Mara Jade: Black Bodysuit

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Model DS 3168, Photo by Ken Tarleton
Description: Mara Jade: Black Bodysuit
Prefix: DS
Detachment: The Flagship Eclipse Detachment
Context: Star Wars: Heir to the Empire

Trained as the personal enforcer of Emperor Palpatine's will, Mara Jade was given the title and rank of Emperor's Hand. Haunted by her master's vision Mara must fulfill her destiny and kill Luke Skywalker.

This is a visual guide used for 501st costume approval, not a how-to for construction. Construction details are found at the costume's Detachment website. Measurements provided here are generalized, and not criteria for approval. All 501st costumes are proportionate to the wearer in terms of size, fit, and scale. During evaluation, both text and images (CRL and Reference) must be considered. When in doubt about a feature of a submitted costume, GMLs should post questions in the Legion forum's DL/GML peer review section.

Required Costume Components

The following costume components are present and appear as described below. For 501st membership only the requirements in black need to be met.

• The costumer's hair or wig may be strawberry-blonde or natural red in color.
• The hair may reach from the shoulders to mid-back in length.

• The cowl is a length of fabric that is sewn into a tube.
• It is worn draped over the shoulders, or pulled up to cover the costumer’s hair.
• The cowl can be made from off-white, tan, or black fabric. If the cowl is worn over the hair, then the goggles are worn wrapped around the top of the head to hold the cowl in place.

• The goggles are brown or black, and they may be aviator or motorcycle style goggles.
• Round goggles with dark or amber lenses are also acceptable.
• The goggles may be worn wrapped around the top of the head, over the eyes, or draped around the neck.

• The black, one-piece jumpsuit is made from a medium-sheen material.
• Four-way stretch material should be used to allow freedom of movement while keeping the jumpsuit form fitting.
• The jumpsuit is sleeveless, and the shoulder straps are at least 3 cm wide.
• The neckline is round and does not go below the collarbone.
• From 6 to 10 quilted horizontal panels run down the legs from the front of each thigh to the inner leg seam, extending from the hips to knees.
• A long diamond shaped piece of fabric is sewn on the front of the jumpsuit, connecting the thigh panels and the stomach of the jumpsuit.
• Two rows of piping run from each shoulder down the front of the jumpsuit, bordering the outer edges of the thigh panels down to the knees.
• Two additional rows of piping may run down the back of the jumpsuit if desired.
• The zipper is placed in the center back seam.
• An invisible zipper is preferred.

• The straps for the shoulder harness are made from brown leather that is approximately 3 or 4 cm wide.
• A round silver connector is located at the center back, and the shoulder straps may attach to the connector with a 3-point or 4-point design.
• Silver metal clasps typically made from web belt slider buckles are located on the front of the shoulder straps, just above the armpits.

• Gloves may be worn in the following combinations:
• Long black motorcycle style gloves are worn without a cape or cowl.
• Off-white wrist length gloves are worn with an off-white cowl.
• Tan wrist length gloves are worn with a tan cowl.
• Or, black wrist length gloves are worn with a black cowl or the cape.

• The belt is made from undecorated brown leather.
• The plain silver buckle is rectangular, and may have rounded edges.
• The buckle's clasp is hidden on the rear side of the buckle.
• A brown leather hanging belt strap drapes over the right hip.
• This strap is attached to the main belt under the front buckle and at the center back, and it is shaped to hang closely against the hip.

• The black knee pads and shin guards are made of a rigid material such as plastic or fiberglass.
• The knee pads are oval in shape.
• The shin guards extend from the knee to the ankle, with black padding worn underneath.
• The shin guards are worn over the boots and should be appropriately sized for the costumer.
• The shin and knee guards may be custom sculpted to match the designs used in the comics, or they may be based on the police style shin and knee pads used in the Decipher image of Mara.

• The knee high boots are black.
• They have conservative heels and no visible laces or buckles.

Optional Accessories

Items below are optional costume accessories. These items are not required for approval, but if present appear as described below. If adding in an accessory after initial approval, the item still needs to be submitted to local GML for approval before use.

• Green contact lenses.
• This style of contact lens may be worn, if desired.
• While encouraged to complete the look of this character, the contact lens requirement will be waived for 501st acceptance, if the applicant cannot wear contact lenses for health related reasons.
• All persons utilizing contact lenses are encouraged to first see their optometrist for a fitting.

• A light tan or chocolate brown hoodless cape may be worn instead of a cowl.
• The cape reaches to mid-thigh or mid-calf in length.
• Raw silk or a similar textured fabric is preferred.

• If a cape is worn, it is held in place with a clasp made from a pair of silver triangular pieces.
• Each side of the clasp has a triangular patterned area at the center edge.

• Narrow bands made of brown leather may be worn on the upper arms.

• Black fabric wrist wraps may be worn in place of gloves.
• The wraps have finished edges, and extend from the wrist to just below the elbows.

• A square-nosed holdout blaster may be carried in an undecorated brown leather holster that is worn on the back of the belt.

• A blaster may be carried on the right thigh in an undecorated brown leather thigh holster.
• Accepted weapons include the BlasTech DL-44 or the BlasTech DL-18.
• Alternatively, a BlasTech E-11 rifle may be carried in a large, brown leather holster on the left thigh.

• Acceptable hilts for a Mara Jade saber include Darth Vader's lightsaber, hilts designed to match images from the comics, or a hilt based on the lightsaber carried by Mara on the Decipher cards.
• The Luke Skywalker style hilt is not allowed.
• If bladed, the lightsaber blade may be red, purple, or magenta in color.