Halo 3 UNSC Officers Uniform WIP

[B1ondeange1]

So on a whim I decided I would make a Halo 3 officers uniform in the style worn by Commander Keyes for a HaloWeen party that a local gaming bar are holding this year (with H2 lan party). Went last year (with H5 tournament) in my Reach armour with friends and it was heaps of fun, but partying and dancing absolutely hammers the foam armour, and I didn't want to further damage my poor Reach armour or my new ODST armour so I decided a soft and comfy option was called for As a result I have gone back to my costume making roots and pulled out my sewing machine.

Now that the jacket is actually taking shape and some semblance of what I am copying, I'm posting a couple of WIP pics  still a lot to go, but it at least looks like a jacket now! I also have pants made to match but they are kinda boring looking coz they are just grey pants This has never been designed to be 100% accurate, but in my typical fashion I made it look more accurate as I went lol. It started from a very simple lined, semi fitted jacket pattern I bought and has evolved a great deal from that, very much making it up as I go along coz thats the way I tend to work   More pics will come tomorrow when I finish it.






And for those who don't know the character this is her:

[Exilium]

Thats pretty cool! +1 point

[scifidude79]

Very nice start. 

Oh, that Commander Keyes.  Good thing you posted a pic.  For some reason, all I could think of was her father, from the first game.  (Though, now that I think about it, he was a Captain.)

[B1ondeange1]

Thanks, and yeah he was a Captain

Heres the basic jacket finished. I still need to do the insignia etc, but I'm not too fussed about that for a Halloween party I might do a few additions to the pants like the black back of knee patches and maybe add the pockets that I realised are on the side of Keyes' pants but that's not a big deal right now and as I've said, I never set out to be 100% accurate.









Sorry for the poor photos, it's late and well and truly my bedtime, and when the hubby got the photos of me he was on his way to bed at the time. But you get the general idea In case you are wondering Jaste (Shayla Jaste) is my cosplay name so I decided to go with that on the name badge

[scifidude79]

The uniform is looking great so far.

[B1ondeange1]

so the help I do need for this is in relation to the insignia and ribbon bar. I am a complete noob when it comes to anything military, but from what I can tell the insignia pin (which I've looked up and know what it is in the Halo universe) is usually worn on the collar yet Keyes has something else entirely there? Is this a Halo thing, and in which case what should be on the collar for a Lt?

Also the ribbon bar and this is the thing I really need help with- I have no idea what to do with that, and need help figuring out something appropriate for a Lt. I'm guessing basing it on the US system would be most appropriate given the Halo universe has based their rank structure on the US system.

Thank you in advance.

[Jev Moldara]

so the help I do need for this is in relation to the insignia and ribbon bar. I am a complete noob when it comes to anything military, but from what I can tell the insignia pin (which I've looked up and know what it is in the Halo universe) is usually worn on the collar yet Keyes has something else entirely there? Is this a Halo thing, and in which case what should be on the collar for a Lt?

Here's a closeup of the neck area I found:



So what it looks like to me is that the HALO universe uniforms incorporate traditional naval ranks and insignia with a repetition of the bars on the epaulets. Based on this assumption, your uniform should have the Lieutenant rank (two silver bars) on the collar along with two golden bars.

Link: U.S. Military Officer Ranks and Insignia

Fun fact: The images of Keyes from HALO 3 are all wrong from a military perspective. She should have a silver oak leaf on her collar, not gold. They probably changed it for stylistic and aesthetic purposes, but didn't realize they were inadvertently demoting her to Lieutenant Commander by doing so.

Also the ribbon bar and this is the thing I really need help with- I have no idea what to do with that, and need help figuring out something appropriate for a Lt. I'm guessing basing it on the US system would be most appropriate given the Halo universe has based their rank structure on the US system.

Thank you in advance.

The ribbons are not really something that have a rank appropriateness. The ribbons are representative of medals and commendations awarded, achievements reached, places served, and/or campaigns fought in. Once could be a Lieutenant and have more medals and ribbons than a Captain. It really depends on the individual, what they do, where they are assigned, and how much of a go-getter they are.

[scifidude79]

Well, one thing to remember about Halo is that it's a few hundred years in the future.  So, their rank insignia may be different.  It's hard to say what the stuff on her collar is supposed to be, the people who made the game may have simply felt here collar needed some decoration and added some stuff to the textures with little thought as to what it was.  Realistically, there's no good reason to wear your rank on your collar, shoulders and cuffs.  That's overkill.    But, in terms of you making an accurate costume, it makes sense that you would do all of that.

I know you're going with the Halo 3 version, but she did have silver oak leafs on her collar in Halo 2.  Why they changed it to that other stuff for Halo 2 is beyond me, unless they wanted to give it more of a "Sci-Fi" look.

