What would you change about Indy's costume?

schwammy · Post by **schwammy** » Mon Apr 28, 2003 4:49 pm

I wasn't sure under which heading to post this, and it may have been posted before. But since so little of what was originally on COW remains today, let's ask it again.

Suppose you were given the job of costume designer for a new Indiana Jones film. Or imagine you were the original costume designer for Raiders. Is there anything about Indy's costume you would change?

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Mon Apr 28, 2003 8:18 pm

I would probably return the bag strap back to the original "ROLA" style INSTEAD of the black strap n' buckle (as used in ToD and LC).

I (hopefully) would also like to see Indy do more "archaelogical" practices as used in ROLA. To me, in ROLA, Indy was an Archaologist + an adventurer. In the last 2 movies, Indy just seemed to be soley an adventurer...not so much a professional archaeologist....but thats just my opinion, lol.

Later!
Captain D

Indiana Texas-girl · Post by **Indiana Texas-girl** » Mon Apr 28, 2003 9:12 pm

I would give Indy a black jacket, pink Safari shirt, Red pants and white Aldens. Oh and a yellow Dick Tracy fedora.

I think watching Mr. Personality and all those guys with the multi-colored masks is having an effect on my perception.

Magnum · Post by **Magnum** » Mon Apr 28, 2003 9:43 pm

We can turn this into "Indiana Vice" if you add a pair of Ray-Ban wrap sunglasses and a Ferrari, ITG. LOL. I'm kidding of course.

Indiana Jess · Post by **Indiana Jess** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 1:18 am

If Indy really was supposed to be the ladies man Lucas had invisioned then don't you think that instead of the tux in TOD, he'd have been wearing a leisure suit.

Renderking Fisk · Post by **Renderking Fisk** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 8:31 am

I guess the only changes I can think of would be to change everything back to what it all was in Raiders.

IndianaCollins · Post by **IndianaCollins** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 8:43 am

i'd replace the whip on the whipholder with a roll of duct tape. one of man's few needs.

Post by **Mike** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 8:59 am

I'd have him wear blue pants with a red pin stripe, white shirt, black vest with a low slung holster and a gun that shoots lasers.

... oh wait a minute...

Mike

Bushman · Post by **Bushman** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 9:33 am

Change the hat to a standard Akubra from the period. Drop the dimensional cut. At least a three inch brim. Maybe three and one quarter inch. Bound edge.

The Bushman

would fit the bill (in Deep Fawn, not Nullabor Tan).

Bushman

Peacock's Eye · Post by **Peacock's Eye** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 10:22 am

I like the idea of a roll of duct tape, it's the handyman's secret weapon.

Harry Steele · Post by **Harry Steele** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 12:20 pm

Make everything historically accurate --

or change the shoes so I can afford them!

Cheers,

Harry

Rundquist · Post by **Rundquist** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 12:43 pm

I hope that Lee Keppler sees this. He's got a cool list of what Indy would be if he had outfitted him. A few of the things that I can remember would be the gun and bag. He would have given Indy a nickel-plated gun to help keep it from rusting in the jungles (which his gun would undoubtedly do). He'd get rid of the "under jacket" bag strap, which also makes no sense. I hope that he posts. Cheers

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 1:40 pm

Good point on the chrome plated gun...only problem is the inside working parts rust just the same. I witnessed this in the armory of the Florida Highway Patrol. They were issued Colt Troopers with nickel plating, and the plating pitted something awful due to the humidity of South Florida, and the springs took a terrible beating due to the same problem. It would help the appearance, but in the long run it doesn't help where it's really needed....inside the barrel or the interior working parts. Ah well. Ya do what cha gotta do. Interesting enough, they finally ditched the chrome revolvers (a 50 year tradition at the time, as the FHP was officially formed in 1937 or so!) for blued Beretta 92's, so the rust consideration was set aside more for function. Hummm. Regards. Michaelson

Rundquist · Post by **Rundquist** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 2:14 pm

You can't win for losing. Good points. I guess Indy's doomed to a rusty gun.

