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Padmé Amidala's wardrobe was a vast collection of personal and state clothing owned by Padmé Amidala, who maintained the collection throughout her tenures as Queen and Senator of Naboo. The purposes of the garments and accessories varied, including royal attire for official functions that had protective features, disguises such as handmaiden uniforms for when her life was threatened, everyday outfits suitable for when she was not working, and personal belongings like the japor snippet necklace given to her by her husband, Anakin Skywalker, shortly after they first met.
The wardrobe held many items that conveyed the culture of the Naboo people. Alongside those Amidala inherited from previous queens were new designs and historic reproductions with alterations for comfort and safety, tasks overseen by handmaidens like Eirtaé, Yané, and Dormé. Some items in the wardrobe were worn by Sabé and Cordé as decoys.
Due to Amidala's frequent travels, her wardrobe was not limited to a single location. While serving as queen, it was split between a wardrobe system at Theed Royal Palace and storage in the Naboo Royal Starship. As a senator, she had a large closet in her apartment on Coruscant. Sometime after her death, Amidala's wardrobe was inherited by her daughter, Leia Organa, who found through them a connection to the birth mother she had never known.
Description[]
Overview[]
Padmé Amidala was a Naboo human female who served as Queen[1] for two terms and later Senator of her homeworld, the planet Naboo[8] until her death.[10] She maintained a large wardrobe of elegant, ornate, and occasionally elaborate disguises, dresses, and robes[1] throughout her life with the assistance of her handmaidens.[3] On occasions Amidala's body double and handmaiden Sabé wore items from Amidala's wardrobe when impersonating Amidala.[1]
Several of Amidala's outfits and petticoats were made of Karlini silk, which resisted blaster bolts[3] and helped the wearer to avoid sweat stains when worn as a bottom layer. It was also relatively light and wearable.[2] Many items in Amidala's wardrobe were decorated with the Symbol of the Royal House of Naboo,[11] also known as the Queen's crest.[3] Her wardrobe was adjusted again during her pregnancy, in order to keep it a secret, with more loose flowing gowns. After her death, her body was dressed in a blue funeral gown[10] that evoked the water she had loved in life.[3]
Royal attire[]
- Eirtama Ballory: "Is this an original or a replica of a historical piece? It must be super uncomfortable."
- Padmé Amidala: "It is. An original and uncomfortable, I mean."
- Eirtama Ballory: "I can design one that looks exactly the same and weighs half as much. No one will know the difference except for us."
- Suyan Higin: "Let me see that. Oh, yes, we can improve this. I think it was made before Karlini silk was imported in bulk, and there's no reason we can't duplicate it in a more wearable style. This one can go in a museum or something."
- ―The handmaidens soon to be known as Eirtaé and Yané discuss their new queen's wardrobe[2]
Queen Amidala wore traditional, stylized royal makeup that included a red scar of remembrance, a stripe painted on the lower lip to symbolize the suffering endured by the Naboo before the Great Time of Peace.[11] Her face and fingernails were painted white,[1] though at times only her thumbnails were painted. The Queen's hairstyles, which were said to take several hours to perfect,[11] were headpieces with wigs that matched Padmé's natural hair color. Her real hair was tightly-braided, pinned down, and gelled; the gel held the headpieces in place and prevented them from itching.[2] While the Queen's hairstyles were being created, her handmaiden Rabé would provide counsel.[11] Queen Amidala's makeup helped to mask her features and her headpieces distracted from her face; these made it easier for Sabé, the Queen's decoy, to serve as the Queen while Padmé stepped into the role of a handmaiden.[3]
Two of Amidala's handmaidens, Eirtaé and Yané, had significant roles in establishing the Queen's wardrobe after her election. Yané was a talented weaver and Eirtaé was an engineer. Working together, they designed new garments and headpieces and replicated historic items to make them lighter in weight than they seemed to be while still having an elaborate appearance.[2] They incorporated additional considerations for safety and security, such as fabrics treated with blaster-resistant resin and jewelry containing concealed recording devices or personal shields. The heaviest dresses served as a physical barrier surrounding the Queen, but were also designed to be quickly removed when free movement and speed were needed.[3] Many of the decorative elements of Amidala's royal garments came from the treasure rooms of Theed Royal Palace, such as gold beads and suspensa ornaments—strings of suspended beads.[11]
- Summit dress.[12] The dress was worn by Amidala early into her reign during the Chommell sector summit she hosted for the leaders of the Chommell sector. Amidala was covered from wrists to ankles with the dress which was purple and the underdress was completely covered by stiff velvet, except for at the collar, where soft lavender curled around the neck. The dress was embroidered so heavily that it weighed itself down, instead of using tricks around the hem to make sure everything stayed in place. The outfit was paired with a deep green sash. The headpiece Amidala wore was unusually simple, consisting of a wig that had been styled with coiled braids in a crown, each highlighted by purple and green gems. A silver comb had been tucked into the back of the braid crown, and a purple veil hung down behind her head. The style was a little severe, which was reflected in Amidala's stoic expression.[2]
