FANGS
Pit Founder
It was an event at a smaller shopping mall back in approximately 2010. I'm wearing my newly (mostly) built Zam Wessell costume for the first time indoors. There were kids and families all over, excited to see the 501st. I was just as excited to be wearing my almost finished Zam - taking it on a trial run to see what changes needed to be made.
Failure 1: The undersuit on Zam is made from neoprene with a colour matched lycra laminated to the surface. It's like wearing a giant, purple rubber band. It was exhausting just getting in to it and I was instantly hot. So, I think to myself, let's be smart and just wear the neoprene without my usual underarmor under it. One less layer should help with the heat, right? We finish getting ready and walk out in to the crowds and start doing our thing. As I walk around I start to feel some heat on the inside of legs at my knees. The heat progressively gets worse until it's actually hot. Now I know there is a problem. I slowly come to realize that the seam on the inside of my pants has rubbed that area of my skin so much it's actually bleeding. Fact is that while the pants on the original have a regular seam, actual dive suits are made with the seams butting up so that there is no raw edge to rub. Apparently the underarmor was always enough of a buffer to prevent the friction burn. I still have the scars.
Failure 2: around the wrist area there are several layers - an underarmor layer, the neoprene/lycra layer, the wrist of the gloves and the gauntlets. As this event went on, my attention slowly shifted from the hot spots on my inner knees to the fact that my thumbs had both gone numb. Lesson learned: anything made with a heavy weight fabric with very little 2 way stretch needs to be made to be worn without using the stretch, meaning it should fit you perfectly without needing the stretch to accommodate your size and shape. That way, the stretch not only can be saved for movement but it also means that there is no pressure that can reduce blood flow.
So let's take a tally so far - lower legs bleeding. Hands without enough blood. Check and check.
Failure 3: Now I'm starting to get antsy. I keep trying to move to get the seam on my pants to shift even slightly to stop digging a hole in my leg. But as I do, everything starts riding down. Because you know where the one area was that I DIDN'T have it too tight? My waist. And around my waist is a big heavy cummerbund/belt made from leather that is now riding on top of the waist and pushing down in places. Now I just feel like a hot mess. But oh wait....it's about to get worse.
Failure 4: Lock Tite is your friend. I know that now. Zam Wessell has shin armor and attached to that shin armor is a piece that goes over the arch on the top of your foot. Mine are attached with a bolt and a nut. I had one of out of the four of them tightened just a little too tight (are you seeing a theme here?) and every time I took a step it squeaked. LOUDLY. I tried having one of our handlers fiddle with it but the reality is I'd have to take it all off to actually fix it. I tried going up and down on my tippy toes thinking if that joint moved enough it might loosen up a little. Oh it loosened up alright, but not the correct one. Both sides on the other shin let go in a spectacular display of nuts, bolts, and boot armor sailing across the highly polished tile floor in all different directions.
Sure, at the time it was highly embarrassing but you know what? Literally no one remembers it but me. I've made tons of costumes since then and used all of the lessons learned many, many times. My failures make me a better costumer.
Failure 1: The undersuit on Zam is made from neoprene with a colour matched lycra laminated to the surface. It's like wearing a giant, purple rubber band. It was exhausting just getting in to it and I was instantly hot. So, I think to myself, let's be smart and just wear the neoprene without my usual underarmor under it. One less layer should help with the heat, right? We finish getting ready and walk out in to the crowds and start doing our thing. As I walk around I start to feel some heat on the inside of legs at my knees. The heat progressively gets worse until it's actually hot. Now I know there is a problem. I slowly come to realize that the seam on the inside of my pants has rubbed that area of my skin so much it's actually bleeding. Fact is that while the pants on the original have a regular seam, actual dive suits are made with the seams butting up so that there is no raw edge to rub. Apparently the underarmor was always enough of a buffer to prevent the friction burn. I still have the scars.
Failure 2: around the wrist area there are several layers - an underarmor layer, the neoprene/lycra layer, the wrist of the gloves and the gauntlets. As this event went on, my attention slowly shifted from the hot spots on my inner knees to the fact that my thumbs had both gone numb. Lesson learned: anything made with a heavy weight fabric with very little 2 way stretch needs to be made to be worn without using the stretch, meaning it should fit you perfectly without needing the stretch to accommodate your size and shape. That way, the stretch not only can be saved for movement but it also means that there is no pressure that can reduce blood flow.
So let's take a tally so far - lower legs bleeding. Hands without enough blood. Check and check.
Failure 3: Now I'm starting to get antsy. I keep trying to move to get the seam on my pants to shift even slightly to stop digging a hole in my leg. But as I do, everything starts riding down. Because you know where the one area was that I DIDN'T have it too tight? My waist. And around my waist is a big heavy cummerbund/belt made from leather that is now riding on top of the waist and pushing down in places. Now I just feel like a hot mess. But oh wait....it's about to get worse.
Failure 4: Lock Tite is your friend. I know that now. Zam Wessell has shin armor and attached to that shin armor is a piece that goes over the arch on the top of your foot. Mine are attached with a bolt and a nut. I had one of out of the four of them tightened just a little too tight (are you seeing a theme here?) and every time I took a step it squeaked. LOUDLY. I tried having one of our handlers fiddle with it but the reality is I'd have to take it all off to actually fix it. I tried going up and down on my tippy toes thinking if that joint moved enough it might loosen up a little. Oh it loosened up alright, but not the correct one. Both sides on the other shin let go in a spectacular display of nuts, bolts, and boot armor sailing across the highly polished tile floor in all different directions.
Sure, at the time it was highly embarrassing but you know what? Literally no one remembers it but me. I've made tons of costumes since then and used all of the lessons learned many, many times. My failures make me a better costumer.