History Main / SpaceClothes

** Parodied in the original ''Film/BackToTheFuture''. When the 1955 Doc sees footage of his future self wearing a radiation suit, he assumes that that represents normal attire in 1985.

* Lumi, the fictional {{face of|TheBand}} the Genki Rockets, [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture born in space in the year 2037]], is typically depicted wearing present-day dresses or 80's retro-future getup, as in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW8uGXlyF9U "Heavenly Star"]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFgVvMK4EfU "Star Line"]] videos.

* Averted in the 1951 ''Film/FlightToMars''. Our heroes embark for an InterplanetaryVoyage wearing ordinary clothes and fedoras, while TheChick is wearing a skirt despite having to climb up ladders in the RetroRocket.

* [[NoNewFashionsInTheFuture 21st century stuff]] (or, in a humorous version, [[UnintentionalPeriodPiece 20th century (1960-1980s)]] [[{{Zeerust}} stuff]]).

* Just Space Clothes — stuff that is just unbelievably silly. Huge shoulder pads, [[WeWillNotHavePocketsInTheFuture pocketless]] [[FutureSpandex spandex]], clashing colors or all pastels (the latter being common in more optimistic future settings as it gives the impression of a sterile environment), jackets that look like couch covers, reflective foil, long trailing skirts, capes, daft hair (or even dafter hats).

[[folder:Music Videos]]
* Lumi, the fictional {{face of|TheBand}} the Genki Rockets, [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture born in space in the year 2037]], is typically depicted wearing present-day dresses or 80's retro-future getup, as in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW8uGXlyF9U Heavenly Star]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFgVvMK4EfU Star Line]] videos.

* [[Music/{{KISS}} Ace Frehley]], when performing-- later Tommy Thayer.
* Music/LadyGaga. Obviously.
* Stage clothing worn by glam rockers of TheSeventies deliberately invoked this trope. Music/DavidBowie in his Ziggy Stardust days, for instance. Another example would be Robert Calvert, a founder-member of SpaceRock band Music/{{Hawkwind}}. The costumes here would very clearly go with the territory.

** On the International Space Station the most popular outfits for both genders seem to be T shirts, polo shirts or sweatshirts, shorts or slacks, and socks. Shoes are unnecessary in zero-g and will get in the way. And, to answer a popular FAQ, astronauts wear the same kind of underwear as they would on Earth.
** Skirts, kilts and dresses are, for obvious reasons, impractical in zero-g and are not worn in space.

[[folder:Comics]]

[[folder:Film]]

** ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'': It's hard to tell the show means to play this straight or not. Neelix takes Quark's role in dressing in variety of extremely loud outfits. Guest aliens include people who appear to wear strings of [=LEDs=] and wrap themselves in shower curtains. Cyborg girl Seven of Nine has a 'dermaplastic garment' (more accurately described as a 'skintight catsuit' by fans) which in its first incarnation was bright silver (later becoming StarSpangledSpandex in purple, blue or brown). The holodeck AffectionateParody of 1930s sci-fi serials ''The Adventures of Captain Proton'' played this straight with the requisite HighCollarOfDoom, metallic silver robes, and silly headdresses.

* The 1969-70 BritishSeries ''Series/{{UFO}}'', set in the [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture future world of 1980]]:

** ''Series/{{UFO}}'' also has a rare example of "Space Underclothes": In the first episode when the moonbase is shown, we see [[FanService a female crewmember getting dressed]]. Her panties and bra are silver metallic.

** The Moonbase BridgeBunnies also wear their trademark purple wigs, elaborate make-up, and cosmetic belt-kits (as seen in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuXIBOqBitg this famous scene]]) which seems like a lot of trouble to go to for a ten minute coffee break... A non-canon explanation for the purple wigs is that they prevent static electricity on Moonbase, but that doesn't explain [[DoubleStandard why the men don't wear them, or why the women's jumpsuits are skintight while the men's aren't]].

* The original ''Film/{{Flash Gordon|Serial}}'' serials set the standard for "Space Clothes" back in the '30s. The [[Film/FlashGordon1980 Movie]] turned it UpToEleven.

* The TV version of ''Series/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'':

* In ''Film/ProjectMoonbase'', United States Space Force astronauts dress casually in shorts, tops and tight-fitting skullcaps (presumably to stop one's hair floating about in zero-gravity).

* The illustrations of old pulp science fiction stories are a combination of this and a bunch of other tropes, depending on who was drawing it. [[http://baseballcontinuum.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/screen-shot-2012-05-09-at-2-42-02-pm.png This image, for example, is a cross between 1950s ideas of space clothes with women wearing pseudo-medieval witch clothes.]] Like [[SexSells most pulp magazine covers]], this didn't always fit what the characters in the story were wearing; the man at least would just as often be wearing BoringButPractical coveralls.