- Throne room gown.[13] Queen Padmé Amidala's throne room attire was one of her most lavish and impressive. Her headdress included gold face frames on either side and the Jewel of Zenda on her forehead.[11] The red silk gown had gold embroidered motifs[13] with a potolli-fur trim; the fur was shed by the creatures. The wide skirt was decorated with self-illuminating sein jewels.[11] Amidala was wearing it to say farewell to dignitaries leaving her summit when the Trade Federation begin their planetary invasion. After Yané revised it for wearability,[2] Amidala wore it again when she contacted Viceroy Nute Gunray and discussed the invasion with the Naboo Royal Advisory Council.[1]
- Black traveling gown.[12] Sabé wore a traveling gown[13] from Amidala's wardrobe while posing as the Queen during the escape from Theed. An ornate and voluminous black dress, it was woven with enough Karlini silk to protect the wearer and anyone standing behind her from blaster bolts.[3] The skirt featured large gold embroideries of the Queen's crest.[1]
- Lilac visitation outfit.[13] Queen Amidala wore an outfit with a Shiraya fan headdress[11] and garments made of silk with elaborate embroidery[13] when she visited Senator Palpatine's apartment on Coruscant.[1]
- Senate gown.[11] As Queen Amidala addressed the Galactic Senate,[1] she wore a magnificent gown and hairstyle, expressing her people's culture through regal trappings that also helped her remain calm and aloof through the proceedings. Her escoffiate headpiece included the Royal Sovereign of Naboo medal in the center, orichalc finework suspensas on either side of her face, golden hairbands, and grand finial hair tip ornaments at the ends of hair[11] which was styled to resemble the horns of a guarlara.[13] The orange-shot gold silk taffeta robe[13] had embroidered rosette designs and gold, triple-braided soutache trim.[11] For the hearing, she added a cloak with tall, wide shoulders.[1]
- Foreign residence gown.[13] After addressing the Senate, Amidala changed clothes.[1] Made with metallic thread and beads, the black gown was designed to acknowledge Amidala's sadness of being away from Naboo. Her hair was styled with an intricate fore knot draped over her forehead and decorative suspensas draped over each shoulder. The floor-length cyrene silk gown conveyed a sense of effortless movement and had decorative emblems made with antique beads.[11]
- Dark purple traveling dress.[2] Another of Amidala's traveling gowns, the somber outfit[13] recognized her people's flight from Naboo.[11] It was made with dark purple velvet pieces that were fastened on and folded back to reveal colorful flashes of the purple silk underdress.[2] The outer sleeves were made of cerlin.[11] Her headdress combined an antique tiara, a mauve hair veil made of chersilk, and criss-crossed drapa bindings.[13] She wore it as she returned to retake her homeworld from Trade Federation, and again at the funeral of Qui-Gon Jinn.[1]
- Jubilation dress.[14] For the victory parade celebrating the liberation of Naboo,[1] Amidala wore a traditional outfit that past queens had favored during times of great happiness.[11] It consisted of a white dress,[14] which was decorated with the symbol of the Royal House of Naboo;[11] an ivory organa net extending behind the head and shoulders, decorated with hand-stitched floral patterns[13] and jeweled finials around the edges; a royal diadem; and a petaled cape[11] made with layers of pale pink and yellow veils. Along with times of rejoicing, the dress could be worn for first meetings to demonstrate an expectation of success.[14]
- Red, black, and gold gown.[12] When Jar Jar Binks asked Amidala to seek a Gungan relic with him, she wore a gown with a headdress that had fin-like decorations.[15]
Disguises[]
- Flame-colored robes.[13] Padmé disguised herself amongst her identically-dressed handmaidens during the Trade Federation invasion while her decoy, Sabé, posed as Queen Amidala.[1] As the flame-colored outer robe was not easily cleaned, it was worn over an under-robe made of orange Karlini silk.[2]
- Peasant dress disguise.[13] Again posing as one of her own handmaidens, Padmé disguised herself as a peasant during the visit to Mos Espa on Tatooine,[1] earning the outfit the name of Tatooine Disguise.[16] The outfit was selected because it was the simplest in her traveling wardrobe, but her braided hair was worn down because the hairstyle was incomplete.[2]
- Starfighter uniform disguise.[13] Senator Amidala disguised herself as a Naboo Fighter Pilot in a starfighter uniform on her journey to Coruscant to oppose the Military Creation Act; meanwhile, her handmaiden Cordé acted as the Senator's decoy.[8]
- Thousand Moons system refugee disguise.[12] Amidala's mustard-colored disguise to pose as a refugee[8] was in a style that came from the Thousand Moons system.[11] Her Naboo crest headdress,[17] made of orichalc metal decorated with a flower of life design,[13] was covered with a lace veil while in transit from Coruscant. After her arrival on Naboo, she wore the crest openly and added a burgundy coat.[8]
- Separatist shroud.[12] To enter Separatist territory and secretly meet with her friend Mina Bonteri, Amidala disguised herself with a hooded dress in shades of tan, gold, and orange.[18]
Active and protective attire[]
- "You call this a diplomatic solution?"
