Let's be clear, the Star Wars triology is not all about Princess Leia's hair, Hans Solo's manliness or Darth Vader's breathing issues. It is all about Luke Skywalker's wardrobe. Skywalker owns the kimono jacket, suits all manner of hoods and even pulled off an orange spacesuit with aplomb. But his best look is in the third installment when he is dressed in head-to-toe black. In the scene when he's walking a space plank to his death, Luke's top is belted to give off a peplum effect, his trousers are narrow and his neckline is severe. It's sci-fi fashion of the highest order Photograph: AP
Necklines are a big deal to men in the science fiction arena – it's part of a whole protective futuristic thing. In Ridley Scott's Bladerunner both Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer's characters sport jackets or coats that wrap around their necks and chin. Ford's is of the long swishing trench-length variety (see next picture), while Hauer's is a slab of sturdy black leather, which brilliantly offsets his bleach blonde hair Photograph: Warner Bros/Sportsphoto Ltd/Allstar
See here for direction Photograph: Everett Collection/Rex Features
In this 1971 George Lucas sci-fi film starring Robert Duvall and set in the 25th Century, the cast wear clinical white tops with a bar fastening at the neck. It's very 1990s Helmut Lang
Photograph: Warner Bros/Sportsphoto Ltd/Allstar Photograph: Warner Bros/Sportsphoto Ltd./Allstar
No-one is suggesting that combat trousers or a shirt festooned with bulging pockets is a look for everyday fabulousness. But look at Sigourney and her crew in this picture. Those bomber jackets are a bit Martine Rose (that's cool London type designer if you don't know) and the jacket shape is very du jour
Photograph: 20th Century Fox/Allstar/Cinetext/ Photograph: Action images
If Alien had zips, the 2009 Star Trek reboot had a sexy Spock and a techie uniform made up of mustard, rich boozy ruby and electric blue. It was a palette that seemed thoroughly right for the times. Plus, these costumes also have a Raf Simons-Balenciaga vibe, both high fashion brands that often get labelled 'a bit sci-fi' Photograph: Industrial Light and Magic
No outfit has ever pre-dated the American Apparel block coloured hooded top phenomenon with more gusto than this velour one in pinging tomato red
Photograph: Universal/Sportsphoto Ltd/Allstar Photograph: Universal/Sportsphoto Ltd./Allstar
Tron and Tron Legacy take the prize. This is what the future of dancefloors is meant to look like, isn't it? Kids in body form suits flashing it up to some disco beats. Either that or the Tron look is perhaps the next logical step in the ongoing look we call 'men wearing super tight lycra bodystockings to cycle/jog to or from work' Photograph: Douglas Curran/Disney Enterprises Inc
Darth Vader may have led the noir fashion charge for years but when Keanu and co appeared on the scene in 1999, everything changed. Henceforth from then all long black coats, patent or plain leather, have been dubbed a bit 'the Matrix'. This extends also to black biker boots, black shirts and eye-hugging wraparound sunglasses Photograph: Cine Text/Allstar/Sportsphoto Ltd
If you swapped any of the models' heads with the actor's body, the outfits York wears in this 1976 film could be a Balenciaga collection circa now. The graphic black and grey, the polo neck, the sleekness of the silhouette. Rumours that a remake involves Ryan Gosling could only be made more wondrous should it come complete with a proper Balenciaga wardrobe... *imagines, falls over* Photograph: MGM/Sportsphoto Ltd/Allstar
The plastic hair piece with its long fringe. The jaunty collars. The pin-stripe tunic-vest tops. The funny chin beard spot. Costumes by Jean Paul Gaultier. Further evidence to stash in the Oldman-is-a-dude folder Photograph: Everett Collection/Rex Features
Seriously. Bowie makes kneepads look like a wantable accessory when worn with his slick of winning orange hair. Even Fassbender's blonde severe side parting is going to have to work hard to give the singer/actor a run for his sci-fi hairdo money. Others who have also tried: Jude Law in Gattaca, the male cast of Inception, Brad Pitt in 12 Monkeys. But no one has beaten Bowie. Yet Photograph: Moviestore Collection/Rex Features
