No franchise will ever reach the heights that Star Wars has since it has produced so many movies, TV episodes, novels, video games, comics, and spin-offs that there is enough material to satisfy even the most avid fans for a lifetime and beyond. Through the release of the adored animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, as well as just loving the ridiculousness of it all and just delighting in how ridiculous the films can be, even the widely hated prequel trilogy has gained fresh love and admiration.
However, Padmé Amidala’s fashion is one essential aspect of Star Wars canon that is much too frequently overlooked. Padmé is a powerful woman in her own right, the late wife of the most dreaded Sith Lord, the mother of twins who rescued the universe, a former queen turned senator who spends much of her time protecting democracy, and she also happens to have the best sense of style in the entire universe. Here are ten of the most recognisable ensembles from the galaxy’s most glitzy fashion it-girl, all created by renowned costume designer Trisha Biggar, graded from worst to finest.
Geonosis Battle Gear
Simply said, iconique. This white battle attire is a fantastic contrast to Anakin’s dark robes, which of course helps to anticipate their fatal fate. It is sleek and evocative of the early 2000s fashion trends that were prevalent at the time the movie was released.
The first time Padmé gets to use her “aggressive negotiation” techniques, she agrees to pursue a romantic relationship with Anakin, and this dress serves as the spark for several sexual awakenings experienced by people of all genders all around the world.
Green Velvet Cloak Dress
This moss-green velvet outfit is lovely, and it catches the light beautifully and shimmers from different green tones to gold. A lovely accent that doesn’t detract from or overpower the overall design and harmonises well with the green tones is the addition of a purple sash. This is one of many clothes Padmé wears to conceal her pregnancy, thus the hood is also a much-appreciated addition that appears to draw its holy inspiration from The Virgin Mary.
Sadly, this garment receives relatively little screen time, just like its wearer. It was first created for a scene with a delegation at Padmé’s apartment, but it was later changed to fit a scene in which Padmé muses over Anakin’s journey into the DarkSide. It’s a sad shame that this green cloak doesn’t receive the attention it merits because it has such a fantastic silhouette and look.
Hospital Gown
Okay, so perhaps this one is a little unfair. Padmé simply uses this plain white robe to give birth, and she subsequently passes away right away, so it’s clear that it’s not meant to be a major fashion statement. But this is the worst costume she has ever worn.
What else can you say, it’s literally just a plain white robe, nothing special about it. It’s a piece of fabric, in the immortal words of Michelle Visage.
Mustafar Brown Tunic Outfit
One of the most outrageous and bizarre fashion decisions ever is to wear a tight leather harness while nine months pregnant, yet you can’t help but admire Padmé’s fashion sense and respect her as a true queen. Long before Rihanna, Padmé was conquering pregnancy symptoms.
Aside from the iconic and famous behaviour, this outfit is actually decent but not outstanding. The ensemble is perfectly finished by the matching armbands, which are adorable and go well with the neutral, sand colour scheme. The only real drawback is that this is the final time she sees her beloved spouse before he joins the Darkside and makes an attempt to kill her. It also probably wouldn’t hurt if it had a little more colour.
Ombre Lakeside Dress
The time has finally come, everyone. When you just want your partner to stop talking about sand, Padmé Amidala’s backless, ombre pastel dress with gold embellishments is the ideal choice. Anyone else in Anakin’s position would have taken Padmé as their target as well since it is so exquisite and flowing and gives her the appearance of floating over the ground like a fairy. It is a scandal and a disgrace to the Academy that Trisha Biggar wasn’t even given an Oscar nomination for this dress. Shame!
The ombre effect also depicts Padmé’s conflicted sentiments for Anakin. While the lighter colours depict her uncertainty and anxiety of starting a relationship with a Jedi, the bright, happy yellow highlights her undeniable attraction to and love for him. Even if Padmé didn’t successful in preserving galactic democracy, wearing this dress ensured that she would always have the last laugh because Palpatine could never pull off such a beautiful ensemble.