"No, I call it aggressive negotiations." - ―Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala
- Battle dress.[19] Amidala owned both royal and handmaiden versions of battle dresses. The Queen's black-and-red,[1] largely-ceremonial royal battle dress[11] was worn by Sabé as the Queen's decoy, and it included a broad waistband fastened over a surcoat, a headdress, and sturdy boots. The handmaidens' battle uniform was a maroon dress with gold trim stripes that were bright enough to see in the dark.[2] Amidala initially wore the handmaiden version as a disguise for the first meeting with Boss Rugor Nass and then during the Battle of Naboo.[1] She later used it for other active situations on Naboo, such as when a sando aqua monster was disturbing the royal boathouse during her reign[20] During the Clone Wars, Amidala was on Naboo at the time of a skirmish between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. She wore a battle dress of a similar design to the handmaiden dress that featured narrower sleeves and was more form fitting.[21] The dress was made of velvet with a satin finish on the skirt's lining.[22]
- White action attire.[12] Senator Amidala wore white attire that included a two-piece outfit covering her from her neck to her feet,[8] and lightweight shin armor worn over practical boots with a good grip. Her hair was styled in intricately looped braids.[11] She wore it with a white cloak when she visited Geonosis with Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker in search of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and they participated in the First Battle of Geonosis that began the Clone Wars. The outfit was damaged by a nexu[8] but was later repaired or replaced.[23] Amidala wore a version of the outfit for the cold.[24] During her visit to Ziro Desilijic Tiure on Coruscant, she wore the suit with a white headpiece and cloak that extended down to knees.[23] She later wore the white outfit on a visit to Rodia with a purple cloak and headpiece decorated with the Naboo royal symbol.[25]
- Action costume.[26] For some of her missions before[15] and during the Clone Wars,[27] Amidala wore a tan outfit with hip holsters on her belt, brown bracers on her forearms, and study brown boots.[28] As a queen, she sometimes wore it with a sleeveless coat;[15] as a senator, she instead wore an open magenta vest. She used the gear in a mission on Krystar[27] and aboard the Malevolence.[28] She also wore it for investigations into Nuvo Vindi's recreation of the Blue Shadow Virus,[29][30] a conspiracy on Mandalore alongside Duchess Satine Kryze,[31] the murder of Onaconda Farr on Coruscant,[32] Risha Synata on her ship,[33] and her handmaiden Duja's disappearance near Batuu.[34]
- Staggec mission attire.[12] During a mission on the Moon of Staggec early in the Clone Wars, Amidala wore a dark yellow outfit with tan leggings. Paired with the outfit was a dark green hooded cloak, a brown belt with a golden buckle, and matching brown boots.[35]
- Exercise outfit.[12] For exercise, she had a white jumpsuit with side panels, with brown bracers and boots worn over it.[36]
- Tunic and leggings.[12] Amidala wore a tan suede tunic with leggings and a criss-crossed harness over her chest during her mission to Scipio.[37][38] She continued to wear the outfit during her pregnancy;[39] most notably, she wore the attire to Mustafar shortly after the formation of the Galactic Empire when she confronted her husband.[10]
- Hazmat suit.[40] Amidala made use of a yellow hazmat suit during the hunt for Nuvo Vindi's laboratory on Naboo.[29][30]
- Scuba suit.[41] Amidala wore an underwater suit on Mon Cala during the aquatic battle there. The suit was a deep magenta color with a stripe-like pattern of the Naboo royal symbol on the sides.[42][43][44]
Senatorial attire[]
- "Working alongside such renowned senators as Mon Mothma of Chandrila and Onaconda Farr of Rodia, young Amidala is helping serve the galaxy while still respecting her homeworld via her style and manner of dress, called 'tasteful' and 'traditional chic.' Senator Amidala is a fresh new face that the Senate needs."
