Searching for civilian style on Naboo

When I first started toying with the idea of portraying a Rebel ‘partisan’, I knew I wanted to integrate elements of the local planetary fashion, but also include enough elements of the larger galactic style so that the impression would still be recognizably Star Wars.
Finding the right ratio between the two would be the real trick, since a) Naboo’s nobles in the late Republic period tended to dress in an impractical, distinct Renaissance style, b) we don’t really know what Naboo fashion was like during the Imperial period, and as I’ve written before, it’s hard to be taken seriously as a guerilla fighter when you’re dressed like Catherine de Medici. If I wanted to pull this off, I was going to have to do some detective work.
The whole point of rebranding and moving my Rebel impression to Naboo was to allow more of my own interests and personal history to come through. With this in mind, I imagine that this persona would be a university-educated xenoanthro/archeologist with an interest in indigenous (Gungan) lifeways, pushed to take up arms and fight the Empire as a partisan. This is somewhat inspired by a passage from Mao’s book on the subject of guerrilla warfare (Yu Chi Chan):

“There are those who say: “I am a farmer,” or, “I am a student”; “I can discuss literature but not military arts.”  This is incorrect.  There is no profound difference between the farmer and the soldier.  You must have courage.  You simply leave your farms and become soldiers.  That you are farmers is of no difference, and if you have education, that is so much the better.  When you take your arms in hand, you become soldiers; when you are organized, you become military units.”

As a xenoarcheologist with a rural agri/horticultural background, this persona would not be afraid to get his hands and clothes dirty, and also couldn’t be constrained by impractical, elaborate outfits. Additionally, since my timeline put me square in the Galactic Civil War period (1 BBY!)—a time at which Naboo was welcoming increasing numbers of off-worlders (and their cultural influences)—I knew I would be free to integrate design elements of the more familiar Original Trilogy.

Since the GFFA has, since its inception in 1977, possessed a definite 20^th century militaristic aesthetic (a result of the first film’s costumes being designed by John Mollo), I first looked through my stash of images of WWII resistance fighters, in hopes of gleaning some style elements from them.

While it is hard to make generalizations about disparate groups from different areas, as a general rule it seems high boots and jodhpurs were often worn, as were jackets with equipment belts. I noted that most did not carry much military gear—which would allow for easy blending in with the civilian population. In addition to a submachine gun or rifle, most got by with a belt, some grenades, and binoculars, with an ammo pouch, bandoleer, or belt knife less common.

The hard gear I had already pretty well nailed down (and would be mostly carried over from my Sulon Rebel kit) so with some actual history for inspiration, I turned my focus to GFFA sources to find clues as to what a hands-on citizen of Naboo might be expected to wear.
The final Expanded Universe novel, James Luceno’s Darth Plagueis, provided a few tidbits. From c.66 BBY, we have three descriptions of prominent Naboo politicians:

“‘…a thick and lengthy beard and mustache…He was attired in layers of richly colored clothing, which included a vest embroidered with Futhork calligraphy, and a brocade overcloak that fell to his knees, revealing tall, shiny, low-heeled leather boots…”; Veruna is then described as “hirsute and elaborately costumed” (pp 130-131).

“Draped in shimmersilk robes and propped by boots with high heels, the bearded and blond-haired Tapalo already carried himself like a regent…” (136).

“Palpatine himself was dressed in slacks, short boots, and a loose-fitting shirt that was closed at the collar.” (141). [this is Palpatine as a university student of about age 17]

DK’s Episode 1 Visual Dictionary (reprinted in the SW Complete Visual Dictionary) was little help at first, as the costumes of all ‘noble’ men in 32 BBY (p 36-37) include a mantle or wide collar, and either knee-length robes or puffy Elizabethan pants. Sio Bibble’s outfit at this time follows similar lines.

However, the descriptions of the Royal Security Forces (p39) reveal a useful detail: the security guard’s trousers are denoted as having a ‘traditional full-cut thigh’. In other words, he is wearing Jodhpurs!
The outfits of Naboo’s Royal Security Guards, Officers, and Hangar Engineers are in general somewhat more practical and provided some inspiration.
(It’s worth mentioning at this point that one thing which really helps set Naboo’s style apart from the familiar galactic look is their use of color–while they’re somewhat muted colors, they’re still far more colorful than anything (with the exception of Rebel pilot outfits) in Episodes IV, V, or VI:

“The color scheme basically was the baddies would be black or gray, with the exception of the stormtroopers, and the goodies should be in earth colors—fawns and whites…Mollo tried to keep the colors muted wherever possible. Color is very, very difficult to use. Bright colors don’t work well on film, particularly reds and blues. George always goes for the authentic…and if it’s all garish color, it doesn’t work.” (Star Wars Costumes – the Original Trilogy. Alinger, page 15.)

Looking closely at Captain Panaka’s collar, I noticed that his tunic overlapped the left over right sides, as did apparently those of the other RSOs:

At this point I really latched onto Panaka’s Mandarin-type collar, as well as the idea of an asymmetrically-closed tunic (which would also fit into the general GFFA aesthetic).

I next moved onto sources dealing with Naboo immediately prior to the Clone Wars, of which Governor Sio Bibble is the only Naboo character whom we see in detail in both 32 and 22 BBY. Encouragingly for my purposes, he appears to be toning down the over-the-top Renaissance style, and in Episode II is now wearing tall boots, regular trousers, and a heavily-textured double-breasted tunic (fully closed at collar), with two-part sleeves(?), and flap pockets below the beltline. (He wears the same tunic for Amidala’s funeral in 19 BBY, which the film’s color grading makes appear purple).

Compare this to Ruwee Naberrie at the same time, who wears a similar double-breasted tunic (shorter length), with sleeve straps to keep rolled up, a long sleeved offwhite shirt underneath; the front of his tunic is decorated with strips of ribbon(???):
Finally, compare these first two gentlemen with Paddy Accu, the caretaker (i.e. working class) of Varykino, who appears to wears tall boots, regular trousers, a lilac longsleeve shirt (with wide collar folded down), and a simple dark vest with slight cap sleeves. And all this in 22 BBY – he’s practically Original Trilogy style already!
With these three as examples, it seems Naboo fashion is slowly trending towards the more familiar OT style, likely a result of increased contact with the larger Galaxy following 32 BBY, and by 1 BBY certainly.
(Papa Naberrie does pull out a traditional collar/mantle thing for his daughter’s funeral, but I figure that’s owing to the formal occasion.)

With these observations made, notes taken, and ideas in mind, it was finally time to do some synthesizing and create a clothing ensemble for a Naboo civilian! (Takeaway lesson: just as in historic reenacting, it can be counterproductive to rush out and make/buy your ‘outer persona’ items without doing your research first!)

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