Now that The Rise of Skywalker has fully entered the world’s cultural consciousness it’s time to look back on a much more well-reviewed Star Wars outing, the standalone, Rogue One. That movie worked because it fully embraced the familiar while also being wholely original when compared with the saga movies we’d all grown to expect from the Star Wars universe.
Nowhere was this more apparent than in the costumes. It was never difficult to tell the Rebels from the Imperials when all we had to do was look at what they were wearing, beyond any actions they were taking. But here are just a few of the smaller details that really made the look of Rogue One shine.
Jyn Erso’s Layers
Jyn Erso, Felicity Jone, our Rogue One protagonist spends a large portion of the film dressed to impress.
She’s ready for any planet she might stumble over because she is all about layering up. Did you admire Jyn’s jacket? Odds are you were admiring her jacket and vest. That’s right, Jyn Erso was really wearing two pieces of outerwear, not just one when you saw her. The darker vest pops on the lighter jacket, though they go together well enough they could have been one garment.
Fingerless Gloves
Do you remember Han Solo’s pilot gloves from A New Hope? Well pilots, apparently, are not the only ones who can use some fingerless glove protection from time to time. Jyn Erso also wears fingerless gloves in Rogue One. Often we don’t pay as much attention to the hands as we do to the rest of an outfit, but Jyn does wear gloves, and the next time you watch the movie you will no doubt notice them every single time they appear on the screen.
Real Flak Jackets and Flight Suits
When Jyn and Cassian finally land on Yavin in Rogue One fans are treated to the real deal when it comes to the rebel pilots running around in the background. Costume designers wanted the Rebellion teams to really reflect a real-world feel and design when held up against the pilots and military personnel of our own world. That’s why many of the background actors on the base were dressed in real flak jackets and flight suits to lend an air of authenticity to all of the action that takes place on Yavin before our heroes set off once again.
Saw Gerrera Suit
Saw Gerrera’s exoskeleton suit, as worn by Forest Whitaker, was designed in part to resemble Darth Vader’s original costume.
The suit is meant to work in flight, but also is meant to keep Saw up and running despite his many injuries. Though the man never lost all four of his limbs as Anakin Skywalker did, he’s seen many battles and has more injuries than he can really count. While it’s easy to see him using his breathing mask throughout the film, implying he has a history of injuries, the entire costume was designed to look as if it were helping to keep Saw alive and on his feet.
Shoretrooper Helmet
Rogue One found heroes and villains alike fighting in a geographic zone that we’ve not seen before in Star Wars, the tropics. While it’s easy to see that the troopers that descend on the beach are a different color than traditional Stormtroopers you may have missed some details. The tan helmets come with a small ridge that extends from the forehead, sort of like a visor to help protect troopers from the sun. The helmet also features a few vents for breathability, which seems smart when you consider the heat in their surroundings.
Krennic’s Pistol
It is no surprise that Krennic carries a pistol. Fans got to see him use it in the movie, but that fact that he carries a pistol at all is a detail that should stand out. Most Imperial officers don’t usually walk around armed. Think about Grand Moff Tarkin or any of his underlings. Their costumes were sleek and clean and their belts were just that, belts and nothing more. Krennic is one of the very few higher-ups in the Imperial power structure that voluntarily carries a sidearm. It so makes sense that no one ever really liked this guy.
No Buttons
Did you ever notice that there are no buttons in the Star Wars universe? We’re not talking about buttons you press, but buttons you wear. Look at all the costumes in any of the Star Wars films and you won’t find a single button. Diego Luna didn’t realize this until he was cast in Rogue One and they began preparing his costume. But, to stay true to the look and feel of the original trilogy, which Rogue One actually proceeds in terms of timeline, once again costume designers remained true to the “no buttons” rule for any and all of the costumes they created for the stand-alone prequel.
Galen Erso Reflects Luke Skywalker
What did you think when the film opened and Galen Erso appeared as a farmer while Jyn was still a small child. Did you like his worked-in look? Did it seem familiar to you? It should have. To connect the look of Rogue One to the original trilogy Galen Erso’s first costume was designed to look very similar to Luke’s Tatooine outfit, only in darker colors. This was meant not only to denote Galen’s work as a farmer but to pull fans back into a universe they recognized, and make them think about another character they loved.
Darth Vader’s Helmet
Did you know that Darth Vader’s helmet changes throughout the original trilogy? The helmet worn in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is actually a far shinier version of its predecessor. Luckily, the design team on Rogue One actually preferred the A New Hope look, which just happened to also line up with the spot in the timeline where Rogue One takes place. So yes, the Vader Helmet was designed to look like its earlier incarnation rather than its newest one.
Three Dimensional Stormtrooper Helmets
Did you know that much of the detailing and the vents in the original stormtrooper helmets were created with stickers? Well, if you look closely, you can see that for the stormtroopers appearing in Rogue One that was no longer the case. The new helmets, while the same design as those seen in a New Hope, actually have three-dimensional vents and details for actors and fans to all enjoy.