- ―TriNebulon News
Padmé Amidala's wardrobe as the Queen no longer suited her role when she became the Senator. Senator Amidala's wardrobe was adjusted to use darker colors and be less physically distancing.[3] However, when attending to Senatorial duties while pregnant, Amidala resumed wearing dresses with more structured silhouettes to disguise her pregnancy.[10]
- First Senatorial gown.[12] For her first Senate session, Amidala and her entourage decided to dress her as formally as possible as they wanted to present nothing of the young girl that the holos had been fixated on. The stiff overdress was made of purple brocade with hand-embroidered violets along the hem and cuffs. The tunic worn underneath was also violet and had a collar that made it impossible for Amidala to turn her head. Amidala had her hair braided in four sections with two hanging down her back wrapped in purple ribbon and the other two pinned up on the sides of her head supporting a beaten copper headband.[3]
- Coruscanti-Nabooian speech attire.[12] The outfit worn by Amidala when she proposed the Mid Rim Cooperation Motion was designed by Cordé and the fabro-refactors were made using Versé's own programming. The outfit had wide blue trousers cut in a Coruscanti fashion and embroidered with Naboo designs. Amidala wore a sharp jacket, over a smocked white shirt that came down below her knees and was open at the front to show the details sewn into the lining. Fabro-refactors were embedded into key parts of the outfit which ensured that Amidala was always lit from the perfect angle and that there would be no shadowed or unflattering pictures on the HoloNews. Amidala wore plain and comfortable shoes in case she needed to remain standing and take questions. Every part of Naboo that Amidala had brought with her was on display but was made over so that the Galactic Republic would accept her as a senator and not as a queen.[3]
- White travel robe.[12] Due to ongoing threats against Senator Amidala's life, Cordé was the Senator's decoy upon arrival to Coruscant to oppose the Military Creation Act. She wore her hair in the style[8] previously worn by Amidala with her foreign residence gown,[13] along with a white robe with black beaded accents. Cordé was killed by a bomb set by the Clawdite bounty hunter Zam Wesell.[8]
- Dark velvet dress with gold panel.[13] Amidala wore the dress during her work as a Senator.[45]
- Beaded indigo gown.[13] After Zam Wesell's first attempt to assassinate her, Senator Amidala visited Chancellor Palpatine's office while wearing gown consisting of a beaded dress under a patterned velvet overdress.[8] The gown's colors were sober, but it was made of rich fabric with ornate details. She wore it with a severe hairstyle that conformed to diplomatic etiquette, and a choker necklace that was a gift from the Naboo Royal Advisory Council.[11]
- Blue-gray and gold dress.[12] Worn with a structured headpiece and wig rather than her natural hair, Amidala wore the dress on multiple occasions when meeting with dignitaries,[46] addressing the Senate,[18][47] and for other meetings as a senator.[31][32][48][49]
- Tan and taupe dress.[12] Amidala wore the dress on Mandalore to have dinner with her friend, Duchess Satine Kryze, before they investigated a black market conspiracy.[31] She wore it during the Alderaan Refugee Conference which addressed the humanitarian problem of war refugees.[50]
- Violet dress and vest.[12] Reminiscent of her beaded indigo gown, the attire had a structured vest made with purple brocade fabric similar to that of the gown's overdress, a violet dress with a turquoise decorative panel, and a belt.[18] She wore it for many functions as a senator.[47][48][50][51][52][53]
- Lavender-gray dress.[12] For her diplomatic mission to Clabron, Amidala wore a lavender-gray overdress with flared sleeves over a fitted turquoise garment, and a purple hooded cloak with fabric draped across her chest.[54]
- Red Senate dress.[12] When Amidala hosted a banquet for Senator Aang, she wore a red dress and headpiece.[55] She later wore it while trying to convince fellow senators to oppose a deregulation bill in the wake of the bombing of Coruscant's central power distribution grid and the subsequent attack that killed Mina Bonteri.[47]
- Purple puff-sleeved dress.[13] The purple dress had puffed sleeves and a shawl with three clasps or broaches, worn with a crescent-shaped hair accessory. She wore it for the Festival of Light on Naboo,[56] during her mission to Scipio;[37] she later wore it with a revised silhouette during her pregnancy.[10]
