Accurate Hood -- Opinions Needed

LisaFett

Active Hunter
I've toyed around with making a really accurate hood before and gotten some cool looking early versions. There are a few things I can't decide on...

1. Fabric. The coolest looking one I made is from thick gray satin (wrong side out), but it's not washable. It's good for mannequin use only and would look great under a helmet on display or something, but it's not practical for wearing. About the only option for a wearable one is cotton...but then is it worthwhile to even make it fairly accurate?

2. To attach the outside neck piece, thereby being more pratical, or to have the long sock-type neck shown in Chronicles that merely tucks under the actual outer neck that's sewn onto the jumpsuit. I haven't made my new jumpsuit yet, but it would be more comfortable to have LESS fabric around my neck...yet I could use a soft, breathable fabric for the long sock-type neck thingy and it still might be very comfortable. I'm not sure.

3. I am not totally sure about the exact detailing on the hood. I know the stitching details on side and back, and I think I've got those down. However, The hood is either quilted or made with a complex series of folds, or there are two or more versions. The complex series of folds appears to be in the Chronicles pictures. You can see them sort of stick up, so I know they've GOT to be there. Well, I'm pretty sure. You never know, it could be shadow. In the Special Edition photos, however, it does not look like there are any folds. The material appears to have just been quilted across in straight, horizontal lines.

This second method (just quilting lines) would be much easier and much more able to withstand frequent washings, and also much cooler because there is less fabric used overall. I can see why they would change, if indeed they did change.

4. There is also one final possible difference I noticed between the Special Edition hood and the Chronicles photos. It could just be a stitching accent, however. The Special Edition hood appears to be put together from two halves. The Chronicles photos appear to be put together from three parts. However, from the way the fabric folds run, I am almost sure that this is just stitching details and that it really is two halves, just wit the folds stitched down. The stitching on the Special Edition just has the one that's straight down the sides, while the Chronicles version has an additional line that curves, sort of making an oval on the back of the hood. Oh, and the SE version is a bit too long, so it sticks up on the guy's head. The Chronicles version looks like it's much shorter, and from what I've seen playing around with patterns, it would be.

5. Would an ESB version be made from a dirty whitish-gray?

Anyway, what do we think would make the most accurate hood, and what do we think would make the most wearable? For all I know, the SE style hood started with ESB.

Here's a picture of the SE hood:
sehood.jpg


I am looking for pics showing the chronicles ones. I don't have them scanned in.
 
Lisa, I'll see what hood photos I can find. I'll have check out the photos, because I really haven't gotten around to studying the hood.
 
No disrespect to the guy in costume, BUT everytime I see that pic I say to myself, That is not what I expect Boba to look like without his helmet. The glasses just don't cut it. LOL
 
Just think how much worse it would be without the hood on... :) Well, and it would be better if the hood had been smaller and fit him.
 
I've seen inside the Ref. CD old pics (or somewhere else in the forum) that has pics of the hood back in the Pre-Prod. stages, where it shows how the hood goes and looks like outside and inside (when wearing the helmet). You should check it out.

Robert
 
Thanks, that second one is the Chronicles one I was thinking of. Seeing it blown up that big, it looks like it is just quilted across, and not folded. That makes a lot more sense.
 
Ahhh, excellent. I didn't have those shots.

I notice it looks as though the front chin covering piece that would velcro onto the helmet rim is gone. The stitching is going back instead of straight down, too. It looks like it does have some sort of batting inside to make it "puffy". That would make it warmer.

If I make one, I will probably sell a couple. I've done more complicated hoods than this, and it doesn't take more time than a vest once you figure out the pattern. I don't usually make anything on a large scale, just extras if I'm already making a costume. Also, it depends on how easy it is to find the fabric. Plus, I'm not sure which variations to use.

So far, I'm thinking I will make one that's basically as close as I can get to the pictures that tylerdurden posted. It has no front chin cover...I will probably put one of those in for myself, but I don't think most people would want that, because they would have to stick velcro inside their helmets all along the bottom front. Or would that be ok? I will make mine with the soft sock-like neck, thin, so that it can be tucked under the collar on the jumpsuit.

I'll have to start looking for a washable alternative to the satin, because that will be ruined if you sweat at all.
 
I knew it! There's a pic in the Ref.CD called "1st Preproduction Hood" of the entire hood from the Pre-Prod. Is a black and white pic that you could tell it was from late '70s . The file is in the folder under "Fett/Boba Fett/Star Wars - Chronicles" and you'll find it there.

I wanted to put the pic here, but something's wrong with my VillagePhotos pic host.

Robert
 
I wondered about the disappearing chin covering in that second photo, too. I think it's still there, and they didn't tuck it in. I think it just hangs down almost straight, so it's hidden behind the flap. If you look at the photo on the left, you can see how the flap is there on the left, it's just almost disappeared because it's photographed head-on. The chin covering is "behind" the flap in that photo, if you had been looking at it from the side. That's exactly what happened in the next photo. The chin covering hangs straight down, even though it's hard to tell that in the picture on the right.

The shiny fabrics are hard to get in breathable and washable forms, but I will look.

Why in the world did they make the neck sock that long? It will get all bunched up, unless it is slit open on one side...
 
Lisa, not sure if you can get it over there, but over here (UK) I have found a pretty good fabric for the vest/neckseal. It's called cotton sateen and is used as a curtain lining. It's got a (only very slightly) rough side and a smooth, shiny side. IMO it's perfect for the job and it is 100% cotton and therefore washable. I do my vests and neck seals from it and all that have seen it mention that it's pretty good.

I'm not sure if the cost of shipping any quantity to you would be prohibitive, but I'd be happy to send you a swatch and see what you think. It comes in white (which I dirty up for RotJ) and grey (for ESB).

PM me your details if you're interested.

Si
 
Oo, we have that stuff, but I was thinking it would be like cotton chintz. I'm not sure if chintz will be thick enough. I will check out different curtain linings to see if they'll be thick enough. Plus, with the lining and batting, it may work.

I found a really nice cotton stretch fabric that was shiny on one side, but it is white, and I can't get more.
 
I found a very good fabric and have a prototype done. There are a few things I need to change on it.

Question:
Does the inside lining look dark gray/black, or is it really the same color gray, but it's just in shadow so it looks dark in the picture?
 

LisaFett wrote:

I found a very good fabric and have a prototype done. There are a few things I need to change on it.

Question:
Does the inside lining look dark gray/black, or is it really the same color gray, but it's just in shadow so it looks dark in the picture?

Looks to me like it (the interior fabric) is in fact a bit darker. It also appears that it might be a different fabric, more like a wind-breaker or warm up suit material...possibly to help wick away sweat? Pure speculation here, though, I'd go with whatever makes the most sense for the interior. :)
 
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