I'd have to look up what color Batman's eyes are, but I can describe his costume in detail whithout thinking about it. From my other thread there were a few people who spoke of "changing it up" costume-wise once in a while. So, here's the question.

How important is it to remain consistent in our costuming choices? My newbie opinion? Very important. Hidden by layers of gear, a mask, maybe even some padding, people may not be able to tell if you're young/old, white/black, or even male/female. But I bet people can recognize Patriot from a half-mile away.

What do you all think?

Gadgetastic!

what do you mean? wearing the same costume all the time?

Yes. To encourage recognizability.

Gadgetastic!

well, i think its important, but not vital. It depends on your goals. Some people dont care if they are recognized. But in general, I think its important if for no other reason than because it helps you establish a sense of identity.

Changing up your costume is a consideration that you should not take lightly. Aside from the recognition factor, there are practical reasons not to do so. The longer you spend in one uniform, the more comfortable you will become in it. You do your training in gear and you don't want to have to fight in gear you're not used to wearing, so my suggestion would be to start training in your new gear about 3 months before you actually wear it in the field. Also, make sure that your equipment is always located in the same place, and I wouldn't switch it around once you have the best tactical location for it. You need that stuff where you can quickly and reliably access it every time you need it. You don't want to have to retrain for new equipment positions; you want that to be unconscious.

I have a couple different versions of my costume that I wear at different times. However, I still do my best to design everything with similar elements so people can still recognize me, even if they've never seen that particular suit.

Eventually I will be using a tank top version that is similar to my long sleeve top so as to help with the recognizability. I feel that it is important that you stay constant. I guess that is why I stuck with the same look for two years. But I am working on a few new ideas that will all be similar but different at the same time.

for me it works the same way it does in comics. no matter what superman or batman wear, they always have their symbol on the chest.

i'll always be the guy with the big yellow shield on my chest.

If you're actually crime fighting and you're worrying more about your branding than your effectiveness as a crime fighter, you need to go find something else to do.

Jack Shadow: Bear in mind that one can be conscious of their appearance and of their work without one overshadowing the other.

Patriot. Yes, it was a complement.

Gadgetastic!

Jack Shadow,

I agree that fashion shouldn't be number one on the priorty list for an RLSH. But there is value in having a consistent and somewhat cinematic appearance when dealing with law enforcement and the public. After all, some guy in dark clothes walking around yelling at vandals is just, well, some guy in dark clothes walking around yelling at vandals.

Gadgetastic!

When it comes to gear, what I have taught my guys for a while is that you need to set it up and get it how it not only works, but is easy for you to use. In stressful situations, you want to be able to drawn whatever you need without fumbling or searching. if you change your gear, you should practice and practice and practice until the new stuff is in muscle memory. As far as recognizability, its been said, stick to your logo and your actions.

I'm trying to go for an iconic look and purely functional accesories, so consistency matters to me up to a point. If I find a better approach I'll adopt it permanently. For instance I got new (differently styled) gloves yesterday. The main reason was how the padding was placed, but they're black and red, which was a bonus.

Jack Shadow, a good image can be a "power" and can be used in positive ways to accomplish good things. It can translate into influence, authority, respect, a lot of things. Cops know that -- they worry about their image while simultaneously crimefighting. Are they concerned more about having shiny shoes than crime? I hope not. But they pay attention to those details, too.

If you're not going to worry about your image at all, then how are you a RLSH? Wouldn't you just be an eccentric guy?

I'm one of those form-follows-function types. If I have it on, it is going to be able to DO something. Adding and changing pieces will be the only constant. I'm developing gear for anything from that indistinguishable from regular dress to armored head to toe.

Most of the time police do not "fight crime." Police forces are, for the most part, reactionary. They do not have a "look" to maintain, they are a homogenized para-military organization. WHen you go out on patrol and are actually attempting to effect a difference on the criminal landscape, you better be thinking about tactics rather than "does my cape make me look fat?" I agree that presence is part of the pathway to power in a situation, but often, in my experience, scaring the living crap out of a criminal has an effect all its own.

Jack, "does my cape make me look fat?" etc is a strawman argument. Nobody here said anything like that. I don't think applying a fresh coat of spray paint to my helmet occasionally and wearing a specific red and black outfit precludes me from viewing tactics as important.

I personally am not trying to achieve anything through intimidation, although I wouldn't go so far as to say that's always the wrong approach. It's just not mine. Although I have accidentally scared a few drunks already by looking like some kind of 9-foot-tall alien invader robot thingie.

You're correct that cops are paramilitary and reactionary, except that they are also generally proactive in terms of things like presence patrols and community outreach. Also they absolutely do maintain a "look." They simply do it as an organization, rather than as individuals. The elements that allow you to distinguish a picture of a cop from a picture of a soldier are basically what that "look" consists of.