* {{Stripperiffic}} items most universally worn by the female members of the GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe race. Lots of shiny silver and hair in outlandish colors and shapes. Referred to on ''Series/RupaulsDragRace'' as "[[WesternAnimation/TheJetsons Judy Jetson]] Hookers."

*** Civilian clothing sometimes steers hard in this direction, with colorful jumpsuits apparently being all the rage in the Federation. However, the show also tries to subvert the trend by having most other civilian fashions look retro rather than futuristic. The 24th century is mad for tunics and other articles of dress make our cast look like rustic peasants when out on leave. While not usually on clothing, it's worth noting that shiny, metallic fabric makes many appearances on blankets, pillows and towels in an apparent attempt to make mundane cloth items look futuristic.

** Further averted in ''Film/StarTrekVTheFinalFrontier''. While on shore leave, the officers wear civvies that wouldn't stand out in today's society. Later, when they launch a raid on Paradise City to deal with a HostageSituation, they wear dark brown uniforms that are suitable for desert and/or nighttime operations.
** Averted outside the ''Enterprise'' in ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness''. Fashions from dress uniforms to suits are shown as having developed from their modern-day equivalents.
** ''The Next Generation's'' pajama jumpsuits. [[WordOfGod Word Of Sulu]] says that the uniforms were [[http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Starfleet_uniform_%28early_2270s%29#Background really impractical to the point that the cast threatened not to do another Star Trek film until they redesigned the outfits for the next movie.]] Elizabeth Dennehy once said in an interview that the main cast of ''Next Generation'' made it a requirement that whenever a guest star first put on their uniform, they had to stand in front of the cast and proclaim, "I hate my space suit." Afterwards, they were officially one of the family.

** ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' also had some pretty cringe-worthy stuff early on, but moved further and further away from it as the series went on. The "[[http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Starfleet_uniform_%282350s-2370s%29#Skant skant]]", the TNG version of the miniskirt uniform, was introduced for men as well as women. However, only background characters wore the skant after the {{pilot}}, and no male lead ever wore the skant. By the second season, it appeared only sparingly, this time worn with pants underneath, before disappearing altogether with the season three uniform update. It only came back for the GrandFinale because of the scenes set during the events of the pilot, [[ContinuityNod when Troi wore the skant]].
* Civilian clothes in [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Next Gen]]-era ''Franchise/StarTrek'' are mostly [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools Space Clothes done right]] -- easy on contemporary eyes, but clearly ''not'' contemporary. In particular, [[WaistcoatOfStyle waistcoats/vests are back in a big way]], men's jackets tend to be made of patterned fabric and often lack lapels, and women wear [[ProperTightsWithASkirt opaque tights that match their skirts]]. However, it's worth pointing out that Franchise/StarTrek really only developed a decent non-uniform clothing style after several years of the TNG/[=DS9=] era had passed. Up until then civilian clothing tended to consist of all-too-obvious jumpsuits (Jake Sisko in the first season of ''[[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Deep Space Nine]]'' is a particularly bad example, as he's supposed to be a 14-year-old but goes around wearing what look like giant baby-gros).
** It's hard to tell whether ''[[Series/StarTrekVoyager Voyager]]'' meant to play this straight or not - Neelix is usually the worst-dressed being imaginable, with complicated cuts and folds of an eye-hurting blend of colours, but that also feeds his AlternateCharacterInterpretation as an irritating sociopath. Guest aliens include people who appear to wear strings of [=LEDs=] and wrap themselves in shower curtains. Cyborg girl Seven of Nine has a 'dermaplastic garment' (more accurately described as a 'skintight catsuit' by fans) which in its first incarnation was bright silver (later becoming StarSpangledSpandex in purple, blue or brown). The holodeck AffectionateParody of 1930's sci-fi serials ''The Adventures of Captain Proton'' played this straight with the requisite HighCollarOfDoom, metallic silver robes, and silly headdresses.
*** The Ferengi civilian clothes are done quite notably well. Civilian Ferengi males typically wear clothing that is styled similarly to the uniforms of starship crew, but also different and more expensive-looking, in much the same manner that contemporary business attire resembles (usually older) military uniforms. (Until Quark and company came along, we didn't see any Ferengi that weren't crew on a ship.)
*** Their females are never seen, but this doesn't limit the ability to critique their clothes... as until the very end of [=DS9=] they didn't wear any.
** While "Done Right" seems to apply generally to races we're meant to like, "bad guy" races tend to fall pretty hard into the Space Clothes trap. The Romulan Star Empire and its epic love affair with insanely large shoulder pads leads the charge, followed up by the Cardassian military and their horrendously uncomfortable-looking work uniforms, apparently made from hard plastic.
*** On the other hand, it's mostly averted with [[SharpDressedMan Garak]], who wears decent civilian attire. It makes sense, as he ''is'' a damn good tailor.
** On the rare occasions when Federation civilians were seen [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries the original series]], they tended to wear either the aforementioned jumpsuits (the standard outfit for non-Starfleet adult men, even when it makes no sense) or 1960s mod fashions (more-or-less reserved for women and children). In fact, the eventual look of Federation civilian clothes seems to have evolved from the mod fashions used in the original series. You can see the transition throughout ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' (mostly with children's costumes, since the adults tended wear uniforms, jumpsuits, or character-specific outfits).
*** [[http://sttngfashion.tumblr.com/ ST TNG Fashion]] focuses on, not unsurprisingly, fashion from ''Star Trek The Next Generation''.
** Also largely {{Averted}} on ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'', a prequel series meant to bridge the gap between The Original Series and the contemporary era. While on duty, Starfleet personnel wear flight suits that clearly look like flight suits, and simple T-shirts and polo shirts when off duty. Similarly, the [[SpaceMarine MACOs]] who join ''Enterprise'' in season 3 wear pretty standard military camo. Civilian officials, meanwhile, wear neckties and suits that aren't too different from modern-day business wear.
** Played straight with the Xindi however, particularly the Xindi reptilians who wore what could only be described as ''slinkies'' around their arms.
** Also played straight with Daniels, a time cop masquerading as a steward, whenever he wears his 31st-century uniform: a ribbed outfit that provides a compelling case for him to stick with the Starfleet flight suit.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}''! Occasionally unusual fashions are seen or mentioned--extras often wear censor bars, and military uniforms are like Franchise/StarTrek without pants (and we do mean [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries TOS]] miniskirts [[FanDisservice even on the guys]])--but for the most part, everyone wears 20th/21st century clothes... with peaked shoulder rings. Grimy denim jackets, janitor's cover-alls, even the wall-eyed old lady's old-lady-shirt.

