Line #109 Main/SensualSpandex


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5	[[quoteright:350: [[ComicBook/SpiderGwenGwenverse https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/febovvcxeaaule6.jpeg]]]]
6
7	->''"By the way, it's cool that it's red and all, but what pervert designed this suit? It's a bit revealing!"''
8	-->-- '''Asuka''', ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion''
9
10	For marketing reasons, sports in both RealLife and in fiction tend to feature quite an expanse of revealed flesh -- or flesh ''not'' revealed, in artful ways. This trope is where {{Stripperific}} meets the sporting arena or other physical, practical activities (such as [[Franchise/StarTrek Starfleet]] uniforms or [[SpyCatsuit superspy suits]]), where audiences are equally likely to tune in for the form-fitting spandex {{Fanservice}} outfits and the actual sport or show itself.
11
12	This is a {{justified\|Trope}} in situations where an outfit providing more coverage or concealment would be impractical in other ways. Sports such as gymnastics fall into the coverage without concealment category, as less form-fitting clothing would be restrictive, distracting, or get caught in the equipment while less coverage would expose the athletes to friction burns. In sports that prioritize the speed of the human body in motion, such as track and field, uniforms tend to provide minimal coverage and are cut to follow natural creases of the human body to avoid restriction and chafing. Conversely, sports that involve speeds high enough to make air resistance a factor such as speedskating tend to minimize the amount of exposed surface area to reduce drag.
13
14	Outside of sports, there may be some justification for tight outfits in a few cases, such as paratroopers (loose, baggy clothes would flap around) or a spy who has to wriggle through a tiny window to infiltrate a building. In some sci-fi and futuristic spy thriller shows, this rare justification is [[FutureSpandex extended to all personnel]] to provide Fanservice.
15
16	Nearly ''every single'' superhero/heroine in Main/ComicBooks that isn't wearing full body armor or normal street clothes dresses in this. It's also somewhat of a case of a justified trope, especially those who are brawlers (hard to grab hold of, if not wearing a cape) or rely on flexibility and agility (there's a ''reason'' that gymnasts wear it). That's not to say that functionality is [[MostCommonSuperpower the]] [[MaleGaze only]] reason, though... Of course the primary reason supers have worn skintight costume is that it is [[MundaneUtility easy to draw]].
17
18	One of the few fanservice tropes that is often applied equally to both sexes.
19
20	Compare FormFittingWardrobe, SpyCatsuit, LeotardOfPower, WalkingSwimsuitScene, SuperheroesWearTights.
21
22	----
23	!!Examples
24
25	[[foldercontrol]]
26
27	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
28	* In ''Anime/{{AngelicLayer}}'', Hikaru wears one, which is similar to a leotard.
29	* ''Anime/{{Gunbuster}}'' seems to have these, though they're not ''that'' different from gym uniforms in other anime.
30	* The artist of ''Manga/HeIsMyMaster'' decided instead of the typical bloomers that are seen in 99% of anime, she would do spats -- essentially skintight shorts (compression shorts). In one [[BonusMaterial omake]] (author's comment at the end of a book) she points out that she did it because with the screentone in manga, she can essentially draw the girls bottomless and get away with it.
31	* Most of the characters in ''Manga/HikariNoDensetsu'', which is totally justified since this is a manga/anime about rhythmic gymnastics.
32	* Mostly the females in ''Literature/HorizonInTheMiddleOfNowhere''. It's the clothing of choice in the future.
33	* ''Manga/IganoKabamaru'': The cheerleader uniforms are skimpy, orange, skin-tight suits that cover the upper chest/torso but nothing of the legs, and have frilly armbands. And when they do their routine, cue LegFocus.
34	* A part of the standard performance costumes in ''Anime/KaleidoStar''.
35	* ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'': Miu's fighting uniform is ridiculously skintight.
36	* This is regularly played up for gymnast Makie in ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi''.
37	* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Plugsuits. Justified by the UnusualUserInterface the Evangelions use, and the standard-issue design isn't ''that'' heavy on the FanService by the standards of this trope. They're also literally vacuum sealed with a control on the wrist and we see them baggy before this is activated, making their tightness justified. The experimental variant that shows up in the second ''[[Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion Rebuild]]'' OVA, on the other hand, appears to have gone on to inspire the outfits from ''Anime/KillLaKill''.
