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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Padme Amidala Padme's Gold Picnic Dress v3.0

Discussion in 'Costuming and Props' started by kay_dee, Feb 10, 2004.

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  1. kay_dee

    kay_dee Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 15, 2002
    [image=http://www.cassiusblue.com/padme2.jpg]

    This is a continuation of the Padme's Picnic Dress v2.0 thread and the original Padme's Gold Flower Outfit thread. The purpose for making this new thread is to consolidate all of the knowledge and suggestions spread throughout the lengthy original threads (A total of 77 pages consolidated and organized into one). There are new people interested and/or intending on making this beautiful costume joining us all the time, and we want to make the information already gathered easier for everyone to access.


    Our ongoing conversations can also continue here. :)
    Forgive us if we overlooked anything or missed crediting anyone with their suggestions. There was a lot of information to sort through! :D

    -Kay Dee & Obi-Dawn






    [b][color=ffffff][hl=996699]- RESOURCE PHOTOS -[/hl][/color][/b]

    [b][color=006600]Promotional Shots[/color][/b][ul] [li][link=http://padawansguide.com/padme/flowered/padme_flowered_promo1.jpg]full length[/link][/li] [li][link=http://padawansguide.com/padme/flowered/flowered_visualdictionary.jpg]full length #2[/link][/li] [li][link=http://padawansguide.com/padme/flowered/padme_flowered_promo2.jpg]back[/link][/li] [li][link=http://padawansguide.com/padme/flowered/padme_flowered_big.jpg]hi res head shot[/link][/li] [li][link=http://padawansguide.com/padme/flowered/highres1.jpg]hi res photo (sitting)[/link][/li] [li][link=http://padawansguide.com/padme/flowered/vf_cover_nowords.jpg]Vanity Fair cover
    [/link][/li][/ul][b][color=006600]Sites[/color][/b][ul] [li][link=http://padawansguide.com/flowered.shtml]Padawan's Guide[/link][/li] [li][link=http://thenextamidala.com/aotc_costumes/costumes.html]TheNextAmidala.com[/link][/li] [li][link=http://starwars.com/episode-ii/video/making/making11.html]StarWars.com P-19 making of video[/link][/li] [li][link=http://www.natalieportman.com/npcom.php?page_number=571]NataliePortman.com[/link][/li] [/ul] [hr]


    [b][color=ffffff][hl=996699]- COSTUME OVERVIEW -[/hl][/color][/b]

    Padme's Gold Picnic costume, officially titled "P-19" during production, was originally made from 50 yards of embroidered silk. This is Trisha Biggar's description of the costume from People Magazine:

    [blockquote]"It's a dress you can fall in love in" says costume designer Trisha Biggar. In 50 yards of hand embroidered silk Natalie Portman does just that on a picnic with Jedi apprentice Anakin Skywalker (played by Hayden Christensen). "We wanted a sense of movement and romance, the skirt flowing in the breeze" Explained Biggar. What's with the ear gear though? Biggar insists Portman is not wearing training buns for the iconic hairstyle worn by Anakin and Amidala's future daughter Princess Leia. "No one mentioned it" she says. "I just liked the style." -[link=http://padawansguide.com/flowered.shtml]Courtesy of the Padawan's Guide[/link][/blockquote]

    The costume is comprised of several pieces, with detailed information on fabrics, patterns, and construction tips below.

    [ul] [li]Corset[/li] [li]Blouse[/li] [li]Skirt[/li] [li]Shawl (or Cape)[/li] [li]Bun Covers[/li] [li]Headband[/li] [li]Brooch[/li] [li]Shoes
    [/li] [/ul] [hr]


    [b][color=ffffff][hl=996699]- CORSET -[/hl][/color][/b]

    The embroidered corset is made from crinkled silk and consists of 11 panels. The crinkled silk seems to have small square cutouts which reveal an underlining of gold toned matte fabric (presumably silk). It is believed the corset is boned for added support and shaping. According the Trisha Biggar, the back is fastened with hook and eye tape. The rose embroidered shoulder straps appear to be made from the same fabric that underlines the crinkled outer layer of silk on the corset (a fabric that seems to also match the blouse and skirt).

    [color=006600][b]REFERENCE PHOTOS[/b][/color]

    [ul] [li][link=http://padawansguide.com/padme/flowered/padme_flowered_people_style.jpg]Standing in Mea
     
  2. Obi-Dawn Kenobi

    Obi-Dawn Kenobi Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Absolutely incredible! Thank you so much for taking the time to update and improve the summary, kay_dee! :D

     
  3. liannb

    liannb Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 30, 2002
    HOly cow, what and incredible job kay_dee. you've covered every possible angle for each aspect of the dress. liann
     
  4. MiraxTHorn

    MiraxTHorn Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 22, 2000
    kay_dee - This is absolutely fantastic!!!! THANK YOU so much for taking all the time and effort to compile everything!