Cheers

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 2:18 pm

Now ya know why he carries the trusty whip!

Regards. Michaelson

Renderking Fisk · Post by **Renderking Fisk** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 5:12 pm

Bushman wrote:Change the hat to a standard Akubra from the period. Drop the dimensional cut. At least a three inch brim. Maybe three and one quarter inch. Bound edge.

The Bushman would fit the bill (in Deep Fawn, not Nullabor Tan).

Bushman

Now... you're talking! I'm more of an Akubra Federation guy myself... for reasons already well known...

Rundquist wrote:He would have given Indy a nickel-plated gun to help keep it from rusting in the jungles

I've never been a fan of shiny guns. Nothing screams: "Here I am" like a reflective object.

Rundquist · Post by **Rundquist** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 5:44 pm

Renderking Fisk wrote:
Rundquist wrote:He would have given Indy a nickel-plated gun to help keep it from rusting in the jungles
I've never been a fan of shiny guns. Nothing screams: "Here I am" like a reflective object.

Aesthetics aside, his gun was in a flapped holster most of the time. The only time it was out was when he was in a close quarters gun battle, at which point the gun’s shininess hardly mattered. I've grown accustomed to a blued Smith myself, but this is all theoretical anyway.

Cheers

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 5:54 pm

Also, the appearance of a shiny gun screams 'hey, I'm here, and I'm a BIG shiny gun' which seems to stop most conflicts before the big shiny gun has to be used. The psychological effect seems to be one of the main reasons it was used for law enforcement as well in the past. Regards. Michaelson

schwammy · Post by **schwammy** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 5:57 pm

Well, I thought this thread might spark some conversation, and I'm glad to see that it has. Here's my answer to my own question: I would revert to the Raiders look (especially the hat) with a few minor exceptions. I would give him a whiter shirt, I would remove the black disc from the back of his bag, I MIGHT cuff his pants, and I would not distress his boots quite so severely (in some scenes they're so beat-up, they look like suede). And I'd try to make sure he was always as unshaven as he was in Raiders. Somehow he never looked quite right to me in Last Crusade, and I finally figured out it was because he hardly had any stubble. That and the necktie, of course. And the cowhide jacket. And the bigass Webley holster. And the black bag strap. And the... oh, never mind.

Indiana · Post by **Indiana** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 7:45 pm

If it was me I'd have him have a shoulder holster an M1 Garand bayonet (Since some of his stuff wasnt from the time period, what the heck!) A military utility belt with a canteen on it. Then the rest of the gear less the hip holster.
Regards,
Indiana

Rundquist · Post by **Rundquist** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 8:15 pm

Michaelson wrote:Also, the appearance of a shiny gun screams 'hey, I'm here, and I'm a BIG shiny gun' which seems to stop most conflicts before the big shiny gun has to be used. The psychological effect seems to be one of the main reasons it was used for law enforcement as well in the past. Regards. Michaelson

Good point!

schwammy wrote: And I'd try to make sure he was always as unshaven as he was in Raiders. Somehow he never looked quite right to me in Last Crusade, and I finally figured out it was because he hardly had any stubble.

I always thought that the clean shaven look in LC was do to Harrison’s beard possibly coming in salt and pepper. There are a couple scenes aboard the Zeppelin where you can see a little silver in his hair. MK pointed out that the new wardrobe lady might have wanted to distinguish her “Indiana Jones” look. Since they are going to show Indy’s age in the next one, it won’t make a difference if his beard comes in gray. Cheers

Doctor_Jones · Post by **Doctor_Jones** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 8:26 pm

A beard would be nice, yes, just like in the mysteries of the Blues!
So, that's were MK got his look from!

Tennessee Harper · Post by **Tennessee Harper** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 8:47 pm

I like the shoulder holster idea. It would fit well under the jacket, methinks.

