History Main / SexyBacklessOutfit

* {{KeiraKnightley}}'s emerald green dress in {{Atonement}}.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'': In the original, Yuna's regular outfit is a halter-top, backless variant on traditional Kimino. Her Gunner outfit in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2'' is much skimpier, backless, sleeveless, and has AbsoluteCleavage to boot.

* ''WhoFramedRogerRabbit'': Jessica Rabbit wears a slinky strapless, backless, sequined red evening gown [[ShesGotLegs slit up the thigh to here]]. She's a HelloNurse character (a ShoutOut to Tex Avery's designs), and very much played for sexy.

* ''{{Ibara}}'' (and sequel): Shasta Rose's outfit is basically a backless leotard with a ruffled collar, sash, and just enough of a skirt to pose for {{Panty Shot}}s.

* In the 3.5 of the [[Eberron Eberron Campaign Setting]], the example character for the Dragonmarked Heir prestige class was depicted with such a dress, though for her; it had the added benefit of showing off her Dragonmark of Storm.

* ((SonicTheHedgehog Rouge)) boasts this feature on both in carnations of her SpyCatsuit, though it makes sense, since she has wings.

* ''GodOfWar: Chains Of Olympus'': Persephone has a black halter-top number that goes down the back ''well'' past the waist. It incorporates a ThongOfShielding to keep within R-rated territory. Barely.

* In the 3.5 of the Eberron Campaign Setting, the example character for the Dragonmarked Heir prestige class was depicted with such a dress, though for her; it had the added benefit of showing off her Dragonmark of Storm.

Backless outfits used for {{Fanservice}}. Ever since [[TheGreatDepression the 1930s]] popularized the backless dress or top, it has been a nice way of showing a little skin without getting too raunchy; a deeply cut dress can show the entire back and maybe a bit more, and makes it clear that the lady [[VaporWear is not wearing a bra]]. At the same time, it can be more elegant and mature than BareYourMidriff or some of the other FanserviceCostumes. [[{{Stripperiffic}} Or not]].

Backless outfits used for {{Fanservice}}. Ever since [[TheGreatDepression the 1930s]] popularized the backless dress or top, it has been a nice way of showing a little skin without getting [[ToplessnessFromTheBack too raunchy]]; a deeply cut dress can show the entire back and maybe a bit more, and makes it clear that the lady [[VaporWear is not wearing a bra]]. At the same time, it can be more elegant and mature than BareYourMidriff or some of the other FanserviceCostumes. [[{{Stripperiffic}} Or not]].

Backless outfits used for {{Fanservice}}. Ever since [[TheGreatDepression the 1930s]] popularized the backless dress or top, it has been a nice way of showing a little skin without getting too raunchy; a deeply cut dress can show the entire back and maybe a bit more, and makes it clear that the lady [[VaporWear is not wearing a bra]]. At the same time, it can be more elegant and mature than BareYourMidriff or some of the other FanserviceCostumes. [[{{Stripperiffic}} Or not]].

--'''Director Mori Toshimichi''' on [[BlazBlue Noel Vermillion]]'s design.

-> ''[[InvokedTrope The back is what's important!]]''
->--'''Director Mori Toshimichi''' on [[BlazBlue Noel Vermillion's]] design.

Backless outfits used for {{Fanservice}}. Ever since [[TheGreatDepression the 1930s]] popularized the backless dress or top, it has been a nice way of showing a little skin without getting too raunchy; a deeply cut dress can show the entire back and maybe a bit more, and makes it clear that the lady [[VaporWear is not wearing a bra]]. At the same time, it can be more elegant and mature than BareYourMidriff or some of the other FanserviceCostumes. [[{{Stripperiffic}} Or not.]]

!!Examples:

%%% When adding an example, please describe how it provides fanservice. Just being backless is not this trope.

