Writers Prompt Thursday: Cosplay Dress Up

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A little known fact about me is I was once was an active member of an Official Star Trek Club. 
It was around the spring of 1988. My husband and I were living in Eglin Air Force Base Housing at the time and we saw listed in the personal ads in the Base newspaper that someone was seeking people interested in participating in a Star Trek Club.
So, we were immediately interested and called the provided phone number. Turned out it was a couple right there in Base Housing. who only lived a few streets away from us, named Chris & Tammy. We promptly met them and soon we and a few others became regular Club attendees.

To become an "Official Chapter of Starfleet," we first had to choose a name for our club, which was considered our "ship," then we registered formally with whoever managed the Trek Club regional chapters in Florida at that time. It had to be a unique name not being used by any other club. 
Then we members in order to become "official crew members," had to all attend "Starfleet Academy," which was a little booklet with reading material and a few simple questions to answer. Then the answer paperwork was mailed to the regional entity for approval. Once approved, your membership was confirmed.
The head of the Club was called the, "Captain," and we could choose our own ranks and designations, even create our own fictional personas. That was half the fun.

Now---because I could sew, I wanted to have a uniform, so I obtained a mail-order fan made pattern for the classic Original Series shirt style pictured above and elastic-waist pants. Since I chose to be a Starfleet Lieutenant in the Command area, I sewed a gold shirt of a knit material, applied the standard black collar and put a single row of gold rick-rack on the sleeve for that rank. It had a velcro opening on the shoulder. Plus I made the black pants and wore them bloused with short black boots.
That was a proud moment in fantasy dress-up for me.
 (I don't think the word cosplay had come into popular use as yet.)

You might wonder what a Star Trek Club does? Of course, talking about the various Trek series and movies was a shared interest, but it was also about doing things together.
A local bookstore invited our Club to help promote the then new release of Star Trek V, so we got into costume and provided Trek themed refreshments including a "Klingon Gagh," punch steamy with dry ice!
We'd go out to eat at restaurants in costume, too. That drew some looks! One guy in the club enjoying going up to people and asking them if they knew where to find, "nuclear wessels."

There are modern Storm Trooper Clubs & Pirate Clubs nowadays that are basically the same thing: people with a love for costuming who share a common interest and like doing things together. And lots of Star Trek & Klingon Clubs as well.
Anyway, that is one of my favorite costume moments.
And, no, I cannot remember the name of our Ship.


Comments

John Holton said…
Sounds like great fun! I'm not a Star Trek person, but I know a lot who are and I say, hey, go for it. Wonder how many who are Star Trek fans will join the US Space Force?
Apr 26, 2024, 5:58:00 AM

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