Denial is the first stage of rabid anal-retentive Indy gear fanaticism

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Posted by John Freudenthal from ws126-252.critz.msstate.edu on September 20, 2000 at 02:44:54:

In Reply to: Hey Guys...where do you wear your gear? And how much did the total outfit cost? posted by David on September 20, 2000 at 01:15:27:

: Hi Guys,

: I'm looking into buying a complete Indy outfit since I feel a bit out of the loop here. I was wondering if you could tell me an idea of the cost for an authentic looking outfit be?
: Also...where do you guys wear your Indy gear at?

: Thanks..and I like this site alot!
: David

I've denied being an obsessive Indy gear fan to myself, friends, and family for almost a year now. But about two weeks ago I thought about dressing as Indy for Halloween. I wrote down a list of all the gear, and the prices, and discovered that you can get what you call an "authentic-looking" outfit--not exact to the trained eye--for a decent amount. So I decided I am going to splurge a little and get a full Last Crusade accurate-looking outfit (if you have hung around here long enough, you know that the details of some gear change through movies). I was at first going to go for the Raiders look (probably the most desired), but I found that (in my current situation) I can get the most accuracy for the least cost by going with the Last Crusade outfit. But enough with this! Let me tell you my master plan of acquisition in the next few weeks.

1. The Hat. This is the most distinctive piece of gear, the one that marks you as an Indy fan. I have had for some time the Indiana Miller (about $120), which does a very good job of reproducing the LC hat. For the very distinctive Raiders look (taller hat than others), I would go for the Peter Bros. hat (about $180) everyone is raving about. There are other good options, but these have the best accuracy/cost ratio, in my opinion.

2. The Jacket. Look on the forum now, and you see two jackets mentioned. The Wested (about $300 ? )and the FlightSuits (about $500 ?). I myself am getting the Sportsman's Guide Diesel Leather Jacket ($80) from www.sportsmansguide.com. From some posts a few weeks ago, this seems to capture "the look" quite nicely, the only mentions of inaccuracies being the details of the snaps and a seam down the middle of the back. It looks to me to have a larger collar, which would make it resemble the LC jacket more than others. Plays right into my hands....

3. Shirt & Pants. I won't detail the very accurate Noel Howard versions here, as they are just VERY expensive. I am going with the L.L. Bean substitutes mentioned on Indygear.com (cost about $60-$70 for both ?).

4. Shoes. Alden's (about $180) are the real thing, but I am just going to wear my Rockports--look close enough for "the look".

5. Web Belt. Cheap. Picked one up at Army Surplus for $4.

6. Gun Belt. By all accounts, Lee Kepler makes a good gunbelt with Raider's style attached whipholder for $50. Noel Howard makes some more expensive belts. I am just going to try to find a good matching belt in a department/army surplus store.

7. Holster. Lee Kepler makes a good Raiders holster for $70. The LC holster is a British Webley Mk.VI holster, a reproduction of which can be gotten at www.ima-usa.com for $30. This is what I am getting.

8. Satchel Bag. Accurate is a British MK.VII gas mask bag with leather strap. Only current source I know is Noel Howard, for about $40. I ordered this last week (along with $25 LC style whipholder), and shipping from UK to MS, USA is about $25. An alternative is the MK.VI gas mask bag, available from Sentimental Journey for about $15, without a leather strap.

9. Whip. David Morgan made the actual film whips, but cost starts at $500-$600, and takes a while to receive because they are hand made to order (I believe). Good substitute I may get if budget allows is a Mark Allen (about $300). Currently, I have an 8 ft American style whip that I got off ebay some time ago for $60. It looks close enough to Indy's whip for the casual observer. At the time I bought it, I was still denying my true self :)

So, there is my plan. Reason why it was cheapest was because I already had the Miller hat and the shoes. But, if you consider that for a good portion of Last Crusade Indy only goes around in 1) hat & suit, or 2) Just the hat, jacket, shirt, pants, webbelt (no cool accessories) and black tie; you can assemble an accurate Indy costume for very little cost (comparitively speaking).

And it's very practical too! Another reason I am going all out on this. I wear the hat to airshows, general outdoor activities, and rainy days. I need a new light jacket anyways this fall, so the Guide jacket fits my needs perfectly. I have been meaning to get the bag for some time now, as it would be perfect for hiking, camping, and airshows--to carry cameras, water, etc. Of course, shirt, pants, shoes will see other "normal" use. The only things I don't have a practical, day-to-day use for are the bullwhip (although I recently started to do this for fun) and the holster.

Sorry about the long message, but I just had to share my obsession with somebody. I still hide the bullwhip in the suitcase when I go home!

John Freudenthal


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