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* ''VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi'': Beatrice wears a full-skirted Victorian gown which shows a quite period-inappropriate amount of back.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': Yoruichi and Soifon both have special uniforms that leave their shoulder blades exposed in order to use ''Shunko'', a special technique that concentrates energy on the arms and back, without ending up completely naked.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': We have yet to see it in-series, but one of the databooks shows that under her BlackCloak Konan wears a backless dress.
* ''Manga/KarakuridoujiUltimo'': Quite a few of the doji, especially Ultimo and Jealous, have backless tops. Might be FanDisservice since it's a {{shonen}} manga and they're male, but [[ViewerGenderConfusion then]] [[PeripheryDemographic again]]...
* ''RebuildOfEvangelion'': Asuka has a variant: the test-type plugsuit's torso material is incredibly sheer, and at one point she turns to show that it perfectly defines her back and the top of her rear. Yeah, VaporWear while your entire body is clothed is pretty impressive.
* ''BirdyTheMighty'': Birdy's leotard-like outfit, especially in the Decode remake, in which her outfit is not only completely backless, but neither the front part, nor what back there is, is held on by ''anything''. Presumably there is glue involved. Or it's BodyPaint.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{Film}}]]
* ''WhoFramedRogerRabbit'': Jessica Rabbit wears a slinky strapless, backless, sequined red evening gown [[ShesGotLegs slit up the thigh to here]]. She's a HelloNurse character (a ShoutOut to Tex Avery's designs), and very much played for sexy.
* ''{{Film/Iron Man}}'': Pepper Potts buys herself a backless dress "from Tony" for her birthday. She wears it to a gala event, where Tony shows up and HilarityEnsues when he asks her for a dance. She's rather nervous about it, and this is only exacerbated by the fact that she forgot to wear deodorant and is dancing with her {{Casanova}} boss in front of all the people she works with.
* ''Film/{{Catwoman}}'': Halle Berry's [[OfCorsetsSexy corsetlike]] second costume was specifically cut so we could see her back move.
* ''Film/TheTallBlondManWithOneBlackShoe'' (1973): A FemmeFatale spy meets her intended conquest at her door in a black dress that conceals everything from her neck to her wrists to her feet. Then she turns around, and her back is completely bare, down to butt-cleavage.
** Likewise done in the 1985 American remake, ''Film/TheManWithOneRedShoe''
* ''Film/DinnerAtEight'' (1933): GoldDigger Kitty Packard (JeanHarlow) says, during a party conversation about sunbathing: "You know, my skin's terribly delicate and I don't dare expose it." Then she turns around, [[HypocriticalHumor revealing her backless dress]].
* ''AttackOfTheClones'': The dress Padmé wears at the lake house combines a halter top, backless to the waist, with DetachedSleeves and filmy drapery for an elegantly sexy look.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{Literature}}]]
* ''[[KushielsLegacy Kushiel's Chosen]]'': Phedre's costume for the Longest Night masque is deliberately cut so the entirety of her marque (full-length back tattoo) is visible. In her culture, marques are sported by courtesans who have completed their apprenticeships. A fully bared marque means its wearer is seeking business offers. Her back (and a touch more) [[SexSells appears prominently on the cover]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:LiveActionTV]]
* ''TheWestWing'': [[BlondeRepublicanSexKitten Ainsley Hayes]] in one episode; this being an AaronSorkin show when Sam commented on how attractive she looked, that led to a discussion of feminism and sexuality in the workplace.
--->'''Sam Seaborn''': ''Whoa, I didn't even see that thing from the back.''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:TabletopGames]]
* In the 3.5 of the Eberron Campaign Setting, the example character for the Dragonmarked Heir prestige class was depicted with such a dress, though for her; it had the added benefit of showing off her Dragonmark of Storm.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Theatre]]
* ''MurderAmongFriends'': Angela's red dress ''must'' be backless or nearly so, to inspire her husband's line "Lovely dress, but don't you have it on backwards?"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:VideoGames]]
* ''CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia'': Shanoa wears a backless halter-top dress [[ShesGotLegs with a deep slit up the side]], with a BreastPlate over it [[OfCorsetsSexy which is designed along the lines of a corset]]. The backlessness is [[JustifiedTrope necessary]] because she absorbs [[InstantRunes Glyphs]] through a large and intricate tattoo on her back.
* ''SamuraiShodown'': Shiki wears a backless tight dress and her back sports a massive snake tattoo that... does nothing.
* ''NeverwinterNights'': Aribeth's fantasy girly armor is rather open down the back. That suit of armor's + 7 AC bonus (before magical enhancements) is completely unjustified, as it exposes at least as much as it protects. It only covers the "[[BreastPlate important]]" areas.
* ''FatalFury'' and the ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'': Mai Shiranui had one intro where she bares her back and more while wearing a traditional Japanese kimono. In ''KOFXIII'', she finally gets to demonstrate this trope by having a barely-there backless outfit with AbsoluteCleavage in the front and nothing but a ThongOfShielding and a long sash in the back.
* ''{{Bayonetta}}'': This game takes ThirdPersonSeductress to whole new levels; the eponymous character wears a variety of these, [[VaporWear all made out of her hair]].
* ''{{Primal}}'': ThirdPersonSeductress Jen features a [[BareYourMidriff midriff-baring]] backless red halter top which shows off her PowerTattoo. It's [[SexSells prominently featured on the cover]].
* ''VideoGame/TalesOfHearts'': Kohak Hearts has a backless leotard which covers her to the neck in front, but, combined with the little leg-frills that suggest a microskirt, gives her a very flirty look from the back.
* ''LostOdyssey'': Female pirate Seth Balmore's outfit seems to lack any sort of back above the waist, no doubt giving Jansen in the back row an eyefull.
* ''BlazBlue'': Noel's standard outfit in ''BlazBlue'' is backless with a halter top, DetachedSleeves and a tiny skirt. The top also opens down the front for an alternate look with bonus extensive cleavage.
* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep'': Aqua; it got to the point that TetsuyaNomura actually had to censor the outfit's design. Her back used to go all the way down to below her waist.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'': In the original, Yuna's regular outfit is a halter-top, backless variant on traditional Kimino. Her Gunner outfit in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2'' is much skimpier, backless, sleeveless, and has AbsoluteCleavage to boot.
* ''SuikodenV'': The Prince's main outfit involves backless, sleeveless armor and long gloves. It probably doesn't help that he's a [[ViewerGenderConfusion pretty]] {{Bishonen}} who takes after his HotMom.
* ''{{Tekken}}'': Anna Williams wears a strapless, backless [[AnimeChineseGirl cheongsam]] with a CleavageWindow and a [[ShesGotLegs deep slit up the side]]. In case you couldn't identify her as the resident MsFanservice.
* ''VideoGame/SkiesOfArcadia'': Aika has a perky backless minidress with the skirt styled in panels slit to the waist (and some very small ModestyShorts). Fina has an elegant long, backless halter-top dress with a CleavageWindow.
* ''GodOfWar: Chains Of Olympus'': Persephone has a black halter-top number that goes down the back ''well'' past the waist. It incorporates a ThongOfShielding to keep within R-rated territory. Barely.
* ''ResidentEvil5'': Excella has a backless halter-top evening dress with AbsoluteCleavage and {{Sideboob}} that must require ''lots'' of tape to keep in place.
* ''SengokuBasara'': Magoichi wears a backless [[OfCorsetsSexy corset]] which defies all the laws of physics by staying on her.
* ''{{Ibara}}'' (and sequel): Shasta Rose's outfit is basically a backless leotard with a ruffled collar, sash, and just enough of a skirt to pose for {{Panty Shot}}s.
* ''StreetFighter'': All of the Dolls and the Shadoloo version of Cammy (a.k.a. [[CodeName Killer Bee]]) wear an uniform with a nice gap on the back, making the back, aside from the face, the only portion of visible skin in an otherwhise more straight Spy Catsuit (LeotardOfPower, in Shadoloo Cammy's case).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:VisualNovels]]
* ''PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'':
** Adrian Andrews has a backless halter-topped blouse. Her glasses and notebook give her a SexySecretary vibe, although she's actually an "entertainment manager".
** Shih-na of ''Ace Attorney Investigations'' wears a [[ShesGotLegs deeply-slit]] backless evening gown she wears in her role of FemmeFatale [[TheMole mole]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{Webcomics}}]]
* [[HornyDevils Sabine]] of the [[Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick Linear Guild]] wears a [[MsFanservice backless, strapless red leather outfit almost all the time.]] Partly justified in that she has demonic bat wings part of the time; observe Sabine in human guise [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0252.html here]] and Sabine in her true demonic form [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0062.html here]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In the "Large Marge" episode (which involved her getting GagBoobs and becoming a [[SexSells Booth Babe]]), Marge Simpson wears a sexy backless red dress that emphasizes her new "attributes" for a public appearance.
* BettyBoop was perhaps the first animated character to have this: a skimpy red strapless, backless dress that had to be lengthened to meet the HayesCode.
* Red, of TexAvery's ''RedHotRidingHood'' and other shorts; a HelloNurse character in a skimpy red strapless, backless {{Burlesque}} outfit.
* ''TrippingTheRift'': Resident MsFanservice Six always wears outfits that shows off her back (and front, as well as most of her body).
* Ahsoka Tano's redesigned outfit from ''StarWarsTheCloneWars''.
[[/folder]]