    Don't you wish Trisha could see this! :) :)

    Regards,
    M.
     
  5. kay_dee

    kay_dee Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 15, 2002
    Hi - Just to let you all know, I really do appreiciate how much knowledge everyone has shared about this costume.

    Please, if someone feels I explained something incorrectly (I did my best to use direct quotes and refer to my costuming books for definitions) please let us know and I'm sure Obi-Dawn can help us edit it.

    If I left any information out, or did not credit someone appropriatly let us know and I'm sure we can fix that too :)

    I know it's a lengthy summary, but there was so much great information that I tried not to leave anything out. I figure one page is much easier to scan through than 51 pages for a newbie :)

    Thanks everyone!

    -Kay Dee
     
  6. iycis

    iycis Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 7, 2002
    I'm not even making this costume but I think its fantastic that you compiled all that information. I wish someone in each of the major Padme dress threads would get it together and do that :)
     
  7. Obi-Dawn Kenobi

    Obi-Dawn Kenobi Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    As kay_dee and I can attest to, a summary like this takes a very long time to compile. Gathering the info and writing it up is a lot of work in itself. But doing all the mark-up coding on top of that, and then checking and double checking all the links, makes it a really big project.

    So, I just want to thank kay_dee again for volunteering her time to do this for all of us. :D




    So, [b]Mirax[/b], I like the possibility of using the embroidered organza or tulle in a different color scheme for a part of your wedding ensemble. It's such a pretty fabric in any color.
    And, if I may say, I'm delighted to know that I did meet your fiancé. I thought the two of you looked like you belonged together! ;)


     
  8. Jayne

    Jayne Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2002
    Didn't JoAnn's have the almost-embroidery chiffon in purple and white? That might be nice to look into.
     
  9. Jedi_Dajuan

    Jedi_Dajuan Administrator Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 30, 2002
  10. FERDALUMP

    FERDALUMP Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    May 12, 2002
    Wow! Kay_dee Thanks so much for organizing the list! It is so comprehensive! It's amazing, and great that we all still love this dress so much that we are still talking about it. I think everyone is just like me, and fall in love with this gown all over again everytime I see the Vanity Fair cover. I'm sure the newbies will be SO grateful for everyone's contributions, and your hard work! Now, If we could just do this for all of Padme's lovely costumes :)


    Mirax Congrats!! [face_love] I think a Picnic like gown would be lovely for your wedding. I think infusing a little bit of color in the form of the embroidered shawl would be great. The famous curtains also come in lavender, blue, and a sort of taupe. I have also seen rose cluster emboidered organza in peach, pale pink, yellow and light blue. If you were up to embroidering your own, or using the offray ribbon roses I think Rum Pink would be a lovely accent color for a wedding.

    In regards to incorporating the rose motif in the veil--I love that idea! A cute spin might also be to have a snood made of white and maybe a big one in the back under the veil, instead of two bun covers.

    ~Ferd :)
     
  11. MiraxTHorn

    MiraxTHorn Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 22, 2000
    Lots of good suggestions to consider. Thank you all!

    I've got my muslin top and skirt on my dress form and I attached the picnic dress cape. It really looks nice. I'm SO SO tempted. I'm fairly certain I won't be wearing a veil, and that if I go for the cape it will be for the ceremony and pictures only. I like the idea of doing some test photos to see how it turns out. I may try that.

    And, Ferd - I hadn't thought about the bun covers! A snood in the back is such a cool idea. I actually used to wear one back in high school. I'm going to keep that in mind!

    Dawn - I'm excited you got to meet him, too! Pretty cool that SW led to both of us meeting our hubbys! :) :) Long term goal - MR costume for him! ;)

    Regards,
    M.
     
  12. jadedknights

    jadedknights Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Nov 26, 2002
    Kaydee, you have done a wonderful job with this thread. I am making one for a little girl and the way this is set up is so easy to reference. Thank you!

    Jen
     
  13. PadawansGuide

    PadawansGuide Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    Yes - great job kay_dee! I linked back to it on my Padme pages. Looks like you did a really comprehensive job - but not only that, it's very well organized and easy to read!

    One of these days I'll get out of middle earth and back to my picnic plans. I'd like to get this costume and the Leia Bespin one done for CIII. We'll see! :)

    Maggie
     
  14. ecila

    ecila Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Jul 9, 2002
    Thank you so much, Kay_dee!

    Here is another resource I found tonight for the cape material at Lace and Company (LaceCo.com) under pattern 3941:

    Pink and Green Organza

    The overall pattern looks similar, but the flowers are only one shade of pink. Its $15.95 a yard.

