation. Also Linen or wool with “flow” or drape better with movement. Pure cotton tends to be crisper. Linen/cotton blends work well for the colored fabric, but you’ll find for the natural, unbleached or undyed color, only a pure linen, wool, or silk will look correct up close.