Other than that, maybe a pink bowtie with blue polka dots?

schwammy · Post by **schwammy** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 9:43 pm

Rundquist wrote:He'd get rid of the "under jacket" bag strap, which also makes no sense.

Why is that?

Rundquist · Post by **Rundquist** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 1:21 pm

schwammy wrote:
Rundquist wrote:He'd get rid of the "under jacket" bag strap, which also makes no sense.
Why is that?

Have you ever tried to use and wear your bag in the movie configuration? You have to take your bloody jacket off everytime you want to take the bag off or put it on on. It's a real pain. Another good trick is trying to drive a car with a full bag on your left side pushed up against the door. I always felt like a turkey taking off my jacket and then my bag and then putting the jacket back on just to get into my car. The costum people just thought that it looked cooler on the inside of the jacket. I've talked to other fans that feel the same way. But you know what they say, "It's better to look good than to feel good".

Cheers

Post by **Mike** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 1:26 pm

Rundquist wrote:But you know what they say, "It's better to look good than to feel good". Cheers

They also say "Darling, jyou loook Mahvalous!"

I've always felt that it was a cooler look than a practical application of use myself.

Mike

Gater · Post by **Gater** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 2:42 pm

Would the leather strap not wear down the lambskin jacket in the shoulder/collar area were it on the outside, though? I know someone remarked recently that a sealtbelt was rubbing and wearing down a lamb jacket, so the strap, under the constant moving from running/jumping/falling/dragged under trucks would be worse, would it not? Not to mention more opportunity for it to get snagged on things...like tank side-guns. If Indy had the strap on the outside, though, he could have got tangled up in a tree fleeing the Hovitos. THEN where'd he be??

The strap on the inside just seems more practical in some ways. And looks 'cleaner'.

That's just my opinion, and you're entitled to it.

Post by **Mike** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 2:50 pm

Good points. For "adventure" wear, I can see how it'd be more important for it not to snag.

Mike

Rabittooth · Post by **Rabittooth** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 3:35 pm

YEAH BABY!!!!

-Rabittooth

Rundquist · Post by **Rundquist** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 4:11 pm

Indiana Gater wrote:Would the leather strap not wear down the lambskin jacket in the shoulder/collar area were it on the outside, though? I know someone remarked recently that a sealtbelt was rubbing and wearing down a lamb jacket, so the strap, under the constant moving from running/jumping/falling/dragged under trucks would be worse, would it not? Not to mention more opportunity for it to get snagged on things...like tank side-guns. If Indy had the strap on the outside, though, he could have got tangled up in a tree fleeing the Hovitos. THEN where'd he be??

The strap on the inside just seems more practical in some ways. And looks 'cleaner'.

That's just my opinion, and you're entitled to it.

Mike wrote:Good points. For "adventure" wear, I can see how it'd be more important for it not to snag.

Mike

Theoretically, if he’d gotten snagged like in LC he’d have been able to get out of it with the bag on the outside. I just don’t see having the bag on the outside being of much consequence, beyond looks. It just makes more sense. Also, Indy in real life definitely wouldn’t be wearing lambskin that’s for sure. I guess the question was “What would we like to see Indy wear in the movie?” not “what would a real Indiana Jones have used?”. Cheers

Kentucky Blues · Post by **Kentucky Blues** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 4:32 pm

Well, if you're going to take the bag off, why do you put it on in the first place? I don't really have any problems, because I wear mine on the right side, and I can just put it in my lap if I need too. So for me, Indy's bag would stay on the inside of the jacket

Rundquist · Post by **Rundquist** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 5:35 pm

Dakota Brown wrote:Well, if you're going to take the bag off, why do you put it on in the first place? I don't really have any problems, because I wear mine on the right side, and I can just put it in my lap if I need too. So for me, Indy's bag would stay on the inside of the jacket

If memory serves, in all the scenes where Indy is sitting down relaxing (Iman's house, the Zeppelin), he's not wearing the bag. It's really uncomfortable wearing the bag underneath a jacket and sitting down. I'm just talking practicality here, that's all. Cheers

