Via Laughing Squid: a funny story of how an unconstumed George Lucas look-alike won a costume contest on opening night of The Phantom Menace. The "costume" was a hit before the movie was shown. Afterwards it was less popular.
A friend of mine alerted me today to the amazing Jedi-Robe.com. Despite its URLy name, Jedi-Robe.com is in fact a real, live, bricks and mortar shop in the London suburb of Northolt, Middlesex (about 30 minutes out of central London by car, according to Google). It is also, of course, an online shop shipping Star Wars costumes, toys, books and more worldwide.
The web site explains:
Jedi-Robe.com aspires to lead the galaxy in supplying excellent quality Star Wars Replica Costumes, Fancy Dress, Jedi and Sith Robes, Star Wars Toys, Star Wars Collectables, Star Wars Figures, Star Wars Vehicles, Play Sets, Games, Models, Books and many many rare, unique and special Jedi and Sith items.
We operate Online 24 hours a day, seven days a week with a dedicated troop at Jedi-Robe.com's base in the United Kingdom and efficiently ship our products Worldwide.
We also operate the Jedi-Robe.com - Walk-In Shop in London.
CLICK HERE to view pictures of our Jedi-Robe.com Walk-in Shop in London.
Jedi-Robe.com is for those fans that admire and respect Star Wars culture. Whether you are a new or experienced collector or just wish to purchase a gift, it is our pleasure to serve you.
We price check our stock everyday against all of the best and latest Star Wars collectors buying guides, Star Wars websites, retailers and ebay, to ensure we are the cheapest in the galaxy; guaranteed.
The shop has a massive selection of Star Wars costumes--and alas only one model for them all. I have spared you the shots of him in Slave Leia garb. Here he is as Han Solo (Star Wars):
And here he is again as Han Solo (Empire):
Here he is as an X-Wing Pilot, complete with voluminous trousers:
Finally, here he is as Obi-Wan Kenobi (sans barbe):
Regular readers of this blog know I'm not into dress-up parties (sorry, "cosplay"), but these costumes are impressive. Also on offer are a variety of costume accessories, from blasters to lightsabers to Emperor Palpatine Patterned Contact Lenses + Free Solution & case.
I don't know why I should be surprised to learn there's an entire shop dedicated to nothing but Star Wars costumes, toys and collectibles. Goodness knows there's enough merchandise out there to stock the shelves of a shop ten times the size. I just hope Disney doesn't open a shop across the street and drive them out of business.
Over on Glory Thorpe's 3 Monkeys and a Martini blog, Ms. Thorpe confesses to being married to a Star Wars maniac, raising another, and finding herself under policy scrutiny as a result:
Here in the Monkey House, we like Star Wars. Actually, we're kind of obsessed. And it all started during the brief whirlwind of a courtship between Mr. Martini and I. One night after some, umm, imbibing, Mr. Martini opened the closet and seemingly out of thin air came five full replica light sabers -- the kind that could be a movie prop if you didn't know better. At the time, I could have cared less about Star Wars. That was until my first 2am parking lot light saber battle with the neighbors. I was intrigued.
My intrigue turned to shock when I learned that the handsome, refined, debonair Mr. Martini was in fact the world's biggest Star Wars geek. Upon moving in, I realized that most of the closet space in the apartment was filled with bin upon bin of unopened Star Wars figures, ranging from vintage to brand spanking new. This was not a passing casual interest. Oh no, this was a full on addiction. And apparently that is also a genetic trait passed from father to son in some weird Star Wars transferal during conception.
...
So it came as no surprise when Silly Monkey said he wanted to be R2D2 for Halloween. And of course there was not a single R2D2 costume in the galaxy that would fit this 3-year-old junkie. So being the enabler that I am, I decided to make one.
It took days, several trips to Office Depot, the hardware store, lots of glue, some power tools, and at least one phone call to the police as another mom at the store watched me gently place my son in a trash can to see if he's fit. As if I was making some kind of sick Silly Monkey casket. Dumbass.