- Ambassadorial robes.[57] Amidala wore layered robes in a mix of light and dark shades of purple with abstract vine and floral designs. Her hair was styled in coiled twists beside and beneath her ears and a long braid down her back, with a thick headband over her forehead. She wore the robes when she attended a failed peace conference on Mandalore,[58] and both before[59] and during her mission to Scipio.[38] She wore a black version of the robes for what she believed was the funeral of Obi-Wan Kenobi; in truth, his death was staged to go undercover as Rako Hardeen.[60] Later, her purple robes were modified to conceal her pregnancy, and incorporated shades of red.[10] She wore them during one of the Cantham House meetings[61] with fellow representatives of the Delegation of 2,000 to discuss how to present the Petition of 2,000 to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine,[62] and when she voiced her concerns to Anakin about what the Republic had become.[10]
- High court outfit.[63] Amidala wore formal robes with a stole when she represented Ahsoka Tano at her trial.[64]
- Peacock gown with brown overcoat.[13] When the representatives presented their petition to Palpatine,[62] Amidala wore a Naboo folk overcoat made with voorpak wool that had hand-sewn details.[13]
Everyday and casual wear[]
- Packing gown.[12] Padmé wore a structured dress with a beaded center panel while packing for her involuntary trip to Naboo to escape the ongoing threats against her life. She would be accompanied by Anakin Skywalker.[8]
- Lakeside gown.[3] For visits to the Varykino retreat in Naboo's Lake Country, Padmé had a backless gown that clasped around her neck. She brought it with her at the end of her second term as queen, and wore it covered with a shawl when Chancellor Palpatine visited her.[3] During her retreat with Anakin Skywalker, she wore the dress with her back uncovered.[8]
- Summer meadow dress.[13] For a picnic with Skywalker in the Lake Country meadows,[8] Padmé wore a golden-colored dress, headband, and embroidered tulle shawl with hand-sewn rose accents.[13]
- Tatooine two-piece.[12] When she went to Tatooine with Skywalker to search for his mother, she wore a protective, patterned cloak over a two-piece outfit. She removed the cloak at the Lars homestead, revealing the two-piece that exposed her midriff.[8]
- Embroidered overcoat.[13] At the Lars homestead,[8] Padmé wore a deep blue overdress with silk ribbons, hand-stitched satin decorations, and embroidered details. The overdress was layered over a lightweight, light blue pleated gown. Though seemingly out of place on Tatooine, it was simple and understated compared to other pieces in her wardrobe.[13]
- Blue travel attire.[12] Padmé wore a blue and violet outfit showing her midriff on multiple occasions when she traveled, such as during the Blue Shadow Virus crisis on Naboo[29] and her mission to Cato Neimoidia.[48]
- Purple travel attire.[12] Amidala wore a purple outfit while undercover on the Halcyon.[36]
- Coruscant casual dress.[12] On Coruscant, Padmé sometimes wore a relatively simple style of dress with a V-shaped neckline and patterned designs on its skirt. In her apartment, she wore a linen-colored version while preparing to host a party for Senator Aang.[55] She also had a version in olive green.[47]
- Velvet cloak.[12] Padmé Amidala wore a cloak and a twin-bun hairstyle when she reunited with Anakin Skywalker on Coruscant after months apart, and told him she was pregnant.[10]
- Beaded dress.[12] When Anakin shared that he felt uneasy about the Jedi Council, Padmé wore a beaded, dark-colored dress with her hair down and curled.[10]
- Green velvet dress.[13] As her husband considered his loyalties, she remained alone in her apartment.[10] She wore a hooded green velvet dress that displayed patterns of the House Bonteri, and a purple Onderon silk sash.[13]
Nightwear and robes[]
- Coruscant nightgown.[12] Padmé Amidala wore a white nightgown with billowing sleeves as she slept in her apartment on Coruscant the night of a second assassination attempt by Zam Wesell.[8]
- Lake Country nightgown and robe.[12] Padmé wore a white nightgown with a dark-colored smocked robe during her retreat to the Lake Country of Naboo.[8]
- Starship nightdress.[12] En route to the conference on Alderaan, Padmé was awakened from her sleep when Ahsoka Tano had a vision of Aurra Sing assassinating the Senator.[50]
- Silk nightdress.[13] At her apartment on Coruscant during the final days of the Galactic Republic, Anakin told Padmé how beautiful she was. Her silvery-blue silk nightdress had strings of beads around her shoulders and neck.[10]
- Aqua georgette nightgown.[13] On the night that Order 66 was executed, Padmé wore an aqua-colored nightgown[10] with embroidery, hand-stitched seed beads, and shell details in royal-inspired patterns as she watched the Jedi Temple burn with horror and feared for her husband's safety.[13]
- Nightdress and robe.[13] When Obi-Wan Kenobi visited Padmé's apartment to tell her that Anakin had turned to the dark side, she was wearing a nightdress under a dark blue dressing gown with multicolored embroidered stripes down each arm.[10]
- Birthing robe.[12] Padmé wore a white robe on Polis Massa as she gave birth to her twins, Luke and Leia, before dying shortly after.[10]
Formal attire[]
For less official formal events, Amidala owned various outfits, some of which were worn by Sabé to pose as her.