Band Director Jones · Post by **Band Director Jones** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 5:55 pm

I wear the bag every Monday through Friday as it holds all of my music supplies when I go from school to school (I teach at three different campuses). I began wearing the bag under my jacket but quickly realized that this was more work than it was worth - take the jacket off, take the bag off, put the jacket back on, and then reverse the process when leaving. I now just put the bag on the out side and I'm done with it. When I plan to leave the bag on for a while, like band trips and football games, I put it under the jacket. If you plan to use the bag for everyday use, as I do, wear it on the outside; it's much more convenient.

schwammy · Post by **schwammy** » Thu May 01, 2003 1:02 am

Oh yeah - I'd also replace the shiny roller buckle on the web belt with the square black anodized buckles we had in the Air Force. I just like 'em better. They don't slip, they're not as obtrusive, and they have fewer moving parts.

Indiana Joe · Post by **Indiana Joe** » Sun Jul 27, 2003 12:48 am

Michaelson wrote:Now ya know why he carries the trusty whip! Regards. Michaelson

schwammy wrote:Well, I thought this thread might spark some conversation, and I'm glad to see that it has. Here's my answer to my own question: I would revert to the Raiders look (especially the hat) with a few minor exceptions. I would give him a whiter shirt, I would remove the black disc from the back of his bag, I MIGHT cuff his pants, and I would not distress his boots quite so severely (in some scenes they're so beat-up, they look like suede). And I'd try to make sure he was always as unshaven as he was in Raiders. Somehow he never looked quite right to me in Last Crusade, and I finally figured out it was because he hardly had any stubble. That and the necktie, of course. And the cowhide jacket. And the bigass Webley holster. And the black bag strap. And the... oh, never mind.

I've been away for a couple months. Reading through a lot of threads, this one was really interesting to me. I believe Mr. Fisk sums it well....

Renderking Fisk wrote:I guess the only changes I can think of would be to change everything back to what it all was in Raiders.

I.J.

Indiana Texas-girl · Post by **Indiana Texas-girl** » Sun Jul 27, 2003 1:27 am

Indiana Joe, Welcome back! Where you been? Check out the DragonCon thread in the Events section.

jock123 · Post by **jock123** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 11:55 am

ITG suggested:

Oh and a yellow Dick Tracy fedora

LOL! I think that answers the question what says you’re here more than a big shiny gun - a big yellow hat!! As for the rest of the outfit - do you work for ColorMe Beautiful...?

In re: the strap under the jacket, I recall someone posting concept paintings of Indy in scenes from Raiders, before the movie was made. I thought at the time that in those he looked more like he had been designed wearing a Sam Browne type belt, with a pouch fastened to it. Could that perhaps have evolved into the satchel under the jacket? Just a thought...

Jock123

Lindiana · Post by **Lindiana** » Sat Aug 02, 2003 9:13 pm

I'd change him to a female, give her a long ponytail with sunglasses, change the MKVII bag to a backpak, khaki shorts, a tight blue-green shirt, lace up knee high boots, and two impossibly huge guns and two 9mm hand guns as well. What?... they already have?... Oh ####.........nevermind.
Lindiana

Indycraze71 · Post by **Indycraze71** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 3:19 am

Hmmmmm...good question . I don't think I would change him too much, being that we all seem to love Indiana the way he is. I would definately go back to a more "Raiders" styling, hat, jacket, etc. I would probably get rid of his satchel (bag), unless he was doing some archeology and needed his tools. Seems to me that is what the bag is for...to carry his archeology equipment. I think the bag would be in the way if Dr. Jones was called to action. I like the idea of the shoulder holster with a .45 semi-auto in it, maybe a couple of mag clips on his belt that might make Indy more modern in the next adventure. Also I think he should have a timepiece of some sort, I would prefer him to have a tough leather banded watch as opposed to a pocketwatch. Those are just some immediate thoughts on the subject. Otherwise if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Brett

sab04 · Post by **sab04** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 11:37 am

