Uniform vs. Uniformity

It is important to understand the difference between a uniform, and uniformity of dress. Though we call it a 'military dress uniform' what we are really thinking of is uniformity of military dress. It's a subtle but important distinction, especially in reference to cosplay. A uniform is simply the manner of dress worn by people of a similar organization. It can be said that both the member of the 501st in full gear and a person in jedi regalia are both, despite their marked differences in appearance, wearing a 'Star Wars Fan' uniform. The way they look attaches themselves to a particular organization or culture. Uniformity on the other hand references multiple things (or people) being identical or unvarying, such as in appearance. AR 670-1, the US Army's book on uniform and appearance, is 350 someodd pages long. Three and a half hundred pages on how to wear, what's authorized to wear, when it's authorized to wear, etc.

From both a sociological and a logistical point of view I cannot believe that the rigid uniformity of military dress as we understand it from our modern military (and, by extension, the Alliance Forces) was present in the Independent Army. According to the Firefly Wikia the Independent minded border and rim planets could barely cooperate on anything except ensuring the delivery of the mail. They were independent planets with independent governments focused on the problems of their own populace. The desire to not come under the Alliance's heel was the only unifying force that created anything akin to a cohesive military force. The nature of the planets what independent, as the name inplies, so too could it be assumed that the individual units were likewise fairly autonomous, with Colonels and Generals appointed from within instead of from above for the sole purpose of performing the logistical and stragegic functions necessary when fighting a war that spans multiple solar systems.

So when cosplaying an Independent Soldier it is counterproductive to get hung up on the details in a way that one would when putting together a Stormtrooper or Purplebelly costume. Though attention to detail is important, and we'll be discussing some seemingly petty or minute details in the futue, the spirit of the uniform is far more important than the specific number of buttonholes on the shirt. I doubt there was a central issue facility giving out 'GI Independents' socks. The uniform exists in the same capacity as heraldry did in medieval times, to mitigate friendly fire and instil a sense of belonging to a cause. As we research in greater detail the individual pieces of the uniform we must keep that ever in my mind for fear of losing the forest for the trees.

How does this apply to us as cosplayers? Well, mostly it boils down to finance. If it didn't cost so much in time, expertise, or money the number of cosplays out there that look excellent would be exponentially higher. The beauty of the Independents is that you don't need a specific narrow list of accepted or 'authorized' purchase items to look good. You can look just right, and be accepted by the greater Browncoat community, by bringing together what you have or can afford. When you have an army of ranch hands and rim worlders how can you expect pressed and perfect uniforms? Browncoats should look motley, the Independents shouldn't strive for strict uniformity. Though there are some universals, every Independent soldier on screen looks a little bit different, looks unique, looks like a free man standing with other free men to fight for what's right. It would be an injustice to ruin that by encouraging excessive uniformity.