- Garden gala gown.[12] The gown was worn by Amidala, then later by Sabé when impersonating Amidala, at a garden gala hosted by Mon Mothma. The gown was a deep red shade that was nearly black, with long sleeves that almost trailed on the ground when she walked and hundreds of tiny gold beads stitched onto the ornate collar. Amidala's hair was gathered into a dozens of braids, each looped tightly and pinned low along the back of her head. From the braids rose three interlocked metal circles with iridescent threads woven into softly glowing webs. When she was in the light, the folds of fabric glinted scarlet and crimson.[3]
- Purple cloud gown.[12] When Padmé first met with Queen Breha Organa of Alderaan, she wore a purple gown that had a tightly fitted bodice and a skirt comprised of dozens of fabric layers, each in a slightly different hue. Decorated to match the skirt, her neckline gave the impression of a cloud resting on her shoulders. Her curly hair was worn down and pinned with scattered white flowers that were purchased from a Coruscant hydroponics unit.[3]
- Black corset dress with metallic-effect skirt.[13] At Varykino, Padmé had dinner with Anakin Skywalker while wearing a shawl over her[8] evening gown, which consisted of a black leather corset, a lace skirt with a metallic effect and a melodie skirtline, full-length fingerless gloves, and a jet collar necklace.[13]
- Wedding dress.[13] Padmé Amidala wore a wedding dress and veil at her secret wedding ceremony to Anakin Skywalker.[8] Made with Yané's help,[65] the hand-sewn, one-of-a-kind dress had a matching lace overdress with a train, myriad seed pearl details, and sheer sleeves. The lace wedding veil, which had wax drop stamens and flowers,[13] was made by Padmé herself using her family's wedding fabric and the aid of a sewing bot.[65]
- Alderaanian opera attire.[12] In the early days of the Clone Wars, Sabé attended the Alderaanian opera with Bail Organa while posing as Senator Amidala in nature-themed attire. She wore a deep green dress embroidered with sea-green highlights that wove imaginary plants around her form. The long skirt was heavy and supported by a blaster-proof petticoat. The bodice was "a touch less" than what Amidala might have worn on the Senate floor as it left the tops of her shoulders exposed even though the stomacher nearly came up to her collarbones. Sabé wore her hair down and was woven through with the same vines from the dress making it look like they were all attached to the root.[65]
- Cantham House soirée dress.[12] Still filling in for Amidala, Sabé attended a soirée hosted by Bail Organa at Cantham House, to which she wore a very pale blue dress. Its billowing sleeves were secured to her arms with knots tied at the shoulder, above the elbow, and at the wrist. Quick lacing on each side fitted the dress to her body. Deep blue cording caught the dress at the waist and formed a delicate bodice that was stuck in place using pins designed by Cordé: invisible and entirely secure. The dress was layered over a deep blue, knee-length undertunic and paired with a headpiece that was designed by Eirtaé and heavily modified by Rabé. It included "clever" little mirrors that allowed the wearer to see what was happening around and directly behind them while giving the misleading impression of limiting the wearer's view. Sabé's hair was twisted up and coiled at the back of her neck.[65]
- Festival of Light Gala dress.[12] Amidala was clothed in a green and black dress with a matching green cape when attending Tomarian's Annual Festival of Light Gala during the Clone Wars. The outfit also featured a gold belt and matching cuff bracelets. Paired with the dress was a golden leaf headpiece with red jewels featured in the center.[66]
- Dinner dress.[67] Senator Amidala wore a backless, strapless purple dress with matching gloves and a purse to have dinner with Senator Rush Clovis during her mission to Cato Neimoidia.[48]
- Black dress.[68] Amidala's opera attire was a black dress and attached choker with pearlescent accents, worn with her hair styled in twin buns.[59] Her dress was made with shimmery fabric that had a beadwork panel down the center, and her long gloves were spotted velvet. The floor-length dress covered her black satin flat shoes.[68]
- Funeral gown.[12] The body of Padmé Amidala was dressed for her funeral on Naboo[10] to have the appearance of floating in water.[3] Afterward, her body was laid to rest in her tomb, which was guarded by a larger-than-life statue of Amidala in her throne room gown.[69]
Jewelry[]
- "I made this for you. So you'd remember me. I carved it out of a japor snippet. It'll bring you good fortune."
- ―Anakin Skywalker gives the japor snippet to Padmé Amidala
Young Anakin Skywalker gave Padmé Amidala a japor snippet that he carved.
- Padmé Amidala's locket.[12] Padmé Amidala owned a locket that served as her token before she became the Queen of Naboo. She lent it to her handmaiden Sabé during their homeworld's invasion, and afterward told her to keep the locket as a thanks of the planet that would never fully appreciate what she had done.[3]
- Japor snippet. Shortly after meeting her future husband, Anakin Skywalker, the nine year old carved a japor snippet for Amidala that he gifted to her on the journey back to Coruscant. It was to give her good fortune and so that she would remember Skywalker once he left for the Jedi Order, although Amidala insisted that she would not need it to remember him. The necklace pendant was made of wood with carvings and was initially strung with a leather cord;[1] later, it had a silver chain instead.[10] The snippet replaced her locket as a token[3] and was eventually buried with her.[10]
- Padawan braid pendant.[12] After their wedding and Skywalker's Knighting Ceremony, he had his Padawan braid encased in a carbonite disk that was then placed into a gold pendant; he gave this gift to his wife.[70]
History[]
Daughter of Naboo[]
- "…Obi-Wan, you're sure there isn't anything of value left on board?"
