Vaderisnothayden said:

You're rationalizing it. The reality is that the prequel films way overdid this sort of costume because the people making them clearly got too into making everything elaborate and opulent. It was not necessary to do that and it adds to the bullshit feel of the films.

rcb said:
come on people. its a different universe, different customs, different planets. here on earth, we have a custom to wear certain things when attending events. the cultures around the world have different ways of dressing. the SWU is full of planets with their own cultures.

Again, this is rationalizing it rather than looking at what's actually going on.

The OT clothing is reasonable science fiction clothing. The prequel clothing is pompous and pretentious. And there might be some reason for such clothing in a republic that's declining and decadent, but it's taken too far. To the point where they're clearly showing off "Look at the fancy outfits we designed for these films!"

Why are perfectly reasonable explanations for the costumes 'rationalizing?' Is it rationalizing to think that the OT, which is peopled by rebels, farmers, and officers in the fascist navy (and Lando, the administrator of a mining operation too small for the unions to notice) would dress differently than the PT, which is filled with the most important people on the galactic political scene?

I'm also curious as to who the arbiter of 'reasonable science fiction clothing' is? Where's the benchmark? Flash Gordon? Logan's Run? The 5th Element?

If Lando's cape was ok, would it have been ok if it was embroidered? What if he had spats? What if they were dirty spats? Could he wear spats and a hat? When we he look like an idiot? Were the flashing lights on Vader's chest in ESB and ROTJ a step towards idiocy? He had a little chrome nose too. Was that too much?

You told me to go to Wookiepedia. I did. Was it Sio Bibble who looked like an idiot, in his dark blue doublet? Was Mas Amada overdressed for his job as seargent at arms for the Senate of the Entire Galaxy? Was it those tarted up Jedi in their austere robes? Dooku in his black shirt and slacks? Was the Prime Minister of Kamino overdressed? You say they all look like idiots, I'm trying to figure out who you're talking about.