CHARACTER DESCRIPTION
Princess Leia Organa was one of the Rebel Alliance’s greatest leaders, fearless on the battlefield and dedicated to ending the tyranny of the Empire. Daughter of Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker, sister of Luke Skywalker, and with a soft spot for scoundrels, Leia ranks among the galaxy’s great heroes. But life under the New Republic has not been easy for Leia. Sidelined by a new generation of political leaders, she struck out on her own to oppose the First Order as founder of the Resistance. These setbacks in her political career have been accompanied by more personal losses. (Source: Star Wars Databank)
REQUIRED ITEMS:
Note: Except for the hair styles, all other details from A New Hope (ANH) and The Empire Strikes Back (ESB) may be mixed and matched for either versions of the costume. Differences are noted in the standards in case a costumer would like to do all of one or the other.
Dress
Required Details
- White dress in an opaque, non-shiny fabric (knit or other light, flowing fabric), without center back or center front seams.
- Dress has a high, fitted collar that is fastened with hooks and eyes in the center back
- Dress has an open hood reaching to just below the waist that is gathered into the collar seam. The shape of the hood is a long rectangle or trapezoid. The hood has a rolled hem along the edges, secured with hand stitching or invisible machine stitching.
- The dress has wrist-length to knuckle-length bell sleeves that connect directly to the body of the dress without shoulder seams or center top seams.
- The dress has slits up the sides from the bottom edge to or just below the knees.
- Dress is slightly bloused over the belt at the waist.
- Dress is lined using the same fabric as the dress.
- Dress does not have any visible top-stitching.
- Dress may be ankle-length (ANH) or floor-length (ESB).
Optional Details
- A waist seam and/or elastic gathering is allowed if hidden by the belt.
- Dress may be made of silk crepe (ANH style) or a thicker polyester knit fabric (ESB Style).
- Sleeve holes can start at the belt height (ANH style) or mid-way between the belt and the armpit (ESB style).
Additional Images:
Belt
Required Details
- Belt is made of a white firm, non-shiny leather or leather-like material.
- The center front should come to a V-shaped point on the bottom edge and have a slightly curved dip or shallow V-shape top edge.
- It has at least 7 silver metal pieces on it: 6 elongated octagonal plates along the sides with one pentagon shaped plate in the center front.
- Each plate should have a raised silver metal circle in the center, approximately 1”/2.5 cm in diameter.
- Belt pieces are spaced evenly, according to the wearer’s waist measurement.
Optional Details
- The belt may have an 8th metal plate on the back of the belt, placed over the center back closure (ANH), or not (ESB).
- Additional plates identical to the 7 octagonal plates may be added for an even-spaced look.
- Belt may have white top-stitching along the top and bottom edges (ANH style).
- Belt plates may extend to the edge of the belt (ANH) or be approximately 1/4″ / 6 mm from the edge of the belt (ESB). The ESB style belt is slightly wider than the ANH style belt to accommodate this gap.
Additional Images:
Boots
Required Details
- White leather or non-shiny vinyl boots.
- Boots are flat or have low heel (1/4″ to 1 1/2″or 1/2 cm to 4 cm recommended)
- Boots are mid-calf to knee high and cut straight around the top.
- Boots are without laces, logos, or buckles.
- Boots stand tall without slouching.
Optional Details
- Boots have tan soles.
- Boots have vertical ribbing along the shaft of the boot and have a solid, wide band around the top.
Additional Images:
Hair
Required Details
- Hair is parted in or near the center and pulled into large buns that cover the ears and reach part way around the back of the head.
- Buns are twisted, not braided.
- Natural hair and parted wigs must have a neat, straight part in back.
- Naturally occurring hair colors only (brown hair color recommended).
- No bangs.
Optional Details
- If a wig or hair pieces are used, they must be of a high quality so that they appear like real hair. If a non-parted wig is used, the hair must be neatly pulled across the back of the wig without bald spots.
- Fine matching hairnets may be used to keep the buns neat.
Additional Images:
Tattoos and body piercings – No tattoos or body piercings may be visible. They must be covered with makeup or by the costume.
OPTIONAL ITEMS:
DDC Defender long-barrel blaster
Required Details
- A small black blaster with a long, narrow barrel ending in a wider cylindrical muzzle
Additional Images:
E-11 Stormtrooper blaster
Required Details
- A black blaster rifle with cylindrical scope above the trigger.
- Several long fins and holes decorate the blaster barrel.
Optional Details
- Blaster may be based on a real or replica Sterling sub-machine gun, scratch-built, or a modified commercial toy Stormtrooper blaster.
Additional Images:
ALTERNATE CONFIGURATION
ESB End Scene
Required Items
- Dress (see above)
- Belt (see above)
- Boots (see above)
- Hair (see below)
Note: Except for the hair (below), where dress and belt details are different between A New Hope (ANH) and The Empire Strikes Back (ESB), the costumer may mix and match these details, have all ESB details, or all ANH details.
Hair
Required Details
- Hair pulled back into a large full bun at the crown of the head.
- Naturally-occurring hair color only (brown recommended).
- No bangs.
Optional Details
- If a wig or extensions are used, they should be of high quality and appear like natural hair
Additional Images:
COSTUME RESOURCES:
Revised: 16 Sept 2021
PLEASE NOTE: The costume standards are a guide, yet are not an all inclusive outline of required elements. The judges will be looking for quality of workmanship, accurate execution and use of materials in addition to these general standards check lists. If you have a question about fabrics, colors, and parts choices for your build please contact the LCJs for your category about parts/materials you are considering before you start your build. (LCJ listing here).