Character Designs For Fighters

[Kelheor]

Loose skirts that allow for moment will not impede you ability to fight.

Well, fight is a very broad term. If you are a Shaolin style fight monk or some taekwondo fighter, well, basically use lots of legs movements, any long skirt will be awkward. Many long loose skirts can pure and simple get between the legs a lot and just get in the way of running or fighting. If it's a large ballgown skirt, well, depending on it's largeness it can also affect some weapons using too.

[DasIstWunderblyat]

This link gives a little info on what liability come with clothing items:

https://springhole.net/writing/wardrobe-hazards-and-liabilities.htm

Other than people paying attention to the outfit, I think it's important to pay attention about the weapons too. Sometimes people make it too powerful (all-purpose weapon, never break or get dull even after drenched in blood), or not used for its intended function (unless it's magic or an emergency).

I'm no weapon nerd but I have a pet peeves about people thinking schyte (that farmer's schyte) as a great weapon, some claim it's better than sword. They're utility tools like kitchen knife, you can fight with that but it's not the intended purpose. Unless you're grim reaper or the schyte is magically modified one like what Ruby Rose has I don't agree schyte is a great one. I forgot which video I watched to review this, bit sure thing is there is a thing called "War schyte" which is an upgrade of the peasant tool optimized for fighting.

[HGohwell]

Well, fight is a very broad term.

That is why I used it. There's a huge difference between just different types of sword fighting styles, let alone between different types of martial arts, as well as many different styles of ballgown skirt that effect movement. These are all broad strokes.

I have a pet peeves about people thinking schyte (that farmer's schyte) as a great weapon, some claim it's better than sword.

Saaaaame tbh. Unless your scythe is magical or energy bladed or belongs to Death they're some pretty impractical weapons. I mean they look cool as hell but yeah, not practical as is.

[skicoak]

Loose clothing has it's own hazards against disciplines that can use it to restrict/choke you in grapple situations.

[GabiWolf]

I just don’t like the idea that you have to lose your femininity to gain badassness. I wear dresses and skirt 85%.
Once in high school I forgot my P.E clothes and still had to run because it was a timed test run day. I ran in thick three inch heels, and didn’t trip once. I have flat feet so the arch of the heal actually helps me and it was the best run time I ever had. As long as they have a thick heel your weight is even and you should be fine.

And the new design of wonder woman has her basically wearing a miniskirt, even if it is gladiator style.

There use to be a time wear dresses, skirts and heels were more unisex. And if we want to go into magical and fantasy fighting, wizards are just wearing long dresses anyway, lol.

[TopJimComics]

Saaaaame tbh. Unless your scythe is magical or energy bladed or belongs to Death they're some pretty impractical weapons. I mean they look cool as hell but yeah, not practical as is.

But what if you're fighting tall grass?

[HGohwell]

I wear dresses and skirt 85%.

I think this is super important for more everyday action pieces. Consider the amount of (generally male admittedly) "it was a regular day and the office til everything went wrong" type plots. Lots of women wear skirts and heels to work because they like to. More commonly female is the "suddenly badass at a charity ball" ect. These are the places where the type of skirt should be considered. If you're planning that kind of plot, this kind of outfit (she's a doctor not an office worker but the point stands) is a much more reasonable outfit than pencil shirt and tight sleeves. It's office believable attire without being totally impractical for fighting.

But what if you're fighting tall grass?

Well then the scythe really is the ultimate weapon! And sentient tall grass sounds like a really paranoia fuel based horror plot.

[Kelheor]

And the new design of wonder woman has her basically wearing a miniskirt, even if it is gladiator style.

A gladiator skirt is really just a very loose short skirt, which is the best thing for fighting! Except leggings, sure. Also, you're not losing your femininity by wearing pants or flat shoes.

The problem is, some clothes are just not appropriate for fighting, just as other types of clothes are not great for swimming or rock climbing! No one is saying you cannot swim in long dress, but anything more tight will be much better =) Just as of course you can run in 3 inch heels, but running in 5 inch heels is a much rarer skill (and I mean real running, like when your life depends on it).

[skicoak]

It's office believable attire without being totally impractical for fighting.

That tie though!

Why don't you just wear a fashionable noose?!?

[SleepingPoppy]

Rather than drop the tie, I'd like to see an enemy attempt to choke them with it, and they cut it and/or have to deal with it.

Sometimes clothing not being perfectly practical for the situation is interesting!

[TAMAnnoying]

I will say their are benefits to using tools over weapons but these benefits are much more strategical. A rouge or assassin may rather have a scythe pretending to be a farmer to not arouse suspicion as they head to a targets house. A lowborn walking around with a sword is a lot more suspicious then one walking around with basic farming equipment.

