History Main / ImpracticallyFancyOutfit

* Some of the MagicalGirl outfits with their FrillsOfJustice really shouldn't be all that practical -- Franchise/SailorMoon's outfit with the gigantic wings, and all of ''Manga/WeddingPeach,'' come to mind. The Sailor Moon example suffers a LampshadeHanging in one episode where they have to fight inside Usagi's house. The stock footage of her InTheNameOfTheMoon speech is accompanied by crashing sounds and by the end of the fight the house is a mess... at which point [[AloofAlly the Starlight, Uranus and Neptune]] promptly leave.
* As does ''Anime/BubblegumCrisis'', though for somewhat different reasons. In the seventh episode of the original {{O|riginalVideoAnimation}}AV, ''Double Vision'', one has to wonder how many assistants are required to help strap IdolSinger Vision into her stage outfit (or how she keeps from falling right back out of it, for that matter). Might almost qualify as ImpossiblyCoolClothes, were it not for the fact that at least in ''theory'' someone could probably make this sort of outfit work.
* ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'': Subverted somewhat with Utena -- her impractical "shirt" is actually her jacket and she wears a perfectly reasonable tank top and bicycle shorts underneath. Her shoes also seem more practical than others...

--->'''Comedia:''' What kind of stupid shit fights crime with a noose around his neck?
* [[Franchise/TheFlash Trickster]] suffered a similar demise in the trainwreck that was ''Comicbook/{{Countdown|ToFinalCrisis}}''. Odds are decent he would've survived the train-encounter with ComicBook/{{Deadshot}}, him and Piper having thrown the assassin off the car, had Deadshot not managed to grab his cape as he fell. James [[OhCrap reaction]] to the realization that he will have such a lame C.O.D. is moderately amusing.
* ''ComicBook/TarotWitchOfTheBlackRose'': Tarot's {{Stripperiffic}} costume has tall boots with spikes that are about eighteen inches long jutting straight out to the side. You'd think she'd be banging into doorjambs and poking people all the time with those things.
* ComicBook/TheCreeper, being loopy, sports a completely reasonable superhero suit of boots, gloves and speedos... And incredibly floofy, mane-like red fluff around his shoulders. He also wears a green wig and yellow body paint, and those "completely reasonable" boots and gloves are trimmed with fake fur. His origin story explains the costume: he's an AccidentalHero, and it was a spur of the moment thing based on what he could find handy to conceal his real identity. The loopy bit is an act, because it tends to scare the hell out of bad guys. You know more or less where you stand with Batman, but somebody who dresses like the Creeper and laughs all the time might do ''anything''.
* Franchise/{{Batman}}'s cape is incredibly impressive, but DependingOnTheArtist can be anywhere up to four feet longer than Batman is tall. Some incarnations have ShouldersOfDoom, which would get caught on any doorway. {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d: when Dick Grayson took over the role he complained about how awkward it was to wear, noting that he had deliberately dropped the cape when transitioning from Robin to ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}.
* Allure of ''ComicBook/RelativeHeroes'' wears a multilayered costume that includes a floor-length dress, multiple fluttery sleeves and ''two'' cleavage windows for fighting in which should get caught on things and get in her way all the time.
* To Bertille in ''ComicBook/{{Sasmira}}'', this is what ''[[TheEdwardianEra Belle Epoque]]'' ladies' wear feels like, though she still enjoys wearing the dresses regardless.

* [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer Slayers]] in ''[[https://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-28404/DianeCastle+Xendra.htm Xendra]]'' never think to wear casual rugged clothing while patrolling. Buffy in particular refuses to patrol in anything but designer clothes and shoes while having a fresh manicure; she then complains about her clothing getting damaged and/or stained from fighting demons. When she complains about chipping a nail, Xendra suggests she wear protective gloves, but Buffy refuses because they aren't stylish. Contrast Xander/Xendra who always wears durable clothes he can afford to lose and either cheap tennis shoes or work boots while patrolling.

