February 2022 – Living History in the Star Wars Galaxy

Galactic Style Guide – Formalwear II

Welcome back to another installment of the Galactic Style Guide, the monthly series where we break down the ‘Star Wars aesthetic’ to help you create a more authentic ‘outer persona’! While quality reenacting and living history like to focus on the ‘common’ experience, Disney’s Galactic Starcruiser hotel experience is billing itself as a luxury cruise, and I’ve seen plenty of folks online asking, ‘What am I supposed to wear???’ With that in mind, I’ve combed my reference library and collected some examples of formal outfits to help give folks an idea of what ‘fancy dress’ looks like in the Galaxy Far, Far Away.
Following up on last month’s look at examples from onscreen, this time around we’re focusing on outfits seen in EU materials.

from *By the Emperor’s Hand*: Mara Jade (impersonating a baroness) and casino security

Hiding in plain sight

I talk a lot on this blog about the idea of ‘reenactorisms’ – inaccuracies that get unknowingly (or knowingly!) perpetuated because someone didn’t do their research. Usually when discussing these blunders we’re talking about individuals making them, but I wanted to point out two examples to day that prove the big players are not immune to making sloppy mistakes either!
Following the release of Episode III in 2005, LA’s FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising) hosted the exhibit Dressing a Galaxy, which featured 100 screen-used costumes from Episodes I through VI. From the pictures I’ve seen online it was an absolutely incredible presentation.
However, one tableau of costumes held a glaring mistake for all to see:

If you can’t spot it, maybe we’d better check the references:

Artifact ID: Podracer power cell

It’s a hit!

I had written about this prop years ago, but that was really just noticing that the item Qui-Gon hands Anakin was the same as one in the Episode I Racer game:

Well, last week I decided to enlist the help of the prop hive-mind and posted a thread on the RPF seeking help in identifying this piece, and in a surprisingly rapid timeframe, one of the respondents had it pinned down!

What is it?! And where can I get one?

Upgrading the Rebel persona: camouflaged helmet

Ever since completing it back in the summer of 2017, I was never fully satisfied with my Rebel ‘swoop’ helmet. My dissatisfaction wasn’t necessarily with the construction—despite being my first serious foray into Pepakura, I think I pretty closely nailed the shape and paintjob (accurate light gray, not white!)—but rather with its usefulness to a Rebel fighter….

What’s wrong with the classic swoop?