The Cult of Leia's Metal Bikini

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.

Leia fansKnockoffs 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.