‘Captain Marvel’ Sports the First Costume Designed for a Woman Who Works Out

The more I get a chance to see what Captain Marvel’s costume is going to look like in the upcoming Marvel movie, the more and more I freaking adore it. It’s not that I’m crazy for big gold boob stars or that I have a flight suit fetish. Carol Danvers’s superhero costume is maybe the first major ladies’ costume that feels designed for a woman literally on the go. By that I mean, it’s not for the male gaze, but for a heroine who needs to be prepared for a long-ass chase, followed by high impact rolls, and hanging off a ledge without any kind of grip assist.

The Captain Marvel costume is not just made for a woman warrior, but for a lady who actually works out.

So there’s no way to know how well Captain Marvel’s costume wicks sweat — unless Brie Larson wants to share — but there are tons of tiny flourishes that scream, “This was designed by someone who actually works out a lot!” The first thing that caught my eye: pockets.

In both versions of her costume, the green and silvery one and red, blue, and gold upgrade, Captain Marvel sports a slim belt with zippered hip pouches. Basically, they are the superhero couture version of the SPibelts and fanny packs favored by long distance runners. While it’s true that you only really need a good pair of sneakers to run, to train for long-distances you have to carry tools, gadgets, and fuel with you…hence: pockets. 

And Captain Marvel might be the first female superhero who’s got this covered. Okay, okay, I’m sure someone else has had a suit with pockets, but Black Widow’s utility belts are typically only for carrying guns and ammo. Wonder Woman’s outfits are so short, they verge on beachwear (which, okay, good for hot summer training, but bad for cold, wet environments like, say, World War I France). Captain Marvel’s suit is built with a real person’s needs in mind.

Note that there seems to be black nylon blocks of stretch on the inside of her elbows and thick leather padding on the outside. Her shoulders are protected and it looks like her ribs are, too. That said, this isn’t a tight, bulky costume. In both trailers, we see Brie Larson walking in uniform and the fabric ripples and stretches. And then, there’s her gloves.

Sure fingerless gloves are all the rage, but those look exactly like the weight lifting gloves that I literally bought last week. Why does someone need weight lifting gloves? Well, because hanging from bars and pulling ropes can tear the shit out of your hands. Your palms are particularly prone to blisters — one of which I got strength-training a few weeks ago, and then re-tore a week later. Like her belt, Captain Marvel’s gloves look high on style, but they actually reflect the real-life needs of a woman pushing the limits of her endurance.

You know, it’s a totally realistic outfit for a woman accomplishing very doable things…like spinning through space and blasting space ships apart with her hands….and all the other cool stuff Captain Marvel does in the new trailer. Still, my point stands: Captain Marvel’s costume is built to function in the real world. (The only thing she’s missing is a hair tie.)