Oh no, not the bag. Imagine if indy had to carry the sankara stones out of the temple. He'd have to put one in each pocket and carry the third in his hand making it very hard to fight the big thuggee guy. also in raiders in the bar scene he had a browning HP and extra ammo in there.
oh ya, the raiders look all the way
-scott

Indycraze71 · Post by **Indycraze71** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 3:03 pm

You brought up a good point, Scott. I realized there would be some issues that would come up if he didn't carry his bag all the time. Like where does he put the Sankara stones? However if you watch Raiders of the Lost Ark closely you'll notice the the whole time Indy is in Nepal and Marion's bar including his battle with Toht and his henchmen he never has his bag on him, must of left it in the car or something. Thus my thought that it is not a necessary piece of his equipment that Indy would need to carry all the time.

Indiana Texas-girl · Post by **Indiana Texas-girl** » Mon Aug 04, 2003 9:29 am

Indycraze71 wrote: However if you watch Raiders of the Lost Ark closely you'll notice the the whole time Indy is in Nepal and Marion's bar including his battle with Toht and his henchmen he never has his bag on him, must of left it in the car or something.

Or in his hotel room.

Michigan Smith · Post by **Michigan Smith** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 11:27 pm

I'd have him wear blue pants with a red pin stripe, white shirt, black vest with a low slung holster and a gun that shoots lasers.

Personally, I prefer the brown pants with yellow stripes and black/dark blue long sleeve jacket of ESB. With an electric whip, and a furry 7' tall Sallah, we're good to go!

conceited_ape · Post by **conceited_ape** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 12:11 pm

I wouldn't change a thing. He wouldn't be Indy if he was different.

rick5150 · Post by **rick5150** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 12:25 pm

What would I change about Indy's costume?

The cost, so everyday people like us can more readily afford the gear. Some of it is obscene! I am not saying I will not buy it, though

conceited_ape · Post by **conceited_ape** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 9:40 pm

OK. Got me there.

zeus36 · Post by **zeus36** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 11:21 pm

For desert and jungle adventuring, Indy should have a good leather vest, like the one Sean Connery wore
in "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" in addition
to his Raiders jacket, of course. Plus, a vest looks
very cool with the pants and shirt.

Mulceber · Post by **Mulceber** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 11:40 pm

I like the idea of the shoulder holster, though I'd want to be sure it was similar to the one Rick O'Connell wears. I would also bring it back to a Raiders style as was mentioned before. The other thing is the gloves. Why don't the appear in any movie except Raiders, I mean their extremely useful pieces of gear, so why'd they 86 'em for TOD and LC? Lastly, I'd give him a pair of brownings to use in fire-fights.

also in raiders in the bar scene he had a browning HP and extra ammo in there.

As much as I agree that the bag is very useful, for the Raven bar sequence, I believe everyone pretty much agrees that the Browning was in the cargo pocket of the Wested. :junior: -IJ

Jack Flanders · Post by **Jack Flanders** » Sun Aug 29, 2004 12:13 am

More cowbell

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sun Aug 29, 2004 12:21 am

Rundquist wrote:Have you ever tried to use and wear your bag in the movie configuration? You have to take your bloody jacket off everytime you want to take the bag off or put it on on. It's a real pain. Another good trick is trying to drive a car with a full bag on your left side pushed up against the door.

In the first instance, why would you want to keep taking the bag on and off? If we're going to talk Indy here, he'd be adventuring for long periods at a time without the need to take the bag off. He's more likely to lose the jacket from time to time, rather than the bag. See: Raiders. As for us, if we were in a situation which, for some unknown reason, involved taking the bag on and off, why wear the bag in the first place?

In the second instance, as the bag can be worn on either side, is this really such a big deal? For those of us who drive on the left hand side of the road, we wouldn't have the problem of the bag being jammed against the door for starters. And, if we did, and we were determined to wear the bag in a vehicle, we'd just switch sides.