Star Wars: 10 Small Details You Never Noticed On The Rebel Uniform

The Star Wars universe is largely defined by its different armies and factions. Indeed, there’s a great number of different sides that have fought in these wars, but perhaps none are as well known or as beloved as the Rebels that overthrew the Empire.

The Rebels themselves were really a ragtag group of revolutionaries that wanted to remove the Imperial regime from across the galaxy. They were made up of heroes who just wanted to fight for what was right. Due to this, their uniforms were a little bit unconventional. While the designs are still iconic, the costuming choices also tell an interesting story.

10 Pilot Continuity Colors

The bright orange colors of the Rebel pilots are well known, due to the fact that Luke Skywalker himself actually dons these colors for some time. They are partially created so that the Rebels can easily spot their men when a ship is downed, in order to rescue them.

The colors themselves as well as the design of their helmets actually hearken back to the days of the Clone Wars though. The Clone pilots also had bright colors on their armor, featuring more a yellowy orange, and the shape of the helmet itself is extremely similar.

9 Helmets Signify Placement

Much like the Clones and the Stormtroopers, the Rebels actually define their roles by the helmets that the soldiers wear. The classic Rebel foot soldiers that serve on the front lines are all given standard helmets used to protect them in the trenches.

The pilots are giving slightly different helmets though, streamlining their vision to focus on the task at hand. Even the guards on Rebel ships have different helmets, the least protective of the bunch because of their reduced fighting roles.

8 Limited Camouflage

The Rebel army also has a very limited amount of camouflage, with many of their designs being purposed for multiple terrains. The Stormtroopers, Clones and even droids pretty much had an army for every situation.

The Rebels had to make do though, so there were three core designs. A greenish and brown version for planets with high a density of flora, white for snow planets, and a sort of greyish uniform with some browns for the majority of other situations. There are very few examples outside of this.

7 Resistance Legacy

The Resistance is clearly inspired by the Rebel Alliance in many ways, but not just in their goals to overthrow an Imperial group in the First Order. They actually use much of the same equipment as the Rebels.

Clearly not funded how they should be, a lot of the uniforms in the Resistance are a collection of pieces from across the Rebel army. This makes the group look even more ragtag than the original Rebels themselves.

6 Adaptable Uniforms

Unlike many other armies in the Star Wars universe, the Rebel army uniform was designed to be very adaptable. With a lot of options in terms of storage and a lack of designating specific ranks in a traditional way, it was created to suit any situation.

That’s clear to see by how jumbled a lot of the equipment is. For some missions it’s easy to stop equipment that had been used elsewhere. This is very much an army that recycles.

5 Lack Of Uniformity

The Stormtroopers have a distinct uniformity across their military forces. This is something that cannot be said for the Rebels. It’s easy to identify the kind of trooper just from their uniform, but there are noticeable difference amongst them.

There’s an individuality to the troopers and the Rebels themselves that demonstrates why they are so different from the Empire. Indeed, the Clones and the Droids both had a lot more uniformity in comparison.

4 Insulated Materials

The materials that the costumes are made from are seemingly well insulated. It’s rare to see so much cloth used in the armor of a huge military force like the Rebels, but it is to help with the adaptability.

With all of the costumes using similar materials, they are perfect for keeping body heat and maintaining body temperature. The Hoth uniforms have a few extra layers, but in general have the same principles as a trooper who is stationed on a wet and swampy planet.

3 Cheap Equipment

It’s quite clear to see that a lot of the equipment used throughout the army is quite cheap. The more expensive equipment is reserved for those carrying out the most dangerous of missions. For troopers such as the guards, very little expense is spent on them.

The Hoth troopers were given the benefit of additional armor due to it being a contested area, but elsewhere the costumes are stripped back and almost bare in protective equipment in order to reduce costs. The Rebels were badly funded and it shows in the quality of their weapons too.

2 Changeable For Species

Unlike other armies, the species and culture can really impact the costume that is worn. For instance, Sabine Wren is a known member of the Rebel Alliance, but she was allowed to still use her Mandalorian armor in battle.

The same could be said for Hera, who’s helmet was adapted to her species, and her clothing represented her time in the Rebels as a pilot, a trooper and a leader. The Clone army were allowed to decorate their armor slightly, but this is the only large army that has multiple species in it.

1 Shifting Boots

In most of the other armies in the galaxy, including the Clones and the Stormtroopers, they use exactly the same boots for all terrains. However, despite costs and availability, the Rebel boots also vary depending on location.

Snowy boots were designated to those on Hoth where it was needed, and in other areas appropriate footwear was given. There’s an old adage about military forces that the victory could be in the shoes, and in this case that may be true. The resources of the Rebels were put into the places it would make all the difference.

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