Diamonds in the Rough: G. Palmer

Over the years, I’ve seen easily thousands of Star Wars costumers come across my various feeds. While there are plenty of folks with screen-accurate face character outfits in the Legions, the ‘OC’ section of the community can be a little more…hit-or-miss. In this recurring feature, I’ll be sharing my interviews with several stand-out examples of the foundation of what we aspire to do here – accurately portraying the common galactic citizen. I hope that these individuals can help illustrate what Star Wars ‘reenacting’—or at the very least, high-quality in-universe costuming—looks like, and provide some insights into their character creations.

In our first entry, we’re spotlighting G. Palmer, who has put together a first-rate impression of a common droid mechanic:

SWLH: What was your initial inspiration for this character design?
GP: I was inspired by the kinds of background characters that are seen for a few seconds and then disappear around a corner or through a doorway.

SWLH: Can you describe your process of designing this kit? Did you look to any examples from sources (films, games, comics, books, etc)?
GP: Most of my process was picturing exactly what a main character wouldn’t wear. I appreciate the mechanical and industrial aspects of the SW universe and found a lot of inspiration from Jedi Fallen Order and the workaday people and their jobs as it portrays them. I’m a big fan of the Original Trilogy and the approach they took of dressing characters with clear silhouettes combined with sometimes zany details.

SWLH: Did you create a backstory/persona for this outfit, or is it just a straight impression?
GP: Other than an occupation of technician/mechanic I hadn’t put too much thought into it until recently. If I had to pick a background it would likely be similar to my own, born on a desert planet and moved to a swampy world where I now work.

SWLH: One for my fellow textile nerds: can you give us a physical breakdown of this kit? (Layers, materials, what did you make, what did you buy?, etc.)
GP: The base layer jumpsuit is poly/cotton blend. The vest went through two iterations and started its life as a thrifted leather motorcycle jacket. Initially I cut the sleeves off and it was a long vest, but I’ve recently cropped it at the waist to better clear my belt line and make carrying tools easier. I’ve purchased an aviator-style fur-lined “ear flap” cap, and paired it with a set of goggles that I weathered with a rasp and oil paints. Due to weather concerns I also have a patrol cap for hotter days. All of the belts are thrifted/secondhand, and the small utility bag is made from a purse that I converted to a drop leg bag.

SWLH: How long did it take you to assemble this outfit? (or—since kits tend to evolve over time and are never truly ‘finished’—how long have you been working on it?)
GP: I’ve been working on the look on and off for probably 2+ years.

SWLH: What methods or materials did you use to age or weather your kit?
GP: Sanding/simulated wear, as well as acrylic and oil paints.

SWLH: Are there any elements of your kit which are real-world functional?
GP: The belts/pouches are all functional, and I have a spread of in-universe tools that don’t function in our world.

SWLH: Is there anything you would like to change or plan on upgrading?
GP: I have yet to sort out my lower leg/boot situation. I have used leg wraps and Chelsea boots but may upgrade to engineer boots eventually.

SWLH: If you were to use this impression for ‘living history’ or educational purposes, what topics or subjects would you like to address or teach?
GP: Droid/ship/electronic maintenance.

If you know of a costumer whom you would like to nominate for inclusion in this series, please feel free to leave a comment below or come join the discussion at the SWLH facebook group! See you next month for another Diamond in the Rough!

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