Padme Amidala Padme's green velvet robe from Episode 3

Thought I would start this thread because there are several people who have made this costume, and more are starting, and not to mention it's always great to get a thread devoted to this costume, cause I love it... and will have one soon, as soon as I get the money for the silk velvet.


~Laura

S_S edit: just unlocking

 

I agree that this costume needs its own thread. Unfortunately, I don't have anything to add to it other than I have fabric for it! Well, the velvet, at least. I don't know what to use for the sash yet, mostly because I can't decide what color it's supposed to be! But I'll figure that out later.

I hope to have this one done by Celebration III, (that is, IF I go) but it's on the back burner as I work on the black corset dress and Padme's family gown from AOTC. So we'll see if I get to it. Is anyone else who made this one wearing it to CIII? Everyone's looks great so far, and I'd love to see them in person!

-Ame

 

Same here, nothing to add yet. I don't even have the fabric. Silk velvet is SO expencive. And to find a right colour... Aaagh. I am going to do the robe for the premiere, so I'll get back to this thread as soon as I make some progress or have anything to ask.

Actually, I do have something to ask. We haven't seen a really good picture of her sleeves. I mean that from my point of weaw, I would say that the sleeves are long enought to reach the floor, but all the reproductions I have seen have sleeves up to about knee. (Sorry about my bad English. I hope I made myself clear.) So, my question is, what do you think. How long the sleeves are?

 

Ahhh... the sleeves. I spent roughly 4 weeks figuring out those darned things. I agree- I do think that they reach the floor. But, if one watches the movement in the web doc and sees the image from the insider, the sleeves open up about mid forearm, or at least several inches above her wrist. Mine do reach the floor, and also do the whole end funny thing- I am meaning to get pics but the season is soooo busy around here, and I've had no time. When you put my dress dummy in the same position as Padme is in the insider pic, it looks almost perfect. At least to my mind. I altered a sleeve pattern from Simplicity- I wanna say it's 7752.... it's a renissance costume pattern and the sleeve is the main shape...I took out the extreme curve and made it a heck of a lot longer. It looks really good. I also eliminated a seam, so there is only one...


*cries* Silk velvet is sooo expensive! I was going to do this gown with the hoopskirt... but that's going to take more fabric, and I'm nervous that the place I found what I want to use is going to run out. But, however, if anyone lives near a Mr. B's or fashion shop, they've got a brooch for 16 bucks that looks good for the circular part, if you add a bit of glass paint.


~Laura

 

Oh, it would be great to see pics of your robe jedilucass. It seems to me that you have put an enormous effort and lots of research into this costume. And of course it is always interesting to see other peoples reproductions

 

Humm were does one find Silk velvet?

I thought I'd found something like that from Dharma trading company but it's in a natural color.

 

Silk velvet is expensive? I've always been able to find silk velvet on good discounts, whereas some other types of velvet are impossible to find for more than just a few dollars less than retail.

This is my best long-distance velvet source, and I almost hate to publicize it since as soon as I do, they're going to run out of all the stuff I buy.

www.syfabrics.com

Silk velvet there is $9-$11/yard. His site says it's 28% silk, which is a higher percentage than other sites I've seen. Good luck ever finding 100% silk velvet, and even better luck paying for it. He's been very prompt and professional with me and replaced an entire bolt with no questions asked once, when it had weird spots on it from the manufacturing process.

 

Well, Stubbzilla, that's the trick. If one wants real silk velvet, one has to pay for it. I went to my local silk draper's, and they had this perfect green silk velvet for 150 euros per metre. It's about same in dollars. So... he he, I am just a poor student, and it really is out of my bdget...

But it seems that Sy Fabric is selling some quality silk velvets with rayon. One is actually quite good option for the robe.

 

As soon as I take pics, I'll post them... And I know! I love seeing other peoples re-creations of this gown... they are all so purdy! At least all the ones that I have seen... I have done a bunch of research on this- the insider pic is the best resource for this costume, I can't stress that enough. Those pics I am going to be transfering from my own personal computer to the web... they are basically my observations on the costume, based on the few pics we have....

*nods* Silk Velvet is somewhat hard to find, if you want to get it locally. I live in Louisville, Kentucky, and our biggest fabric store, Baer's, is wanting 28$ per yard to get it special ordered. Definately get it online. Dharma has WONDERFUL prices- if I wasn't a poor college kid, I'd be getting that thiorty yard bolt in white. Or "natural". Dharma mainly has white toned fabrics, but the good thing is that you can dye them, which is the best chance for getting the right color- an olive green with a yellow cast to it...


*goes back to altering the robe pattern... almost done...*


~Laura

 

Yowza! That's high(150 Euros a metre)
Stubbzilla, I hope you find that fabric affordibly. I guess half the fun for us is finding that ellusive deal. Can someone PM me the eb address of the man who has this stuff please?

 

Just for some people who are having problems with the sleeves, I bought a pattern for the robe, only the sleeves weren't right, so I had to draft one entirely. I just had it flare out and have it kind of big... only problem with that, like two days after I finished the robe, the image of Padmé was shown with her sleeves cutting off at the inside of her elbow. (That's the worst part of making a costume too early ) The shape of the opening for the elbow looks rather round; but it probably just goes straight down to get the "flare" of it.