If you want accurate ribbons, I'd suggest checking military sites for medals that look similar.  It's hard to say if the ones from the game are based on actual military ribbons or not.  Though, it's hard to believe she's a commander and has only two.  I guess she hasn't done much.    (the concept artist gave her much more, I guess they simplified it for the game texture)

[Jev Moldara]

Realistically, there's no good reason to wear your rank on your collar, shoulders and cuffs.  That's overkill. 

That's... pretty much what the Navy does nowadays...

I know you're going with the Halo 3 version, but she did have silver oak leafs on her collar in Halo 2.  Why they changed it to that other stuff for Halo 2 is beyond me, unless they wanted to give it more of a "Sci-Fi" look.

As I said, I believe it was more for aesthetics than anything else. Halo military ranks are based on current US Navy ranks, and as a Commander, she should be wearing silver oak leaves, but in Halo 3, she's wearing the gold oak leaves of a Lt. Commander. Now, she wasn't demoted, and word of God states that she was still a commander, so I guess it was changed so there wouldn't be a glaringly silver item against black and gold.

If you want accurate ribbons, I'd suggest checking military sites for medals that look similar.  It's hard to say if the ones from the game are based on actual military ribbons or not.  Though, it's hard to believe she's a commander and has only two.  I guess she hasn't done much.    (the concept artist gave her much more, I guess they simplified it for the game texture)

Plus, in the military, a lot of officers will simplify their fruit salad (military jargon for the ribbons) for everyday duty wear, saving the full set for a more formal appearance where they're in full dress uniform. Some wear everything, some wear the ones they're most proud of, and others wear none of it. It should be noted that for the combat uniforms, ribbons aren't worn at all.

[B1ondeange1]

Cool, It's giving me things to think about, appreciated. I know the ribbons are to do with their performance/ awards/ etc not rank. I just want to try and come up with something likely. Yes there are discrepancies with Keyes, but let's face it it's a video game in a made up future... Makes it hard to get details right coz they can do whatever they want things don't have to be full on accurate- I just want to make something that's believable/ looks the part, if you get my meaning

Though given how many people stepped aside for me tonight, maybe they thought I was in a military uniform... That or everyone was feeling in a really nice mood. Kinda funny.

[scifidude79]

Yeah, ribbons are worn as a stand in for medals you've earned.  I don't know why Miranda Keyes has so few, maybe she just hadn't done much in her career.  Oh, and I never referred to any of my ribbons as a fruit salad.  Just thought I'd mention that. 

Though, I mainly turn off my former military mind when it comes to Sci-Fi.  As you say, far off future and all. Besides, I never expect writers or artists who never served to get stuff right.  For example, they call the Sgt. Major in the Halo games just "sergeant, when 1. that's not right in any US armed force and 2. especially not the US Marines, and the armed forces in Halo are clearly based on the US Military.

That's... pretty much what the Navy does nowadays...

Which Navy? 

As I said, no good reason.  But, militaries never needed a good reason to do anything.

[B1ondeange1]

Yeah, ribbons are worn as a stand in for medals you've earned.  I don't know why Miranda Keyes has so few, maybe she just hadn't done much in her career.  Oh, and I never referred to any of my ribbons as a fruit salad.  Just thought I'd mention that. 

Though, I mainly turn off my former military mind when it comes to Sci-Fi.  As you say, far off future and all. Besides, I never expect writers or artists who never served to get stuff right.  For example, they call the Sgt. Major in the Halo games just "sergeant, when 1. that's not right in any US armed force and 2. especially not the US Marines, and the armed forces in Halo are clearly based on the US Military.

Which Navy? 

As I said, no good reason.  But, militaries never needed a good reason to do anything.

Yeah I dunno either *shrugs* simple answer- video game. They had something there as decoration to make it 'look' right.

And yeah, when I write (RPGs or otherwise) I am well aware I don't know anything about military stuff. I try and look stuff up so I don't make a complete fool of myself, but the rest I literally make up as I go. Can't accurately know what you haven't experienced. (writing about starship mechanics pretty much falls into same category but because hey, said ships don't exist   make up some funky terms that sound about right and away you go lol )

[For Tyeth]

Hello,

I may not be an expert on Halo or costume making but I found these pages that may be of interest (sorry if you have already seen them). They are pages from Halo Nation Wikia and there is a uniforms and insignia page with a diagram showing the collar insignia pips and sleeve/epaulette stripes based on rank/paygrade.
Here are the links:

Halo Nation Wikia Navy Uniforms
http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/UNSC_Navy_uniforms

Lieutenant Commander Uniform page
http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Lieutenant_Commander

Picture of Lieutenant Commander pips
http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/halo/images/5/5f/Ltcdr3.PNG/revision/latest?cb=20100601195319

Hope this helps, but great progress so far.
point inbound

[Zren Tobas]

My brother approves for he's also a Halo die hard fan so

[B1ondeange1]

Thanks For Tyeth, I'll have a look

a couple pictures from last night to show it off a little better