Padme Amidala Amidala's Gowns (part 2)

Here's a pic from the rotating backgrounds at the official site... It's called "True Love".

[image=http://www.starwars.com/img/homepages/truelove/left_character.jpg] [image=http://www.starwars.com/img/homepages/truelove/right_character.jpg]

I hope this helps.

 

Hey guys I'm back. Haven't been on this thread yet but I was on the first one. Princess1, I've been paying closer attention to Padme's hair in the rainbow dress. It actually is a little different than the "turban" style I described before. Seems to do a herring-bone type split deal down the middle. I'll keep studying.

Sadly, I am not going to be able to make it to Celebration as planned. Partly for financial reasons, partly because the people I was going with couldn't make it. As such, I have no incentive to make my own costume (sniff), but I'll be keeping tabs on all your successes and giving hair tips if I can.

 

Too bad Sache8! But there are still 4 months til May, maybe you will get a different opportunity to go. Seek it out. I have a feeling that you will be kicking yourself if you miss this event.
We were just realizing that all of our costumes will not fit into our current car. We will either have to rent a mini-van or maybe buy a new car/van. Our car is getting kinda old anyway and would need a lot of repairs.....we will see.

But back to the important topic of Amidala's EP II gowns--
I found fabric last weekend that I will try to use for the gold and maroon gown that she wears while she is walking around Naboo with Anakin carrying her suitcases. She also wears that same dress in the cafe scene with a different headpiece. I still haven't figured out exactly how I am going to make either head piece yet. Well. The lace one I would be able to figure out.
Major obstacle, I need to find the right material for it. I saw some 80% close imported antique gold Italian lace that was $70 per yard. However, I was not thrilled with the pattern of the lace. It was too floral for my liking. At $70 per yard, it would need to be at least 95% accurate. The color was dead-on though.......it is definitely a plan "B". It all depends on how the rest of the gown turns out.

I spent over $50 on just the lace on Quincy's black travel gown costume. I searched everywhere for anything that would suit the way that I wanted it to look. That lace was the best alternative for the look of that costume. It might seem like a lot of money for a piece of fabric but,
$70 is not out of the question if that will complete the look of the costume.

I know the guys spend real BIG bucks on all of the armor and props for their costumes.

All the costs will eventually even out, since the other fabric I bought for the gown was $1 per yard.

The other headpiece though--I do have some very vague ideas for that.
Currently time is on my side so I have time to experiment.

One question-------has any one seen the back side of this costume/either head piece?
I have a good idea of what the lace one should look like from the side-view shot in the select pictures also from a recent SW Insider. I have some pretty good pics of the front and a 2/3 side/front view of the golden helmet thing. No pics of the back though. If I can't find a picture of the back, I would be operating under the assumption that the back should look a lot like the front.
Same for the gown. I can tell that the floral pattern extends all over the gold part of the body of the dress. The little shoulder cape-thingie has a different pattern with larger floral shapes all around it as well. The sleeves and hood are plain.
My mind wonders if there is some extra added surprise around on the back-side of this?
The maroon vest thing could be slit at the back. In fact, if I were designing this costume from scratch, not knowing what it really looks like in the back, I would think that a spilt back would look cooler than a solid, especially knowing that the floral pattern extends all over the dress. It would look very sharp to show a bit of that fabric peeking out from the back. From all pictures I have seen of the front of the gown, it is kinda plain and straight.
From what I have read about the purpose in the story for this costume, it is something that Padme is wearing to be in disquise to run away with Anakin (or something like that)
Well. I don't know what's in fashion on Naboo, but a big shiney gold helmet wouldn't "blend" anywhere in the known universe, so I think the back of the gown may have a bit of a flair about it too.

Sorry for cluttering up the forum with ramblings of my never quiet brain.

Shhhhhhhhhhh! I have armor. I am working on that right now (with my right brain) and thinking about how I am going to make the Amidala costumes with my left brain.

I will work on the white battle costume before I start on the gold and maroon one.
So I have time to look for more pictures and ideas.

 

WOW!
I just found about a dozen more pictures of the maroon & gold costume.
None of the back, but I found a few details of the sides and front. There is a design running all the way top to bottom in the front center of the gold. A similar design runs from under the arm to the ground at each side. The maroon cloak is split for the arm to come through at each side. It seems to be slightly off-side as well.
I am starting to come up with a possible way to make the golden helmet thing.
I have no idea if it will work, but like I said, I have time to experiment now.

I made the armbands for the battle costume yesterday out of aluminum flashing. I sanded and filed them down very well. I now need to measure them on Quincy so I can place the fastenings, but she is still away for the holiday break.

 

Your car is too small for all of your costumes!?!? Sorry, that just makes me chuckle. Nostradamus, you are amazing. I think it was surlygirlie who originally said that you're a machine. I agree!!

