Hi everyone.
To start off, I'm a 25 year old law student in NYC studying for the bar with plans to go to Celebration afterwards. My girlfriend has a fantastic slave leia costume, so I decided I had to have something neat so I didn't look like a loser without a costume. So I decided to finally get some stormtrooper armor after years of considering it. This is probably the only time you will hear someone say "I didn't want to be a loser, so I bought some stormtrooper armor".
Specifically, I bought this: EBAY
Not too expensive and already assembled, two important things given I don't have a ton of cash and I won't have time to work on anything until July 29th. However, you'll note it doesn't come with a helmet.
I would like to join the 501st someday (possibly even EIB after I start generating income and can actually afford the hobby) but THIS doesn't have to be the 501st admissible set, I want it to look good. But if I can make it look good while also setting up an easy conversion to 501st acceptability, thats even better.
As I said though, there's a couple things: 1) No Helmet, 2) No Drop Boxes/detonator, 3) The Ribbed Straps on the armor set.
As I understand it, a Stormie needs the drop boxes and detonator (and also pure white armor). The sandtrooper needs cloth straps on the chestplate, not the ribbed ones.
So, do I:
A) get a helmet, weather it, and have a non-501st acceptable Sandtrooper costume and later just try to make a separate 501st suit (maybe I could re-use the helmet?)
get a helmet, paint over the weathering on the armor so the helmet and armor are both glossy white, and then someday get the drop boxes/detonator and the other things necessary to be 501st compliant
C) something else?
Also, what recommendations would you make as far as helmets go?
Sorry for so much text and so many questions. All of your help and input is greatly appreciated.
