What else is in Indy's closet?

**JockThePilot** · 05-18-2016, 03:37 AM

First of all, I want to introduce myself. I've been going as JockThePilot over at CoW since 2003 but I thought I'd diversify my Indy Gear networks and join up here as well. I've been enjoying creeping around for the past week or so.

Anyhoo, I thought I'd make my first post a question that I think about a lot: What else is in Indy's closet?

I don't subscribe to the "Indy bought 500 shirts, 500 pairs of pants, etc." theory, and I like to think that, had Raiders taken place on a different day, we might have seen different gear. (I guess it's a real coincidence that he's wearing basically the same thing in each movie... what are the odds that they all take place in the same part of the laundry cycle? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KrN9OBhpyQ)

What I DO subscribe to is the theory that people have personal "uniforms", that we tend to gravitate towards similar looks. For example, Indy apparently has the same hat in brown and grey. (For more on personal uniforms: http://putthison.com/post/5625563619...de-by-archival)

So, what else do you think Indy would have hanging up?

I'll start by saying I think he'd have some kind of blue, double pocketed "work shirt". Something like this one sported by Bogart in Treasure of the Sierra Madre:

I just realised I'm not sure how I know that shirt is blue, given that the picture is black & white. Weird. (And yes, I know this is cheating a little since Bogart in this role has been cited as an inspiration for Indy.)

I'm specifically interested in examples pulled from photos or movies from the era.

Disclaimers: Sorry for the long post. Sorry if I've broken any forum rules - I'm new here!

**neutronbomb** · 05-18-2016, 04:39 PM

I think it depends on whether we're discussing Indy as the fictional movie character only or the "what if Indy were actually real". I would agree with you for the most part in the "what if Indy were actually real" hypothesis. Because as you said, real people tend to have similar tastes in their wardrobe and tend to not want to wear the exact same outfit everyday. But, I've tried taking one outfit when I travel to other countries to go light without any luggage and though it's not Indy's outfit, it works out. Most people pack too much shit when they travel anyway.

But, my take on Indy the fictional movie character is that he has put together an adventure wardrobe that he likes that meets his specific needs for anything, anywhere, anytime. For instance, Debra the costume designer has said she imagined the character living out of the jacket. I think for Indy the fictional character i.e. Indy across the 4 film movies where we see him with basically the exact same outfit just the items purchased at different times as needed where the latest model is a bit different than the last one, that by the time he has reached the TOD timeline in his life he has the one outfit that he wears on all his adventures for it's functionality for everything he needs or wants for his adventure gear and that he can basically just live out of that one adventure outfit.

So what happens when he ruins a shirt or pants (TOD) or loses a jacket (ROTLA bantu wind) or hat (

what?? no way) or needs to replace his shoes, is that he goes to the same place(s) he purchased those items from when his adventures over or he orders them and replenishes an item or two. As with many clothing items, as time goes on the manufacturer changes things a bit. Pattern, cut, material, etc. So they look a bit different. Some of his gear like the belt, bag strap, etc. is left over army gear or repurposed army gear. He likes those items, they work for him, so he picks those items up when he needs them wherever he finds army surplus items. So, those items will also wind up slightly different despite being essentially the same. Different color, different model like the bag, etc.

The thing is in this respect I think this is the outfit that is ready to go that he has put together when he is leaving on a adventure which is where we see him basically in the films. He gets his outfit and jumps on a plane or whatever and off he goes to save the special thingy for a museum. When he's all done with the adventure and traveling he gets all the replacement items he likes and wants and gets it ready for the next time and stores it in his wardrobe closet. While on the adventures I would expect that if he needs to replace a shirt or pants or shoes or whatever the item is he would replace it with whatever is handy and thus his outfit would change. We just don't get to really see that happen with what the films show.

So I don't know if he would actually have different gear that would give him different outfits on a different day. But with replacing items on the go, he would end up with different outfits while traveling. I mean if you need pants, you need pants. Whatever's handy.

Speaking of closets. Indy's fictional closet shows some different outfits or wardrobe pieces, but to me it looks like they are his everyday/professor wardrobe. The Indy adventure outfit he takes out of the closet and throws in his suitcase in ROTLA looks like, in this fictional world, one outfit..ready to go.

**JockThePilot** · 05-18-2016, 08:12 PM

I wholeheartedly agree with you. I definitely think there are reasons Indy would have the same/very similar items every time he goes on an adventure. But I guess another way of posing the question is: imagine if he didn't always wear the same thing, what else would be in his closet?

Let's pretend that his hat and leather jacket are constants, since those are things you can wear day in day out, what would be in his "extended" adventure wardrobe. I guess it's just a fun excuse to do the thought experiment of putting yourself in Deborah Nadoolman's shoes (or the shoes of someone dressing Indy for a sequel) and getting to research and decide on what he should wear.

Because at the end of the day, I don't want to wear the same exact thing every time I go out for a hike.

**Photoss** · 05-18-2016, 08:29 PM

I always imagined Indy on archeological digs wearing something like Rick O'Connell from The Mummy. Here's a pic from Indy's KOTCS closet, but doesn't show much at all.

**JockThePilot** · 05-19-2016, 12:04 AM

Whoa I love that closet shot! Is it from the actual set of KOTCS?

Rick O'Connell gets mentioned a lot as "Indy like", but I can't picture Indy in any of those clothes. Well, maybe tan pants/white shirt

but not the knee high boots or the scarves.

I think Indy would dress more like this guy:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BEBQ1cQT...rican_workwear

Rick looks a bit too "aristocratic".

**The Character** · 05-19-2016, 10:39 AM

I think you learn by experience ... As an adventurer he's likely to be in places such as Tibet, Peru, the Amazon Basin, Alaska etc .... He'd need gear he knew was good in the cold but also good in the heat ... I'm sure thats why he chose the Ribby Merino Lambskin jacket and Woollen trousers ... its best in ALL locations!

.. I thank you! ... Either way you don't want gear thats too heavy or takes ages to dry etc. Being in the army(s) in the past he's likely to have known as they do, what kit is breathable and comfortable to wear but can take the riggers of scrambling through all conditions and then brush off at the end ... Idont think his wardrobe is fashion inspired at all .. i think its genuinely practical ...