Padmé Amidala's Wardrobe Still Reigns 20 Years Later

The original trilogy generation of Star Wars fans had Princess Leia, portrayed by Carrie Fisher, to turn to for an independent, fearless female character; the prequel generation of fans had Padmé Amidala, portrayed by former L'OFFICIEL cover star Natalie Portman.

Padmé made her first appearance in Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace (1999) as the elected queen of the Royal House of Naboo. She was a young political idealist who strongly believed in the preservation of democracy, and many adversaries thought they could take advantage of the queen because of her young age. She, however, proved that she wouldn't be cornered without a fight, and fight even harder when cornered. Queen Amidala was a fearless leader, willing to sacrifice her life if it meant saving her people on Naboo and saving other marginalized communities in the galaxy. 

Following her reign, Padmé continued devoting her life to civic duty as a senator serving in the Galactic Senate in Star Wars: Episode 2 - Attack of the Clones (2002), during the final years of the Galactic Republic before it fell to autocracy in Star Wars: Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith (2005), becoming the Galactic Empire, or the Empire. She overcame every obstacle thrown her way, and she was a wild card in the eyes of Emperor Palpatine, portrayed by Ian McDiarmid, one even he couldn't control, as she threatened everything he was building. Her policies and ideology shaped the galaxy's future, but her love story with Anakin Skywalker, portrayed by Hayden Christensen, defined its survival against the Empire. 

Padmé's character set an impactful and powerful example for young girls and women, demonstrating that women can be courageous and intelligent. She was rebellious against ideologies that harmed others and promoted inequality. She was kind, compassionate, and strived for peace. Like Princess Leia, Padmé is a strong female character for people to look up to, and to this day, they also appreciate her regal wardrobe.

Her strong, empowering personality is amplified by her elegant and ornate clothes. Padmé's looks represented her Naboo heritage throughout all three prequel film installments, but they were also a manifestation of her personal being. Her array of clothing reflected her maturity, and she had a strong grasp of fashion's role in politics. Her wardrobe was ethereal and otherworldly, an ode to the celestial setting of the story. 

She had pieces that described her character, delicate and elegant, but also practical and feasible. Her style has inspired a generation of cinephiles and fashion enthusiasts to invest in replicas or devote hours on end to recreating the looks themselves. The senator has a plethora of iconic looks, but it's a few looks that have cosplayers in a chokehold. The first, and most iconic, is the lakeside gown she wore in Attack of the Clones, where she and Anakin shared their first kiss. Sophie Silva, a TikTok content creator, for example, had the backless gown custom-made. She also reimagined the black corset dress Padmé wore during Anakin's love confession scene, which she purchased from 12th Tribe and DIY-ed the rest of her look. 

Cosplayer @the.naboo.senator is the go-to for DIY Padmé inspiration. She posts videos of her creative process in recreating the extravagant gowns. She dedicates hours to ensure the designs are as accurate as possible to the films. She's famously remade Padmé's Jubilation dress from The Phantom Menace, the summer meadow dress from Attack of the Clones, and the purple puffed-sleeve dress from Revenge of the Sith, where she delivered one of the most important lines in the franchise, "So this is how liberty dies? With thunderous applause." 

For those who prefer to invest and support small businesses, MollyNguyenDesign on Etsy has done an impeccable job at remaking looks from Star Wars and other films. Her meticulous work is worth investing in. 

Padmé's exquisite gowns are matched by her beautifully soft makeup looks and ornamented hairdos. According to a Star Wars blog, Nikki Gooley, Portman's makeup artist for the prequel trilogy, revealed the beauty products she used to create Padmé's natural look. She used the Make-Up Face and Body Foundation, a medium coverage product that enhanced Portman's natural skin, mixed the Shu Uemura Mark Concealer with the YSL Touche Eclat Concealer under the eyes, and the Visiora 003 Powder to set the liquid products. For her eye look, Gooley used Stila Cosmetics' powder eyeshadows, including Barefoot Contessa #33, Moonlight #38, and Java #8. She also used Calvin Klein's Eye Gloss on the browbone to add a bit of shine and Stila's Convertible Eye Color Liner, which has been discontinued, in the color Tweak to fill in her brows. 

Gooley used a Maybelline product that defined the early aughts, Maybelline Great Lash in black. For a soft blush look, she applied a cream blush from Stila's Convertible Cheek Color line in Peony and blended it from the apples of her cheeks up to the cheek bone. Finally, for the lips, Gooley relied on Stila yet again and used the lipstick in the color Jo under Elizabeth Arden's 8-hour cream to add some shimmer to the lips. 

Star Wars: Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith is celebrating its 20th anniversary on May 19, so it's the perfect time to channel Senator Amidala, who championed peace and was a key figure in shaping the galaxy far, far away.