While I agree that this isn't what we should be shooting for exactly, I do think a slight element of modern/sci-fi/fantastical in Faerie equipment is a nice touch to differentiate it from native made armor.
Should I take that as 'I should change my design references to something more realistic (Though a cross of samurai, knight, a side of LOTR and the old helmet is quite close as one gets.) and start over from scratch' or 'Not the design direction we should be aiming for realism but rule of cool'?
Personally my experiences have lead me to side with 'if it looks cool and it isn't impossible for the setting, do it' over 'it's realistic'.
Though yeah, some science fiction is always laced into my designs but fantasy for me has always been vague and easily as much science-fiction as it is magic fantasy.
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Seeing as Kirito's primary defense is his sword skills and mobility (Same goes with Asuna.), it's more aimed towards mobility and flexibility but allowing Kirito to take a hit and not get killed instantly.
Some parts have lighter armor to allow footwork and movement that armor might inhibit. Most key points on the body are protected under at least two to three layers of armor, the exception to this is the crotch (Some parts to not inhibit movement, other parts design choice.) and the neck has less armor for flexibility plus flight comfort (Maybe a bit more soft armor the next time.).
As for the skirt, I'm pretty sure Kirito will have had the skirt he uses for field combat to be made resistant to swords, arrows, magic (We're already having evening dresses that have as high if not more defense that steel anyway, what harm is a highly-resistant skirt?) and whatnot, so he'd have excellent protection for his legs from all directions save forward, and anyone in front of him will have to face the Dual Deciders.
Heck I'd not put it past the Leprechaun armorers to even make the full-body-suit they wear under all their armor to have defensive properties as a precaution, though if that was the case then Kirito is never unarmored. (Or possibly wearing the prototype to test all their stuff.)
But I digress that I am hypothesizing much the possibilities and do not know how much defense each part of the armor has (TH however, does.), and am working with realism chucked out the window and under a sixteen-ton weight. (Far more relaxing than when I had realism nagging me about do this and do that.)
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Well that's true. But I don't think people like Silica Liz or Asuna are the sort to be flashing prole casually whenever they fly. Unless Asuna has started taking her nickname in another direction.
As for others there are people who'd probably do it and people who definitely wouldn't. And I imagine even the people who didn't wouldn't do it all the time.
So, what I'm getting from the whole shorts underneath the skirts things is that skorts are going to be really popular in Fae culture.
Also I like to think a preemptively dicked with anyone who thought of short skirts and flying and put the two together.
And thus a culture of panty-shots and fanservice for Fae came to a sharp and abject end, much to the dismay of one Old Osmond who had previously chuckled with delight from his familiar's many excursions.