Purple Travel Gown
This purple attire from The Phantom Menace has a lot to be desired, from a dress that is far too plain to an outfit that is far too cluttered. Being the Queen of Naboo inevitably means having a showy wardrobe, and Star Wars is no stranger to elaborate clothing, but Padmé has done so much better. Not to mention that she takes over as monarch of her home planet when she is just fourteen years old, which is of course the prime age for poor fashion decisions.
Although the rich purple velvet jacket and silk sleeves are perhaps the greatest parts of the costume, they are not enough to redeem it because the dress underneath is very plain. The diagonal stripes on the headdress give off the impression that two purple salamis wrapped in sausage casing are dangling off her face; this is not cute. The headpiece reads more like something from a Renaissance Fair than like something fit for royalty. She is wearing the same makeup that she does when she is dressed as the queen, but it isn’t the most attractive in this colour scheme and just completely washes her out. One can only presume that this is just another innocent instance of a youngster having poor taste.
Tatooine Disguise Outfit
This is most likely the Star Wars-themed garment Padmé has ever worn, and Luke Skywalker wore a similar one in A New Hope, so perhaps Padmé has passed on her sense of style to her son? Maybe! Luke’s exceedingly chic all-black ensemble from Return Of The Jedi appears to be from the most recent Spring/Summer 2020 Versace collection.
Being a disguise clothing, though, it isn’t especially unique or memorable, and it’s generally quite boring. This is the first time we see Padmé in a cold colour palette, and it works well for going around and concealing on a desert world with two suns, but I doubt she would choose to wear it on any other occasion. It serves its purpose, but come on, we’re talking about Padmé Amidala here.
Throne Room Gown
Is there a dress more emblematic of Padmé Amidala than this red silk, gold-beaded, black fur-trimmed number with shimmering amber diamonds at the bottom? No, is the response. When one thinks of Padmé and her several spectacular ensembles, this dress is likely the one for which she is best known and the first thing that springs to mind. In addition, she is donning the customary royal cosmetics worn by Nabooan queens, a big sculptured wig, and a painstakingly intricate and beautiful gold headdress with the Jewel of Zenda. It’s unknown how Padmé has the neck strength to maintain all of that, but it’s quite amazing.
Trisha Biggarde compared this dress’s unusual shape to a “upside-down ice-cream cone” and described it as resembling silhouettes and designs from ancient Imperial China. Natalie Portman reportedly found it challenging to walk in this outfit, which is not surprising. We are all so grateful that Padmé has the fortitude to wear a dress that many people would shy away from out of fear. Wearing this dress is a true test of physical strength and endurance. What a devoted monarch.
Twilight Nightgown
There’s no doubting that this is a lovely outfit, even though Padmé made the bizarre and wildly impractical decision to wear pearls to bed. Pearl armbands are also presumably exceedingly uncomfortable to sleep in. Real fashion icons prioritise style over comfort, and Padmé is unquestionably one of those people.
Dreamy and imitating the flow of water, this steel-blue silk gown with pearl embellishments cascades over her back like a waterfall. The dress appears to have 1920s and Grecian inspirations, and because it is loose-fitting, it fully reveals Padmé’s developing baby bump, allowing the audience to witness her pregnancy for the first time. She also looks like a goddess thanks to the addition of a tiny tiara on top of her flowing curls. In contrast to the numerous other nightgowns she is wearing (how many is too much, really? This is the ultimate in high-end, galactic sleepwear for ex-queens who are now senators.
Yellow Meadow Dress
Sadly, Attack Of The Clones, the second film in the prequel trilogy, is the last one in which Padmé truly shines, and her attire reflects this reality. She may appear more like a Medieval princess than a galactic senator in her dazzling yellow dress with floral decorations, but it’s the ideal outfit for a picnic on a beautiful day with a boy assigned to keep her safe as they struggle to resist falling in love with each other.
Her bodice has amazing detailing, and her matching flower headband and fake Princess Leia-inspired hair buns are simply too adorable. In this scene, Anakin and Padmé complement each other perfectly and are the happiest together. Padmé’s use of a bright yellow colour scheme captures the happiness and hope of their developing relationship.