As for the golden lace headpiece thing, I have a friend that makes baskets out of lace. I honestly don't know how she does it, but I will make it a point to ask next time we chat. It seems like whatever technique she uses would work for the headpiece - especially since you'd really only need to stiffen the sticky-uppy-fan part. (oy, more fans for Amidala's head...) I'll do my best to dig the info out of her.

kreleia ^.^

 

The 'lace headpiece' is really just a piece of lace draped over the shiny metal headpiece. If you can't manage to make the metal headpiece, just make something that's the right shape (plastic canvas is good for the crescent part), and drape a piece of lace fabric over it. Make sure the lace isn't too see-through, of course.

There is a picture out there of the back of the metal headpiece--it's from one of the on-location featurettes, where Natalie's hair is being styled or something. Sorry for the vagueness, I don't have an actual link or anything.

 

Sache838 (sorry if I got your name wrong) You can't come! Darn! I was looking forward to seeing your costume, wern't you trying to do the blue one? What is a herring bone split anyway?

 

Princess1, if you want to know what a herring-bone braid looks like, check out the braid holding back Legolas's hair in the LOTR movie (if you're not gazing starry-eyed at his face- it's quite distracting )

 

Actually, the lace headpiece isn't involved with the metalic helmet piece at all. Same dress, yes, different headpiece. Look closely. The lace "fan" (or aura, whatever you want to call it) is short and flat. The rest of the lace just rests on Natalie's head. If it were draped over the helmet, not only would it be taller, but there would be a large lump in the back from where the helmet curves down.

Haven't had a chance to talk to my friend yet, Nostradamus. I'll let you know what her lace-forming technique is as soon as I do, though.

kreleia ^.^

 

Yup. Those are two different headpieces on the maroon & gold costume.

I am going to see what I can do with that costume next.
I will be working on that one after I get the battle costume done.

I did a whole lot on the battle costume yesterday. I still have to finish the shinguards and then make the holster & pouches. I have to find some shoes or
little boots of some sort for Quincy to wear with it.
Quincy would hardly take it off last night when I made her go to sleep. That is a good sign.


As for the maroon & gold headpieces, I have some ideas. I think it will involve powertools and pieces of plastic of some sort.
I have an extra day off this week, so I am going to see what I can do.

I saw a very, very nice imported Italian lace for this, but it was $70 per yard. I will see how the rest of the costume turns out and look for suitable alternate fabrics.

 

Sorry! Doube post.

 

Hi Everyone,

I'm not new to the JC, but to this part I am. I'm a fellow costume maker, although nowhere near as accomplished as many of you (Nostradamus - your work is amazing!).

What I was wondering is if anyone knows of more pictures of Amidala's Ep II dress when she and Anakin are having their picnic near the waterfall. That is the dress I'm hoping to do for Celebration, but there are so few pics thus far, I can't really start it yet.

I'd also be interested in any tips you all know for wigs and/or hairpieces. For Ep I, I made Padme's battle costume and I want to make a headpiece with the proper hair since mine isn't long enough. Any suggestions would be great.

Regards,
M.

 

Grr. Major computer problem. Sorry!!!

 

Well, you can see that dress in the AotC banner.

There are 2 head shots that I've got from the trailers where you can see the correct colouring for the dress also. You can see a thin strap in the second image:

[image=http://www.nenya.net/sw/32.jpg][image=http://www.nenya.net/sw/33.jpg]

Hope that helps!

 

Anyone else wanna bet that her buns are attached to that headband?

kreleia ^.^

 

That would be the logical place to attach them.

 

SACHE8: Sorry it took me so long to reply! I actually haven't been able to see LOTR yet! No one in my family wants to see it, and I have to wait until I can go with my friends! ( I can't drive until June when I turn 16)
But I really really want to see it!

MiraxTHorn : Hi! Nice to see someone new! Welcome to the thread!

 

link

Copy and paste the link above to see a new picture of Padme from AOTC. This is when she is on Tatooine with Anakin. It's agreat view of the cape, but underneath it looks like she has on a hooded top..not the outfit I originally thought was underneath. ( I thought it was the two-piece cream one).
If anyone can get the photo to actually pop up so you don't have to use the cut/paste method please feel free to do so. I still can't get it right!!

 

Is that from the latest SW Insider?

btw-that's a nice Mara Jade costume too!

 

Thanks for the quick link

Nostradamus
Yes, it's from the current SW insider. There are a couple more photo's of Padme in there that might help others on their costumes. Thanks for the compliment!!

 

**wishes her Insider subscription would hurry up and kick in**

 

I JUST saw Lord of the Rings! Wow! Its a really good movie! SACHE8: You were right! Legolas is really really cute! (sorry I didn't notice the braid, I was to busy looking at his face!)

 

We have seen FotR twice.....I am dying to make something from that too, but it will have to wait until after May--too many SW costume projects to work on first.