Romeo's Knight Costume (Baz Lurhmann version)

S

Sprezzatura

New Member
Hello, Noob here, first post. I've searched the forum with the attempt of not duplicating posts (sorry if one already exists on the subject); however, couldn't find one...


I'm trying to create the costume Leonardo Dicaprio wore as Romeo when he attended the Capulet costume party in the 1996 Baz Luhrmann version of Romeo + Juliet film. He wears a distinctive knight's costume, pictures attached.


What I need assistance with is the unique shoulder pad armor. I was hoping to get some suggestions, links to a DIY etc. (any help is greatly appreciated) on how to fabricate them so resemble the real thing.


As for the chainmail, I found some chainmail shirts on eBay at around $100, is there anywhere else I could get them for cheaper? I’m going to check out a few costume rental places around town, to see if I could possibly just rent the chainmail shirt by itself.


Again, any assistance is greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.


-Sprezzatura
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Wow, those screenshots bring back a lot of memories. I saw it when I was young and hadn't yet read the story.. and just found the ending gut wrenching.

Anyway, for the pauldrons, foam is probably the way to go. There are tons of tutorials on foam armor on the site, or you could check out a tutorial like this one: Craft Foam Armor Tutorial

For the shirt, if you aren't going for true accuracy and are willing to sew/knit, you could look into a metallic sequin fabric or a shiny silver spandex. Here are some links I found, although you should check out the vendors if you decided to go this route to decide if you want to order from them.

This one from spandex house for $12/yd (The Meta-103-Silver style). Though I would definitely order a swatch of this first. You might just look like a silver creature from the black lagoon wearing it: Metallic Spandex

Or there is also this fabric that looks like the following, but for $47/yd(or package?) you may as well buy the shirt. Fashionable Novelty Spandex >> Metal Mesh - Newyork Spandex

There's also something like this, which is knit on what looks like a very large needle using round silver shiny cord, in reverse stockinette: Ravelry: meander's chainmail
 
I think you'd have a hard time finding a chainmaille shirt much cheaper than what you've already found. (Unless you wanted to make it yourself, which would be a bit cheaper, but take a lot longer.)

As for the armor, this site should provide you with most of the patterns, whether you decided to make them out of steel or foam, or anything in between:
Armour Archive Pattern Index

The shoulder armor piece is called a pauldron, which evolved from the simpler spaulders. Just fyi.
 
Another way of faking mail (the proper name for "chainmail") is to do the old Stargate method where they take a sweater and paint it grey with a dry brushing/dusting of silver.
 
I've heard of people getting cheap maille shirts from others over on TheRingLord and Mail Artisans International League forums, and the general consensus has been that you get what you pay for. Usually, but not always, the shirts have had rings that were not all closed properly, and they may shed rings and leave holes in your maille, plus they are more likely to tear up your gambeson (or whatever clothing you wore under the maille). Then again, it may just be someone that made their own shirt, needs money to buy more wire (mailling IS an addiction), and is selling off a shirt cheap.
 
how did it go? do you have any pictures to show us? I would love to see some because Im trying to make something similar.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top