Costume Porn: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

This trope is about extremely detailed clothing, either seeing it or (ahem) describing it. Seems to be more as a form of [[Author Appeal]] or [[Fan Service]] than for any important details to the plot (but not always). Seems to be most common in stuff aimed at girls and women.

 

Not to be confused with porn costumes, which tend to be [[Vapor Wear|a single layer]] to provide an excuse for the actors to strip.

 

== Anime and Manga ==

* ''[[Trinity Blood]]'' combines this with [[Scenery Porn]]: all characters dress breathtakingly cool and the locations look like a tourist ad for wherever in Europe they happen to be.

* ''[[Vision of Escaflowne]]'' is slighly guilty, especially, with Allen's costume.

** Everyone else is not far behind either, especially C.C. getting a complete makeover, new hairstyle and a new ridiculous costume out of nowhere for one episode in Season 2.

** Not to mention the art books.

* ''[[Ronin Warriors]]'' '''loves''' showing off how complex and intricate the various armors are. A lot of the [[Stock Footage]] revels in showing off the heroes suits from every conceivable angle.

* Due to the pretty blatant [[Author Appeal]], Ai Yazawa sometimes devotes endless panels and splash pages to showcasing the costumes her fashion designer characters create from every possible angle. Yukari modeling the [[Pimped-Out Dress]] from ''[[Paradise Kiss]]'' is probably the worst offender, but it happens many other times both in that series and ''[[Gokinjo Monogatari]]''.

** Special points to xxxHoLic here because the first and only time Yuuko ever wears the same outfit twice is once in a dream sequence and once in real life, yet it is STILL memorable enough that Watanuki comments on it.

** Since {{spoiler|Yuuko's death, Watanuki has become CLAMP's new mannequin when it comes to Costume Porn.}}

* ''[[Gankutsuou]]'' takes this trope to eye-bleeding extremes.

* ''[[Rose of Versailles]]'' ''revels'' in this. (See the pictures on the [[Pimped-Out Dress]] and [[Requisite Royal Regalia]] pages for just an idea.)

* ''[[The Bride of the Water God]]'' has a vast array of beautiful Korean costumes.

* Most [[Magical Girl]] anime tend to have at least a little of this, but ''[[Prétear]]'' takes it above and beyond normal usage. Every one of the seven [[Hero Secret Service|Leafé]] [[Transformation Trinket|Knights]] transform with the [[Magical Girl]] and give her a new costume based on their [[Elemental Powers]]. {{spoiler|And then to top it off she has a final ultimate form, the "White Prétear", who wears a regal [[Pimped-Out Dress]]}}. In fact, considering the [[Transformation Sequence]] with the knights is packed full of [[Does This Remind You of Anything?]], you might consider it ''literal'' Costume Porn. The tagline when [[ADV Films]] brought the show over to America was "Wearable [[Bishounen]]!"

* Most of the outfits in ''[[Black Butler]]''. Special mention goes to the gown Ciel wore at a ball when cross-dressing.

* ''[[Reimei no Arcana]]'' also features this.

* ''[[AKB49: Ren'ai Kinshi Jourei|AKB 49 Renai Kinshi Jourei]]'' features intricate costumes for idol group members performing on stage, and a single performance will involve multiple costume changes as well.

 

== Comic Books ==

* ''[[Millie the Model]]'' also did fan submissions adapted into the comics.

 

** The best the description of the "Black Leather Pajamas".

** Pfff, "black leather bar."

{{quote|I went to the wardrobe closet and selected a low cut pink dress with long [[Rouge Angles of Satin|selves]] and the Triforce symbol over my right breast.A pink feathery lace ran underneath my breasts. And a crisscross pattern held the back together. I pulled my hair into a bun and went downstairs.}}

* ''[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5822132/1/Becoming_Female Becoming Female]'' does this:

{{quote|I was wearing a cream-colored blouse with bright purple polka dots, a fleece jacket with pink and red horizontal stripes and an olive green mini. I was wearing lavender flip-flops with lime green tube socks over my mustard yellow tights. [[Captain Obvious|I also had on a bra and panties, but they were under the rest of my clothes so you couldn't see them]]. I had dyed my hair blue and put it in buns like Princess Leia from ''[[Star Wars]]''. [[Informed Attractiveness|All the boys stared lustfully at me while most of the girls looked incredibly jealous]].}}

