Last fall I had been working like a dog. Won’t go into detail but some special projects at work had me working 6-7 days a week. At some point my body and brain detached and reasoned each of its own accord. My brain decided that it might be a good idea to do 2 costumes for Halloween instead of one. I like doing costumes that are current to the year for Halloween, if I can. So I decided I would try and do an Anakin Skywalker costume from Episode III. I had the shaggy hair at the time and I really lied the glove and the boots. Most of the research had already been done by a few people on the Jedi Council forums. This costume pretty much came down to just buying the stuff.
Not really thinking about the amount of money I would be spending or that I am not lanky enough to pull off a good Anakin, I decided to do it anyway.
The costume breaks down as follows:
- Dark brown inner tunic
- Dark brown outer tunic make of a waffle weave fabric
- Dark brown tabbards, ending at the waist in back, made of the outer tunic fabric
- Dark brown obi belt, made of the outer tunic fabric
- Dark brown 4 piece leather tabbards, extending in both front and back
- Dark brown jedi belt with chrome buckle and smaller inner belt
- Jedi food capsules made from Steadtler pen caps
- Dark brown tall leather pouch
- Brown resin pouches
- Covertec clip
- Lightsaber based off a Graflex flash gun
- Dark brown tall leather boots with spats held with 3 straps
- Dark brown wool robe
- Dark brown leather gauntlet with 3 buckles
I had most of the pieces from various sources I was put in contact with via The Jedi Council forums. I made the belt myself to a good deal of success; my first try at dying leather. The robe came from and old source: Andrea of Twin Roses Designs. The tunics from the illustrious Sheri of captaincarter.com. The boots from Jim of Motorcowboy. I carried both a Master Replicas Anakin Force FX lightsaber and a converted Graflex flashgun. The same flashguns used to make Luke’s sabers in Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back. I got the pouches from a contact of Justin Monk (Primrodo) of the JC forums. The food capsules, buckle, and belt hardware from Diego in Argentina. I made the leather tabbards from a very nice pleather material in a 4 piece pattern to keep the bottoms hanging straight without waist creases. They were prototyped and cut out by me and sewn together by my friend Veronica. The glove came from DavidYR1 of Universal Designs; a contact from the RPF.
I was worried Sheri may not get back to me in time and I bought another tunic set off eBay. Sheir did contatc me and came through with some wonderful tunics ahead of schedule. The eBay seller sent me the tunics overnight so I received them on Halloween. They didn’t fit and seemed to be made of a crinkle cotton that had never been pre-washed. I have even had a friend who is 6′3″ 250 lbs try them and they don’t fit him. I tried selling them later on but couldn’t honestly tell anyone that they could be altered or salvaged. Eventually I tossed them out. A victim of ignorance and haste.
The costume came together well. Though I only wore it a few times. Eventually I decided to part ways with Anakin. The costume was sold off in pieces over the winter and spring. The last piece I have, the Graflex saber handle, is going on eBay soon. I was actually supposed to meet up with Dan, the kid that bought my tunics, at Comicon this year. But the crowds and the wait for tickets kept us apart.
Anakin would only serve as a reminder to not be so ambitious with my money and time.
