Oh, that's great. I'm gonna die without my hat!
September 22, 2012 8:37 PM Subscribe
Tell me about Stanley Tweedle's hat.
I've recently been watching the old sci fi series "Lexx" on Netflix, and I thought a Stanley Tweedle costume would be a relatively easy and fun one to put together. For Halloween, or for conventions, or whatever the geeky situation.
A good-enough jumpsuit should be easy to locate, but the hat really is the pièce de résistance of the ensemble.
There is surprisingly little about Stanley's hat that I can find with googling, except a reference to the fact that Brian Downey (the actor who played him) used to sell official Stanley hats many years ago.
Is there a name for this style of hat?
Where might I buy a hat that could pass for Tweedle's? Or is it something that really needs to be custom made?
A google image search for Stanley Tweedle will give plenty of visual references, for those not familiar with the character.
I've recently been watching the old sci fi series "Lexx" on Netflix, and I thought a Stanley Tweedle costume would be a relatively easy and fun one to put together. For Halloween, or for conventions, or whatever the geeky situation.
A good-enough jumpsuit should be easy to locate, but the hat really is the pièce de résistance of the ensemble.
There is surprisingly little about Stanley's hat that I can find with googling, except a reference to the fact that Brian Downey (the actor who played him) used to sell official Stanley hats many years ago.
Is there a name for this style of hat?
Where might I buy a hat that could pass for Tweedle's? Or is it something that really needs to be custom made?
A google image search for Stanley Tweedle will give plenty of visual references, for those not familiar with the character.
Response by poster: I wouldn't call it a fez at all. There's no tassle, for one thing.
Reading up on fezzes on wikipedia now, though, maybe it's closer to a songkok, but that's not quite it either.
posted by jozxyqk at 9:01 PM on September 22, 2012
Reading up on fezzes on wikipedia now, though, maybe it's closer to a songkok, but that's not quite it either.
posted by jozxyqk at 9:01 PM on September 22, 2012
It looks like a scrub hat that doctors and nurses might use. You can get them with a variety of closures and I can't find a shot of the back of the hat anywhere.
I imagine someone on Etsy could knock you up something similar in no time and you could get the 4 embroidered on the front easily enough.
posted by wwax at 9:03 PM on September 22, 2012
I imagine someone on Etsy could knock you up something similar in no time and you could get the 4 embroidered on the front easily enough.
posted by wwax at 9:03 PM on September 22, 2012
Best answer: Pillbox?
Found this by image searching "soft red pillbox".
posted by Mizu at 9:04 PM on September 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Found this by image searching "soft red pillbox".
posted by Mizu at 9:04 PM on September 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
A quick search shows this Etsy store seems to specialise in the hats but there are heaps more on the the Etsy site if that's not what you are looking for.
There are probably patterns online too if you are vaguely crafty.
posted by wwax at 9:06 PM on September 22, 2012
There are probably patterns online too if you are vaguely crafty.
posted by wwax at 9:06 PM on September 22, 2012
I can't find a picture of what it looks like in the back, but a surgical cap might also fit the bill.
posted by rhizome at 9:39 PM on September 22, 2012
posted by rhizome at 9:39 PM on September 22, 2012
Mizu's link has it. Box chef's hat, or pillbox chef's hat.
posted by SLC Mom at 9:46 PM on September 22, 2012
posted by SLC Mom at 9:46 PM on September 22, 2012
It's a Bellboy cap.
posted by HFSH at 4:17 AM on September 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by HFSH at 4:17 AM on September 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Pillbox does seem to be the closest match; a google search for "Stanley Tweedle pillbox" finds at least one person who described his hat that way.
That red one would be perfect, if I knew how to get the silver trim around the bottom (and the 4 onto the front, although I already knew that one was probably going to require some extra effort)
The Etsy store that does custom scrub hats might be a close second, if that seller would be willing to do these customizations.
Keep answers coming though, if you have any more thoughts or direct info...
posted by jozxyqk at 4:49 AM on September 23, 2012
That red one would be perfect, if I knew how to get the silver trim around the bottom (and the 4 onto the front, although I already knew that one was probably going to require some extra effort)
The Etsy store that does custom scrub hats might be a close second, if that seller would be willing to do these customizations.
