Jedi Tunics Question

[Pyrateknight]

So a strange question....

As I grew up I had the original trilogy.  I was not pinned on the idea that all Jedi wore the same tunics.  Mainly because of Luke in ROTJ.  The only place we see the same tunics was at the very end of ROTJ with the ghost scene.  I know that the new trilogy established the Jedi Robes as being standard dress but I still don't really believe they all were clean cut soldiers.  I always like to think of Luke wearing dark tabards.  I am planning on a costume but I rather wear black tunics with grey tabards.  I know that will drop me to a grey or dark Jedi immediately. 

My question to everyone is....

Why this mentality?  Why is how I am dressed immediately classifies what order I would be in?

[Waxman]

Because when you turn to the darkside there's an unwritten standard somewhere that you also make the conscious decision to follow a particular fashion sense. 

It's like say you dressed as a goth, complete with $200 trenchcoat and bondage pants; maybe some arm-warmers, some sort of heavy-metal t-shirt and tons of chains, buckles, and straps and maybe a bit of eye-makup, but you told people you weren't goth and you didn't identify with the sub-culture.  It's kind of hard to assume otherwise.  What are people supposed to think?

It also just has to do with the general image.  Imagine having a dark jedi, a supposed "bad guy" identified as a "bad guy" by everyone, doing things a "bad guy" isn't supposed to do.  Little do they realize that this dark jedi also contributes a great deal of money to charity, orphanages, and library/school construction as well as volunteers at the local soup-kitchen every Thursday.
Of course, a dark jedi wouldn't do that, for some reason.  No, they would be all angsty and depressed and power-hungry, or something like that.

With that said...
You could think about switching the colors, perhaps a grey tunic with black tabard, or possibly go with what you have but wear a lighter shade of pants like white or light grey to throw people off.

There's also the matter of the lightsaber color.  Swing a color other than red and you're pretty much good, I think.

To me, personally, it's all sorts of arbitrary and I agree, there is sort of an unwritten standard in the dress.  Then again, you could just identify with the NJO which was much more liberal in attire.  I'm not sure what the Rebel Legion standards are for those, if any [if that's your intention].

[B1ondeange1]

pretty much as Waxman said. and rebel legion standards say "earth tones" from memory.

the alternative would be to wear very dark browns instead of black black, and swing a "lightside" coloured saber

[Pyrateknight]

I have nothing against the color issue.  It just seemed to me more recent that you had to wear traditional Jedi style robes and Luke is the exception.  I do like the idea of black tabards with different tunics.  And as a background I do not own a red saber only an fire orange and mainly because it is my favorite color.  I do like that it is an androgynous color and I could swing Sith or Jedi.  I guess I kinda like the grey area. 

[Waxman]

I have nothing against the color issue.  It just seemed to me more recent that you had to wear traditional Jedi style robes and Luke is the exception.  I do like the idea of black tabards with different tunics.  And as a background I do not own a red saber only an fire orange and mainly because it is my favorite color.  I do like that it is an androgynous color and I could swing Sith or Jedi.  I guess I kinda like the grey area. 

Honestly, and this is a greater argument on the Rebel Legion and 501st, to my understanding it all depends on the era you're trying to represent.

I guess the other thing is that unless the outfit is specifically shown on-screen from a movie, game, or comic, then that is considered canon [unless otherwise stated].  So who knows.  Maybe in Episode VII we'll see Jedi / Sith wearing normal every-day clothes and only then FINALLY will that type of outfit be added to the exception.

The problem with the Rebel Legion and 501st is they are generally seen as the end-all be-all official group, when in fact, they're not, they just have a lot of influence due to their popularity and member support.
There's really nothing stopping other people from starting their own Star Wars affiliated group and writing their own costume standards for that.  For whatever reason though, no one does so, or rather, they do but they're so small that their presence is negligible.

In my time role-playing on Jedi Academy I always used either an orange or yellow saber color for my characters, all of which were with the Jedi.  I never really correlated it with the Dark Side unless otherwise specified, i.e. corruption of the crystal or something like that.  Because of that, to me, I always see orange or yellow as Jedi.  I don't care what anyone else thinks, that's just what I see.

So I guess, because Jedi Academy is considered canon [so I've been told], if you reproduce a costume similar to what's seen in the game, i.e. the Jaden Korr outfits [whichever], then that could be okay as long as you specify that you are of the New Jedi Order.  That is assuming you're doing this for the Rebel Legion.
To me, being recognized by them is like such a small factor.  I mean, yeah I could be "recognized" but then what...?  What now...?

[Darth Nekesus]

Honestly, and this is a greater argument on the Rebel Legion and 501st, to my understanding it all depends on the era you're trying to represent.

I guess the other thing is that unless the outfit is specifically shown on-screen from a movie, game, or comic, then that is considered canon [unless otherwise stated].  So who knows.  Maybe in Episode VII we'll see Jedi / Sith wearing normal every-day clothes and only then FINALLY will that type of outfit be added to the exception.

The problem with the Rebel Legion and 501st is they are generally seen as the end-all be-all official group, when in fact, they're not, they just have a lot of influence due to their popularity and member support.
There's really nothing stopping other people from starting their own Star Wars affiliated group and writing their own costume standards for that.  For whatever reason though, no one does so, or rather, they do but they're so small that their presence is negligible.

In my time role-playing on Jedi Academy I always used either an orange or yellow saber color for my characters, all of which were with the Jedi.  I never really correlated it with the Dark Side unless otherwise specified, i.e. corruption of the crystal or something like that.  Because of that, to me, I always see orange or yellow as Jedi.  I don't care what anyone else thinks, that's just what I see.