* A subtle example in ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013''; Elsa's ice dress is both a literal and figurative example of ImpossiblyCoolClothes. However, given the fact that, when running away from people who are trying to kill her, she repeatedly has to lift up the hem of her dress to keep from tripping on it, it's also not particularly practical. [[JustifiedTrope Though in her defense]], she wasn't exactly ''planning'' on running away from any murderous individuals when she made the thing.

* Anything on a Hollywood catwalk will be five parts art and one-half part wardrobe. For that matter, most outfits on a ''haute couture'' catwalk these days are much more about art than about wardrobe (a notion which must have Dior, Fath and Balenciaga spinning in their graves). For things people would be more likely to actually wear, check the "ready-to-wear" shows.
* Carmen Miranda and her famous fruit salad hat. This includes the many spoofs of that outfit.
* Giselle's wedding dress in ''Film/{{Enchanted}}''. Amy Adams said it was really hard to move wearing so much fabric (especially since the skirt shape was from loads of petticoats instead of a hoopskirt).
* Many of 50's swimming star Esther Williams costumes, but most notably the one from ''Million Dollar Mermaid'', which nearly killed her. (Wearing a crown + diving from a 6-story height + not landing absolutely perfectly = 3 broken vertebrae + 6 months in a body cast)
* The more {{Troperiffic}} UsefulNotes/{{Bollywood}} films will often include scenes where the female lead is wearing [[PimpedOutDress incredibly fancy clothes]], usually a sari or a type of choli with a skirt. This can overlap with {{Fanservice}} as a sari can be draped to [[BareYourMidriff bare the midriff]] on one side.
* ''Film/{{Rebecca}}'' hung a lampshade on this trope. The heroine, having just married [[TroubledButCute former widower]] [[IdleRich Maxim]], is desperate to prove herself a ProperLady (and not an InadequateInheritor to the titular [[PosthumousCharacter Rebecca]]). Hoping to [[ErmineCapeEffect appear elegant and tasteful]], she buys a [[PimpedOutDress fancy party dress]] from a fashion magazine... but quickly learns that it's completely out of place for a quiet evening at home, BigFancyHouse and FictionFiveHundred-status be damned.
* In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', Bruce Wayne asks Lucius Fox to redesign the Batsuit because the current one doesn't allow him to ''turn his head''. Indeed, that has been [[DevelopmentGag a persistent problem for cinematic renditions of the Batsuit ever since the original Keaton film]].

* In ''Film/DelusionsOfGrandeur'', fitting for the time period (17[[superscript:th]] century), the noblewomen from the court of Spain are wearing fancy dresses which are ridiculously wide at the hips (but not in the back and front). The movie milks some humor out of it at some points:
** When Blaze frantically runs in the throne room toward a window to kick out the bomb, he bumps into the sides of the dress of a few women, making them spin on themselves like tops.
** Salluste DisguisedInDrag subverts a bit the impractical aspect when moving around in a tavern between tables, by having the dress pivots 90° on its axle (with a gear-like sound) so that he could fit in narrower spaces. And then he pivots it back in the proper position with the same sound.

* In ''Literature/TheBelgariad'', Ce'Nedra commissions a suit of gilded armor which has a ... rather more prominent breastplate than Ce'Nedra actually needs. The blacksmith rebels at the impracticality of the fancy armor and Ce'Nedra's vanity. Subverted because at that point she stands to her full height (she's in her teens, and slight and short even so) and asks what he thinks of her chances in a fight against a trained warrior. She doesn't have any intentions of actually battling in the armor ... she wants to wear it to remind everyone that she's at least nominally the Commander of the Armies of the West.
* In ''Three Men in a Boat'' Jerome K. Jerome recalls a boating trip with two decorative young women wearing dresses that would be utterly ruined if they got the least bit wet or dirty.

** The Time Lord robes from ''Series/DoctorWho'' are reasonable, save that it makes it impossible to turn your head. The giant collars are only worn for ceremonial occasions, and that Gallifrey is at a CrystalSpiresAndTogas level of advancement so they don't really need to do anything that their robes would interfere with.
*** Oddly, at least one novel informs the reader that that getup started out as BlingOfWar.