{{quote|"Joey lounged on a couch that had been spray-painted gold, wearing a blue leopard print tunic with a pink bobbed wig. With all the reflective objects and Joey's second skin of body glitter, the downstage area seemed to be bathed in light....All the audience would be able to see was the glow-in-the dark face and body paint worn by Joey....Glittering sparks shot out of holographic badges behind the two birthday hats on Joey's pectorals."}}

** ''The main portion of {{spoiler|Hinata}}'s gown was a shimmering, medium-weight, pure white silk mikado. The edges of the fabric were all stitched with a golden filigree of small, overlapping triangles. The bride's dress was strapless like those of her attendants. But the pale beauty's bodice was so perfectly fitted it almost appeared to be paint instead of fabric. It clung tightly to every curve of her exquisite breasts, dipping slightly between her cleavage. The gown wrapped around her toned stomach, revealing the slight indent of her navel. The upper portion of the dress also had short sleeves connected under her arms, covering from the middle of her biceps to just above {{spoiler|Hinata}}'s elbows. Unlike her friends, the young woman wore no gloves, and her engagement ring shone brightly on her finger. The ivory material split just below the waist, creating a wide slit in front while the rest of the dress flared out dramatically, flowing around her in vertical pleats. A cape-like extension off the back of the bodice and sleeves added an additional layer to the back of the gown. The silk ended a full six-inches above the floor. Underneath there was an underskirt of pale lavender, but unlike the white silk this part of the dress had a matte finish. The second layer went all the way to the floor, and as was also visible through the gap in the front. The bride wore a simple silver circlet on her head, with a veil of lace hanging out of the headpiece down to just below her chin.''

 

== Film ==

* ''[[Dangerous Liaisons]]'', the 1988 film. The costumes were so amazing you see them popping up in later historical dramas, too.

* Another huge fashion show was from the pages of Vogue in ''[[The Devil Wears Prada]]''.

* The 1936 musical ''The Great Ziegfeld''. Good gods and demons, the film [http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3ick8_a-pretty-girl-is-like-a-melody-the_shortfilms is loaded with it].

* Some Hammer Horror. Definitely.

* Spoofed beautifully in ''[[What A Way To Go]]''.

* The [[Lana Turner]] vehicle ''Love Has Many Faces'' is less well-remembered for its paper-thin plot than for its exorbitant “million dollar wardrobe” (courtesy of legendary Hollywood costumer Edith Head, no less). Some have jokingly referred to the film as ''Love Has Many Costume Changes''.

 

== Literature ==

* [[Older Than Feudalism]]: The description of the staggeringly elaborate decorations on the Shield of Achilles in ''[[The Iliad]]'' goes on for several ''pages''.

* ''[[The Bible]]'' has lovingly exact specifications for the garments of the priests in the Book of Exodus.

* ''[[The Hunger Games]]'', anyone? Examples include costumes that are on ''fire''.

** Somewhat justified, since looking good to the viewers gets a tribute more sponsors, which in turn gives them a better chance of surviving.

* In the [[Time Scout]] series, small mistakes in costume downtime can be deadly. For some reason, the characters never end up in a place where drab, simple clothes are the norm. Instead they end up mingling with high society in [[Victorian London]]. Coincidence. Yeah.

* [[A Song of Ice and Fire|George R.R. Martin]] can spend paragraphs describing the clothing and heraldry of his characters. The greater the detail, the greater the chance the wearer will be/do/experience something significant by the end of the chapter.

 

== Live-Action TV ==

* ''[[Doctor Who]]'' had an episode of this in the form of "The Girl in the Fireplace". Not just Reinette's [[Gorgeous Period Dress|gorgeous period dresses]], but the outfits the clockwork robots were wearing.

** Doctor Who has done this from the start. Tom Baker's famous bohemian outfit and the Time Lords' exuisitely layered robes and headdresses were designed by James Acheson, who later went on to win three Oscars for his stupendous costumes for Hollywood movies. Check out The Masque of Mandragora and The Deadly Assassin for his best work on the series. Also, Amy Roberts designed some rather gorgeous pieces for the stories she worked on (Image of the Fendahl, State of Decay, The Keeper of Traken, Mawdryn Undead and the Ainley Master's velvet costume).

* ''[[Alias (TV series)|Alias]]'' has a lot of this, partly justified by Sydney's need to blend in. Costumes involved range from traditional style kimono to outrageous party outfits.

* ''[[Sex and the City]]''

* ''[[Noah's Arc]]'': The fashion show, which has some wildly elaborate outfits even by fashion show standards.

