The catsuit throws fashion a new curve

But that was fiction. Now let's get real.

First off, zentai bodysuit are tight. Read: confining,PVC Catsuits uncomfortable. The wool- Lycra combos can be itchy, not to mention hot, and even in cotton Lycra, they can be stifling.

Then there's the mental torture. Most women find the concept of wearing a snug one-piece catsuit in public more frightening than trying on a bikini in a boldly lit dressing room. Bodysuits are wont to reveal best superhero costumesbulges and bumps best left unseen.

When wearing a stretchy catsuit, forget making any quick trips to the ladies room. Getting out of (and back into) it requires an aerobic and yoga wiggle-workout rarely matched.
Even fashion folks sound concerned. Designer Donna Karan, mother of the snap-crotch leotard-like bodysuit, admits she's stillspiderman costume working on the costume spiderman ''bathroom problem.''

Meanwhile, what's the alternative to this au courant clingy couture that looks incredible on bone-thin minikins but that you (and your size-12 friends) can't wear even after eating a small lunch?

Layers. If you want the look without the work, opt for layers of leggings and pullover sweaters zentai bodysuit. Stirrup pants lolita-dresseswill work with turtleneck or mock turtleneck tops.

But even the real thing needn't be overly revealing.

The real reason the catsuit works so well Spiderman Costumesthis season? You can dress it up or pare it down. Add short skirts or city shorts. Or subtract it all and brave it alone. And simple lines make the catsuit versatile enough to handle any style of jacket - from long to short, from cropped to swing.