Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context Main / ShowgirlSkirt

Go To

1%%
2%%
3%%
4%%
5%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Please add your example in the proper place. Thanks!
6%%
7%%
8%%
9%%
10%%
11%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1545259139024543800
12%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.
13%%
14[[quoteright:279:[[Film/JonahHex2010 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/showgirl_skirt_1.png]]]]
15[[caption-width-right:279:Is it historically accurate to show this much leg? RuleOfSexy says it doesn't matter.]]
16
17This is a skirt that wraps only partly around a lady's waist, thus making a crescent instead of a full circle.
18
19While a regular skirt is designed to cover up the legs, and slit and wrap skirts cover the legs unless the lady moves right, this kind of skirt doesn't really cover the legs (unless you look at it from the right angle). The point is actually [[LegFocus to frame and showcase the legs]], while accentuating with the dramatic ''swoosh'' of a fine and lush skirt.
20
21It should also be noted this trope could work with a simple dress or even a PimpedOutDress.
22
23Florenz Ziegfeld is probably partially responsible for developing this style with his ''Ziegfeld Follies'' showgirls "glorifying the American girl" from the late 19th C and early 20th C.
24
25'''The key to telling if a skirt is this is to look at the waist.''' The skirt has to wrap between 1/3 to 3/4 of the way around the waist to count. Anything less or more doesn't count (like [[Franchise/StarWars Leia's]] [[Film/ReturnOfTheJedi slave girl]] [[GoGoEnslavement outfit]]).
26
27Usually a SubTrope of ImpracticallyFancyOutfit, and almost always a kind of {{Fanservice}}. Could also result from an [[ActionDressRip Action Dress Rip]] if the "action dress" would normally have two skirts and the outer one looks like this. In more futuristic examples this can also serve as a distaff counterpart to the [[OpenShirtTaunt unbuttoning of a shirt]] or [[TheCoatsAreOff taking off a badass long coat]] because the underskirt is secured with buttons or ties that are easily undone. This is often used to reveal that the [[ActionGirl heroine or villainess]] is [[WalkingArmory packing serious heat]].
28
29Note that plenty of historical gowns are actually designed this way. Those examples however, were of course meant to be worn over a skirt: and are actually more like a modern coat than they are like a modern dress. Like a modern coat, they were often optional while at home and a woman would be considered decent even without the gown on (depending on the exact time period). This made changing for various occasions and activities much easier, and also allowed gowns to be made of materials that would otherwise be impractically heavy (such as velvet, brocade, etc) since the woman never had to pick up the gown's skirt to run, go uphill or climb stairs. Plenty of women also took advantage of the fact that this double skirt design provided plenty of space for hiding small items: secret messages, ammunition, money, keys etc. Not so much actual weapons though.
30
31Compare LegFocus and LadyLegionnaireWear. Contrast AllEncompassingMantle.
32
33----
34!!Examples:
35[[foldercontrol]]
36
37[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
38* Hagall has one in ''Manga/AhMyGoddess''.
39* Seen from time to time on ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura''. Most notable is her costume from the second movie, the gown worn in a school play. The skirt balloons out around her and trails behind, and her exposed legs are accentuated with asymmetrical red ribbons, including a garter.
40* The SimpleYetOpulent dress Stella wears to the awards show in ''Anime/Interstella5555'' does go all the way around the waist, but the front is a ''lot'' shorter than the back, to invoke this trope.
41* Alcyone in ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'' wears a white skirt over her armor, paired with a white cape. Umi's fully powered outfit is a belted sleeveless coat that drapes like this.
42* Signum's Barrier Jacket in ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs''. Fate also wears one in hers, as does her Material counterpart [[VideoGame/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAsPortable Material-L/Levi]].
43* Meer Campbell's costume in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny'' has a skirt that basically stays up by buttoning to the rest of her outfit in the rear, but otherwise invokes this trope and permanently exposes her legs, especially since she is a major entertainment sensation.
44* ''Manga/MyDressUpDarling'': Marin's second cosplay, Black Lobelia has a see-through gray skirt of this style.
45* Ken Akamatsu really likes this, going by the number of crescent-shaped skirts he throws into the costumes of the girls in ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi''.