** [[AuthorAppeal They don't even have to wear clothing.]]

* In the late '90s and early '00s, this trope came up so often in HipHop and RAndB videos that it is sometimes called the "shiny suit era". Music video director Hype Williams and stylist June Ambrose were especially influential here, with musicians wearing shiny, brightly-colored leather suits designed to evoke a futuristic vision of men's high fashion.

* The stuff Earth, Wind, and Fire wears in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XOY7lsBVpo "Let's Groove"]] might well qualify.

* [[http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/digital-short-space-olympics/656361/ "Space Olympics."]] Also comes with Space ''Hair''. Specifically, you've got shiny jumpsuits for the hapless space athletes, and froofy ceremonial "space ambassador" clothes for the incompetent Olympic space impressario...

* Some of the popular fashions of TheEighties could easily be mistaken for such by a time traveler from an earlier period. Maybe not the shoulder-padded power suits, but... the lycra... the jelly bracelets... the [[EightiesHair hair]]... all over the place... Getting too close to this trope may be why [[TheNineties '90s]] fashion went in [[{{Grunge}} the complete opposite direction]].

* The illustrations of old pulp science fiction stories are a combination of this and a bunch of other tropes, depending on who was drawing it. [[http://baseballcontinuum.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/screen-shot-2012-05-09-at-2-42-02-pm.png This image, for example, is a cross between 1950s ideas of space clothes with women wearing pseudo-medieval witch clothes.]]

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': While most of the extraterrestrials encountered during the Golden Age wore things that brought ancient Greece and Rome to mind the Saturnians wore pocket less monochrome bodysuits.

** Averted outside the ''Enterprise'' in ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness''.'' Fashions from dress uniforms to suits are shown as having developed from their modern-day equivalents.

** Averted outside the ''Enterprise in ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness''.'' Fashions from dress uniforms to suits are shown as having developed from their modern-day equivalents.

Additionally, the fashion trends have clearly been showing a pattern towards embracing old school, classic, back to our roots, and retro or even {{Retraux}} styles. This is probably due to a general notion that the future is no longer a bright and promising place. Many escape to the [[NostalgiaFilter percieved coolness of the past]]. This might explain why Fedoras came back in style amongst hipsters.

* Asimov's ''Literature/TheBicentennialMan'', each new time period that protagonist lives through is introduced with a description of the current fashion. Most of the new clothing styles looks pretty silly to modern eyes (transparent clothing for women and tube top for men, really?).

* ''Film/{{Dune}}'' the movie managed to come up with one set of strange clothes, thanks to the really weird mind of David Lynch, along with particular distinctive physical quirks (Mentats have ''giant'' eyebrows, the Spacing Guild are all bald and have weird voices, Harkonnens are red-haired and have terrible acne). The miniseries reveals its low budget by distinguishing people...by their [[PlanetOfHats hats]]. ''Children of Dune'' was slightly better about this, as the budget was a mote higher. The Atreides and the Emperor seem to constantly wear military uniforms in the film. Justified with the Emperor, whose fetish for uniforms was mentioned in the books.

* Averted in the 1951 ''Film/FlightToMars''. Our heroes disembark for an InterplanetaryVoyage wearing ordinary clothes and fedoras, while TheChick is wearing a skirt despite having to climb up ladders in the RetroRocket.