Heritage Auctions held a two-day auction of Hollywood memorabilia last week and sold that bikini from Return of the Jedi for $175,000. And it wasn't even the costume that was in the final film! This one is authentic from the production, but it was only used for screen tests.
Why did it Princess Leia's bikini fetch such a high price? Because that costume was such a memorable part of the movie series. After two Star Wars films, audiences were shocked at seeing the beloved princess showing so much skin while she was being held in slavery by Jabba the Hut. It was titillating, but also illustrated her humiliation. Viewers were either excited or else scandalized by the costume in a story that was so appealing to children. Actress Carrie Fisher was among those. She didn't feel good about being nearly naked, and counseled Daisy Ridley not to give in if the producers wanted her to wear something she wasn't comfortable with in the sequel series. The upshot is that Star Wars fans have been talking about the bikini for 41 years now. Read more about the impact this costume made at Smithsonian. -via Mental Floss
(Image credit: Michael Barera)