%%%
%%% No RealLife examples please.
%%%

Since [[TheGreatDepression the 1930s]], backless outfits were used for {{Fanservice}}. A backless dress or top can be a nice way of showing [[SexyBack a little skin without getting too raunchy]]; a deeply cut dress can show the entire back and maybe a bit more, and makes it clear that the lady [[VaporWear is not wearing a bra]]. At the same time, it can be more elegant and mature than BareYourMidriff or some of the other FanserviceCostumes.

The "elegant evening dress" version may come with OperaGloves or with slits to ShowSomeLeg.

Since [[TheGreatDepression the 1930s]], backless outfits were used for {{Fanservice}}. A backless dress or top can be a nice way of showing a little skin without getting too raunchy; a deeply cut dress can show the entire back and maybe a bit more, and makes it clear that the lady [[VaporWear is not wearing a bra]]. At the same time, it can be more elegant and mature than BareYourMidriff or some of the other FanserviceCostumes.

Backless outfits used for {{Fanservice}}. A backless dress or top can be a nice way of showing a little skin without getting too raunchy; a deeply cut dress can show the entire back and maybe a bit more, and makes it clear that the lady [[VaporWear is not wearing a bra]]. At the same time, it can be more elegant and mature than BareYourMidriff or some of the other FanserviceCostumes.

The "elegant evening dress" version may come with OperaGloves.

* ''FatalFury'' and the ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'': Mai Shiranui had one intro where she bares her back and more while wearing a traditional Japanese kimono. In ''KoFXIII'', she finally gets to demonstrate this trope by having a barely-there backless outfit with AbsoluteCleavage in the front and nothing but a ThongOfSheilding and a long sash in the back.

* ''LostOdysse'': Female pirate Seth Balmore's outfit seems to lack any sort of back above the waist, no doubt giving Jansen in the back row an eyefull.

----

[[folder:Anime]]