History Main / DeliberatelyPainfulClothing

* Although temporary, the ''WesternAnimation/WildKratts'' had to touch a live specimen in order to change their Power Suits into Electric Eel mode: a painfully shocking experience.

* ''VideoGame/FearAndHunger'' has the Penance Armor, which was constructed for use by criminals sent on [[SuicideMission missions for the church they weren’t expected to survive]]. One set of it can be found and worn [[spoiler: if you either help [[TortureTechnician Trotur]] or steal the key off of him]]. While it does give a rather high amount of defense and protects you from [[AnArmAndLeg losing limbs]] as well as [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil forced penetration]], and some [[DiceRollDeath coin flip attacks]] automatically fail if you have it, once you put it on [[ClingyCostume it never comes off thanks to the spikes holding it in place piercing your body all over]]. You also constantly take DamageOverTime from the blood seeping out from the spike wounds, and you also become unable to partake in [[FusionDance Marriage]].

* In the ''Literature/DresdenFiles'' novel ''Literature/StormFront'', Harry is given an amulet that belongs to the man he's been hired to locate. It's made from a dead scorpion, and Harry muses about how nasty it would be to wear against bare skin, where its pincers could catch in a man's chest hairs or scratch the top of a woman's breasts; unfortunately, wearing a shirt in between would spoil whatever magical benefit it might confer.

* In ''ComicBook/AstroCity'', the original Confessor wears a cross on his costume, which leaves him in constant pain because he's a vampire. He does this because he's a fallen priest who acts as a superhero for penance.

'''Zim:''' But it's full of white-hot grease!\\
'''Sizz-Lorr:''' Makes you dance better!
-->-- ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim''

Some people are willing to suffer some pain or discomfort [[FashionHurts for the sake of fashion]]. And then there's ''these'' folks, who deliberately don clothing that hurts them for non-fashionable reasons. They might be trying to [[MachoMasochism demonstrate their piety]], or to [[ThePenance atone for sin]]. Other times, the pain and injury inflicted by the outfit is suffered [[PowerAtAPrice in exchange for]] [[ClothesMakeTheSuperman supernatural powers]]. A CombatSadomasochist or SenseFreak will likely dress this way simply because they enjoy it.

->'''Sizz-Lorr''': Now put on this Happy Shloogor costume and fill the customers with joy!
->'''Zim''': But it's full of white hot grease!
->'''Sizz-Lorr''': Makes you dance better!

* ''ComicBook/MarshalLaw'': The title character has barbed wire wrapped around his arm as a symbol of his self-loathing, although his SuperSoldier augmentation makes it impossible for it to actually hurt.
* After becoming the only active member of the ''ComicBook/NewWarriors'' to survive the Stamford Incident, in which 612 people -- many of them kids -- died, Robbie Baldwin, formerly known as Speedball, started calling himself Penance and donned a new costume, the inside of which was lined with 612 spikes that constantly pierced his flesh, to remind him of all the people who died. This was also because his guilt over the mass death made him psychosomatically incapable of using his powers unless he was in pain. It is later revealed that he actually originally made the Penance suit for the villain who caused the explosion but started wearing it himself due to his depression. Eventually, he found the villain responsible (Nitro) and shoved ''him'' in the suit before making it impossible to take off, reaching some degree of closure (though he's still in therapy).

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* 000001, the fanatic cult leader of Mammon's cult in ''Webcomic/KillSixBillionDemons'', wears what's essentially S&M leather gear with all the spikes pointing ''inwards'' under her priest robe. Comments on the page states the author was evoking self-flagellation.

* After becoming the only active member of the ''ComicBook/NewWarriors'' to survive the Stamford Incident, in which 612 people -- many of them kids -- died, Robbie Baldwin, formerly known as Speedball, started calling himself Penance and donned a new costume, the inside of which was lined with 612 spikes that constantly pierced his flesh, to remind him of all the people who died. This was also because his guilt over the mass death made him psychosomatically incapable of using his powers unless he was in pain. It is later revealed that he actually originally made the Penance suit for the villain who caused the explosion but started wearing it himself due to his depression.

* Much of the bondage equipment used in ''Manga/NanaToKaoru'' is designed to uncomfortably restrict the submissive, forcing them to feel a constant awareness of their body and giving them a sensation of great relief when removed. 'Rope dresses' are tied to press tightly against the submissive's breasts and vulva, gags force their mouths open or their tongues to hang out, 'pet clothing' locks their arms and legs in a folded position, forcing them to sit and move only on their knees and elbows. Kaoru is extremely careful to ensure that Nana and Ryoko only wear such clothing for short periods at a time, and only under his constant and direct supervision.