Greg Starbuck’s Remarkable Experience as a Historical Headwear Hobbyist
By: Emily Mook | Photos By: Ashlee Glen
If you know—or at least know of—Greg Starbuck, you likely already know that he wears many hats. If you don’t, however, he would simply like for you to know that he makes them. Starbuck has been creating authentically reproduced 19th century headwear, specifically Civil War kepis, for more than 40 years, and his experience doing so is like something out of a Hollywood movie—or, as it were, something in multiple Hollywood movies.
Starbuck’s early interest in American history paired with his early exposure to sewing made him ideally tailored for his eventual—and highly fruitful—hobby as a kepi creator.
“I grew up with a mother who was into quilting, so I grew up surrounded by sewing machines and fabric,” he remarked. “It was not an unfamiliar domain for me.”
Starbuck made his first cap at the tender age of 13, but the hobby really took hold during his time working at a historic Civil War site in Georgia in the 1980s.
“A big part of our programming involved people dressing up in uniforms,” he recalled. “Back in those days, you couldn’t just go online and order historical gear, so some of my colleagues and I would get together and sew things ourselves.”
Starbuck soon realized that he had a particular affinity for creating kepis.
“As time went on, I gravitated toward Civil War headgear because the pieces are distinctive and attractive—and small!” he said. “Making the headgear also entails working with fabric and leather, and I like working in both of those disciplines.”
According to Starbuck, the kepi is “ubiquitously associated with the Civil War,” but it actually originated in France. America adopted its style for the Civil War, and many other countries—including Japan, Mexico, and Germany—also adopted its style in the 19th century. With its easily identifiable shape and style, the kepi is undoubtedly an iconic historical artefact.
Starbuck’s ability to honor the kepi’s rich history while innovating and improving his creative process makes him a master in his field.
“The techniques, materials, and equipment I use have all evolved over time,” he said.
“Even though I’ve been doing this for more than 40 years, I’m still always learning.
It’s fun to discover new things. I may have done something a certain way for 20 years and then learn a new approach that’s easier and also produces better results. I’ve gotten more economical and streamlined over the years.
It’s natural to evolve and improve when you do the same thing for this long!”
Of course, innovation sometimes entails an enhanced aptitude for authentically replicating techniques of the past, as is the case with the fabrics Starbuck uses for his kepis.
“In the early days, I would just go to the fabric store and buy fabric, but now there are a lot of places that specialize in producing fabrics exactly the way they were produced in the 19th century,” he remarked. “They will weave the fabrics on looms and dye the fabrics with vegetable dyes rather than modern dyes.
The materials now are much more exciting to work with because they replicate what was used back then so well.”
From start to finish, Starbuck’s kepi-creating process runs like a well-oiled machine.
“I keep a pile of fabric and leather on hand,” he stated. “When I need to make something, I simply pick the right pattern out—I have 30 to 40 patterns—trace it, cut it out, assemble the basic framework by machine, and then hand-sew the rest. I then hand-sew the leather components like the visor and sweatband. I also have a supply of buttons on hand because each cap has a button on either side. I’ve literally accumulated thousands of buttons over the years! There’s also some ironing involved.”
As luck would have it, Starbuck took on another hobby in and beyond the 1980s that would ultimately help catapult his kepi-making hobby to A-list Hollywood heights: acting as a TV and film background extra.
“The 1990s and 2000s were a sort of golden age of historical movies, and I got to work on several of them as a background extra,” he recalled. “They [movie crews] typically use the same 40 people and just dress them up differently for different scenes. Being an extra got me slightly into the Hollywood network.”
Among the films Starbuck has appeared in are Ironclads, The Broken Chain, Tecumseh: The Last Warrior, Forces of Nature, The General’s Daughter, The Hunley, and the hugely successful and acclaimed The Patriot. He can be seen playing a squeezebox in a bar scene in The Hunley and playing a fife in the Charleston British headquarters scene in The Patriot.
Starbuck’s first major motion picture costuming experience was as a props assistant on Gettysburg in 1993. He cites his first big costuming break as 2003’s Gods and Generals, saying that “the costume designer for that film was a history friend of mine, and he called me to see if I could create the headwear.” He designed and produced more than 80 pieces of principle headwear for all lead actors in the film including Stephen Lang, Jeff Daniels, C. Thomas Howell, and Bruce Boxleitner.
2003 proved to be a banner year for Starbuck; his next project was the blockbuster smash Cold Mountain. He both designed and handcrafted Civil War headgear for Jude Law and other actors and served as an advisor to the costume department.
Since 2003, Starbuck has worked on over a dozen film and TV projects, most notably 2012’s multi-Oscar winning, Steven Spielberg-helmed Lincoln.
“I did four caps for Spielberg’s Lincoln,” noted Starbuck. “They said they needed one of the caps by a certain date, but then they contacted me and said they needed it sooner for rehearsals in Baltimore because Spielberg wanted everyone to rehearse in full costume. I told them that even if I finished it that day and shipped it the following day, it wouldn’t make it in time, but they said, ‘No problem; we’ll send someone to pick it up.’ So, someone came and picked it up and drove it to Baltimore.”
Regardless of the size, scale, and commercial success of—and personalities involved in—Starbuck’s many projects, he says that every experience has been his favorite.
“The energy, enthusiasm, and adrenaline rush on a movie set is unparalleled,” he remarked. “Each project is different, and those differences keep things fun and interesting!”
Similarly, whether Starbuck is making a kepi for a major celebrity, a museum exhibit, a living history or reenactment event, or a noncelebrity history enthusiast, he approaches each project with curiosity, enthusiasm, and a profound regard for both the client and the craft.
“I think the most rewarding thing is seeing someone really happy with what I’ve made for them,” he stated. “It’s great to see someone in their 60s acting like a kid at Christmas! It’s also great to see what you’ve made up on screen on a famous A-lister.
Of course, it’s not just about producing something—the process is also a form of relaxation therapy for me. It’s something I truly enjoy doing.”
No matter what his next move—or movie—may be, Starbuck tips his hat to the legacy he has built thus far.
“If I stopped tomorrow,” he said, “all of my dreams would have been realized.”
Phelps, born in Germany, raised in the United States, and well-traveled, has experienced a wide range of what this life has to offer. He is acquainted with both great joy and heavy grief, and seeks to represent these experiences in his art. Phelps’ family deemed him “the artist” amongst their bunch when he was young, and he has been painting impressive pieces for decades.