"A few containers of supplies, the queen's wardrobe, maybe." - ―Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi
From her election to Queen of Naboo at the age of fourteen[71] up until her death[10] in 19 BBY,[72] Padmé Amidala maintained a vast personal wardrobe. It was a necessity as the Queen[2] and as the Senator representing Naboo.[3] Depending on the occasion, she wore formal clothing selected from her wardrobe for official diplomatic functions or utilized specialist equipment for physically-demanding situations.[8]
(From left to right) Sabé, disguised as Queen Amidala, Rabé, and Padmé
Padmé and Sabé, her handmaiden and decoy, worked together to develop the persona of "the Queen" to ensure that either girl could portray the role of Queen Amidala without giving away who was behind the voice, mannerisms, makeup, and wardrobe. The "decoy maneuver" was utilized when Padmé was incapacitated or endangered. Whoever wore the Queen's makeup would be addressed by the other handmaidens as "Your Highness."[2]
The creation of Padmé Amidala's wardrobe began with her election. Initially, the wardrobe system attached to her palace dressing room was stocked with traditional and antique pieces. When she was joined by her handmaidens Eirtaé and Yané, they maintained and added to her wardrobe while additionally developing a corresponding wardrobe for the handmaidens. Yané also blended the cosmetics that were used while at the palace. As Amidala's intelligence officer, Rabé's public duty was wardrobe mistress, providing a reason for her to be near the queen and have access to her personal possessions. She directed the other handmaidens when selecting the queen's attire and packing for her travels.[2] Though Saché did not have a specific duty related to the wardrobe, she practiced styling the others' hair to assist with dressing quickly.[3]
The handmaidens wore identical outfits that complemented the Queen's[11] or helped them fade into the background by matching their surroundings.[3] They used hoods and similar makeup applications to resemble each other as much as possible and further obscure their individual identities. Hoods became a fashion trend on Naboo during Amidala's reign.[2]
The Naboo Royal Starship maintained a portion of the wardrobe
A generic brand of makeup[2] and a portion of Amidala's wardrobe were kept on the Naboo Royal Starship for the Queen's use while away from Naboo;[1] Padmé and Sabé both observed the face paint felt different, and it made Sabé's face itch.[2] After the ship and its passengers escaped the planet's invasion by the Trade Federation, they were forced to land on Tatooine for repairs. The price of the necessary parts and the need to raise funds in the local currency led Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi to comment on the Queen's wardrobe as an item of value.[1]
After Amidala completed her two terms, four of her royal handmaidens retired from her service; only Sabé remained. When she became a senator with new handmaidens, Dormé stepped in as her new wardrobe mistress and Cordé became her decoy.[3] Sabé had privately observed that Padmé Amidala was a different persona from that of Padmé Naberrie;[2] Padmé herself found that the persona used for the Queen was not suitable when she became Senator Amidala, necessitating adjustments to the Senator's wardrobe, voice, and behavior.[3]
Heirloom[]
- "Stunning. Just stunning."
"Yes. It belonged to my mother. They all did."
"She had excellent taste."
"It seems so. I only know her from the things she owned, and the stories told to me by people who knew her. These gowns were kept on Naboo for many years after her death, and eventually found their way to me. These matter to me, very much. I like to think of my granddaughter wearing them—if I ever have one. I want them kept safe." - ―Baron Reya and Leia Organa
Padmé Amidala's vast personal collection of clothes is carefully preserved after her death.
Following Padmé Amidala's death at the end of the Clone Wars,[10] her wardrobe was kept preserved on Naboo.[7] The traditional jubilation dress had been returned to royal service for other queens such as Dalné to wear. Queen Dalné kept it at the secondary royal palace on one of Naboo's moons, Onoam.[14] Amidala's daughter, Leia, had been adopted and raised on Alderaan by Bail and Breha Organa.[10] On a visit to Onoam, Leia Organa needed something clean and formal to wear, and Dalné loaned her the jubilation dress. Neither of them knew that it had once been worn by Leia's birth mother, but Moff Quarsh Panaka was struck by the resemblance.[14]
Although Leia Organa had not known her birth mother's identity during her lifetime, Padmé Amidala's wardrobe eventually found its way to her and helped her learn more about who Amidala had been. Organa liked to imagine passing Amidala's clothes onto her granddaughter if she ever had one.[7]
Hunt for Lor San Tekka[]
- "Terex, you know those gowns belonged to one of the great heroes of galactic history, no? Padmé Amidala."
