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[Cpt. Rhiis Mok'tau]

I have an idea for making a simple vest for those that are interested in having their vest be simple and easy. I.E., Lazy people who don't want to do things right. But what if I were to take a sleeveless Under Armor shirt and simply attach the torso plates to that? I believe it would be acceptable for a Femmando, as I've seen others become official with little more than a jumpsuit, and I think it would also be acceptable for certain 'light' mandos.
Thoughts?

[Dar'manda]

I.E., Lazy people who don't want to do things right.

Firstly, we should NEVER encourage people to be lazy and not do things the right way.  You should take much pride in your costume.  Not try to hurry through it spending as little as possible.

My main concern with using a sleeveless underarmor shirt is that it's a stretchy material and may not hold the plates in place snugly.  You'll get a lot of flexing around and the plates will look misaligned.  The same thing happens when people try to use t-shirts for vests.

[Voss626]

I love UA but I have a feeling that the material will not be sturdy enough to support plates. I think it's lightweight design will be a detriment. I've never tried it mind you, that's just my reaction.

There's also the issue that any UA gear tends to be alot smaller when it's off your body versus when you where it. You will have a heck of a time lining up your plates.

[Dar'manda]

Yes, that's the other thing I didn't think of.  When you wear it to line up the plates and mark where snaps or velcro will go, the points are going to shrink.  I think it's too thin to try and use snaps and velcro won't work because it will shrink when removed from your body, then trying to sew the velcro on and put it back on the stiches will keep it from stretching back out.

Underarmor vests:  HIGHLY opposed to trying to use them.  I would avoid it at all costs.

[Hondo Karr]

I do believe the CRL's deistinctly say "No" to that.

And, Tag is absolutly correct... don't cut corners. It will show in your app and you'll be denied. I promise. Although we have a couple of App Team members trying to show a cheap and easy build tutorial, this realistically is neither cheap or easy. It's going to take time, require talant (which you can and will learn throughout the build if you lack the experience when you begin) and money.

[Aysel]

dude Eco, love ya ner vode but this isn't a good idea for a bunch of reasons. You need a sturdy fabric so it'll hold it's shape with that added weight of the plates and stretchy materials just don't do it. I personally don't like the UA because it pills eventually (that's those little balls of fluff that get stuck to materials) and the lightest fabric I would use for something that's going to have weight added i.e. mando plates, would be a twill or maybe a cotton that's been reinforced. basically you want to look for a fabric that you can starch, like a cotton, and that can hold the weight of the plates. t-shirt materials are considered light weight jersey knits and you want to stay away from any kind of knit when your looking for fabrics that are stiff, it's the same with the UA fabrics, they are a type of knit which is why they are so stretchy (also the fabric blend but I'm not getting into that)

doing things on the cheap is one thing, cutting corners is a whole 'nother matter.

[Mar'eyce]

The best fabrics for vests are wovens(never knit or stretch types) that have some structure and firmness to them. A flak vest is supposed to be a snug fit, but like the others have said, stretchy stuff just isn't going to work.

I do believe the CRL's deistinctly say "No" to that.

And, Tag is absolutly correct... don't cut corners. It will show in your app and you'll be denied. I promise. Although we have a couple of App Team members trying to show a cheap and easy build tutorial, this realistically is neither cheap or easy. It's going to take time, require talant (which you can and will learn throughout the build if you lack the experience when you begin) and money.

It is usually more affordable to make things the "right" way instead of purchasing real-world items for costume use. The more you have on your kit that is made from scratch, the better. By making your own stuff that is closer in appearance to the costume items used on screen, in comics, etc., you will create a more Starwarsy appearance and save money.

A couple of yards of sturdy duckcloth and some time spent learning basic sewing skills costs a lot less than buying something storebought,  and you get not only a more true-to-universe look(and an approved app!), but also the pride that comes with making it yourself.