I would like to point out that Karen’s analysis of spandex as a functional material for crime-fighting garb missed the point a bit. I mean, first off, Batman and Superman predate spandex, so let’s be real here. We’re talking about men dressed up in blue and grey TIGHTS, like circus performers wore.

Also, it can be really cold on rooftops. Unless Bruce’s cape was made from a repurposed electric blanket running on utility belt batteries, I’m not buying it. I myself have considered fighting crime MANY times and I have always intended on wearing PANTS. With pockets.

Male costumes leave nothing to the imagination either, though I will concede that in a male dominated society, what we dress our fictional female characters in does reflect on us, often poorly. But I still don’t think skirts are any less practical than blue pantyhose.

It’s…you know…like…magic?

Eh? Skin-tight clothing, providing it isn’t cutting into you, or makes you feel vulnerable and exposed, is extremely comfortable and easy to fight in. Leggings and leotards are standard for female gymnasts and aerobics dancers. Male gymnasts wear bikeshorts and leotards or unitards. Most Olympic level swimmers wear those one piece suits with the legs these days.

Here’s an experiment. If you’ve never worn one before, buy a skirt – it doesn’t matter what style. Put it on, with nothing but your standard underwear underneath.

Now run an obstacle course. For extra credit you can wear heels!

If skirts have any volume or length, they catch on things. They tug you out of balance. Extra material is a pain in the ass (sometimes literally) when clambering over things or jumping. If they’re tight and short, like Arisia’s, they’re less likely to catch, but they’ll restrict your leg motion, making it much harder to jump or kick.

I have done some crazy stuff in skirts and heels and got away with it, but I’ve also turned my ankle and torn the skirt half off my body more than once. I’ve never done that in sneakers and the tight singlets and shorts I run in.

Skin-tight, supportive clothing? Practical for crime-fighting. Skirts? Not.

Even in Warrior she was still not over Hal. I was just trying to say that she probably wanted to express her sexuality more openly as she grew older so that Hal would see her more as a woman than a little girl. Keeping that in mind, the new costume isn’t so out there. Still, your points are valid and I stand by the costume I would like to see that I pointed out in the above post.

Not being a teenage girl, I don’t really know what tricks they have to appear older or whatnot, but yeah, I can see what you’re going for.

I do agree that the mini-skirt is quite impractical, but was the flowing skirt really that much better? I think her Warrior phase costume was probably the most practical, but that doesn’t really work with DC’s current modus operandi. Ideally, she would wear a costume that had the Lantern-pants (like Sorranik (sp?)Natu wears in GLC) and the revealing top (which let’s face it…is never going away).

I also agree with Dean up there. It isn’t exactly comfortable or easy to fight in skin-tight clothing for males either…yet it is a pretty standard technique. I think Reis was just trying to make her look sexy. She is like 10 times Hal’s age now…

You make the point on GRC that you don’t see guys in costumes as ridiculous as miniskirts, but seriously, how sensible are semitransparent tights for dudes battling evil?

I think you have a point about over-sexualization of female costumes, but I’m not ready to take the miniskirt off the shelves at the super-boutique just yet.

As for the costume – yeah, the miniskirt is a bit much. How does she move? You see women wearing those things who can barely walk, and she’s supposed to be fighting?

And from everything I’ve learned on WHAT NOT TO WEAR, if you go for the revealing top, then you have to cover more up on the bottom, and vice versa. But the mini AND the — I don’t know the word for it. Bustier? It’s a bit much.

Look, I’m not saying that a mature woman wouldn’t dress revealingly. But a mature woman would dress appropriately for the work she does. That’s a miniskirt she’s wearing to fight evil.

And a mature woman would dress to emphasize certain personal characteristics, but not to the detriment of the rest of her body. That costume emphasizes the breasts, and makes the rest of her body into an afterthought. The combination of light-colored, front-loaded top and dark, short, tight miniskirt imply that she is not comfortable with her shape, particularly her hips and breast size. Again, teenaged girl characteristics. These are tricks to compensate for a small bust and large hips. I know these tricks because we tried them in High School (though, within the dress code standards). There was another set for girls who felt they were top-heavy, broad-shouldered with skinny hips. A whole list of ways to make your waist smaller. Teenaged girl tricks.

This is not a grown-up costume. This is something a teenager thinks is a grown-up costume. Honestly, if they were going by your train of thought, a bikini would have been a more suitable choice (though still eye-rollingly exploitive). Freedom of movement and complete comfort with body image.

It was almost like the more she grew up, the more she [b]matured[/b], Arisia wanted to show more of herself rather than hide behind restrictions.

Then again…I personally loved every single bit of her resurrection, from the clothes down to the dialogue so I may just be biased.