* ''Series/BlakesSeven'': Servelan, dominating the galaxy while looking ''fabulous'' in dazzling fashion statements.
** The wardrobe room on the ''Liberator'' is full of fancy impractical clothes. Behold Jenna and Cally saving the day in long skirts and six inch heels.

* Finnish shock rockers Music/{{Lordi}} dress up as monsters for all public appearances, including interviews. This is possibly part of the reason why they've never toured to Australia, despite having a large and vocal [[{{Fandom}} fanbase]] there.

* When Music/DavidBowie performed "Music/TheManWhoSoldTheWorld" on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' in 1979 - with Music/KlausNomi, no less - he wore a rigid skirt that enclosed his legs, and had to be carried into place by his co-stars in order to reach the microphone.
* Averted with Music/{{GWAR}}: The inner casts of their suits are manufactured by one of the members whose regular job is making prosthetic limbs. The joints move freely, allowing the band to play and move somewhat normally.
* Liberace practically invented wearing completely over-the-top elaborate costumes in the music industry. Outside of the numerous video clips and pictures online, this depiction of him as a showman in ''Film/BehindTheCandelabra'' is accurate.

* Remarkably averted by Creator/CirqueDuSoleil -- you would ''think'' the fancier costumes should be completely unsuited for acrobatics, dance, etc., but they are all safe and functional thanks to careful designs, unusual choices of material, exact measurements taken of the performers, and so forth. ''Theatre/{{O}}''[='s=] costumes go the extra mile in that they can take the rigors of immersion in water as well. Likewise with figure skating outfits, which have to look good and withstand athletic performance. Makers specialize only in these costumes.
** It's the same thing for all dance costumes. For example, there are makers who specialize only in making ballet tutus.

* Invoked in ''VideoGame/ArTonelicoQogaKnellOfArCiel''. Your Reyvateils' outfits are very fancy, but that's because they're constructed out the inert state of fictional physics particles they use for power. The more physical outfit they have to shed to show some more skin mid-battle, the bigger the feedback wave, so the more power they get.
* [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]], though not actually seen, in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' during the shindig at the Winter Palace. One of the first optional conversations the Inquisitor can have with Spymaster Leliana concerns a minor Orlesian noblewoman's footwear: gem-encrusted slippers. Leliana lists a whole bunch of reasons why it's just insane to wear something like this to a royal ball. The most important ones are the shoes' weight, their monetary value and the risk of losing them, and since Leliana also happens to know that the noblewoman in question is pretty much broke, she deduces the woman's simply pretending so she can continue to play with the cool kids.

[[folder:Web Original]]

* FormFittingWardrobe- if in a setting that logically wouldn't have modern materials like spandex or polyester. Or if the garment looks more like FetishWear than like actual clothing.

* The famous (or rather, infamous) Robe à la Française: those ridiculously wide 18th Century dresses. Although most dresses of the period had some kind of padding in the hips, this dress took that fashion UpToEleven. Some got so wide that ladies had to turn sideways to go through doors, and wide staircases were necessary to accommodate them. The ridiculousness and discomfort was 100% the point. Requiring these dresses was a way for the King to exert control over the courtiers. Contrary to what some have depicted however, these gowns were never worn outside of formal court events. Elements of their design however were copied in other fashionable gowns of the period: such as the [[CoolCape built in cape]]

* FormFittingWardrobe
* GiantPoofySleeves

* KickingAssInAllHerFinery
* PimpedOutDress - Dresses that are fancied up enough to be impractical for everyday wear.
* RequisiteRoyalRegalia

* ShouldersOfDoom
* SexySantaDress
* ShowgirlSkirt
* TutuFancy - Dancers portrayed in clothes that would actually be unsafe to dance in

* BlingOfWar - War uniforms fancied up to be practically useless in all but the most formal warfare.

Often overlaps with GorgeousPeriodDress and ImpossiblyCoolClothes.

* In a short story by Saki a character was riding (fox hunting) when a friend needed help that would have necessitated them dismounting, they refused because: frankly it was rather an art even to ride in my riding clothes.

