Princess Leia Gold Bikini Costume

Princess Leia Gold Bikini Costume Cult

It’s the least favorite of the original Star Wars films and the slave girl costume is on screen all of two minutes in total, but nearly 25 years later, the costume remains a favorite of fanboys and girls alike, no matter what their age. The cult was highlighted in an episode of the popular TV show Friends wherein actress Jennifer Aniston wore the bikini, along with the famous but unflattering bun hairdo Princess Leia was saddled with in the first Star Wars film.

It is impossible to go to a sci-fi convention without seeing at least one gold bikini, and the Web site Leia’s Metal Bikini features hundreds of photos of female fans in costume, as well as advice on how to buy a bikini or make one yourself. It’s not all about delighting men, either. Women point out that, although Jabba the Hutt intended for the bikini to humiliate Leia, her strength of character instead made the costume empowering.

Buying a Princess Leia Gold Bikini

Top off your Leia costume.

Several Web sites offer the Princess Leia gold bikini costume for sale if you’ve neither time, skill nor inclination to make one yourself. Here are a few good resources:

• Tomak: Accessible via the Leia’s Metal Bikini site, the Tomak bikini is made of resin and includes the bra frame, adjustable belt, slave collar, four-link chain, hair bun holders with attached hair clips, hair braid tooth with ties, armband, bracelet and boot tops. The top color choices are gold/copper, light gold/copper, light gold, dark gold and brass. Tomak will also paint the bikini in a custom color for no extra charge. Note that you can only pay via PayPal, check or money order.

• A Masquerade: Less exact, but considerably less expensive, is this costume from A Masquerade. You can only rent, not buy, but for many shoppers this is ideal. The bikini is pleather with gold trim and features a skirt and bracelet. The boots can be rented separately and the only size is medium.

Making Princess Leia Gold Bikini Costumes

A true fangirl makes her own costume, and this is also the best way to guarantee an excellent fit. There are several sites offering instructions on making a bikini. Start at Leia’s Metal Bikini again, where there are four good links and no end of pictures for reference.

Star Wars Chick offers some good advice as well as some basic pieces for the bikini if you want to buy a few parts and then sew the rest.

Another link on the Leia's Metal Bikini site gives detailed instructions suggesting you shape the wires and then use modeling clay to set the pieces. This would be extremely time consuming, but could result in an excellent fit.

Most makers agree that you don’t want to use anything like metal, as that would be unwieldy and uncomfortable. You should also not feel bound by the exact colors of the onscreen costume. There is no good reason not to individualize your costume to suit your inner Leia.

Advice From the Costume Designer

Costume designer and longtime George Lucas collaborator Aggie Guerard Rodgers was given free rein to design the famous bikini, but understood it had to be fabulous. She explains that there were several versions of the costume, one of which was metal for when Carrie Fisher wasn’t moving, and one that was rubber so she could comfortably do stunts. She suggests that would-be bikini makers use rubberized material and hand stitches, as this is the one sure way to avoid “big explosions” at the party.