Tabbard/Shoulder Armor Question

[Anaka Skywalker]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this question, but I thought I'd start here and let someone wiser than me move it to the right place. Has anyone else made a costume like Anakin’s from Attack of the Clones and if so, do you have trouble keeping the tabard or shoulder armor to stay up? I used imitation leather for my shoulder armor and I can’t keep it up. It looks great but the moment I start moving around, it falls off of my shoulder and I just can’t keep it up. I had toyed with the idea of attaching snaps or Velcro to the tunic and to the underside of the tabard/shoulder armor, but I’m just not sure if this will work. Has anyone else had this problem and if so what did you do? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Perrin Khalon]

I use velcro to hold my tabbards in place because I had the same problem.

[Mon-Jas Charan]

[glow=red,2,300]

I feel there are 4 ways to hold things in place
1) Vice Grips
2) Bungie Cords
3) Velcro
4) Duct Tape ... ( It is Just like the Force, It has a light side and a Dark side and it binds the universe together)

In this case Velcro

[/glow]

[Jeffrek]

Mine are stitched on at the shoulders and also the small of the back. It makes putting it on much easier and theres no way it can move around or fall off.

[Jauhzmynn Enz]

I've a set of tunic sI wear some leather tabbords with. I've a set of cloth ones underneath they help in keeping the leather from slidding. And I use a safty pin and pin them from underneath the fabric. I just make sure I get through only one layer of the leather.

[Anaka Skywalker]

Hey thanks for the ideas. If the Velcro doesn't work I will give these other suggestions a try.

Mon-Jas, I have to tell you that when I read your reply I just cracked up. I loved it especially the part about the Duct Tape. ;D You know I can't help but wonder how silly I would look with vice grips on my shoulders??

[Nova Darklighter]

Pretty silly!
I'd try velcro or the really BIG Snaps that costumers call WHOPPER POPPERS!

[Anaka Skywalker]

So Nova how big are Whopper Poppers and should I be able to get them at a fabric store? I looked at JoAnn's Fabric yesterday, but they didn't have anything except the "normal" size snaps.

[Nova Darklighter]

They are 40mm which is about 3/4 or 7/8 ths of an inch across the top. I've seen then in WalMarts or JoAnn's, but ask fo the 40mm snaps. Whopper Poppers is a nickname that not everybody knows.

[Anaka Skywalker]

Thanks for the information, I'll see if I can find some of these this weekend.

[Jan-Qui Coran]

About the Tabbard. How does it go on? I've seen the pictures but am having a difficult time picturing how to put the tabbard on the outer tunic. I'm working on my Jedi costume to. I'm still waiting to get my belt & lightsaber.

[Theyrenotdolls (Den Dragonson)]

i have pretty wide shoulders and had no trouble with my tabbards staying up. i was at c3 with a buddy of mine, who's shoulders are much less broad than mine, but his tabbards were about the same size. He needed snaps to keep his up.
i think that maybe if you are of a more narrow frame, then cheat and make the tabbards a little less wide.

am i wrong on this?


TND

[Leda EmBorr]

I stitched my tabbards into place with two small stitches. You can't see them and they're easy to take out if you need to like for washing.

[JediKai]

TND, I think you're right. The tabbards should be proportional to the shoulders. I think they should come to the point of the shoulder or maybe a little over. Even with mine being proportional, they still need snaps to stay on.

[Heckhouse]

One warning about safety pins: They will tear up thin fabric over time.

Haha, I've never heard pf using duct tape, very nice ;D