* In ''WesternAnimation/KappaMikey'', Mikey and Lilly go overboard with all kinds of crazy clothing designs when trying to get their ideas bought by a well-known clothing designer. This included a cement dress and clothing made of garbage and food.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Brave}}'' includes Merida's turquoise dress that she [[ForcedIntoTheirSundayBest is forced into]], which would be lovely if it weren't highly uncomfortable for her. She has to partially rips the back by flexing her muscles just to properly shoot her bow. In the ending, she wears a practical ''and'' elegant dress.

* A subtle example in ''Disney/{{Frozen}}''; Elsa's ice dress is both a literal and figurative example of ImpossiblyCoolClothes. However, given the fact that, when running away from people who are trying to kill her, she repeatedly has to lift up the hem of her dress to keep from tripping on it, it's also not particularly practical. [[JustifiedTrope Though in her defense]], she wasn't exactly ''planning'' on running away from any murderous individuals when she made the thing.

* ''Literature/TheReynardCycle'': Reynard orders Rukenaw to wear the ChainmailBikini version of this in ''Defender of the Crown'', in order to win over the . . . ''hearts'' of the male population of Calyx. She's relieved that the [[ShoutOut breastplate doesn't have]] [[Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire actual nipples on it.]]

* In ''Three Men In A Boat'' Jerome K. Jerome recalls a boating trip with two decorative young women wearing dresses that would be utterly ruined if they got the least bit wet or dirty.

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* Insofar as natural plumage can be considered an "outfit", this is the case for some male birds. The vibrantly colored and often times very ''large'' feathers on, say, a peacock are very alluring, especially to a female bird. However, they make stealth virtually impossible (hence he can't hide from predators) and they can often weigh the bird down while he's flying (hence, he can't easily escape from a predator). Indeed, many peacocks and other birds like them have been known to shed their tail feathers when attempting to flee from a hungry predator, in a sort of natural world GivingThemTheStrip[=/=]LifeOrLimbDecision combo. Females of these species usually invert this trope, with their cryptic, nondescript plumage being the very definition of BoringButPractical. Some biologists suggest that male birds of this type are deliberately [[MenAreTheExpendableGender attracting predators' attention towards themselves]] and away from a female mate and any young.

* ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura'': When Sakura goes off capturing clow cards, Tomoyo dresses her in such outfits in every chance she gets. Some of them are examples of StylishProtectionGear, such as a rubber dress worn to help capture a lightning spirit.

* Insofar as natural plumage can be considered an "outfit", this is the case for some male birds. The vibrantly colored and often times very ''large'' feathers on, say, a peacock are very alluring, especially to a female bird. However, they make stealth virtually impossible (hence he can't hide from predators) and they can often weigh the bird down while he's flying (hence, he can't easily escape from a predator). Indeed, many peacocks and other birds like them have been known to shed their tail feathers when attempting to flee from a hungry predator, in a sort of natural world GivingThemTheStrip[=/=]LifeOrLimbDecision combo. Females of these species usually invert this trope, with their cryptic, nondescript plumage being the very definition of BoringButPractical.

* Queen Padme Amidala's outfits in the ''Franchise/StarWars'' prequels. They ''did'' have one practical function. All the heavy makeup she wore along with the highly distinctive clothing made it very easy to switch places with her bodyguards as needed without Padme being recognized posing as one of her own handmaidens.

* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire,'' the nobles of Slaver's Bay wear garments called ''tokars,'' long, shapeless fabric sheets that are wound around the body. When wearing a tokar, the wearer has to hold it in place with their left hand and walk very carefully and slowly to avoid tripping on it. It is made this way deliberately, to show that someone is rich enough that they have no need to work. [[spoiler:When Daenerys sacks Astapor, many of the fleeing slavemasters trip over their tokars while trying to escape, making them easy prey for her soldiers.]]

* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire,'' the nobles of Slaver's Bay wear garments called ''tokars,'' long, shapeless fabric sheets that are wound around the body. When wearing a tokar, the wearer has to hold it in place with their left hand and walk very carefully and slowly to avoid tripping on it. It's meant to show that someone is rich enough that they have no need to work. [[spoiler:When Daenerys sacks Astapor, many of the fleeing slavemasters trip over their tokars while trying to escape, making them easy prey for her soldiers.]]