Soft Parts Best Practices

[BikerScout007]

 This is a post I've been meaning to write for a long time, but with Imperial Boots releasing their Scout soft parts, it seems like now is a good time.  I hope this can work as a guide for anyone making Scout soft parts.

I've always believed that this costume really rises or falls based on the quality of the soft goods used.  The armor pieces have to look the part as well, but the Scout really is a soft costume when it comes down to it.   Don't believe me?   Let us quote the creator himself, Mr. Nilo Rodis-Jamero:

"If you look at the outfit, it's mostly cloth.  It appears to be hard, but it's not."

So you can make your armor as perfect as possible, but if the soft goods look bad, it brings the entire thing down.

The key to it is proportion.  If you can get the torso proportions correct, you've gone most of the way toward screen accuracy.   To my eye, if you divide your torso into thirds, and make sure the main pieces fit within those portions, you'll have a great looking Scout.   Check out this picture:

Top third

The chest armor.  Ideally, the chest armor should stop at the bottom of your pectorals.  In the past, some of the chest armors were too large (think KS or old SC), so that made this tough without some modifications, usually by removing some shoulder strap.  But at the end of the day, this thing should fit more like a bra than a chest plate.

I don't have much to say about the vest, because so much of it is hidden by the armor.  Make sure the sleeves don't get bunched up by the shoulder bell straps --- loose shoulder bell straps are key.  The zipties are what should support the bells, not the straps.  Those are just to stabilize the bell.

Middle third

Cummerbund, pouches and belt.   Do I need to say this?  The cummerbund is a cummerbund, not a tube top.  It should not wrap the entire Scout's torso like a tortilla.  By our estimates at looking at all available photos, the cummerbund is between 8 and 9 inches tall.  It was made from a polished white cotton in the film.  It ends at the belt, and the bottom of the pouches line up with the bottom of the bund.

Here are some more photos, since folks seem to have a hard time believing how short the bund actually is.

And from the rear.

So now that we have that clear, can I never see a cummerbund constructed like this again?

This is what your cummerbund should look like:

The pouches (6x5x2) were made of canvas and fit in the gap between the bottom of the chest armor and the top of the belt.  In the film they have a tendency to hang over the belt, but this is caused by the belt riding up on the Scout. 

We say as a rule of thumb that the pouches should start 1 inch from the outermost rib on the bund, but really, if you look at the movie, the outer edge of the pouch lines up with the outer edge of the chest armor.

The belt should be worn on the Scout's waist, which is the narrowest portion of your torso between your ribs and your hips, right around the belly button area.   Think about where you grandfather wears his pants and this should give you a good idea.   The Scout above is also a good demonstration of where the belt should be.  You can see it has slid up a bit and twisted to the side, probably from multiple takes of him running after Han Solo.  

Bottom third

The codpiece.  The codpiece starts out wide and tapers as it reaches the groin area.  Very little of it actually goes between the Scout's legs and it does not pull tightly against the Scout's body.  It was made of polished white cotton.  A fabric stabilizer such as buckram should be put inside of it (along with some batting for depth) in order to keep it from crumpling.   The strap should also be long enough that it doesn't pull tightly against the groin area.

I have seen a glut of codpieces that come straight down on the sides.  I've seen no evidence of this in the films.  They all seem to start wide and taper down in a tongue-like shape.

In the film, the codpiece was sewn to the bottom of the vest.  A lot of Scouts like to attach it to the back of the cummerbund or onto the flight suit.  All of these are fine, but I do not advise sewing it to the bottom of the cummerbund.  That's going to give you the wrong look unless you get all your proportions perfect, and even then, it will make it hard to move around.   What we are are trying to avoid is the codpiece looking like a pantie or a jock strap!

Finally the curved detail.  It's not quite a rainbow, and it's not quite a chevron -- it's a blend of both.  Basically you have two straight lines that curve at the top, and then go straight down again.  

The closest thing I can compare it to is a boomerang.  When I made my codpiece, I drew the two sets of lines going up with a ruler, and then I freehanded the curve on my sewing machine.  That gave the best result.

 

So remember the rule of the thirds!  Use this and you will be well on your way to a Lancer class Scout.   I will add to this as necessary.

