Undersuits are often the bane of a Halo costumers existence. Anything that is digitally drawn, is often difficult to recreate in real life. This is even worse with an undersuit for several reasons:
1. You have to be able to wash it.
2. You have to be able to move in it.
3. It has to stand up to the armor that sits near it or on top of it.
4. Bonus, although likely the hardest to attain, the heat factor needs to be considered.
I have an event coming up where I want to be wearing a new costume - Shae Vizla from Star Wars: The Old Republic. Her undersuit is very detailed and in looking at it started to remind me very much of Olympia Vale's undersuit that I also will be tackling.
So, let's look at Shae Vizla first. This isn't the greatest example as some drawings show the details to be more defined and less painted on looking.
She's got a lot of detail, but not as defined as some of the Halo undersuits.
Now let's look at Vale and Fangs:
Definitely more depth but when it comes down to it very much the same.
As some of you know, in Star Wars: A Force Awakens - the new Stormtroopers had gaskets as part of their undersuits. You can see these at all of the spaces between armor. Originally (and in the movie for that matter), the gaskets were rubber and difficult to move in (they couldn't even take off their own helmets!). And my understanding is they were unbearably hot. Gaskets in general now for 501st members are quilted using some kind of padding, like headliner foam. This gives you the look of the ribs without the inflexiblity of the rubber. Doesn't totally solve the heat issue but it is far better than the rubber.
TFA Snowtroopers also have some funky undersuits that are done in a more traditional quilting way with batting in between two layers. Unfortunately, also very hot.
With the TK's movement was restored. With the Snowies - movement was completely unhindered. The TK gaskets are hand washable and the Snowie suits are generally machine washable.
With Vizla or Vale - their suits are very fitted. Normally an undersuit of that fit would be stretchy for ease of getting in and out and comfort when moving/wearing. So how do you get the look of the other kind, with the fit of a catsuit?
Spidermonkey60 (and others) have developed EVA foam pieces that resemble the shapes we see in the renders for some amazing looking suits. Hopefully he can chime in with the long term wash and wear ability of these. The foam is attached in separate pieces to allow for movement.
I would like to have my padding and detailing sandwiched so that means I need to figure out areas that can be left without to conserve the stretch. So I've started playing around.
Test #1:
The outer fabric is:
Item Number 0451874 (Fabric.com)
Contents 95% Polyester/5% Spandex
Fabric Weight Lightweight
Width 58''
Description: lightweight stretch faux leather fabric
four way stretch with 40% stretch across the grain and 5% vertical stretch
Washing Instructions: Machine Wash/Tumble Dry Low
The padded fabric is Pellon Flex Foam Stabilizer - it is also washable and dryable. I ordered it on Amazon.ca
Other than my clearly eyeballing it attempt at a shape being screwy, I'm pretty happy with this. The Pellon Flex Foam is stretchy on the bias I've discovered so that has some potential, but would make cutting out large areas tricky (or impossible) due to the fact that it's only 20 inches wide. But I've been pulling on it for a couple of days now and it hasn't changed what it looks like.
Next attempt will be to check out how using the Flex Foam on the bias changes things and if I can get in a second layer of padding once a pocket is created, to make a more defined look for the Halo suits. Wish me luck!
1. You have to be able to wash it.
2. You have to be able to move in it.
3. It has to stand up to the armor that sits near it or on top of it.
4. Bonus, although likely the hardest to attain, the heat factor needs to be considered.
I have an event coming up where I want to be wearing a new costume - Shae Vizla from Star Wars: The Old Republic. Her undersuit is very detailed and in looking at it started to remind me very much of Olympia Vale's undersuit that I also will be tackling.
So, let's look at Shae Vizla first. This isn't the greatest example as some drawings show the details to be more defined and less painted on looking.
She's got a lot of detail, but not as defined as some of the Halo undersuits.
Now let's look at Vale and Fangs:
Definitely more depth but when it comes down to it very much the same.
As some of you know, in Star Wars: A Force Awakens - the new Stormtroopers had gaskets as part of their undersuits. You can see these at all of the spaces between armor. Originally (and in the movie for that matter), the gaskets were rubber and difficult to move in (they couldn't even take off their own helmets!). And my understanding is they were unbearably hot. Gaskets in general now for 501st members are quilted using some kind of padding, like headliner foam. This gives you the look of the ribs without the inflexiblity of the rubber. Doesn't totally solve the heat issue but it is far better than the rubber.
TFA Snowtroopers also have some funky undersuits that are done in a more traditional quilting way with batting in between two layers. Unfortunately, also very hot.
With the TK's movement was restored. With the Snowies - movement was completely unhindered. The TK gaskets are hand washable and the Snowie suits are generally machine washable.
With Vizla or Vale - their suits are very fitted. Normally an undersuit of that fit would be stretchy for ease of getting in and out and comfort when moving/wearing. So how do you get the look of the other kind, with the fit of a catsuit?
Spidermonkey60 (and others) have developed EVA foam pieces that resemble the shapes we see in the renders for some amazing looking suits. Hopefully he can chime in with the long term wash and wear ability of these. The foam is attached in separate pieces to allow for movement.
I would like to have my padding and detailing sandwiched so that means I need to figure out areas that can be left without to conserve the stretch. So I've started playing around.
Test #1:
The outer fabric is:
Item Number 0451874 (Fabric.com)
Contents 95% Polyester/5% Spandex
Fabric Weight Lightweight
Width 58''
Description: lightweight stretch faux leather fabric
four way stretch with 40% stretch across the grain and 5% vertical stretch
Washing Instructions: Machine Wash/Tumble Dry Low
The padded fabric is Pellon Flex Foam Stabilizer - it is also washable and dryable. I ordered it on Amazon.ca
Other than my clearly eyeballing it attempt at a shape being screwy, I'm pretty happy with this. The Pellon Flex Foam is stretchy on the bias I've discovered so that has some potential, but would make cutting out large areas tricky (or impossible) due to the fact that it's only 20 inches wide. But I've been pulling on it for a couple of days now and it hasn't changed what it looks like.
Next attempt will be to check out how using the Flex Foam on the bias changes things and if I can get in a second layer of padding once a pocket is created, to make a more defined look for the Halo suits. Wish me luck!
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