38	* Kaoru from ''Manga/PuellaMagiKazumiMagica'' wears a short-legged, orange bodysuit as her magical girl outfit. It's so tight, it's possible to see a dip where her belly button is.
39	* Melpha from ''Anime/QueensBlade'' wears two layers of clothing. A dress and underneath it, a skintight unitard that may as well be a second skin. Despite fully covering her massive chest she [[http://i.imgur.com/wTlD91o.jpg still has cleavage]].
40	* ''Anime/VoltesV'': The LongHairedPrettyBoy [[AlienPrince antagonist]] is clad in conspicuously tight leggings underneath his [[PrettyInMink fur mantle]].
41	* Similar to the Numbers, pretty much every female in ''Anime/SoltyRei'' aside from the Elegant Lolita.
42	* When a ''Anime/{{Witchblade}}'' doesn't render you near-naked, it's this instead.
43	[[/folder]]
44
45	[[folder:Comic Books]]
46	* ComicBook/{{Diabolik}} uses the trope (even if at least the original suit is described as made of silk), and the above [[JustifiedTrope justification]] that it's harder to grab hold of. In fact, Diabolik came up with that suit ''because'' it's harder to grab than the ninja-like outfit he was using when studying martial arts.
47	[[/folder]]
48
49	[[folder:Fan Works]]
50	* In the ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' ParodyFic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/13109238 Farce Contact]]'', T'Pol's FutureSpandex is an experiment by the Vulcan Science Directorate, who would know humans had achieved true sentience [[MyEyesAreUpHere when they stopped talking to her chest]].
51	* Weaponized in ''[[Film/TheAdventuresOfCaptainProton Captain Proton]] and the Planet of Lesbians''.
52	-->"As you have undoubtedly noticed, the skintight garment worn by Seventh of Mine keeps her formidable breasts under tremendous pressure. When Proton and his crew are decorated before the United Earth Congress, her [[ManchurianAgent brain implants]] will trigger an instantaneous release of her catsuit, destroying everything in a ten mile radius!"
53	* In ''Fanfic/AmazingFantasy'', Izuku's costume is this compared to his canon counterpart's jumpsuit. This is both to conform to the image of Spider-Man and [[JustifiedTrope for practical reasons]], like being more aerodynamic and letting his setules poke through the fabric.
54	* ''Fanfic/RocketshipVoyager''. In a MythologyGag on Seven of Nine's outfit, the dermaplastic garment is literally sprayed onto the body. However in this case it's merely an emergency outfit until a proper uniform can be supplied, which consists of a BoringButPractical coverall.
55	[[/folder]]
56
57	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
58	* In ''WesternAnimation/MonstersVsAliens'', following her abduction by [[BigBad Gallaxhar]], [[CuteMonsterGirl Ginormica]] wears a black full-body suit with several silver lines imbedded on it, and reveals a space-like shine in some angles.
59	[[/folder]]
60
61	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
62	* Discussed in ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', when the Avengers time-travel to the events of the first film, and eavesdrop on Past Captain America. Tony comments that Steve's past costume did nothing for his ass, while Ant-Man disagrees.
63	-->'''Scott''': As far as I'm concerned, that's ''America's'' ass.
64	-->'''Steve''' ([[BrickJoke later]], after [[ItMakesSenseInContext winning a fight with himself]]): That ''is'' [[DistractedByMyOwnSexy America's ass]].
65	* ''Film/ElectroBabeAndDynaChick'' and its spiritual sequel series ''Series/TheDaredollDilemmas'' has the heroines wearing either colorful, tight spandex leotards or unitards.
66	* ''Film/GhostInTheShell2017'': The Major's distinctive form-fitting white optical camouflage suit puts her body on full display, though the actual costume was made out of latex in order to conceal the parts of Scarlett Johansson's anatomy [[BarbieDollAnatomy the Major's cybernetic body is supposed to lack]]. The sensual aspect is provided by a network of subtle surface details and incised lines that imply and accentuate the cybernetic mechanisms and access panels that supposedly lie underneath.
67	[[/folder]]
68
69	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
70	* ''Series/TheDaredollDilemmas'' has the heroines wearing either colorful, tight spandex leotards or unitards.
71	* ''Series/{{Gladiators}}''. And on that note, ''Series/AmericanGladiators''. Especially the revival (Hello, [[Creator/GinaCarano Crush]]!).
