Loyalist Committee Gown (AOTC)

Padme' wears this gown near the beginning of Attack of the Clones...when she and the other members of the Loyalist Committee meet with Chancellor Palpatine and members of the Jedi Council. She is also wearing this gown when she reconnects with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker in her apartment.

Then gown consists of several parts: a bodice, skirt, velvet overcoat, brooch, choker, and head-dress. The gown was inspired by Elizabethan-Era styles, while the headpiece was inspired by central African styles. The overcoat is in a burn-out velvet that appears to be in a "flame" pattern. The long, open, flowing sleeves are connected in the back with a beaded brooch. The sleeves of the bodice consist of inner and outer layers, where the outermost layer is heavily detailed with a scrolled pattern. The bodice also has a heavily sequined triangle on the center-top, outlined with a V-shaped border with a similar scrolled pattern as the sleeves. The skirt contains a tabard with a detailed scrolled pattern very similar to the sleeves of the bodice. Following will be a description as to how I made this costume...broken down by piece, including pattern, fabric, accents, etc.

BODICE

Pattern:

Simplicity 4508(B) -- Required modifications

Fabric:

Purple Costume Satin (joann.com)
Crepe-back Satin in lavender (Joann Fabrics)--for outer-sleeve lining
Crinkle Silk Jacquard (Silk Connection)--hand dyed with mixture of approximately 2 parts Navy to 1 part Purple RIT dye
Purple tonal cotton (Joann Fabrics)--used for flat-lining
Purple Quarter Flat (Joann Fabrics)--for sequin applique

Sequins:

5mm Black Iridescent (Cartwright's Sequins)
Black Iridescent rocaille beads (Cartwright's Sequins)--to anchor sequins to top

Other:

Featherlite boning used in bodice to help keep shape
For cording pattern...see below

**All cording was hand-sewn onto the gown, using a couching stitch. Here is the hand-traced pattern I used for the V-shape on the bodice and for the sleeves.

SKIRT

Pattern:

Butterick 4452(B) -- Required bustling after project was completed
For the tabard, I drafted my own pattern, using a table runner as my guide


Fabric:

Purple costume satin (joann.com)--skirt was two layers of this fabric


Other:

1/2 inch Horshair braid trim was used in the hem to help stiffen and better-define hemline
For cording pattern...see below

**All cording was hand-sewn onto the tabard using a couching stitch. Here is the hand-traced pattern I used for the tabard.

PETTICOAT



Pattern:

McCalls 4109(B)


Fabric: (all from Joann Fabrics)

White Satin Taffeta
White Bridal Lining
White Spandex Knit
White Nylon Netting

OVERCOAT

Pattern:

McCalls 4697 for bodice
Simplicity 4508 (B) for sleeves
Butterick 4452 (B) for skirt

**All patterns needed heavy modifications...essentially the overcoat in an entirely new pattern**

Fabric:

Burnout Velvet in Flame pattern (Silk Connection) *fabric no longer available here*
Cotton Broad Cloth (Silk Connection) -- for flat-lining velvet
Crinkle Silk Jacquard (Silk Connection) -- for lining of overcoat

**All fabric was hand dyed using approximately 2 parts Navy to 1 part Purple RIT dye

Crepe Back Satin in lavender (Joann Fabrics) for piping


**The overcoat was attached to the bodice at the junction of the triangle using heavy-duty skirt hooks and eyes

CORDING

2mm Rattail cord in purple (M&J Trim) -- Required hand-dying with pure Navy RIT dye to obtain a more accurate color to match gown (original purple was too purple)
Kreinik Metallic Cord in purple #8 (012 10M)

BROOCH

5mm Peacock Blue Iridescent sequins (Cartwright's Sequins)
Peacock Blue Iridescent Rocaille beads (Cartwright's Sequins)
Toho 11/0 round treasure beads in navy (Joann Fabrics)
4.5mm Black Iris Bugle Beads (Cartwright's Sequins)

Quarter Flat in Blue (Joann Fabrics)
Navy felt (Joann Fabrics)
1-1/4" Steel pin back
Cardboard

**Pattern for brooch was traced onto quarter flat, and sequins were hand-stitched onto fabric, which was then glued onto cardboard. Felt was used on back of brooch, and pins were attached to this. The brooch holds the long sleeves of the overcoat together in the back

NECKPIECE

Featherlite boning (7 approximately 16" pieces)
24 gauge wire
7mm Brass Spring Ring with eyelet gold plated closure

**Wire was wrapped around boning, and then hand painted with Folk Art Acrylic Paint #660, Metallic Pure Gold

HEADPIECE

Activ-wire diamond aluminum mesh
18 gauge wire
24 gauge wire
Felt in cranberry
Micro braid synthetic hair #27 Straw Blond (Ebony online)
1/2" Faux leather strips
Folk Art Acrylic Paint #660, Metallic Pure Gold

UPDATED: 6/22/07


**The aluminum mesh was used to provide the base for the headpiece. The 18 gauge wire was used to help keep the shape of the headpiece, while the 24 gauge wire was used to attach the pieces. The wire base was then covered with felt, and the synthetic braids were glued to the felt (I had attempted to stitch the braids onto the felt with invisible thread, but it was taking too long). The faux-leather strips were painted with the Metallic Gold paint, and glued to the headpiece over the braids. I glued two comb-like headbands to the opening at the bottom of the headpiece (inside), and used alligator hair clips to attach the headpiece to a bun I made with my own hair. Because it was so heavy and tended to fall off of my head without additional support, I had to further attach the headpiece to my head with a number of bobby pins.

Here are some pics of the finished gown and choker. Finally...here are the pics of the finished headpiece!!