[Chopper]

Great guide, Mickey. Can we pin this post?

[Aliaz]

Awesome guide!


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[Dart]

The belt should be worn on the Scout's waist, which is the narrowest portion of your torso between your ribs and your hips, right around the belly button area.   Think about where you grandfather wears his pants and this should give you a good idea.

 

Further to this point, I also like to think that the belt should be worn in a way that when you sit down, it doesn't want to pop off. So when determining where the belt should be, take your completed belt, sit down and put the belt on. When you stand up, it should be in the right spot (waist).

[Zugor]

I have a couple of questions on these pouches. According to the measurements they are a total of 8 inches tall, right? How do they attach and to what? Some posts I have read talk about folding the pouch tabs over the cummerbund and either safety pinned or velcroed. This doesn't make sense to me if the bottom of the pouch is supposed to line up with the bottom of the cummerbund. I would think they are pinned or velcroed to the cummerbund on the face of the cummerbund but every photo I see the chest armor seems to "rest" on the top of the cummerbund but also seems to touch the top of the pouches like the pouch is 8 inches tall and the 2 inch tab folds over the cummerbund like I have seen talked about in other posts.

Next question, Are the pouches double layered? Seems like some of the examples I have seen are double layered. 

[Dart]

8 hours ago, Zugor said:

I have a couple of questions on these pouches. According to the measurements they are a total of 8 inches tall, right? How do they attach and to what? Some posts I have read talk about folding the pouch tabs over the cummerbund and either safety pinned or velcroed. This doesn't make sense to me if the bottom of the pouch is supposed to line up with the bottom of the cummerbund. I would think they are pinned or velcroed to the cummerbund on the face of the cummerbund but every photo I see the chest armor seems to "rest" on the top of the cummerbund but also seems to touch the top of the pouches like the pouch is 8 inches tall and the 2 inch tab folds over the cummerbund like I have seen talked about in other posts.

Next question, Are the pouches double layered? Seems like some of the examples I have seen are double layered. 

Pouches are 6" x 5" x 2" with an additional 2" tab at the top. If you choose to make that longer and wrap it around the top, it's up to you. You can sew it or Velcro it to the 'bund or even Velcro it to the inside of the chest armour. Realistically, the actual wearing of it all depends on how you're built, so if the pouches don't exactly hit the bottom of the 'bund, it's not the end of the world. The above guidelines are just that - guidelines. ; )

If you want to double-layer the pouches, have at it. There's no specific rule for or against it. The lid is the only part that really should be doubled as there is an inside and outside.

[Zugor]

Thank you thank really helps.

[jennyruth]

Am I understanding this correctly: the pouches are attached (sewn or by velcro) with the 2" attachment tab, and that tab is basically hidden underneath the chest armor? So, the cummerbund would sit about 2" under the chest armor but end right at the belt?

[BikerScout007]

1 minute ago, jennyruth said:

Am I understanding this correctly: the pouches are attached (sewn or by velcro) with the 2" attachment tab, and that tab is basically hidden underneath the chest armor? So, the cummerbund would sit about 2" under the chest armor but end right at the belt?

BOOM!  you got it 

[BikerScout007]

You basically want this.  Here the armor is a bit above the pouches, but in the film it sits lower. 

[jennyruth]

1 minute ago, BikerScout007 said:

You basically want this.  Here the armor is a bit above the pouches, but in the film it sits lower. 

Thank you! I'm a shorter trooper, so I'm gonna need all the space I can get to fit those pouches in the limited real estate I have  

[BikerScout007]

Thank you! I'm a shorter trooper, so I'm gonna need all the space I can get to fit those pouches in the limited real estate I have  

Make your bund 8 inches high and you should be fine.

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[nsbuff28]

I did the Velcro tabs on mine and they look like this with out the armor on


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[greenyone]

I'm confused on the "just under the chest armor down to the belt" wording in the CRL.  I see so many 501st and Lancer approved scout build photos on here that have the bund tucked behind both the armor and belt.  I asked my GML about this.  He said it looks fine either way, just as long as it's not poking out from underneath the belt.  What say you veteran scouts?