But in no way do I think it’s a better weapon then a sword in actual battle, but many weapons that are a bit shit have more utility use then swords or war hammers.

[skicoak]

Sometimes clothing not being perfectly practical for the situation is interesting!

Yeah, but also implies the person wearing the item has no practical experience at understanding the weak spot in their outfit.

There's a reason my buddies who bounce at high end clubs wear clip ons or snap ties.

[sarrowsmith10]

I think its interesting that its only mentioned in passing that heels were for equestrians. It's not just so you can keep your feet in your stirrup- they served a military reason as well:

According to Elizabeth Semmelhack, a curator from the Bata Shoe Museum, "When the soldier stood up in his stirrups, the heel helped to secure his stance so that he could shoot his bow and arrow more easily." https://www.racked.com/2015/2/3/7997175/high-heels-history

Keeping in mind that even foot soldiers likely rode horses in their regulator day-to-day lives, heels on boots were probably just standard shoe. Anyways, as an equestrian myself, riding without a heel, in general, is pretty much the biggest no-no ever, so I can't imagine designing a mounted knight without a heel of some kind.

[HGohwell]

Yeah, but also implies the person wearing the item has no practical experience at understanding the weak spot in their outfit.

I was using her as an example of "typical office attire that isn't totally impractical" to go with "everything was normal office day and sudden fighting" so I think it's ok that the outfit isn't perfect. Ties are easy to drop when there's danger and as @SleepingPoppy says if she knows what she's doing it becomes a weapon. But yes for situations where you designing a general fighter who knows they'll be fighting anything the enemy can grab is dumb.

I think its interesting that its only mentioned in passing that heels were for equestrians.

I mentioned heels for riding only because I'm a rider myself and the idea of every riding without heels is horrifying. Many people try to ride in flat shoes do not understand the saftey aspect and why a heel is required. For those unaware: without a decent heel on your boot, there is a high chance your foot will slip through the stirrup and I have known many many idiots who mess around with their own horse and don't wear proper boots. Injuries range from getting totally stuck in the stirrup and being dragged along by the ankle to completely breaking the ankle in the fall. There's a reason the typical cowboy boot has a heel and it's not just fashion. Didn't know about helping keeping the raised stance though, although I can see that.

[Kittosaurus]

Cloaks/Capes/any extra material: Risky! Major snag risk. Any brief of frabric not attached to the main outfit can move differently to you and can snag or trip you or be caught by the enemy.

I had to

[sarrowsmith10]

I have known many many idiots who mess around with their own horse and don't wear proper boots.

Where we boarded our horse, they had a very strict no flat shoes policy. No flip-flops or saddles even in the barn on the ground. If you violated that rule, even if it was your animal, you could loose your board there.

[HGohwell]

I've always had full safety rules wherever I've been, they wouldn't let you do any about 1ft jumps without a body-protector at some places. But you can't stop idiots who have their own horses and their own land.

[GabiWolf]

It’s not that I believe that not wearing a skirt or heels will make me lose my femininity, it the idea others hold that simply because I am wearing a summer dress I can’t stop and flip you over my shoulder, choke you out or stab you with the heel I am wearing.
That sort of fighting style is best for espionage and history has shown women to make effective spies.

If anyone use to watch “Totally Spies” they wore heels all the time, lol, and though their outfits were tight suits they still retained their femininity. But that’s a cartoon though So that might not be a good example.

[Atarun]

If skirts make so much sense, why don't men wear any EVER (unless you count kilts, which aren't actually skirts and only Scots wear them)?

The reason why magical girls wear miniskirts is obvious: they were designed to pander to the hetero male gaze.
The reason why female tennis players wear miniskirts is pretty much the same. If they felt no pressure as to what to wear, why wouldn't they wear the same attire their male counterparts wear? If skirts really gave them an advantage over shorts, you'd see all the guys wearing skirts too.

[HGohwell]

Did you read what we were talking about? Office workers who like wearing skirts to work suddenly having to fight? Charity ball turned badass? Those common tropes which require a skirt? Please stop assuming that everyone designing a character for a fight is making someone specifically to be a soldier/constant fighter.

Also, Magical Girls are designed to be feminine to either: keep sterotypes that "you must be feminine to have power, little girl", oooor "you can still be powerful without giving up your femininity, little girl", depending on whether you subscribe to the western or eastern view of the feminism. And please stop assuming everyone who wears skirts and heels is pressures to by men. Some women like to wear them, as has also been pointed out several times on this thread.

Also, magical girls as magic, they don't need your logic.