Padme Amidala Padme Dark Senate Dress

Okay I'm finally venturing out of my comfort zone (PFF boards ) into the props and costuming. I'm thinking of tackling the dark senate dress that padme wears in AOTC but apparently was cut from the film.

[image=http://www.thenextamidala.com/aotc_costumes/dark_senate/accion_darksenate.jpg]

[image=http://www.thenextamidala.com/aotc_costumes/dark_senate/g-14.jpg]

I've studies the pictures for hours and feel fairly confident that I can swing it, but I was just curious if anyone else has attempted it and what their experiences have been?

MJA

 

good luck

its beautiful gown

it stinks that one of prettiest gowns did not make it into the movie

 

I have spent hours looking at these pics as well--I was planning on tackling this bad boy until I realized it was cut-then it got shuffled to the end of the list.
I have made some costumes a lot like it, and could give my take on how I would do parts of it, but I personally haven't done THIS one. It is a really stunning and regal looking ensemble, and could pass as a good Elizabethan dress if they don't recognize it from Star Wars.
Good Luck!
-Ferd

 

Please I would welcome any and all tips on this. I'm going to attempt to put this together in a two week time frame in time for ComicCon in San Diego. So far I have the velvet, the moire taffeta. I'm trying to figure out what to do with the sleeves. I thought maybe foil or lame but I could only find tissue lame and it doesn't look or feel right. I had thought of using a heavy bridal satin as well, but I'm not altogether sure. Any suggestions?

MJA

 

please show pictures after you are finished

 

I'll definitely post pictures. I wish I had a digital camera so I could document step by step. I'm about halfway through the mock up of the outer coat. Looks good so far. I'm going to have to borrow a hoop skirt from one of my SCA friends in order to pull this off for ComicCon since I don't have enough time to do the dress and the hoop skirt.

Has anyone had any experience embroidering on velvet. If so any suggestions on what works best?

MJA

 

i think altered bridal gloves would work.

the sleeves are just puffee (sp) with elastic- my opinion

sure two weeks is long enough to making that dress?

 

I'll have to see what bridal gloves are available in my area. That might work.

Two weeks should be more than enough. It took me about an hour to do half the mock up for the outer coat. I figure total sewing/cutting time for the gown should be about 7-10 hours. It's the beadwork that's going to take the longest. Heh

MJA

 

I have figured out what that yellow fabric is. Bengaline. I walk by it everyday at work and I swear that is what it is.

I would love to see how this turns out!

 

I just adore this dress... one day, maybe I'll give it a whirl, but I have so many projects lined up before it, I can't even let myself think about it too much...

On embroidering velvet, however -- M_J_AZ, are you planning to do this by hand or by machine?
In either case, the biggest pitfall with velvet is the hoop, since it can crush the velvet and leave an unsightly ring. Steaming can help get some of the loft back, but I'd test a scrap first to see how much it crushes and how well it recovers.

-sg

 

Mara_Jade_AZ, why not use Silky Satin or other thinner Satin for the sleeves (lower arms) instead? Bridal Satin may be too thick to achieve that "ruffles" on the sleeves. If using gloves, think it's better to use Arm Warmer instead as it doesn't have the fingers part in the first place.

For the embroidering along the opening of the coat, gold thread over the pattern thin cardboard cut-out will do as that's how I see on tv on how they did embroidering on velvet for Bridal Bed Set.

 

For the lower portion of the sleeves you could go with a satin lycra (that is the material they make gloves out of a lot) It has great sheen and would fit nice and tight. For the embroidery on velvet--I totally agree with SG about the hoop--velvet is so pretty but crushing it and placing the nap correctly can be a challenge. Down the skirt front the embroidery appears to be gold--you could possibly use gold venice appliques-or even emboss the design in and embroider into the shape free hand without a hoop. Bengaline (aka Moire' Taffeta) is a great fabric to stand out nice with a hoop or crinoline--and it definatly appears to be the correct fabric.
For the large Poufy sleeves I would make a underlayer of stiff netting--basically sandwich it in between the fabric piece of the sleeve and the lining (maybe even 2 layers of net (not tulle--NET) Once the sleeve is made the net will hold the sleeve into the full poufy shape, but won't scratch you because of the lining.
For the Elizabethan collar, be careful using interfacing to make it stand up--they can weigh it down and you'll get that ugly crease in the material. I would use a light nylobone and put it through casing strategaically placed on the backside of the collar--it should stand nice and also give a slight curve (make sense??)


OK--enough of my 2 cents!
Good Luck
Oh yeah! 2 weeks?!?! Really Good Luck then!
LOL!
-Ferd

 

Oohh to find the time to finish! Keep you fingers crossed. I have less than a week to finish. I should have pictures to post after Comic Con.

Oh and due to time I decided to paint the gold design on the velvet instead of embroidering. I'll probably do the embroider on the next version of this dress

Also went with satin for the lower sleeves. I'll try to do a step by step pictoral before I fully assemble.

MJA

 

That sounds good! Can't wait to see the finish product!

 

Mara_Jade_AZ, how did the gown turned out? We'll really appreciate it if you can post some pictures of it.

 

Great news! According to the DVD promo trailer, the scene where Padme addresses the senate in this gown will be included as one of the eight deleted scenes.
You can find a link to the trailer here. It shows a screencap of the deleted scenes menu and you can see Padme in this gown in the background behind the words: Padme Addresses the Senate

 

YEAH!

Obi-Dawn, you've made my day!

I'm so gleeful at thought of getting to see this dress actually move around a bit...

It's gorgeous in pictures, but I'd really love to see how it carries.

-sg

 

Yay! ObiDawn you rock! Thanks for posting that -- I never check the main page anymore due to lack of new info.

I am so excited for the DVD release! I especially want to see the light blue midriff dress with the headband! Looks like it will be in the deleted scenes too, if we're right about what scene its in.


LOL -- and I have to throw this in here: I was right about the dark senate dress being in AOTC!

 

Yeah...yeah, Mrs_M, I already told you I concede the point!

(Crackpot theories are my specialty. )

 

Well, I guess I was wrong about the color of the White (lt.blue) Tat Dress...

Win a few, lose a few! LOL

 

BTW, have you guys seen this picture? I'd never seen it. But it shows Padme addressing the senate. Kind of interesting.

On a related note, has anyone else come up with any theories regarding this image? I still think it's part of the dark senate costume. I think it might be a headpiece she wears over the costume until she addresses the senate. There are too many structural similarities to the two, in my opinion.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

 

See the thing is, Mrs_M, I've always wondered if that second pic actually *was* Padme. To me, it doesn't look like Natalie at all. The shape of the face, and especially the eyebrows, just seems-- off.

But then, of course, I may be on total crack.

 

Photo gallery

Here are screen caps from the deleted scene with this dress in it.

enjoy!

 

Ugh, this dress has become the proverbial money pit for me I won't tell how much I've sunk into it and I'm not even half way done. What was I thinking trying to get it done in two weeks!

Seriously though, I've enlisted the help of a professional costumer/fashion designer who just so happens to be recently recruited into our local Rebel Legion group for help on this since I'm a bit encumbered at the moment going into my third trimester of pregnancy. I think I'll post some in progress pictures fairly soon.

MJA

 

Congrats on your expectancy! :~D

Looking forward to seeing your pics.

BTW, Nat looks a bit ferocious in some of those pics, doesn't she?