[nsbuff28]

I'm confused on the "just under the chest armor down to the belt" wording in the CRL.  I see so many 501st and Lancer approved scout build photos on here that have the bund tucked behind both the armor and belt.  I asked my GML about this.  He said it looks fine either way, just as long as it's not poking out from underneath the belt.  What say you veteran scouts?

I’m not a veteran scout in fact I’m still waiting on my approval from my GML, but I’m 5’8” and I made mine bund like 8 inches tall and it sits like a quarter of an in under my belt and goes to about half way up the height of my side strap you kinda see this in the side shot I sent to my GML if this doesn’t help I can post a better pic when I get back from my vacation. But hopefully this helps abit



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[greenyone]

1 hour ago, nsbuff28 said:

I’m not a veteran scout in fact I’m still waiting on my approval from my GML, but I’m 5’8” and I made mine bund like 8 inches tall and it sits like a quarter of an in under my belt and goes to about half way up the height of my side strap you kinda see this in the side shot I sent to my GML if this doesn’t help I can post a better pic when I get back from my vacation. But hopefully this helps abit



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I'm about the same height as you.  I made mine a little bit taller at 9.5 inches.  I have a full 2 inches tucked under the chest/back armor and maybe 1 to 1.5 inches behind the belt.  Like I said previously.  It would seem from some of the photos I see on here that this is not all that uncommon.  I cleared it with my GML.  I just wonder if I eventually take the extra steps to try and get lancer approval down the road if this should be a cause for concern.

 

[BikerScout007]

1 hour ago, greenyone said:

I'm confused on the "just under the chest armor down to the belt" wording in the CRL.  I see so many 501st and Lancer approved scout build photos on here that have the bund tucked behind both the armor and belt.  I asked my GML about this.  He said it looks fine either way, just as long as it's not poking out from underneath the belt.  What say you veteran scouts?

That is totally fine.  This is recent language to the CRL (only within the last year) so not many Scouts have gotten the "just stopping at the belt" look down yet.  If it stops right at the belt or goes just under, it's fine.  

[Harbinger]

Is anyone making accurate flak vests that go all the way to the cod if you wanted to strap them as they do in the films? All of the ones I see for sale are like half length or less.

[Chopper]

1 hour ago, Harbinger said:

Is anyone making accurate flak vests that go all the way to the cod if you wanted to strap them as they do in the films? All of the ones I see for sale are like half length or less.

KriptonTop on Etsy. Just make sure you use Fedex shipping. 

Here's my setup with his flak vest and cod.

[BikerScout007]

3 hours ago, Harbinger said:

Is anyone making accurate flak vests that go all the way to the cod if you wanted to strap them as they do in the films? All of the ones I see for sale are like half length or less.

I just made my own codpiece and sewed it to my vest.  

[billymod]

This was a great resource, thanks so much for all the info

[Aradun]

Mickey,

Another excellent resource.  Thank you.

 A couple of questions for those who’ve made their own cummerbunds...

1) is there a particular thickness of Batting that works best for the fill of the cummerbund?  
2) is the thickness of the Batting the same for the cod piece?

[BikerScout007]

On 12/29/2019 at 4:57 PM, AradunFF said:

Mickey,

Another excellent resource.  Thank you.

 A couple of questions for those who’ve made their own cummerbunds...

1) is there a particular thickness of Batting that works best for the fill of the cummerbund?  
2) is the thickness of the Batting the same for the cod piece?

The bund and codpiece seem to have a decent amount of batting in them.  Enough so that when the rib stitching is added, they bulge out somewhat.  I used two layers, but my batting was thin to start with.

With the codpiece, to achieve a screen accurate look, you need more than just batting.  You need to put a fabric stabilizer or buckram inside it as well as the batting.  This prevents the crumpling (aka camel toe).  

[Aradun]

Excellent!  I bought the thinner batting and was wondering if it should be doubled.  I wasn’t sure if the cod piece needed buckram and the batting or just the buckram, but you answered that too.  Thorough as usual.  Thanks Mickey.

[Blackwatch]

Do the 8-9" or so measurements for the bund work for troopers  with a gut?  Im not skinny, so when  I tried to make a bund before,  mine came up in my chest and back, trying to keep it from popping out especially in back when I bend over.