Just my two cents.

~Spacelady

Edit~ As soon as I figure out my camera, I'll get some pictures up!

 

I'm planning to do this Robe for Ep3 Screenings after I settle my Elven Archer Armor. Guess, it's mostly likely the only new thing I'll be doing from Ep3 as my previous SW Costumes projects are piling up.

Materialwise, I have no idea as I hasn't seen a Velvet in that color anywhere in shops here, not even in Panne Velvet at Spotlight. So I think I might have to order it online and that gonna create a big hole in my wallet, especially that I got to apply and get a Debit Card first.

Agree with you all about the Silk Velvet. It's such a burden to find Silk Velvet here in Singapore for a good price. So far, I only found 2 shops selling it in 1 color each. The price is good at ~USD7-9/m but they runs out quite fast or limited in amount. The other alternative is the French/Italian one but that is way too much for my wallet as it's ~USD60/m at least and the shop selling it seems to sell cheapo poly velvet at a price higher than what I paid for my Silk Velvets at the other shops!

Spacelady, Jedilucass, Aure & Ame_V, can't wait to see your versions of this Robe!

Oh! We have started talking about this Robe and yet forget to post the link to Maggie's Page on it.

 

I just wanted to point out this image that shows the whole dress from Natalie Portman.com

http://www.natalieportman.com/images/movies/swep3/020.jpg

Edit: okay, for some reason, the link does not work, but If you go to the www.natalieportman.com and look for Episode 3 pictures, there is "Filming in front of the green/blue screen" and below it on the third line on the left, is a picture of Padme sitting with senators and Lucas standing next to him.

 

Hullo all!

I was looking at the reference images at the Padawan's guide, and there is something that has been bugging me for a long time. Velvet is clearly etched with something, but I am not sure, if it is with Amidala's insignia. Because firts of all, Padme is no longer a queen, so I see no purpose her for using it. And secondly, I agree that one symbol looks like Amidala's insignia, but we can not see the whole figure, so we can not be sure, and to me the other symbols do not look like AI.

So again, what do you think?

 

I understand what you are thinking , but it doesn't have to be a 'queen' symbol, maybe it is here own family symbol, or the symbol of the Naboo, and it is definitely on her green robe. Maybe you have a dark monitor, then just make the picture a little lighter, because it's really there.

Another nice thing to know is, that the symbol is also on the peacock costume, look closely at that lace, and you will see it!
[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/Tenyon/peacock.jpg]

 

Personally, I see it as her personal symbol, thus she was able to carry it on as Senator.

 

Maybe if you've been queen you get to keep using the seal as a sort of staus symbol.

 

I've always refered to it as the naboo royal symbol- since with episode one, it was all over her costumes. In episode two, I don't think it was used as much, if at all- someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. Now that we are seeing it more in episode three, i'm kinda leaning towards the theory of it just being her family symbol. A family crest, kinda.


There was a question on the E3 spoiler gown thread about a suitable subsitute fabric if one could not find a right velvet. Any suggestions from those who have found affordable fabric? (*can't talk, cause she's still saving up money to buy hers... but, the brooch is bought, so at least I'm making progress!*)


~Laura

 

I've always seen the "royal seal" as more of a national thing, like the American flag. She's still wearing it because she's still a representative of the Naboo nation/planet, just this time as an appointed representative of the Queen off-planet as opposed to the ruler on-planet.

I do think it's interesting, though, that as far as I saw she dropped off the white thumbnail polish for Ep. 2. They made a big deal about that being her connection to her home . . . maybe they're trying to indicate she's moving away from her home and traditions?

 

Tenyon - that is so cool that you noticed the symbol in the lace on the peacock dress! Can I please repost the pic you posted her with them outlined?

Actually I did find a reference to it - in the OS article on the Blue Tatooine poncho, the text said "The sleeves are adorned with an emblem similar to Amidala's royal crest."


Pic 1 and
Pic 2

Maybe once you've been queen or king, you're entitled to use it for the rest of your life. In the US, once you've been president, you're always called Mr. President (or someday Ms. President maybe!) - even once you're out of office.

I looked through Ep. I stuff and the symbol is really obvious here on the Kimono outfit earpieces - but it's kind of a variation of it:


Pic 1

A much more similar version is on the Black Amidala dress (the one with the spiderweb lace)


Pic 2

and of course they are down the front of the Parade Gown:


Pic 3

These Ep. I symbols - "Amidala's Royal Crest" look just like the symbol on her Ep. III green robe and Peacock costume, so I'm sure they are all the same thing..

 

This whole royal crest thing really peaked my interest, so I went looking for it in all the costumes. I think I've found it in the deleted senate gown from AotC. It's in the decoration right below the neck.

 

I think you're right! It's hidden in the neck decoration. Here's a pic.

Hey, and if you study the silver packing gown centerpiece, it looks like it's a stylized symbol too!
Click here for pic

 

Tenyon - that is so cool that you noticed the symbol in the lace on the peacock dress! Can I please repost the pic you posted her with them outlined?

Sure Maggie go ahead, but I think you can better take this one than the other, it's somewhat clearer (crazy computer, crazy quality )