46* [[AllThereInTheManual The Princess of the Crystal]], aka Himari's possessor, in ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}'' has one of these on her PimpedOutDress. It's also the first part of it to go as she makes her speech OncePerEpisode.
47* Glenda wore one in a fantasy sequence in ''Anime/PetitePrincessYucie''. It was basically a red, frilly skirt over her normal outfit.
48* Misty's magician's assistant outfit in ''Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries'' is based on Goldeen (a pokémon like a goldfish), and [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/misty_may_001.jpg has the tails draping to form such a skirt.]]
49* ''Manga/TokyoMewMew'':
50** Mew Lettuce, who combine this with LeotardOfPower.
51** Also Ringo, in the game.
52* ''Anime/YuGiOh'' Dark Magician Girl's little pink skirt is a bit like this.
53[[/folder]]
54
55[[folder:Comic Books]]
56* In ''ComicBook/BlackCanary and ComicBook/{{Zatanna}}: Bloodspell'', the eponymous heroines [[http://blackcanaryfan.blogspot.com/2014/06/black-canary-zatanna-bloodspell-part-3.html need to go undercover in Vegas]], and Zatanna changes Canary's appearance so she can be the LovelyAssistant. [[http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yU14dykVgUM/U46ILnm5q8I/AAAAAAAAFT4/9YXZQq1ODz4/s1600/BCZpage69.jpg The outfit includes a short black feather skirt with a matching feather boa.]]
57* [[http://d1466nnw0ex81e.cloudfront.net/iss/400w/182/191821/875461.jpg A cover]] for ''ComicBook/KatyKeene'' showed her wearing RaygunGothic outfits, the middle one having a green skirt.
58* In ''The Marriage Of Series/{{Hercules|TheLegendaryJourneys}} And Series/{{Xena|WarriorPrincess}}'' comic, Xena is under a HatePlague to kill Hercules (they faked a wedding to find out about a local curse on newlyweds), and is given a red [[HellBentForLeather leather]] outfit with a brown fur skirt.
59* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'':
60** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': Queen Desira wears a transparent long green skirt that's long enough to drag on the floor in the back and short enough not to fully cover her beaded shorts in the front.
61** ''ComicBook/WonderWomanAndTheStarRiders'': Dolphine wears a short pretty much transparent lace skirt underneath a pleated blue skirt that covers essentially nothing in front but gets as low as her ankles in back.
62[[/folder]]
63
64[[folder:Film -- Animated]]
65* Miss Kitty the Showgirl Mouse in ''WesternAnimation/TheGreatMouseDetective'' wears one of these during the "Let Me Be Good to You" musical number... in an animated Creator/{{Disney}} movie, no less.
66* The Grand Councilwoman from ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitch''.
67* Rosita's performance costume in ''{{WesternAnimation/Sing}}'' is a black sequined leotard with a matching ruffled showgirl skirt.
68[[/folder]]
69
70[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
71* ''Film/JonahHex2010'': The character Tallulah 'Lilah' Black, played by Creator/MeganFox, seems to only wear Showgirl Skirts. For the first part of the film, she wears [[http://www.filmofilia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/megan-fox-4269-8.jpg a black version]], and later switches to the [[https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/00/62/27/006227529b2d2529d3e4cea50cfefab7.jpg white dress]] seen in the promotional poster. The outfit is also paired with stockings and heels, and fits the character's backstory as a member of {{the oldest profession}}.
72* Satine's [[PinkMeansFeminine "Pink Diamonds"]] dress in ''Film/MoulinRouge'' has a skirt of [[FluffyFashionFeathers pink feathers]].
73[[/folder]]
74
75[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
76* Centauri female court dress in ''Series/BabylonFive''.
77* Kahlan's supposedly practical traveling clothes in ''Series/LegendOfTheSeeker''.
78* ''Series/MissionImpossible'': Casey wears one while posing a magician's assistant in "The Pawn".
79* Often worn in the ''Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows'', including one [[http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/ap/nyr15508121942.widec.jpg Tyra Banks]] wore that was [[PrettyInMink trimmed with white fox]].