72	* Early morning workout shows. Back in the '90s, there were a whole slew of them on ESPN, and they featured girls (and sometimes a few guys) doing exercises while wearing spandex.
73	* Occasionally, the ''Franchise/StarTrek'' series combines this with FutureSpandex. It's largely absent from [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries the original series]], but becomes pronounced in ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration The Next Generation]]''. Technically, only the uniform from the first two seasons of ''TNG'' is spandex, but the updated version still looks like spandex despite being a two-piece. Later series emphasize that it's more of a jumpsuit than spandex, with ''[[Series/StarTrekEnterprise Enterprise]]'' making it look more like a military flight suit. Regular civilian clothing retains the one-piece look for most of the ''Next Generation'' era.
74	** Perhaps most obvious in the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E6Legacy Legacy]]". When the ''Enterprise'' crew meet their deceased crewmate's sister, she's wearing a utilitarian leather jacket, shirt, and pants. For some reason, when she starts working with the ''Enterprise'' crew, they put her in spandex.
75	** Deanna Troi from ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration The Next Generation]]'' is sometimes referred to as wearing a cheerleader outfit. A justification is given that she's the Councilor and not part of the direct command structure, so she didn't want her rank to intimidate her patients, and so she gives them some breathing room without the uniform. After a brief lecture from a visiting captain in the sixth season, she starts wearing a standard uniform and does so in every subsequent appearance.
76	** In the case of Seven of Nine from ''[[Series/StarTrekVoyager Voyager]]'', it's given a HandWave as somehow medical -- a "dermaplastic garment" she wears because of her de-Borgification leaving her body more sensitive to other clothing. While she has suits with different color variations, she keeps wearing it for the remainder of the shows run.
77	** T'Pol from ''[[Series/StarTrekEnterprise Enterprise]]'' goes unexplained, as it is different from any other Vulcan officer uniform seen.
78	[[/folder]]
79
80	[[folder:Manhua]]
81	* All of Liu Li's military outfits from ''Manhua/SchoolShock'' are like this, be it the LeotardOfPower or the [[http://i.imgur.com/jopJb.png full body suit]].
82	[[/folder]]
83
84	[[folder:Music Videos]]
85	* Eric Prydz, "Call on Me".
86	* Austra's "[[https://youtu.be/LrNhR8WKuZ8 I Am Not Waiting]]" features a female dancer in a blue screen bodysuit with psychedelic patterns projected onto it. Near the end, [[OnASoundstageAllAlong the special effects fade and she unveils her face and hands]] while continuing to dance.
87	[[/folder]]
88
89	[[folder:Pinballs]]
90	* All of the skiiers in Creator/{{Sega}}'s ''Pinball/{{Sapporo}}'' wear full-body ski suits that cling to them completely.
91	[[/folder]]
92
93	[[folder:Sports]]
94	* Gymnastics Leotards are the prime example: The suits have to be form-fitting to avoid snagging on the equipment, but anything less than full coverage from shoulders to crotch would not stay in place. Women tend to wear full sleeves for the same reason, and both sexes benefit from protection from friction burns and built-in support in appropriate areas.
95	* Track and Field, on the other hand, argues for minimalism, particularly in the sprint events: singlets and briefs cut to follow the natural lines of the human body to minimize weight and maximize cooling tend to be the rule.
96	* Beach volleyball. To a lesser extent, volleyball in general.
97	* Professional (American) football players wear tight-fitting trousers and usually tight jerseys as well. This is because a player can be legally tackled by someone grabbing their clothes. Though really only their rear-ends and parts of the leg are truly skintight. Most of the rest of the body is padded.
98	* In the world of UsefulNotes/{{tennis}}, UsefulNotes/{{Wimbledon}} has limits on just how "unrestrictively" the ladies can dress.
99	* Swimwear, of most sorts for women. And for men too, except men's trunks, but there are the jammers, and if you leave the U.S., "Speedo" briefs become popular. It's worth pointing out that in the U.S., "Speedo" has become a catch-all term for a particular style of briefs, which is not entirely accurate, since similar briefs are manufactured by Nike, truWest, Turbo, Tyr, Dolfin, Arena, Kiefer, and Adidas, to name a few. In Australia, however, where Speedo's headquarters are, the style is called a ''budgie smuggler'' because it looks like you're trying to smuggle a small bird in your briefs.
