Star Warsis a long-running science-fiction franchise set in a faraway galaxy during a different time when the Force reigns, and force-wielders called Jedi can use the Force to move objects as well as predict the future. The original film trilogy spawned a total of eight other films, countless TV series, and several successful video games.Star Warsrules the sci-fi genre, setting the standard for most.
Considering thatStar Warsis jam-packedwith beloved charactersand unique settings, the design process must have been interesting. Between the Western-style design of Han’s costume and the complexities of the Chewbacca suit, the costume designers certainly had their work cut out for them. That being said, these are the best costume designs in the franchise, ranked.
Update August 13, 2025: The Halloween season means people are looking for cool costumes to wear, and following the release ofAhsokaon Disney+,Star Warsis now back in the spotlight, so here are a few great costume ideas from the beloved franchise.
15Hera Syndulla
Hela Syndulla first appeared in animated showsStar Wars RebelsandStar Wars: The Bad Batchbefore making her live-action debut in the Disney+ seriesAhsoka.Her costume remains largely similar in all three projects. With her leather jacket and flight goggles, her look is somewhat Amelia Earhart-esque, which makes sense given her role as a pilot. This, combined with her distinctive orange pants reminiscent of the more traditional X-Wing garb, ensures that her look stands out from the crowd. This is good, given that Hera actressMary Elizabeth Winstead had to go through a lengthy transformation processwhen playing the role.
14Tusken Raider Costume
The Tusken Raiders are the elusive race of people who live deep in the dunes of Tatooine. First introduced inA New Hope, the Tusken Raiders, or “Sand People,” are seen to be hostile toward outsiders, willing to go to great lengths to protect themselves and their way of life. The Tusken costume involves a light garb similar to that worn by farmers, but the most unique and iconic part of the costume is the mask. Designed to keep moisture in the eyes and mouth,the Tusken maskmakes them look horrifying despite the fact that they are organic beings.
13Lando Calrissian Cloud City Outfit
Han Solo’s old buddy, Lando Calrissian, embodies style. As the smooth-talking gambler and playboy-esque Cloud City administrator, Lando is almost always shown sporting elegant, sophisticated, and (presumably) expensive outfits. The best example of this is the very first costume we see him in when Han, Leia, and the gang land in Cloud City inStar Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back. He dons black pants, a soft blue shirt, and a large black belt, all of which are stylish enough. But it’s his soft blue cape, complete with a gold patterned lining, that really makes a statement. And that statement is, “I’m cooler than you.”
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12Qi’ra’s Red Cape
Keeping with the theme of capes, next up is this little number worn by Emilia Clarke’s Qi’ra in 2018Solo: A Star Wars Story.While that film and the character failed to make much of an impression, it’s hard to deny that the romantic interest of Han didn’t look stylish throughout. In fact, it’s actually impressive how many costume changes Qi’ra has throughout the one film she appears in and how many of them serve.
Her best look comes about midway through the movie when she throws a scarlet red cape on top of the cream jacket she is already wearing. The cape, which is complete with a black neck and shoulders and a diagonal zipper, stands out from the grayer palette of the film and gives the character an air of authority.
11Praetorian Guards
The Last Jediis a controversial pick for some, but one thing it did have that most can agree on was phenomenal costume design. In what is considered the best scene in the movie, Kylo Ren and Rey join forces when Kylo strikes Snoke down, and his guards attack the pair. As they fight, we get a good look at the guards' unique red armor and their equally unique weapons. With a tough, red outer shell and a helmet that hides the face, these suits of armor are meant to be intimidating to any adversary. Michael Kaplan even earned an Empire Award forhis efforts on Costume Design.
10Captain Phasma’s Metallic Suit
Captain Phasma is first introduced to us inThe Force Awakens, where we see her try to discipline Finn before he leaves the Empire and finds himself helping the Rebellion. The most memorable aspect of Phasma is her metallic suit, carefully draped cape, and matching weapon. While her character received much criticism for being overhyped despite the ultimately minor role in the franchise, the aesthetics did not go unnoticed. Captain Phasma merch sold very well on the market, proving that people liked the design of the costume, though not necessarily the character behind it.
9Padme’s Lake Dress
With the introduction of new characters in the prequels came a whole new opportunity for upgraded costume design. One of the characters through which costume design was experimented with was Padme Amidala. While Padme’s costumes vary from hideous to beautiful, one costume that stands out is the lake dress she wears when she and Anakin are alone on Naboo inAttack of the Clones. This yellow-to-purple ombre dress is the epitome of summer and creates a beautiful silhouette on Natalie Portman that is unmatched by any other. This is also the most wearable style to emerge from the franchise.
8Kylo Ren’s Suit
One of the biggest appeals to the new villain of the sequels was the recurrence of a masked character. Based on his grandfather’s suit, Kylo Ren’s mask and suit is no doubt a unique costume that caught the eye of fans everywhere. Introduced inThe Force Awakens, Kylo Ren’s wardrobe struck fear into the hearts of his enemies as he charged forward with his cape flowing behind him and his hood hanging over his eyes. His costume is a combination of Vader’s suit and the Emperor’s cloak. Not only does this pay homage to the villains of the past, but displays Kylo’s loyalty to the dark side.
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7Leia’s Slave Costume
InReturn of the Jedi, Leia is captured byJabba the Huttalongside her friends but is given a much worse fate as she is chained to Jabba’s side and is placed in a very skimpy bikini. While this hyper-sexualization of the character seemed somewhat unnecessary, the design of the bikini itself has become one of the most recognizable costumes in the entire franchise. Unfortunately, the costume itself was quite uncomfortable for Carrie Fisher as the material was not flush with her skin, leaving her feeling naked.
6The Armorer’s Suit
The MandalorianrevivedStar Warsto the former glory seen with the original trilogy of films. It brought us Din Djarin, Grogu, and the ever-elusive Armorer. While not much is known about the Armorer, she can still hold her own in a fight and proves that she is loyal to the Mandalorian way as, when Din reveals that he willingly removed his helmet to show Grogu his face, she tells him he is no longer welcome for breaking their cardinal rule. The Armorer’s suit is her own unique iteration of the traditional Mandalorian armor, with horns on her helmet and a fur cape.
