The one Pincess Leia wore, that is:
As movie costumes go, it was both small and fleeting, occupying only two minutes of screen time in Return of the Jedi, which many call the weakest of the original Star Wars films.
But nearly a quarter-century later, Princess Leia’s slave-girl costume occupies a unique position in pop culture and shows no signs of slipping.
Knockoffs of the golden bikini are a staple of science fiction and comic book conventions. Instructions for home-brew Leia outfits propagate online like Ewoks in heat, and ready-made copies can be purchased from several websites. An episode of Friends titled “The One with the Princess Leia Fantasy” showcased the phenomenon, climaxing with a bun-haired Jennifer Aniston donning the skimpy outfit.
There’s no doubt that the sight of Carrie Fisher in the gold sci-fi swimsuit was burned into the sweaty subconscious of a generation of fanboys hitting puberty in the spring of 1983. But, remarkably, it’s women for whom the costume holds the most enduring meaning today.
Copycats are fine, but the original is still the best.
