Month: March 2014

yanavaseva:

fayehavoc:

yanavaseva:

Given how people generally seemed to like my previous female armor post (save for one comment that argued that criticizing the depiction of warrior women wearing these and stating that in real life warrior women wouldn’t wear anything like that and that these are highly sexualized is slut-shaming of fictional characters), I’m happy to present part two. Originally it was going to be about torso armor, but several people asked for butts. Now, I hadn’t given thought to butts as much, because unlike boobs, that are depicted as existing almost separately from the entire body, butts are more often incorporated into the rest of the outfit.

The most interesting thing about these images (for me) was my own entirely positive initial reaction.

At first glance, I thought it might be a cute little guide to styles of burlesque underpants. (I got a good laugh out of the flavour text beside a depiction of what is essentially a fancy merkin: “Where is the point of disappearance?”  ..and chuckled at mentions of crystal and magic jewels.) Reading on, and considering the artist’s own understandably sarcastic statements, I can see it’s actually intended as playful criticism of costumes designed to unnecessarily hypersexualize female characters in sci-fi and fantasy media (comic books, video games, movies, art, whatnot). I have a bit of a nerdy background, so of course the satirical aspect of these drawings struck a chord with me, (and I wholeheartedly agree with what’s being said,) but on the other hand I am an actual seamstress for actual strippers; my clients specifically request cheeky windows, plunging necklines, and short hems that show off some t&a; mystery (“how does it stay up/on?” or “how did it just come off?”) is alluring; properties like fabric transparency and movement are essential to the art of the tease. That flowing long loincloth is an oldschool bump ‘n’ grind panel skirt, for goodness’ sake.

If a real or fictional character’s purpose or motivation, whether onstage or in a comic book, is to actively bare herself and seduce her audience for whatever reason, then YES, go forth and dress that character in designs like these! This sort of costuming IS appropriate for those who choose to reveal their bodies..  it IS NOT appropriate for questing, fighting crime, keeping warm, protecting vital organs from bullets or lasers or spears or maces, flying a spaceship, wrestling dinosaurs, whatever. I’m a big fan of form following function, (for example, while a full-body unitard may be revealing in its way, it would also be totally appropriate when a heroic person of any gender must streamline themselves to move quickly through water or air – I don’t get annoyed by stuff like that,) but when there’s visual dissonance between a superheroine’s costume and the feats she performs while wearing it, coupled with a shameless attempt to make her outfit needlessly revealing and titillating, it irritates me. When an exotic dancer or burlesque entertainer’s attire is cleverly or beautifully revealing and titillating, I nod my head and think “well done”  ..because stripping is her superpower, and form follows function in every sense.

That was very well said, thank you 🙂

That post got ten million times better when a person who tailors costumes for strippers and exotic dancers added her thoughts on booty “armor”. Took the liberty of bolding crucial parts.