Greg wrote:The first big difference between their deal and us is that they have rigid clothing/gear standards. We have collectively chosen to not set standards for the forum, because Tolkien is something that can be interpreted however the reader chooses.
Kortoso wrote:They can use the props and costumes from the Star Wars series to follow as holy writ, whereas we have the writings of Tolkien, which may or may not agree with what we see on the screen.
I think if we were to look for inspiration in the Star Wars fandom (which, like Greg, I don't know how well that will work), I'd think we'd have a little more in common with the
Rebel Legion. They're the Star Wars good guys to the 501st's bad guys, and I know they do a lot of events and the like together. The reason I say they might be a little closer than the 501st is they allow for some original costuming, as long as it fits within guidelines drawn from the movie. For example, a member can put together an Old Republic Jedi that is not specific to any canon character, as long as they have the gi-type tunic, obi, cloak, lightsaber, etc. One could argue that we do something similar, since most of us do not portray Strider, but draw from the descriptions in the text and create our own interpretations. I think that's about where the similarities end, though.
Greg wrote:Beyond that...our kind of thing just really doesn't have the appeal that dressing up with hundreds of others does. We don't have a big draw, really, because what we talk about doing is hard. Sleeping in the woods in historical, minimalist gear? Sounds painful to most people.
Kortoso wrote:And I agree, sleeping rough isn't for everyone; although we don't all do that: many of us are content to go on day-hikes in kit. Yet, assembling a stormtrooper's armor is probably no picnic, nor is marching in a city parade while wearing it.
Based on the costuming requirements and what I've overheard at cons, I think most Stormtroopers purchase their armor from a few crafters within the Legion, since most folks don't know how to mold ABS/fiberglass/etc, and the suits don't come cheap. I know we've moved from the "budget authenticity" domain name, but I think one of the forum's best aspects is how approachable a lot of the members try to make the hobby to newcomers (and even more established members) with limited budgets. The Legion has other costumes that are more accessible to members with restricted budgets, of course, but when it comes right down to it, they have to look good. They look good for sick children and charities, so it's definitely looking good for a good cause, but that's still the whole point. It seems very different from our "just get out in the woods in your gear" mentality.
I like the charity work that the 501st/Rebel Legion do (I've been thinking about how to get my local group involved with some service work), and I like the organization of information on their webpage (and I think the Wiki is our attempt at trying to do something similar), but I also wonder it they're a suitable model for us.