Fett Braids - Can this be right?!?

[Braks Buddy]

I have been talking with NFT about getting SUPER ACCURATE braids amde for my Fett suit. I sent a ton of ref shots and received this response today.
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9/14/01

For your braids, we can supply braids 4 feet long in black, white, or 2/3 black, 1/3 white for $75 each. Thus, the cost for each set of 3 braids would be $225.00, fob our factory.

The finished braid would be 4 feet long, about 1-1/2 inches wide and 1 inch thick. We would not finish the ends other than to wrap string around the ends to hold them together. Production time would be about a week.
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Can this be correct?!? $225 for three braids? Is this there way of kindly saying "we don't want to do this"??? Now, don't get me wrong, I am willing to pay for quality but this seems very steep to me and from the letter it doesn't even sound like they have the colors right. The single long braid should be BLONDE not white.... Does anyone else have a source for these? I would like to use real hair if possible (weaved together of course) and would like to make this SUPER accurate as mentioned above. Here are the pics that I sent...

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1325744&a=13207013&p=54128513

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1325744&a=13207013&p=54128517

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1325744&a=13207013&p=54128519

[Dean O]

Sounds pretty steep to me too. Do they have the dimenisons right? 1 1/2" wide and 1" thick? That seems awfully big to me. I can see where they might think the braid is white int he MOM photos the flash kind of washed out the color.

Maybe you should just start growing your hair out REALLY, long braid it, cut it off, and dye/bleach it to the colors you need ;)

[Utinni619]

"Maybe you should just start growing your hair out REALLY, long braid it, cut it off, and dye/bleach it to the colors you need "


......Or just start yanking them right off those pesky Jedi Padawans at Conventions.....



Utinni

[Dean O]

Even better, that's much easier than trying to wrestle a wookie for it anyday.

Braks, you saw mine. Personally I'd love to have better braids. Mine look too fake once you get close to them plus they pick really bad and end of them looking a little fuzzy. I've heard that maybe steaming them will help but I doubt it. I hope you do find someone who is willing to do these for a reasonable price because I'd be interested in a set too.

[ruadh9978]

I don't know if any of you guys have a Michaels in your areas, but that's where I got mine. It's basically a big fabric/hobby kinda place, and there's one aisle full of doll supplies. I found braided hair, a little longer than needed, to make the Fett braids. Comes in blonde, reddish brown, and black. They look pretty good, you just undo the ends, fray them a big, and there ya go. I think it cost like $5 total...considerably better than the $200 or so.

[ytt1300]

looks like horse hair to me, do you have any stables near, maybe a gracious owner would trim some tail hair for you, and braiding is pretty easy, and all for WAY less money, just my two cents

[Hammerhead]

$225?

Cripe, that's a bargain. Scoop those bad boys up.

:p

[Dustin Crops Boy]

i tried braiding horse hair once - and let me tell you - it was HUGE pain... and the hair is so thick and stiff that it never quite looked right anyway...

i ended up going with the Michaels doll hair braids as well - they have the colors - and the braiding is right - it's just that they're all the same thickness - so that's the downside.

[Braks Buddy]

I have a Michael's about 5 miles from my house so I'll check it out this weekend. Any ideas on REAL hair? I'd love to do it out of that!!!

[Dustin Crops Boy]

ideas.. hmmm.... wig shop, costume shop, thrift store, Great Clips, run around town with scissors and a fist full of money, horse stables, etc.....

[MaulWalker]

You can buy hair extensions at a beauty supply store and they come in more colors than the doll hair from Michaels. They are usually made of the same fibers that are used in wigs. You may be able to find human hair extensions at a good wig shop.

You can see extensions at work in Dustin Crops Boy's banner pic. Did you think that braid over the top of her head was Princess Leia's (Brandi's) real hair? ;)

[Slave1]

I went all out and used real human hair on mine. It was a little expensive, but not nearly so as the price you were quoted. Of course you do have to do the work of braiding yourself, and that's quite a job (or at least it was for me).