80* The prostitutes' dresses in ''{{Series/Westworld}}'' work as this once they take off the main skirt and only the bustle remains, most notably seen on [[LadyInRed Maeve]] and [[TrueBlueFemininity Clementine]].
81[[/folder]]
82
83[[folder:Music Videos]]
84* The wedding dress in the music video for Music/GunsNRoses' "November Rain."
85* Inna in "Sun is Up" and "Wow".
86* [[http://z.about.com/d/golondon/1/0/9/D/-/-/Showgirl_Performance.jpg Some of the outfits]] that Music/KylieMinogue wore in her "Showgirl" concert.
87* [[Music/{{Vocaloid}} Miku's]] costume in the "Synchronicity" series.
88* Music/KatyPerry closes out her ''Prismatic World Tour'' concerts wearing a [[http://i.imgur.com/NxZLcFI.jpg fireworks-emblazoned one]].
89[[/folder]]
90
91[[folder:Theater]]
92* In ''Theatre/{{Matilda}}'', Mrs. Wormwood wears one during her "Loud" number.
93* The [[ChorusGirls harem dancers]] in the ''Film/SecondhandLions'' musical.
94* ''Creator/TakarazukaRevue'' productions often have this, usually by backup dancers wearing gauze skirts.
95[[/folder]]
96
97[[folder:Toys]]
98* ''Franchise/MastersOfTheUniverse'': The "Ready In Red" outfit for She-Ra lets her wear her cape like this.
99[[/folder]]
100
101[[folder:Video Games]]
102* Milly of ''VideoGame/BatenKaitosOrigins''.
103* The showgirl in ''VideoGame/BloodyGoodTime'' wears a pink leotard with pink feathers as the skirt.
104* The fairy familiar in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight''.
105* Rosa in ''VideoGame/DeathSmiles''.
106* All ''over'' the place in the designs for ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' -- and they're all ''male'', to boot: Warrior Of Light, The Emperor, Onion Knight, Squall Leonhart, Sephiroth, [[ViewerGenderConfusion Kuja]], and even ''Jecht.'' Most of them are at least wearing pants as well - unfortunately, that doesn't include Kuja.
107* ''VideoGame/EverQuestII'', while normally avoiding the women wear skimpy clothes cliche of [=MMORPGs=], offers one of these skirts to female characters as a prestige item.
108* Mash Kyrielight of ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'' gets a nifty [[PurpleIsPowerful purple]] half-miniskirt as part of her [[FrillyUpgrade 3rd Ascension]] artwork and in-game sprite. It's actually less {{Stripperiffic}} than her previous costume, and gives her a somewhat more mature and regal air [[spoiler:befitting that of one of the Knights of the Round Table]] as part of her CharacterDevelopment. It also helps draw attention to the RoyalRapier hanging from her belt.
109* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
110** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2'' has the Gunner Class/Job/Dresssphere which features this. It's also Yuna's default outfit.
111** It also appears in ''[[VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy Dissidia Duodecil Final Fantasy]]''.
112** Vanille in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' wears a [[PrettyInMink brown fur]] version. It's a hunting trophy.
113** Lightning's new outfit in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'' has a skirt of FluffyFashionFeathers.
114* Mesmers in ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' are especially in love with this trope. Close to half of the female Mesmer armor sets consist of what would be an ankle-length, A-line dress or coat were it not cut to reveal a miniskirt beneath and show almost the entire leg. Elementalists and Necromancers also partake liberally of this trope (with [[http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/File:Elementalist_Elite_Luxon_armor_f.jpg Elementalist Elite Luxon armor]] being particularly notable).
115* Dawn Star in ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'' has a perfectly sensible shirt...and then her clothing below the waist consists of underwear and four evenly spaced wide ribbons that flutter behind her when she is running.
116* ''VideoGame/TheLastStory'' has this as the skirt part in skirt over slacks on some of the armor sets.
117* In her true form, Midna from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' wears a dress that reveals her right leg.
118** In the spin-off ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriors'', Cia has a dress that does the opposite, revealing her left leg. She also wears leggings under the dress, but only on her right leg.
