Mal's braces / suspenders

POSTED BY: Masaq
UPDATED: Wednesday, August 5, 2009 16:38
VIEWED: 24284
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MASAQ

Monday, January 22, 2007 1:12 AM

Hey all, discovered Firefly only a short while ago but I'm hooked; was so frustrated when I'd finished watching all 14 episodes and Serenity!

I'm desperately trying to find some braces / suspenders similar to Mal's (as seen in the Firefly rather than Serenity).

I've searched via google for several hours and not come up with any that even come close to matching those seen on-screen.

What I'm looking for are:

Brown, canvas or cotton webbing, non-elasticated, Y-shape suspenders with button-on tabs not clips.

It's gorram difficult to find any that aren't elasticated, and all that aren't elasticated appear to be leather or nylon military-style webbing.

If anyone's sourced such a set of braces/suspenders in compiling a Firefly-esque outfit, or would be able to make such a set, please could they let me know?

Many thanks!

DOCTROID

Monday, January 22, 2007 4:05 AM

They're interesting. Narrower in front than in back and over the shoulders for one thing. Also, the Y-shaped ones I've seen have had two strips coming over the shoulders and connected in the middle of the back to a third strip that goes to the waist in back, but that's not what Mal's are like. In his the two strips are connected by a sort of panel in back at the shoulder blades, and they both continue to the waist where they connect to each other and to the part that buttons down -- in fact it's really a single strip, not two, buttoned to the waistband at both ends (front right and left) and in the middle (back center). More like V-shaped than X- or Y-shaped. You get a fairly decent view (though kind of dimly lit) of the narrowing of the strips in front in the first moments of the "Out of Gas" teaser, and of the configuration of the back at the start of the first act. I've never seen suspenders like these that I can recall.

DOCTROID

Monday, January 22, 2007 4:09 AM

Actually here's a pair that are not totally dissimilar -- at least in so far as they're the "V shape" (though in many other respects they're different). http://www.wephaus.com/proddetail.asp?prod=113652

NCBROWNCOAT

Monday, January 22, 2007 5:03 AM

I think the suspenders are WWI or WWII Army officer's suspenders. You may be able to find some in a really good surplus store, theatrical supply store or Tristan may know where to get some. I've seen his Mal costume and it looks pretty accurate.

OUT2THEBLACK

Monday, January 22, 2007 9:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Masaq:

I'm desperately trying to find some braces / suspenders similar to Mal's (as seen in the Firefly rather than Serenity).

What I'm looking for are:

Brown, canvas or cotton webbing, non-elasticated, Y-shape suspenders with button-on tabs not clips.

It's gorram difficult to find any that aren't elasticated, and all that aren't elasticated appear to be leather or nylon military-style webbing.

If anyone's sourced such a set of braces/suspenders in compiling a Firefly-esque outfit, or would be able to make such a set, please could they let me know?

The originals were based on a military-spec item , slightly modified . It's not a WW2 piece of kit ; it's much more recent .

I've got a source for the base item ; although it's not inexpensive , it'll get you most of the way...

If you have a dropzone in your area , you can probably find a friendly parachute rigger to finish the modifications that you'll require .

Or if you know someone else with an industrial sewing machine...

I'm going to post a picture momentarily...

Send me a private message and I'll put you on the right trail...

<

>

As a bonus , you'll get a couple of extraneous ammo pouches that'll help with a Jayne costume...

TRISTAN

Tuesday, January 23, 2007 5:56 PM

Masaq, first off, welcome home!

I had the same problem you did with the suspenders. They are very similar to quite a few that are out there. I finally gave up and scratch-built some from canvas that I dyed. Even made the little brass thingies that go in the front. They are not all that hard to do if you have some sewing skills.
I have photos I can post if you'd like, but I don't want to bog down your thread. Let me know, or contact me at tristan71@cableone.net as I'd be happy to help!

______________________________________
Commanding Officer of the 76th Independent Battalion.

Sign up now! http://fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=11&t=25704
More Information: http://76thbattalion.homestead.com/index.html

MASAQ

Wednesday, January 24, 2007 10:44 PM

Thanks all for your input! I also had the cheek to email Shawna Trpcic herself on the matter; she stated the webbed ones were definately from WWII army surplus. For Mal, they got them at a western costume company in LA (slightly out of my neck of the woods, what with me being a Brit an' all!) but she recommended trying surplus stores etc.

I'm in the middle of a week off so I spent some time in a varity of local surplus stores and didn't have any luck- only modern harness sets with H-backs rather than a V or Y style back.

Checked t'internet again and struck lucky after another couple of hours searching- found this store:

http://www.riverjunction.com/catalog/mensfurn/suspenders2.html

that has canvas suspenders in a X-back config that look pretty similar to Mal's. They also do them in a variety of colours, so I've ordered a pair in brown. They're not identical to Mal's (they don't flare out over the shoulders to further spread the load) but they're similar enough to keep me happy.

After all- the UK doesn't have a massive browncoat scene and on those occasions I decide to wear a Mal-esque outfit I'm sure no-one will realise, let alone slap me down for inaccurate suspenders!

On a final note, River Junction also have canvas frontier-style trousers/pants for about $20 less than Mah Wakers usually retail for, so anyone else who's thinking of dressing Mal-ish, you might want to check them out for those, too.

Thanks for the warm welcome!

JUGGLINGGEESE

Saturday, February 10, 2007 5:59 AM

i'm also new here (first post, hello!) and working on a mal costume for the new york comiccon in two weeks. i figured the suspenders were some sort of military-western hybrid, and it's neat to see that i was right. i found a military backpack with similar straps that i may use combined with a pair of actual button suspenders. for such a simple costume as mal's, its nuances are difficult to get right.

good. bad. i'm the guy with the gun.

OUT2THEBLACK

Saturday, February 10, 2007 9:48 PM

Well then , WELCOME ABOARD !

I've PM'ed some more info about the source for suspenders...

Hope that this turns out well and gets you a screen-accurate costume ! If the links come through broken , send me an email address and we'll try again .

Please post well and often . Also , introduce yourself in the latest ruttin'-new-guy thread !

Folk will make you all manner of welcome . Take care , di-di !

MOONITEMAN

Saturday, March 8, 2008 9:26 PM

Anybody got a link to where I can get my self those Israeli suspender things?

Shiny

Moony

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