Space Opera Fans discussion

All writers have to create outer clothing for their characters. My Jane has several of each uniform, number one is mess dress, two is general duty and three is lightweight. Plus in the lockers on her spaceship there are half a dozen designer outfits from Hart & Hart. It's all understandable and just slightly futuristic. Zips for example are often replaced with tiny magnets sewn to the cloth.

But in several places I've had to write her underwear or night attire:

For a moment Jane hovered with her hand over the panel, then flicked switches and disabled the starline set—for once she didn't want anyone to be able to contact her.
There was no reason why she shouldn't sleep now—the autopilot would sound all kinds of alarms if anything went wrong. She went aft, peeled off her uniform and flopped down on the bed in her undersuit.
The foam mattress felt like a pile of scrap metal topped with walnuts. There was no way she could sleep—and she wasn't resorting to the medical kit again.
A hot shower, that would help, and the thick, soft pyjamas she'd bought on Greenworld. Then warm milk with spices and back to bed.
The shower froze and scalded at the same time, the pyjamas itched abominably and the drink tasted so foul that she checked the date code on the tube three times.
It was ridiculous, why couldn't she even make herself comfortable? She hunted through the lockers in the bed cabin and found a long white nightdress, cool against her skin. Then she lay on the bed, grimly determined not to move until she'd slept, however long it took.
And still she couldn't sleep. Even with a pillow over her head to shut out the faint sounds of the ship she still lay in a state of nauseous wakefulness, waiting for rest that wouldn't come.

(She's accidentally ODed on stimulants, and when they wear off she goes right out. This turns into a major plot point.)

So do we think that undies of the future will be basically the same as now, or change as much as styles of outer clothing do?

I think they will change. When I think of the underwear I wore 50 years ago, they are very different from what I wear today.

I think the FABRIC will improve (i.e., naturally stretchy fabric without seams instead of elastic), but I doubt the basic design will change all that much because it is functional and serves a purpose (it keeps stuff we don't want to jiggle or show through our clothing snugly where it belongs).

As for nightwear, people might go more for form-fitting wear (like lycra yoga pants), but then again maybe not. You need to be able to hike your nightie up or down while sleeping to warm up or cool down without waking up. Fashion might change, but functionality doesn't change all that much.

Like Anna, I think materials will probably change (they already do on a constant basis, it seems!) but basic functionality and probably even names likely won't change that much. My stories are also futuristic (albeit in a fictional universe) but my characters still wear "lounge pants" - which seems a little more generic than "pajama pants" - and one has even been described as wearing a "compression bra," which would basically just be a sports bra but I felt weird calling it that. It obviously serves the same purpose.

I think fabrics will change, and fashions, because they always do, but I'm hoping that bras might become more comfortable :) - the right amount of support without the constriction or slipping straps!

Leonie wrote: "I think fabrics will change, and fashions, because they always do, but I'm hoping that bras might become more comfortable :) - the right amount of support without the constriction or slipping straps!"

I just want something that eliminates middle-aged sag! Hah!

Anti-Gravity bras?

Anti-Gravity bras?

I did something a bit like that in "Star Knight" which was a space opera romance I never finished.

Regina opened the package. It contained a long-sleeved unitard, midnight black and velvet soft, and a pair of black training shoes. She wriggled out of her overalls and slid into the unitard, revelling in its luxurious smoothness. It was made from one of the new conforming fabrics - it slowly adjusted itself to become a perfect fit. The price tags had been cut off - but she guessed that the outfit would have cost her a month's pay.

It's gonna be body paint in the summer, regular clothes on the winter.

I would pay a fortune for an anti-gravity bra.

Betsy wrote: "I would pay a fortune for an anti-gravity bra."

My kids would find a way to do something truly TERRIBLE and EMBARRESSING with one of those 3:-)

Speaking as a member of the male species, I'm eagerly awaiting the day when some bright spark invents underwear that's comfy, hard wearing, doesn't claw its way up yer bum crack at the slightest opportunity, and doesn't have an inconveniently placed seam right under your "bits".

Hah! They've come up with seamless, elastic-free, cotton/lycra blend panties for women lately. Maybe it's about time they did the same for men?

Ah, but you ladies don't have to have a hole/opening in the front of your undies like us chaps do. ;)

Christian wrote: "Anti-Gravity bras?"

Yes! And Betsy, these would be worth a fortune!

This thread really cheered me up this morning! Thank you all. :D

Ronnie wrote: "Ah, but you ladies don't have to have a hole/opening in the front of your undies like us chaps do. ;)"

What is it with the hole? I mean, I could see when guys used to wear those full-body red Union Suits and taking a leak meant stripping off every article of clothing you had. But why still today? Illogical. Guys need elastic-less, lycra underwear. I hereby decree it!

Now here's an interesting article on the topic. Darpa underwear will harvest soldiers energy and give them killer abs. I'll take TWO, please... :-)

http://io9.com/5845697/darpa-underwea...

Still waiting for the anti-gravity bras. ;-)

Shawnie wrote: "Still waiting for the anti-gravity bras. ;-)"

Me too.

But there have been some improvements. There's a strong movement away from underwires. Toward new fabrics that provide support and comfort. But there's still a very long way to go.

Betsy wrote: "Shawnie wrote: "Still waiting for the anti-gravity bras. ;-)"

Me too.

But there have been some improvements. There's a strong movement away from underwires. Toward new fabrics that provide suppo..."
Yes! I fully approve the improvements. :)

No need for anti grav bras because nothing will sag in the future!

Ally wrote: "No need for anti grav bras because nothing will sag in the future!"

Even better! :D

I am with Ally. I want a future where I don't have to wear a bra type of garment at all and they just stay the way they were when I was 21.

Lizzie wrote: "I am with Ally. I want a future where I don't have to wear a bra type of garment at all and they just stay the way they were when I was 21."

i also love the scifi novels where you can stop your period with birth control and carrying a baby is optional cuz everybody has artificial wombs.