LeMaxim

As with most of the things we do we do it in response to or for our audience. As most onlookers, even the more versed ones, haven't studied the finer details of the Galactic Empire's salute tradition I usually just go with a normal modern-day-not-totalitarian-army-salute. That's a reference/gesture most people understand without receiving a lesson in military traditions or obscure Star Wars references.
Kids usually get all happy when they are saluted by a trooper. Especially if they salute and get a salute back. It's all about making the kids have a good time and give them something to remember.
As for the third reich salute.
That is based on the Roman salute.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_salute
The Roman Empire is base for many of our empire-terminology and traditions.
It's not a coincidence that the White House is situated on Capitol Hill and that there's a Senate in the U.S.
Those references to the Roman Empire are, however, not as tainted as the Roman Salute.
This got a bit long-winded.
The main point I'm trying to make here is to do what elicits the right response from the audience. For me that's, generally, the "normal" salute for kids and head nod / bow for grown-ups.

Ha, ha!
As a TK the most off someone said was clone, but I've seen many a TIE pilot being referred to as Darth Vader *facepalm*

Painfull to see. 

If it's not seen you can have whatever you like. 
 
Just think about how you will use it. We sometimes use the hats to collect donations it we don't have enough collection buckets for that. 
In such a scenario a Hello Kitty fabric might seem... odd.

Okay, these are version 2.0, redone and much better fitting. Basically took them apart and made a much longer top piece with the same process of bending a wire hanger and painting it black. I took a closer look at ESB set photos and decided the head pads were definitely leather-like, and very rectangular, not tapered. So this time I cut 2 pieces of vinyl and glued them together instead of wonky looking felt:
 

 
Then I used a glover's needle and hand stitched the sides of the pad for a realistic look and to disguise the vinyl
 

 
Much happier with how these look and feel! Save yourself grief folks, measure with the hat on! Here is a closeup in one of my submission pics:

Lastly, cut a thin strip of foam for a mic tip, add a small bead of hot glue, and wrap around boom. Be careful not to burn yourself like I did.

 
I used shoe goo to glue the felt pieces around my headset wire. Let dry and voila! Here is your completed headset! I left the clamp on the end of my wire to have a way to keep it in my jumpsuit pocket, I glued the wire end into the hole at the bottom of earpiece

 
Here are some selfies, better pics to come!

 

 

 
Hope this tutorial helps you to build your own! Good luck and have fun!

This has been common knowledge for a long time. Just another oversight in the CRL that we need to fix

I only salute children in costume, it's something they can relate to and it always makes them smile. Other than that I nod to fellow troopers, or slightly bow to Lord Vader.

I'm optimistic that it all will be just fine.