100	* Full-body swimsuits. While they don't expose as much skin, they still do tend to be form-fitting -- form-''compressing'', in some cases. The advent of high-tech drag resisting fabrics inspired the International Swimming Federation to set limits on the maximum amount of swimsuit coverage allowed to prevent swimming from turning into a technology battle like auto racing.
101	* Figure Skating is an aversion, with minimum coverage requirements for men and women, which the competitors often finesse using strategically placed flesh-colored panels.
102	* And of course the trope image -- speed-skating outfits. Although technically not spandex (they're made of different material), they have the same effect. Somewhat unique in this trope as this applies to both male and female athletes. Further emphasized by the fact that speed skaters tend to have very well developed thighs and rear ends and, well, the sport demands they spend much of their time in the position illustrated above. Bonus points when a team orders unexpectedly sheer or light-colored outfits without first actually seeing what they do when put on a well-formed human body under fluorescent lights...
103	** Another material variation that's crucial for speed-skaters is that the outer layers of the suit's inner-thighs are made of special fabric that minimizes friction to assist the athletes as much as possible.
104	* Averted with fencing, in which the outfits are there to provide protection from the impact of the full weight of the other person flying down the strip at you concentrated into an area of less than a square centimeter.
105	* Bikram yoga or any derivation thereof. When the room's 115 degrees and 100% humidity, you want as little clothing as possible and what there is should be skintight to wick it away from your skin.
106	* Amateur wrestlers are required to wear a skintight bodysuit called a singlet to avoid giving an opponent a handful of fabric to grab onto to get leverage. Adding to this is the fact that wrestlers can get into some... awkward positions while competing.
107	[[/folder]]
108
109	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
110	* The ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' book ''Arsenal'' describes a product line by Zoé called "Second Skin," which "provides protection, comfort, and style for open-minded people." It's a custom-tailored, skin-tight armored bodysuit that comes in either opaque or transparent.
111	[[/folder]]
112
113	[[folder:Theater]]
114	* Mimi Marquez in ''Theatre/{{RENT}}''. Any rendition of the play. Particularly for the song "Out Tonight".
115	* One Los Angeles production of ''Theatre/TwelfthNight'' set in the modern day had an... unusual interpretation of Malvolio's "Cross-gartered yellow stockings." Yellow spandex. Fortunately he was a fairly good-looking fella, otherwise...
116	* One word: ''Theatre/{{Cats}}''. Naturally, the female characters combine this with being {{Catgirl}}s... sort of.
117	* Some productions of ''Theatre/{{Matilda}}'' have Mrs. Wormwood don 80s-style spandex gymwear for her "Loud" number.
118	[[/folder]]
119
120	[[folder:Video Games]]
121	* ''VideoGame/{{Echocalypse}}'': Mori wears a skintight black jumpsuit that emphasizes her large breasts and adds some titillation by having diamond shaped marks over each of them.
122	* [[http://www.videogamesblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/taki-in-soul-calibur-4.jpg Taki]] from the ''VideoGame/SoulSeries''.
123	* Chloe from ''VideoGame/TalesOfLegendia''.
124	* The Dark Suit Riku from ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI'' dons once he pulls a FaceHeelTurn. [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep Vanitas]] has one too.
125	* Vanessa from ''VideoGame/PN03''.
126	* The female cleric from ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIII'' is sometimes depicted dressed in an orange spandex bodysuit.
127	* A good number of the mooks in ''VideoGame/TheBouncer'' are wearing skin-tight spandex outfits, presumably because they're supposed to have {{Ninja}} training. Their leader Mugetsu also wears one. If you follow Koh's path when the heroes split up, he dons one of these outfits as well to disguise himself.
128	* [[{{Franchise/FateSeries}} The Fate series]] has several. Here are some examples:
129	** [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/fategrandorder/images/d/da/ScathachStage02Full.png Scáthach]].
130	** [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/typemoon/images/6/64/Raiko_1.png Minamoto no Raikō]].
131	** Space Ishtar's [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/typemoon/images/f/fc/AvengerSpaceIshtarStage1Ashtoret.png first]] and [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/typemoon/images/d/d3/AvengerSpaceIshtarStage3IshtarAshtoret.png third]] ascensions.
