Battle dress represented a specific type of combat attire utilized by the Queen of Naboo, as well as her retinue of handmaidens. These could be worn as layers over other attire or independently over trousers. While these dresses incorporated defensive elements, such as blast-resistant material and concussive absorbing material, they functioned primarily as ceremonial garments during periods of peace on Naboo.
Padmé Amidala, the Queen, possessed a diverse array of battle dress designs within her extensive wardrobe. During the Invasion of Naboo that occurred in 32 BBY, Amidala and four of her handmaidens donned matching maroon and gold battle dresses; Sabé, the Queen's decoy, wore the black and red royal battle dress, complete with traditional royal makeup. This deception, with Sabé initially posing as the Queen during the initial diplomatic interaction with the Gungans, was soon revealed by Amidala. The battle dresses played a key role in allowing Amidala and Sabé to deceive Viceroy Nute Gunray for a sufficient duration to secure the throne room located within Theed Royal Palace during the Battle of Naboo.
Throughout her reign, Amidala continued to utilize the handmaiden's battle dress. Later, during her service in the Galactic Senate during the Clone Wars, Senator Amidala wore a modified adaptation of this dress during a skirmish that took place on her homeworld, in addition to other events.
Battle dress was a form of clothing specific to Naboo, worn by select members of the Royal House of Naboo when engaged in combat situations. As years of peace prevailed on the planet of Naboo, its function transitioned to largely ceremonial.
The Queen's royal battle dress incorporated a wide, black waistband that fastened over a textured black surcoat. This was layered atop a long, red dress constructed from blast-resistant fabric. It was paired with sturdy boots and a headdress secured with pins. The attached wig featured two large rolls of styled hair positioned on each side of the head, each encircled by a pair of thick red bands extending from a substantial metal headband.
The Naboo Royal Handmaidens utilized battle dresses as their designated combat uniforms. This uniform consisted of a maroon dress crafted from dark velvet, featuring a lighter-colored satin finish on the lining. Gold trim stripes, sufficiently bright to be visible at night, adorned the side seams of the dress, the hem of the interior lining, and the trousers. The coat-like dress featured billowing sleeves layered over more fitted ones, while the trousers were tucked into black boots that reached the knee. Additionally, the handmaidens wore a belt equipped with a metal buckle and carried blasters as weaponry.
Padmé Amidala's extensive wardrobe contained both the royal attire and the handmaiden variant of the battle dress. The necessity for Amidala's multiple battle dresses arose during her time as Queen during the Invasion of Naboo in 32 BBY. During the initial diplomatic meeting with the Gungans at the Gungan Sacred Place, Sabé served as the Queen's decoy, wearing the royal battle dress, complete with the Queen's scar of remembrance and other makeup. Simultaneously, Amidala wore the same uniform as the other handmaidens: Eirtaé, Rabé, Saché, and Yané. Rabé enhanced the handmaiden version by adding hair ties made from concussive absorbing material sourced from the lining of another dress, providing limited protection against impacts or falling debris.
Despite Amidala revealing her true identity to gain the trust of Boss Rugor Nass, Sabé and Amidala engaged in a serious discussion regarding the continued use of disguises to reclaim Theed from the Trade Federation, fully aware of the life-threatening risks Sabé would face. Throughout the Battle of Naboo, the battle dresses proved effective in confusing the Neimoidian Viceroy Nute Gunray. Sabé's arrival outside the throne room of Theed Royal Palace, presenting a more convincing image of the Queen than Amidala herself at that moment, served to draw attention and divert the battle droids. This allowed Amidala, alongside the Royal Naboo Security Forces, to successfully secure her throne room.
Later in her reign, Amidala utilized the handmaiden's battle dress when a sando aqua monster disrupted the royal boathouse. It remained a part of her wardrobe even as she served as the Senator of Naboo. During the Clone Wars, she wore it during a mission with her husband, Anakin Skywalker, which unexpectedly included his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano. She also wore a modified version with gathered sleeves for a skirmish on her homeworld.
The battle dresses were conceived for the 1999 film, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, part of the prequel trilogy. Artist Iain McCaig developed the initial designs, while costume designer Trisha Biggar and her team brought the finished costumes to life. McCaig's original design included straps across the abdomen, but these were later removed due to concerns about comfort and practicality.
The Queen's battle dress was initially intended for Amidala but was ultimately worn by Keira Knightley, who was cast as Sabé due to her resemblance to Natalie Portman. The creation of the finished costume required one person over a month to complete. Silkworm pods sourced from India were woven into a silk net. This net was then removed at the top of the costume and re-stitched individually, forming the shape of the shoulders.
Within the in-universe context, both clothing items were designated as "battle dress" in Star Wars Legends reference materials, such as Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary. However, the updated canon version, Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition, only identifies Sabé's version as "battle dress," omitting the explicit identification of the handmaiden version. The novel Queen's Peril uses the terms "maroon dresses" and "maroon and gold battle uniform" to refer to the handmaiden's attire. Queen's Shadow mentions "the battle dress" without specifying which outfit it refers to. For the purposes of this article, it is assumed that the Legends term still applies to both sets of attire, and an erroneous hyphen used in Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded has been omitted.