"I'm more concerned with their more recent owner, Lor. These were Leia Organa's. That woman is crafty. Who knows what she might have hidden in these crates? Explosives, poisons… anything. I want them off this ship. And getting rid of these crates while we're in hyperspace means no one will ever see them again. If that causes Organa some future pain, well… so much the better." - ―Lor San Tekka, historian and friend of Leia Organa, and Agent Terex of the First Order
Kept in three separate container racks, the wardrobe is used in a ruse to rescue Lor San Tekka.
By around 32 to 34 ABY,[5] General Leia Organa, leader of the Resistance in the cold war against the First Order, sought to locate the scholar Lor San Tekka as he may have known the whereabouts of her missing brother, Luke Skywalker. After discovering San Tekka had been captured by House Maccon on Cato Neimoidia,[73] Organa and her bodyguard, Suralinda Javos, traveled to the planet aboard the general's personal ship in search of the prisoner for extraction. Padmé Amidala's wardrobe was brought to the Neimoidian purse world, as Leia Organa plotted to implant the containers holding her mother's wardrobe into the palace of Baron Paw Maccon, where Lor San Tekka was being held prisoner.[7]
The wardrobe was stored in three separate repulsorlift container racks that were key to the extraction plan. Within the racks were thin metal boxes inlaid with a magenta-colored material, and each box held an individual set of clothing behind a metal grate;[7] the leading box of each rack was hermetically sealed by an additional plate.[6] The box containing Padmé Amidala's lakeside gown led one of these container racks,[7] while the other two were led by boxes modified with a breath mask device that allowed for humans to be stored alive.[74]
Poe Dameron hides amongst the wardrobe boxes.
By hiding Poe Dameron within one of the modified wardrobe boxes, he could emerge to locate San Tekka, free him from imprisonment, and place him safely inside the other box. To give him that opportunity, the Resistance would stage an incident as a distraction,[74] creating a pretense for Organa to seemingly believe the palace had proven too insecure to safeguard her mother's wardrobe. She would remove the wardrobe to her vessel, thereby extracting San Tekka.[9] The plan for the mission did not succeed.[74]
First Order forces arrived, seeking Luke Skywalker's whereabouts to prevent the Jedi Master from joining forces with their enemy, the Resistance.[9] A brief exchange of fire ensued between Baron Maccon's clientele and First Order forces, during which Lor San Tekka initially escaped amidst the confusion by hiding inside a wardrobe box that was relocated from Maccon's vault to Organa's ship, just as the Resistance had planned. However, the First Order Security Bureau's Agent Terex abducted San Tekka by commandeering Organa's ship afterward.[74]
The wardrobe is jettisoned into hyperspace.
Terex ignored San Tekka's words about the wardrobe having belonged to Padmé Amidala. Cautious of Resistance tracking beacons or other sabotage and wanting to hurt Organa, Terex jettisoned Amidala's wardrobe from an airlock as the stolen craft traversed through hyperspace.[6]
Behind the scenes[]
- "What an honour it is to have a Queen that changes outfits at least five times a day. She really sets a high bar for the rest of us. A high and very expensive bar, that required many Naboo credit cards to reach…"
- ―A Theed civilian
The finished costumes seen in the prequel trilogy films were realized by costume designer Trisha Biggar and her department.[76] Many of the initial designs were conceived by concept artist Iain McCaig.[77][78][79] When writing Queen's Shadow, author E. K. Johnston wrote a Tumblr post discussing the outfits that Padmé wore throughout the novel.[80]
Appearances[]
Non-canon appearances[]
LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales — "Exit from Endor" (In flashback(s))- LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales — "Crisis on Coruscant" (In flashback(s))
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "The Kyber Saber Crystal Chase"
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
External links[]
- The StarWars.com 10: Best Fashion Designs on StarWars.com (backup link)
- 6 Things You Might Not Know About the Prequel Trilogy Costumes on StarWars.com (backup link)
- The Amazing Stories, Art, and History Found in 'Star Wars and the Power of Costume' on StarWars.com (backup link)
- 8 Things We Learned from 'Star Wars and the Power of Costume' on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Quiz: Which Padmé Amidala Outfit Should You Wear? on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Cosplay Command Center: Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Trisha Biggar and E.K. Johnston Talk Padmé Fashion and We Go Behind The Scenes! on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- Rebel Legion Galactic Senate—The Galactic Senate detachment of the Rebel Legion fan costuming group (backup link)
- Star Wars: Fit for a Queen—Fan site dedicated to the costumes worn by Padmé Amidala and her handmaidens (backup link)
- The Padawan's Guide to Star Wars Costumes—Fan site dedicated to Star Wars costuming, with sections for Padmé Amidala and her handmaidens (backup link)