    :)
    ecila
     
  15. Decoupage

    Decoupage Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Jan 9, 2003
    Congrats on your up coming nuptials Mirax! To follow up on FERD's snood suggestion for altering the bun covers, I draw your attention to this picture from Maggie's (Padawan's Guide) Ever After costume site. The main url for that page on Maggie's site is http://www.everaftercostumes.com/wine.html

    It is of Danielle in the wine red dress when she meets Henri at the ruins. She wears a snood-like net over only the upper part of the back of her head. She has a braid of hair covering the front and side edges of the net, and an arrangement of braids covering the bottom edge. The rest of her hair streams loosely down her back. (Danielle's is kept straight, but think how beautiful it would look with loose full curls!!)

    I don't know how long your hair is (or will be at your wedding), but for longer hair, I've loved this style since I saw it. Just make the net in gold (or whatever your accent color will be) and instead of pearls at the intersections, you could leave it plain, or put roses, or do roses on some and pearls on the rest.

    And in lieu of the braid of hair around the net, you could edge it with the rose decorated ribbon that Padme has across her forehead. I would still suggest some sort of hair arrangement covering the bottom edge of the snood, though. Either swirls of braids like Danielle wears, or clusters of curls, and you could pin additional roses into either hair arrangement. It would seem to be a better transition to the loose hair beneath the net than just a ribbon.

    ok.... I have way too much time on my hands to analyze this so thoroughly!! *lol* Good luck.
    --Decoupage
     
  16. CrimsonVision

    CrimsonVision Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Sep 4, 2002
    Wow. Amazing compilation of information. Great job!

    I keep meaning to mention that I found some picnic skirt fabric at a local store here. The adrn thing even has the correct vining and 4 petalted sequin-ish flowers.

    Only problem is its in all dark shades like burgundy and brown. :p I've been going back every time I go to the store to see if they got some with the correct colors (it's a 'closeout' type store; they can't order anything and never know what they will get next).

    I was thinking maybe getting a swatch to try and bleach it out then re-dye it to the correct color. The flower things are white so thought it could work.

    I have no intentions of making this dress at all but I figured it would save you ladies some time! :)
     
  17. Sister_Sola

    Sister_Sola Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2002
    Amazing, amazing amount of excellent work kay_dee!
     
  18. Obi-Dawn Kenobi

    Obi-Dawn Kenobi Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    CrimsonVision, :eek: !
    How very very typical that when the fabric is found, it's the wrong color. LOL! Any info on what the fabric is? Silk or poly? And, do you remember what color the vining is? Green?

    Sorry for the 20 questions, but I've literally dreamed about walking into a fabric store and finding that fabric.....*sigh*
     
  19. katha

    katha Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Jan 30, 2002
    Wow this is a wonderful resource thread. I'll definately be bookmarking this one.

    If it wouldn't be too much trouble I'd like to add my costume page to the list

    it's here: http://www.starfighters.com/katha/picnic.html
    It's not much at the moment unfortunately.. but here are some pictures of my costume
    My Picnic Gown

    Once again, great job!
     
  20. kay_dee

    kay_dee Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 15, 2002
    I'm happy everyone seems to enjoy the new thread so far!

    Katha, your picnic gown is lovely! Perhaps in a week or so once everyone has had a chance to post their suggested changes/edits we can ask Obi-Dawn to do one more edit to add in your photos as well as the new fabric suggestions?

    Crimoson What kind of fabric was the 4 petal sequin embroidery on? That info would help out too - even if it's not the right color. Perhaps any information from the tags would help us to ask other fabric stores if such a fabric can be ordered?

    There is a discount fabric store in San Jose, CA that has a polyester fabric in silver (imitation Silk Dupioni type stuff) with the white 4 petal sequins on it. I had always considered buying the fabric just to remove the seqins from it! (But I don't have plans to re-make my costume at the momemnt).

    -Kay Dee

     
  21. MiraxTHorn

    MiraxTHorn Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 22, 2000
    I am more and more convinced that the Picnic Dress really is taking over the world!

    My fiance and I were touring houses yesterday, and we went in one that I was already very interested in. It is a vacant house, but they left some of the draperies. Guess what kind of curtain was hanging on the front door ad in the master bedroom? 4-rose cluster, plum colored PD curtains!

    I took it as a sign. ;)

    Regards,
    M.

     
  22. Nostradamus

    Nostradamus Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 2, 2000
    Great work kay_dee!

    Here's a write up to my version of this costume:

    Quincy's picnic dress costume

    Quincy's dress is a finalist in Simplitcity's Halloween costume contest. The results should be known next week.

     
  23. Obi-Dawn Kenobi

    Obi-Dawn Kenobi Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    That's a definite sign, Mirax! :)

    Thanks for all of the additional links. I'll edit them into the summary right now.
     
  24. Obi-Dawn Kenobi

    Obi-Dawn Kenobi Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Links added. :)
     
  25. MiraxTHorn

    MiraxTHorn Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 22, 2000
    I guess it was a false sign. :) Someone else put a bit in last night while we were viewing the house. :)

    Oh well, I'll just hang my own PD curtains when we do find the right house. :)

    Regards,
    M.
     
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