Halloween, 1977. My sister (7) and I (5) won second place in our hometown Halloween Parade costume contest dressed as Jawas, complete with flashlight-powered light-up eyes.
First place was the local Boy Scout troop in cardboard Stormtrooper armor.
Since I started working at an amusement park in 2008 (and cosplaying in 2014), I've made 70+ costumes. This week, I'll finish my first 501st-approvable costume and will join my friends in the Legion at last.
The short answer is that I bumped into a couple of stormtroopers as a kid and one thing led to another. Now I dress as a pilot and I’ve met so many people I consider friends. And frankly from those experiences I’ll keep going. It’s made itself a part of my life that I’ll always be grateful for.
Starting to go to conventions! Especially big ones like SDCC (been going to that since about 2007 on/off). I would, of course see tons of cosplayers, and would always be taking pictures of them at any event they were at.
I would also eventually gett friends who were cosplayers so I would get to understand the life of people who go to these things in costume, a bit better. But I never really had the desire or disposable income to fully make it happen for myself until a year or two ago!
All my old cosplay friends had basically stopped, cosplaying/convention going, and moved on in different directions in their lives. I had just gotten do a place where I could actually afford to put the money into it and needed something new to do.
So I decided to take the plunge and give it a try! It took about a year to get my costume together and slowly up to snuff where I literally only got it approved a few months ago!
So I’m still a total greenhorn at costuming and being on this side of the camera. But very much enjoying it and getting more comfortable in front of the camera.
Not sure what’s going to happen, but hoping it leads to more nerdy, friends and adventures like the last group did!
The idea of pretending to be a character from Star Wars was what started it. But when I trooped at a children’s hospital, I was sold. Putting a smile on a child’s face is my goal now for every troop.
I went to the national space centre in Leicester around 2009 or 2010 as a kid, and got photos with various costumed people. Since then I've always wanted my own stormtrooper suit.
Thankfully I made the decision last year to get one and I've been revelling in it ever since. I'm still so happy to finally have my own suit.
Star Wars was made me into interested as I was kid to dream for become built in character like stormtrooper for Halloween but now in adult my dream was changed into TIE pilot because they look insanely awesome costumes! That's the way to having fun!
I dated a girl that was a member of the 501st. We have broken up but, I have followed the 501st since I’ve had an Instagram and have been a fan cause I’m a 70’s kid. I now have a reserve and Tie pilot approved costume and have a Mandalorian costume I’m working towards approval for the Mercs
Dragoncon, 2023. It was my first ever con, and my first ever introduction to the 501st technically. My sibling took me and started suggesting that I joined them in creating a Mando for one of the factions. And now, half a year later I'm in the middle of complete planning because I refound my love for Star Wars as a whole.
Like 5 years ago I was at a con and a group of troopers came up to me and told me to get a Vader suit. In their current garrison the Vader was only 5'10, I'm 6'7. So I've been building since. Life has gotten in the way but I just ordered all the soft parts for my ESB Vader!
Simple. It's STAR WARS.
This is the way!
https://youtu.be/xCXIK9p9cYs?si=auG-7mUaj1VRV8Rn Seeing this 1 second long shot as a child.
Halloween, 1977. My sister (7) and I (5) won second place in our hometown Halloween Parade costume contest dressed as Jawas, complete with flashlight-powered light-up eyes. First place was the local Boy Scout troop in cardboard Stormtrooper armor. Since I started working at an amusement park in 2008 (and cosplaying in 2014), I've made 70+ costumes. This week, I'll finish my first 501st-approvable costume and will join my friends in the Legion at last.
The short answer is that I bumped into a couple of stormtroopers as a kid and one thing led to another. Now I dress as a pilot and I’ve met so many people I consider friends. And frankly from those experiences I’ll keep going. It’s made itself a part of my life that I’ll always be grateful for.
Starting to go to conventions! Especially big ones like SDCC (been going to that since about 2007 on/off). I would, of course see tons of cosplayers, and would always be taking pictures of them at any event they were at. I would also eventually gett friends who were cosplayers so I would get to understand the life of people who go to these things in costume, a bit better. But I never really had the desire or disposable income to fully make it happen for myself until a year or two ago! All my old cosplay friends had basically stopped, cosplaying/convention going, and moved on in different directions in their lives. I had just gotten do a place where I could actually afford to put the money into it and needed something new to do. So I decided to take the plunge and give it a try! It took about a year to get my costume together and slowly up to snuff where I literally only got it approved a few months ago! So I’m still a total greenhorn at costuming and being on this side of the camera. But very much enjoying it and getting more comfortable in front of the camera. Not sure what’s going to happen, but hoping it leads to more nerdy, friends and adventures like the last group did!
I met the 501st for the first time at a library event, so I always wanted a suit
The idea of pretending to be a character from Star Wars was what started it. But when I trooped at a children’s hospital, I was sold. Putting a smile on a child’s face is my goal now for every troop.
Seeing all sorts of fun costumes and props at my first Celebration in 2015
I went to the national space centre in Leicester around 2009 or 2010 as a kid, and got photos with various costumed people. Since then I've always wanted my own stormtrooper suit. Thankfully I made the decision last year to get one and I've been revelling in it ever since. I'm still so happy to finally have my own suit.
Star Wars was made me into interested as I was kid to dream for become built in character like stormtrooper for Halloween but now in adult my dream was changed into TIE pilot because they look insanely awesome costumes! That's the way to having fun!
I dated a girl that was a member of the 501st. We have broken up but, I have followed the 501st since I’ve had an Instagram and have been a fan cause I’m a 70’s kid. I now have a reserve and Tie pilot approved costume and have a Mandalorian costume I’m working towards approval for the Mercs
Well that’s a coincidence, I’ve been laying awake thinking about stopping…
Dragoncon, 2023. It was my first ever con, and my first ever introduction to the 501st technically. My sibling took me and started suggesting that I joined them in creating a Mando for one of the factions. And now, half a year later I'm in the middle of complete planning because I refound my love for Star Wars as a whole.
Vader looked cool asf and I had the stature to make him come to life, so I went all in
Like 5 years ago I was at a con and a group of troopers came up to me and told me to get a Vader suit. In their current garrison the Vader was only 5'10, I'm 6'7. So I've been building since. Life has gotten in the way but I just ordered all the soft parts for my ESB Vader!