Keep answers coming though, if you have any more thoughts or direct info...
posted by jozxyqk at 4:49 AM on September 23, 2012
Best answer: For the silver strip, the relevant term is "bias tape" which is just a thin strip of hemmed fabric/some other material. You can get "fusible" bias tape, which means it has stuff on one side that lets you attach it to other things by way of an iron and damp heat, but I would suggest that you go with plain, and sew it on. If you can't find bias tape in the correct color, buy it in white and get grey fabric paint. Paint the bias tape (be sure to catch the thin edge!) before attaching it to the hat. It definitely looks more grey than silver in the images I see, and silver paint is going to be very metallic. You might be able to get away with ribbon of the right hue, but ribbon's going to fray more, and bias tape has a neat crease down the center to help you get it all straight on the edge of something.
posted by Mizu at 2:10 PM on September 23, 2012
posted by Mizu at 2:10 PM on September 23, 2012
Response by poster: If I get around to making the costume (or having someone help me make it, more likely), I promise to followup with pictures.
posted by jozxyqk at 10:58 AM on September 24, 2012
posted by jozxyqk at 10:58 AM on September 24, 2012
Response by poster: If anyone's still reading, how about suggestions on the coveralls/jumpsuit and belt? :) Most of the coveralls I can find have the diagonal-zipper pockets on the front, which would probably work just fine -- especially with people who would recognize the character but didn't just finish watching the show.
But something with regular breast pockets (or none) to add the grey trim to would be awesome if it could be pulled off.
My OCD is kicking in and I'm also kind of worried about the color of the hat and jumpsuit not precisely matching.. but I'll get over that, if I actually make the effort of (getting help with) constructing the costume.
It is the recognition that counts.
posted by jozxyqk at 6:47 AM on September 28, 2012
But something with regular breast pockets (or none) to add the grey trim to would be awesome if it could be pulled off.
My OCD is kicking in and I'm also kind of worried about the color of the hat and jumpsuit not precisely matching.. but I'll get over that, if I actually make the effort of (getting help with) constructing the costume.
It is the recognition that counts.
posted by jozxyqk at 6:47 AM on September 28, 2012
Yeah, I can't find any maroon coveralls besides those Dickies ones with the zipper pockets. Dickies makes a short-sleeve plain coverall in maroon, but that's about it. I would email workwear sites (or go to retail stores in your city) and ask them if they know of any brands that make a long-sleeved plain maroon coverall.
posted by rhizome at 9:29 AM on September 28, 2012
posted by rhizome at 9:29 AM on September 28, 2012
It sounds like you need to recruit a real cosplayer tailor and have them make you a costume from scratch. It honestly doesn't seem like a very hard costume to make, if you get a good pattern for the coveralls, but that's the only way you're going to be able to get the fabric of the coveralls and hat to match, and the grey stripes on everything to be the same. There are lots of cosplayers who are absolutely happy to make a costume for someone else, as long as they get paid! If you are accustomed to rolling in the nerdy crowd, and attending conventions, you surely know someone who knows someone. Figure out a local convention and ask around on that con's forum, and if the con has any cosplay activities the chances are extremely high that you will be able to email someone on staff who is involved in your local cosplay community and can hook you up. Just be sure to specify that you want a rewearable, quality costume, that you are paying for all materials and labor, and that you have reference images at the ready. Someone will snap at the chance for a paying costume job. You might even inspire a group to make the other Lexx characters, and you can go to cons together! Then you'll definitely get recognized. It just really seems to me like this is the way to go for you. A lot of people slap together costumes and go "good enough!" but if you care, and you are willing and able to pay for it, then the satisfaction of supporting a local craftsperson and the result of a really good costume totally outweighs the "I made it myself!" factor.
posted by Mizu at 11:08 AM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Mizu at 11:08 AM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I don't even know why I am harping on this costume; back in the days when I was able to easily go to multiple cons per year (and Lexx itself was more timely, even), I never cared one bit about costuming.
And, as I said, it doesn't really work for Halloween except amongst some very specific crowds.
Now it's just more about the principle of the thing.
But I think Mizu is right; I can either half-ass it out of stuff I can easily find, or I can talk to someone to actually make the whole thing from scratch.
Again, I will followup if-and-when I have a finished getup :)
posted by jozxyqk at 11:36 AM on September 28, 2012
And, as I said, it doesn't really work for Halloween except amongst some very specific crowds.
Now it's just more about the principle of the thing.
But I think Mizu is right; I can either half-ass it out of stuff I can easily find, or I can talk to someone to actually make the whole thing from scratch.
Again, I will followup if-and-when I have a finished getup :)
posted by jozxyqk at 11:36 AM on September 28, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by c'mon sea legs at 8:45 PM on September 22, 2012