OC costume design: Sleeveless leotard versus one-piece with shoulder straps

[Void]

This is a crass one folks - I do apologise.

I'm in the design phase for a character I will be starting to write at the end of January or start of February, and I'm really conflicted on the design of the heroine's outfit. The images below will convey what I mean in terms of the styles of outfit I am describing, and my conflict goes a little like this: The sleeveless leotard is, I think, a much better look - it looks more superheroineish - but it's going to be a total headache to write in explicit peril scenes. Meanwhile, the one-piece, with its handy shoulder straps, is a more plain, less striking look, I think, but it is much, *much* more helpful for writing in peril scenes. There's... way more access going on there.

I have spent an unhealthy amount of time wrestling with this, and I keep going back and forth. How much easier it is to write makes me favour the straps, but the character design and general look is so much better in the leotard that I then get back to thinking I could make it work.

A catch or a zip at the back collar would essentially turn the leotard into very wide shoulder straps when undone...

Which look do you guys prefer?

If any lore information helps with any tiebreakers here, the idea is that the outfit itself doesn't take damage - so it won't be getting cut or ripped open at any stage - which helps me explain away why she's wearing it at all over literally anything else less revealing. The idea is for this to be a character who has recurring sexual peril misadventures, and who has something of a kryptonite-like reaction to being sexually touched - though not quite so dramatic as that.

Sleeveless leotard

Leotard 1.jpg (9.91 MiB) Viewed 909 times

Leotard 2.jpg (8.55 MiB) Viewed 909 times

Leotard 8.jpg (6.98 MiB) Viewed 909 times

One-piece with shoulder straps

Straps 9.jpg (6.39 MiB) Viewed 909 times

Straps 2.jpg (7.55 MiB) Viewed 909 times

Straps 7.jpg (8 MiB) Viewed 909 times

[cannonfodder]

The one piece w/ strap always looks like it's missing something. Could have them capture her and dress her in that after as a show of control.

[Femina]

Cannonfodder is right, a one piece needs more to a costumes overall design to flow, so if you're going for a 'keep it simple stupid' costume design the sleeveless leotard is the way to go. If we're talking color balance you might even give her a red belt to give the eye a balanced color spread... but I don't think that's a necessity or anything. Leotards are an outlier of costume design in that you want the form of it to be fairly unblemished or it begins to lose its impact. You might instead consider some pattern or emblem or something... but that's still not necessary for a 'KiSS' design.

IF you want to go with the one piece strap design though you do need something more, a belt could help but you really need more up in the chest/shoulders area like shoulder pads or a cape that 'buttons' to the straps or something.

[Malice]

I definitely support Femina's red belt proposition in terms of balance.

It would look a lot better and give a little more harmony to the suit, which is quite cool as it stands. I like the Scarlet Witch vibe to the mask, and white leotards are underutilized in the genre, and very very cool.

I also like the fact that it’s revealing, but not too much, unlike the White Shadow costume from TBFE, which is borderline comic.

[Void]

Yeah, the one-piece is just a little off, isn't it? It's too plain/common to work without something else going on.

I appreciate a splash of colour or accessories would help break it up and make the look more complete, but the character in question is indeed going for the 'keep it simple' approach - not adding anything stylistic that I would struggle to explain within the bounds of their means or motivations.

Im just going to have to suck it up and work with the outfit that's awkward to undress in a peril scene. I could put a zip at the front, but I don't think they would look as good. Maybe a zip that goes right down at the back, or even a partially open back with a catch at the back collar...

There is an unavoidable tension between any effort to remain vaguely plausible, and having classic comic bookesque outfits that look cool but are very friendly to pornographic peril scenes. Can't have my cake and eat it - need to make concessions somewhere!

[cannonfodder]

Have like another tone bodysuit underneath could help. It just looks more incomplete because it looks like an under shirt.

[shevek]

I much prefer the first two designs where she looks like a superheroine and not like a captured ballet dancer.
Thirded with Femina and Malice on the red belt - a color contrast always looks better on a defined hourglass waist.
Good luck with this idea - she is definitely super hot!