* Dr Lucy Worsley in her history documentaries just ''loves'' dressing up in period costumes and will get through at least half a dozen in a typical episode, along with a similar number of natty modern-day outfits in between.

 

== Music ==

* Revo from [[Sound Horizon]] has taken to wearing elaborately embroidered [[Awesome Anachronistic Apparel]] just about any time he makes a public appearance.

* [[Namgar]]

 

== Professional Wrestling ==

* Even though [[The Undertaker]] dresses mostly in black, his more elaborate outfits, especially those for [[Wrestlemania]], ''definitely'' qualify for this trope.

* [[Christian|Christian Cage]] used to wear an assortment of shiny [[In the Hood|hooded jumpsuits]] from 2004-2009 (although he did usually keep the hood off his head for the jumpsuits he started wearing as the Instant Classic in '07).

 

== Tabletop Games ==

** Of course, you can just paint on a few basic colors, use something different for the bling, and [[Memetic Mutation|slap on some DEVLAN MUD]].

 

* [[Takarazuka]] Revue productions. The costuming budget on those things must be higher than the gross domestic product of many third-world countries.

* [[Cirque Du Soleil]] shows, to the point that the company's 25th anniversary book (2009) was a retrospective of costumes from all the shows over the years! Especially costume-riffic shows include ''Alegria'', ''"O"'', and ''KA''.

* Most productions of ''[[The Phantom of the Opera]]'' turn out like this (including the film), particularly during the "Masquerade" song.

* [[Shrek]]: [[The Musical]], [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CFkQtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dd2PTwUG4ZzE&ei=xqFBTteNCqOqsAK8u5TPCQ&usg=AFQjCNFrPzIsyfCANisV6F2tQ4HLBtz1eA Exhibit A]

 

== Video Games ==

* In ''[[Pokémon Diamond and Pearl]]'', the outfits worn by Team Galactic are otherworldly and elaborate. Gym Leaders and other major bosses in general may also fall into this category.

* The [[Dynasty Warriors]] series by Koei, the eastern version of Satoshi Urushihara's works in terms of extreme pornography. Even when someone has a plain and basic outfit there's an 80% chance of [[Nice Hat]] after [[Nice Hat]] after... It seems the only place they skimped on the clothing was for the create-a-character 'edit generals'. See also: Kessen and Romance of the Three Kingdoms, but DW is where they save the most fantastical designs for.

* ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' goes its way to show off the opulent outfits of the Renaissance period, unusually focusing mainly on the male wardrobe. The Assassin's uniform is of course the most notable example, and a major departure from the simple robes of the first game.

** Ezio takes it [[Up to Eleven]] in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood|Brotherhood]]''. He shouldn't even be able to walk in [http://lh5.ggpht.com/_RU8vXW4WLqU/TN1wS0JsqVI/AAAAAAAAXrg/2drn7P9QfKM/Ezio%20Auditore.jpg this outfit], [[Rule of Cool|let alone fight and climb in it!]]

* In [[Lusternia]], trademasters can periodically submit a number of cartel designs. The result is extreme customization of everything from robes to platemail to furniture. Your character can be as richly (or as drably) attired as you desire. And - like the ''[[Dwarf Fortress]]'' example above - this is achieved entirely through text!

 

 

== Web Original ==

 

== Western Animation ==

* The ''[[Anastasia]]'' movie is full of this. Most notable examples would have to be Anya's yellow silk [[Dream Sequence]] dress, the svelte navy and sparkly Parisian Opera dress, her blue court dress at the beginning of the movie, and her yellow court dress at the end of the movie.

* The ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'' episode "Suited for Success" is very much a display of Costume Porn, featuring [[The Fashionista|Rarity]]'s creative efforts in designing evening wear for her friends.

 

== Real Life ==

* The ''traje de luces'' worn by bullfighters.

* One really cool rig you can make yourself. Take a Victorinox belt clip. Hook on the end of the chain a collector's edition knife (they have really cool collector's editions by the way). The effect is great. Not really [[Bling of War]] despite being called a [[Every Device Is a Swiss Army Knife|Swiss Army knife]] (though Victorinox does sell to the military those knives would look different). More "bling of craftsmanship". But it looks great, anyway.

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:The Beautiful Tropes]]

[[Category:It's Not Porn, It's an Index]]

[[Category:Princess Tropes]]

[[Category:Spectacle]]