So I guess, because Jedi Academy is considered canon [so I've been told], if you reproduce a costume similar to what's seen in the game, i.e. the Jaden Korr outfits [whichever], then that could be okay as long as you specify that you are of the New Jedi Order.  That is assuming you're doing this for the Rebel Legion.
To me, being recognized by them is like such a small factor.  I mean, yeah I could be "recognized" but then what...?  What now...?

I really hope that we don't see that in Episode VII.

While I do respect the 501st and Rebel Legion for their commitment and for all of the things that they do, I don't think I would ever become a member of either because they are so stingy about costumes.  I'd rather join something like The Dark Empire where there are requirements for costumes, but not super strict requirements so that you would still be able to have your own costume and do what you want.  Or I would just go it myself and wear whatever I want and be on whichever side I want. 

[Kresnik]

It's pretty simple - pre OT they had jedi uniform standards - in Skywalker / Legacy era after Luke there are jedi that follow the old ways and stick with the traditional jedi tabard/robe and then there are plenty of jedi in the legacy era who do not and instead plenty of blacks / leather / shin guard / bracers / armor etc

Go with Legacy era ... As long as you swing a lightsaber and have a unique look ...( not jeans and a hoodie or Hawaiian shirt and a pair of shorts ) your a jedi ... I suggest some cloak of some sort to designate as a costume

[chicago.jedi]

It's pretty simple - pre OT they had jedi uniform standards - in Skywalker / Legacy era after Luke there are jedi that follow the old ways and stick with the traditional jedi tabard/robe and then there are plenty of jedi in the legacy era who do not and instead plenty of blacks / leather / shin guard / bracers / armor etc

Go with Legacy era ... As long as you swing a lightsaber and have a unique look ...( not jeans and a hoodie or Hawaiian shirt and a pair of shorts ) your a jedi ... I suggest some cloak of some sort to designate as a costume

A Hawaiian shirt would be a very unique look for a Jedi. 

Excellent points.

[borgishmorg]

I have to disagree with a few points here. Some people are saying that everyone in the prequel era wore vanilla plain tunics, with brown robes.
Obviously this isn't true: Ki-adi Mundi, as well as almost all the Jedi Council members, wear unique styled robes, albeit most are brown and tan.
But, to say that all jedi wear tan and brown is not accurate. I present Luminara Unduli and Bariss Offee, her apprentice:


These two, as well as the previously mentioned Luke Skywalker, don't wear tan and brown, but instead have a complete custom look. Really the only jedi that do have plain tunics and robes are Qui-gon and Obi-wan, and then all the no-namers that were either animated or extras, that didn't need custom outfits. (Even Jett Lucas had a custom outfit)

Personally, I think you can wear any colors you want to be a jedi, as long as you don't look evil, and as said before, have a light-side saber. (Even though, it is debatable what a light-side color is, as Adi Gallia supposedly carried a crimson saber)

[chicago.jedi]

The idea of Jedi wearing only earth tones is really a Rebel Legion Generic Jedi thing and even that has exceptions. If joining Rebel Legion is NOT your goal then disregard this "rule."

Like Waxman said, Jedi is more about attitude than appearance.  If you walk around brooding and carrying a red saber, people will think Sith or at least bad guy. If you conduct yourself like a Jedi and carry a saber other than red, people will think Jedi.

Most importantly,  make the costume that feels right to you. If you are happy in it, it will show through and make it that much more believable.

Good luck.

[Pyrateknight]

I really don't have an urge to join a costuming group so I guess its not really a problem. It was more an observation. The Mandolorian Mercs got me interested in what other group requirements might be

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[Master Nero Attoru]

The entire classification of Force users based on lightsaber color and clothing choices is purely cinematic, to unambiguously identify the "good guys" and "bad guys" (as if that's necessary anyway).  I tend to hate dumbed down TV and movies, so naturally this isn't something I'm a fan of.  Just another reason I love the NJO, which more typically has a wide variety of clothing choices.  Not too many canonical pics of the Jedi of that era, but for a non-Luke example I present Master Kyp Durron:



Master Kam Solusar:



And even Master Corran Horn, who typically wore Corellian green robes but occasionally switched up for some black:

[Jammo]

NJO era is certainly a bit more loose on attire, it seems, but there are certainly exceptions in other eras. WHAT ABOUT MASTER VOS?

[Master Nero Attoru]

Very true, although Master Vos was known as one of those Jedi who liked to skirt the edge between light and dark... his main role in the Clone Wars (IIRC) was infiltrating the Confederacy as a double agent, but the call of the Dark Side did manage to capture him for a time (much like Luke's experience with the reborn Emperor).

[CZ3RO]

Remember that because the BIG costuming organizations do big public high profile appearances, sometimes for charity, they have high standards (in the case of the 501st) or specific appearance policies (Rebel Legion).

I'm not a member of either group, but I understand the the 501st wants its gang to look like they came right out of the movies - and trust me, a Stormtrooper with a less than meticulous costume stands out like a sore thumb when next to one that's on point - even a non-nerd could pick them out.  As for Jedi wearing Earth-tones, the Rebel Legion wants it to be absolutely clear to everyone that they are the 'good guys'.  They're big groups and want to be easily perceived in a certain way.

I totally respect their policies because that's the kind of organization they want to be (and if it's not to someone's taste, then don't join) - that being said, the beauty of the Star Wars Universe is that almost anything is possible.  When making your own costume, that's it, it's your own costume, do whatever you like.

The only other thing I tell people when doing a custom costume is to think about how recognizable you want to be.  Based on people's knowledge of the lore or fiction you're representing they'll make assumptions about who or what you're representing (wearing black and having a saber means you're an 'evil Jedi'!) - and it's up to you to decide how much you care about that.

I've had numerous people call me Darth Vader and Darth Maul or ask me "why" my saber is yellow.  But I'm fine with that (although the Darth Maul thing is the most puzzling).