132	* [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} Zero Suit Samus]], especially in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' games.
133	* [[VideoGame/OverWatch Overwatch]]: Some characters make very clear they are wearing these some a little less so and cover up with other accessories.
134	** Tracer, D.Va and Widowmaker ''most certainly'' apply.
135	** Mercy doesn't show that much thanks to her dress, as do Mei and Sombra. All three of them wear skintight spandex leggings that outline their assets, even if they aren't always as visible as D.Va, Tracer and Widowmaker. During her Overwatch days Ana had spandex under her cloak too.
136	* [[MeaningfulName Goal]] in ''VideoGame/{{Deponia}}''. Other elyseans wear variations of it.
137	* Michelle from ''VideoGame/HardEdge'' wears a skin-tight bodysuit under her high-leg leotard. The male knife-wielding enemies are also wearing a green unitard.
138	[[/folder]]
139
140	[[folder:Webcomics]]
141	* Many characters in ''Webcomic/ByTheBook'', including the males, are shown wearing either skin-tight clothing or barely any clothes at all.
142	* Uryuom workers uniforms in ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-12-29 are this]]. Since they are designed for humanoid {{Shapeshifting}} aliens, they are extremely form-fitting yet as comfortable as underwear. Ellen even notes that it is almost sensual.
143	* Selenis Zea's form-fitting LatexSpaceSuit in ''Webcomic/SupermassiveBlackHoleAStar'', which provided her with a sex appeal for the audience.
144	* Hwaryun's battle suit and mask outfit in ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod's'' Crown Game.
145	* ''Webcomic/GrrlPower'' has [[SuccubiAndIncubi Dabbler]] [[http://grrlpowercomic.com/archives/2542 sport a version that's so skin-tight]] that some SpeechBubbleCensoring has to be employed at groin level to keep the strip PG-13.
146	* Discussed in ''Webcomic/BlurTheLines'' by Rick, who [[https://web.archive.org/web/20170909112816/http://www.blur-the-lines.com/?p=393 posits]] that it's Under Armor that's sensually form-fitting, whereas "Spandex coats the body like an ill-fitting condom".
147	* ''Webcomic/WhiteHeron'': When Park Seong and Ozawa have her dress in a skintight white leotard, Kim Jeong complains about how skintight it is, calls them perverts, and says her powers will let her know if they're getting any "strange ideas". Later, when her measurements are being taken for her White Heron costume, she complains about how form-fitting it's going to be and the tailor remarks that any loose fabric would risk a WardrobeMalfunction, but adds a cape to somewhat preserve her modesty.
148	[[/folder]]
149
150	[[folder:Web Original]]
151	* In the ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'', it is the stock 'beginner' super-suit at SuperheroSchool Whateley Academy. The school provides a variety of basic colors, including white and gray and black. However, in her book on PowerPerversionPotential, Carmilla points out that while spandex costumes are popular for both heroes and villains, they are also ideally suited kinky bedroom roleplay...
152	[[/folder]]
153
154	[[folder:Western Animation]]
155	* The episode "Dating, Acme Acres Style" of ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures''. Buster has a [[LustfulMelt very exaggerated reaction]] to Babs's spandex outfit. (Babs: "Rule #1, girls: never underestimate the power of spandex.")
156	* Worn in ''WesternAnimation/RecessSchoolsOut'' by [[FanDisservice Miss Finster]].
157	* In season 2 of ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'', Evangelyne switches her original outfit for a black full-body suit. It actually covers her more, but is very hugging.
158	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' features Flanders showing off a new ski suit, saying "It feels like I'm wearing nothing at all!" While skiing, Homer keeps thinking about Flanders' butt in the ski suit, prompting Homer to remark "{{Stupid sexy Flanders}}!"
159	* In season 4 of ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'' all the main cast had their [[DigitalAvatar virtual appearances]] changed, and all of these changes involved Sensual Spandex
160	* Claire's Detroit Deluxe outfit and Foxy's get-up in ''{{WesternAnimation/Motorcity}}''.
161	* The main protagonists in the spy-girl series ''WesternAnimation/TotallySpies'' wear full-body shiny colored catsuits during missions.
162	* Maria Hill (and most of S.H.I.E.L.D) in ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' wears a ''very'' skin-tight shiny dark-blue catsuit.
163	[[/folder]]

Context Main / SensualSpandex