Follow the link to read the rest of the post and see more pictures of this terrific R2-D2 Halloween costume.
I've said it before: I'm not into "cosplay". But I do get a kick out of clever Star Wars t-shirts, dresses and accessories. EPBOT has a gallery of pictures from the recent Star Wars Celebration VI convention in Orlando showing women sporting funny and, in some cases, quite stylish Star Wars outfits. Follow the link.
EPBOT: The Adorkable Girls of Star Wars Celebration VI
Dark Helmet
An eagle-eyed Facebook friend of this blog has explained this lady's beachball Leia costume. It's the costume Carrie Fisher wore in a 1978 Saturday Night Live skit parodying the beach movies of Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello. The skit was called "Beach Blanket Bimbo from Outer Space". Fisher played Leia, dressed in a gold bikini—long before anyone ever saw her in Slave Leia get-up at Jabba's palace.
You've got to hand it to this lady—I wish I knew who she was. It's a wonderfully obscure and knowing costume. I'm also impressed by my Facebook follower Carol Hutchings for spotting this.
Lando Calrissian is easily the most underrated character in Star Wars. How has Anthony Daniels parleyed his prissy C-3PO into a multi-million dollar career while Billy Dee Williams--whose character was a hundred times more intriguing--is doing well to get an invite to Winnipeg for the Central Canada Comic Con? (Oh right, I forgot: Daniels will do anything.)
Here for your viewing pleasure is a collection of photos of grown men (or mostly) dressing up as Lando Calrissian for uncertain purposes. Personally I think dress-up parties--sorry, cosplay gatherings--are mildly insane, but if you've got to do it, consider Lando. Instructions for the costume are right here.
It would be easy to make fun of this guy, but I'm not going to. There's something kind of awesome about him.
It would be easy to make fun of this guy, but I'm slightly afraid of him.
Not sure a Wookie could get his hands around this Lando's neck.
A female, and notably untidy, Lando. By re-posting this photo I may have just blown the internet's mind.
Well he does kind of look like him.
Great costume, great attitude, and he's even doing the pose. Our winner?
Hello, what have we here? Home One, this is Gold Leader.
Pocket-lint.com brings news of a company selling leather stormtrooper motorcyle suits--complete with helmet, gloves and boots. Only CDN$1,165 for the entire outfit.
I really don't get these costume afficiandos--the 501st Legion types, the Slave Leias, and the rest. It's fine for Halloween, but beyond that it makes for a strange hobby. But this is weirder still. Would a grown man really wear a stormtrooper helmet and suit while biking around town? Wouldn't you worry at all that you might look a bit...silly?
Pocket-lint.com: Star Wars Stormtrooper leather motorcycle suit lets you show imperial allegiance
Another nerd wedding. This video is particularly odd in that the appearance of the best man (0:54) is treated as unremarkable, as though Star Wars characters are always invited to weddings. Or maybe Ernie couldn't afford to rent a tux so wore the nearest thing to it he had in his closet.
You won't want to watch the whole video. Weddings are great for those involved but pretty boring for the rest of us.
Halloween is just around the corner, but Amazon.com can handle expedited shipping. Head over there now to choose from Inflatable Tauntaun, Inflatable Jabba, Secret Wishes Princess Leia (?) and more. Sorry, the hilariously crappy C-3PO costume is out of stock.
Amazon.com: Inflatable Tauntaun Adult Costume
Amazon.com: Jabba the Hutt Inflatable Costume
Artist Katie Mello has turned her dog into an AT-AT walker. Lots of blogs and web sites have picked up the "story", but the UK's Daily Mail has dug deeper. Find out just about everything there is to know about Bones the All-Terrain Attack Greyhound by following the link below. There are many photos.
Daily Mail: The Greyhound Strikes Back as artist creates Star Wars AT-AT suit for her pet
Dark Helmet
Bestweekever.tv brings us 50 more photos of dogs in Star Wars costumes.