119* In ''VideoGame/MegaManXDive'', Ferham's swimsuit variant is designed more like an exotic dancer's outfit, as it has feathery wings on the back and has an open skirt held around her waist by chains.
120* The female Kulve Taroth armor set from ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterWorld'' is this. In fact, the whole armor set looks more like a fancy chainmail ballgown (albeit with horns).
121* Most of the waist options for armor in ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'' work out to these.
122* Ruby from ''VideoGame/OmegaFive''.
123* The [=RAcaseal=] class (android gunner girls) from ''VideoGame/PhantasyStar Online'' has one of these skirts, made from decoratively dangling metal plates. It's also cut in a way that combines this with MinidressOfPower.
124* Many outfits in ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline''. In fact, a lot of {{MMORPG}}s seem to have this for some class outfits for ladies.
125* Saika Magoichi of ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara 3'', who wears trousers underneath, so it's probably just for dramatic effect.
126* Eliza in ''VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}}''.
127* [[spoiler:Neo Metal Sonic]] wears one in ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'', though it's probably meant to be a cape attached at the waist rather than the shoulders.
128* Some of Cassandra's costumes in ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soul Calibur]]'' have this.
129* Maria Traydor of ''VideoGame/StarOceanTillTheEndOfTime'' wears one of these, although the effect is closer to a BadassLongcoat.
130* Judith of ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia''.
131* Most of Angela's outfits in ''VideoGame/TrialsOfMana'' are clearly designed this way. The sole exception is the one for the Magus class, which goes full-on ChainmailBikini.
132* Pyrope of the ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' spin-off game ''VideoGame/UnleashTheLight'' wears one of these, though unusually she has non-form-fitting, almost jodhpur-like pants underneath.
133[[/folder]]
134
135[[folder:Visual Novels]]
136* Cardia in ''VisualNovel/CodeRealize'' has this as part of her complicated getup, along with a corset and blouse. It's been noted by others that it can't be comfortable or practical to wear but Cardia has little options to choose from since the poison in her skin would dissolve any other clothing.
137* [=Ryukishi07=] seems to have a thing for them as they appear in his visual novel series of ''Franchise/WhenTheyCry'':
138** In ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'', Shion's uniform at Angel Mort has this.
139** ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'' has nearly every female demon and furniture wear a Showgirl Skirt. [[CreepyCrossdresser And one male demon.]]
140[[/folder]]
141
142[[folder:Webcomics]]
143* ''Webcomic/BoundAdventures'': Princess Irina has an [[PrettyInMink ermine-lined]] train she wears for official moments.
144* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'':
145** Agatha wears a clockwork themed dress with a long crescent skirt in the back and a short skirt for modesty in the front in the Cinderella filler story.
146** When Agatha shows up at Martellus' masquerade in Paris she's fashioned herself a sparkling white dress with a long skirt in back and a short draped panel in front that has actual glowing and shining elements she built herself since she had to steal everything she's wearing on her way there.
147[[/folder]]
148
149[[folder:Web Original]]
150* Yang Xiao Long of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' wears one in the Volumes 1-3 with hot pants underneath.
151[[/folder]]
152
153[[folder:Western Animation]]
154* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
155** Shows up when Pinkie Pie puts on a show for the Buffalo and the Appleloosan homesteaders in "Over a Barrel". The characters weren't too impressed with her cutesy song about sharing and understanding, but fan reaction to Pinkie's dance hall girl outfit was predictable.
156** Trixie Lulamoon wears one as part of her scenic outfit in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks''.
157* ''WesternAnimation/ReBoot'': Hexadecimal trades her cape for one of these when she assumes her [[spoiler: Sprite]] form in Season 4.
158* In ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'', any female Transformer will have her kibble become this while in robot mode.
159[[/folder]]
160
161[[folder:Real Life]]
162* Named for Vegas Showgirls, who often wear this skirt.
163* [[http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3153/2858518689_67cd52e5c1_o.jpg This picture]] of Creator/MarilynMonroe. It's just not as obvious unless you can tear your eyes away from the FurBikini.
164* Child pageants will even have this, among other questionable costumes.
165* At least 2/3 of the female performers/background-singers at 2010's Eurovision Song Contest wore these.
166[[/folder]]

Top