One of my favorite movies of all time is Top Gun. The film was released in 1986, and featured Tom Cruise as Maverick, a hot shot naval pilot who doesn't follow the rules and feels the need for speed and is only happy when he's going mach 2 with his hair on fire. Maverick, played by a young Tom Cruise, (who is undoubtedly a heartthrob) and his copilot Goose are sent to Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School where Maverick falls in love with one of his instructors Charlotte Blackwood played by Kerry McGillis. Maverick fights to be the best and is rejected by the other pilots and instructors because of his attitude. I love the movie for a couple of reasons.
Mainly I love the planes flown by the pilots in Top Gun training, the planes were the F-14 tomcat which have a interesting history. The F-14 was introduced September 22, 1974 and was produced from 1969 to 1991. During this time over 712 planes were built by the navy. My dad enlisted in 1985 and served as a petty officer in Pax River Maryland, as a jet mechanic working on the F-14s. In 2006, the F-14 was retired by the US Navy and has since been used by the Iranian Navy. I have seen the planes myself when I toured the USS Midway in San Diego CA, an incredible experience.
For Halloween, I dressed as Maverick sporting a bomber jacket and aviators. My jacket and tee shirt as both my dads. The tee shirt was from Grumman, the company that built the F-14. I wore regular skinny jeans with my tee tucked in and converse sneakers. My jacket is my dads bomber jacket, the patches all of things he went to or experienced during his service.
Here's how to recreate my look;
Step 1. A bomber jacket. My jacket is the official Navy issue, its real leather and is super heavy. While I was very warm on Halloween, spending hundreds of dollars on a hunk of leather isn't a super worth it. Try to find a vegan option instead, by checking out thrift stores or your local Forever 21.
Step 2. Patriotic tee. While Maverick spends the majority of the movie in a basic white tee, something that says Navy might solidify your character. Buy a traditional NAVY shirt, that is grey or white. Look at thrift shops for old patriotic shirts. You can also check out Amazon to get a cute tee with the Top Gun logo.
Step 3. Throw on your favorite jeans and chucks. The jeans can be any color, cut or style. Just be comfortable, because where I live Halloween is very chilly, so the more comfortable you are the better. Your chucks are a necessity, they bring an air of old-school into your outfit and are by far the best sneaker.
Final step. Accessorize! Grab some mirrored aviators and pick a friend to be your Goose.
Have a great Halloween and don't forget to buzz the tower on your way out!
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