3M's "Thinsulate" technology applied to weatherproofing / insulating actors' costumes

Thinsulate is certainly cool stuff, it's in my ski cloths and gloves and defiantly provides warmth with less bulk. But I still wear thermals under the Thinsulate pants and jacket when I'm on the slopes so in my experience the warmer than down claim isn't true. For all we know Thinsulate was used with the skirted suit but of course Melissa's legs were still exposed. Bike shorts under a skirt in addition to still leaving at least part of a woman's legs exposed have an annoying tendency to ride up during heavy movement, meaning action scenes. Female ice skaters and tennis players don't wear bike shorts under their skirts/dresses because it just don't work well with heavy movement. Since I brought up ice skaters and I was one from 8-12 I'll explain how female ice skaters are able to wear the outfits they do. While the ice itself is typically kept at 22-28 degrees Fahrenheit the ambient temperature in an indoor rink is in the low 50s and of course there's no wind. The temperature outside in Vancouver gets colder than the 50s especially at night with a wind chill factor. There's also the fact that skaters don't really stop moving around while their on the ice and movement generates warmth. Skaters are either on the ice moving or in a warmer part of the rink away from the ice. My Thinsulate ski cloths over thermals keep me warm while I'm skiing but if the temperature is low enough I still get cold while I'm sitting on the lift especially if the wind is blowing. It's not practical for Melissa to go back to her trailer between takes thus all those BTS shots of her standing around with a parka over the supersuit. The outfits ice skaters wear don't restrict movement in any way, the skirted supersuit had a corset that restricted the movement of Melissa and her stunt doubles. The corset of course was there to support the weight of the cape. I'm not sure how you could do cape clasps under a suit and not have them show. I'll admit to not being fond of cape clasps but I'm confident that if there was a way to do a detachable cape without them it would've been done so I accept them.

they could have switched her tights to wool leggings and kept the skirt, would have changed the look a little bit (tights not opaque) but less drastic than the unitard look she has now.

Wool leggings, just to keep the skirt? No....THAT would have been a drastic change on their part.

they could have switched her tights to wool leggings and kept the skirt, would have changed the look a little bit (tights not opaque) but less drastic than the unitard look she has now.

Cough, cough? Not sure what that means...but ok .

They tried those 1st Season, apparently the PTB didn't like the look. But, not going into that discussion again, sooooo

peace out,

BTW, this didn't fit in the other thread? Multiple threads lead to the same discussion over again when new people drop into the thread, leads to dead horse discussions.

This thread has turned into an advertisement thread for tights....lmao. Each week a new commercial.

Note: See links # 3, # 4, # 5 and # 6 above for added specs info.

wool leggings can look like the opaque tights she has on now. I own some myself (life in Canada)

Added two (2) oureverydaylife.com links above for technical purposes.

1) Thinsulate vs. Thermolite
2) The Difference between Polartec and Thinsulate

Enjoy!

PS: Everyone, please feel free to add additional tech specs, links, or commentary. This thread is open to all and apparently is of interest to casual viewers.

Pretty good stuff, Romulus. Thanks for shar.......AH AH AH...ing...CHOOOOOOOO!! Must be the pollen in the air. Pardon Me.

@Brierrose,

Very fair points. Note taken. However, for the outdoor shots/sequences, Thinsulate should be considered. And, since Vancouver's weather isn't as extreme as other parts of Canada or the Northern US, it would help immensely. It's not a perfect solution, but it does highlight the (formerly) skimpy outfit in cold, drizzly or snowy weather issue. And, as an obvious point, the technology / material would only be needed for outdoor scenes shot in the late fall and winter, not indoor or green screen takes.

As for the cape, skirt/skort (or any variations thereof), valid points. But, this is Hollywood and the industry is full of creative people who should have sufficient imagination and foresight/wherewithal to make the needed changes when a shoot moves from a warm locale to a cooler and less predictable one (weather-wise, I mean) beforehand rather than resorting to drastic suit overhauls at the mid-point in the game. If the changes were subtle and consistent, not a big deal. Easy to understand and see on screen. The new look, Imho (and only my Imho), does the opposite - not subtle and very inconsistent with the brand.

I'm not disputing the fact that the old suit didn't need changing, I'm simply remarking (and I'll leave it at that) that what they've done doesn't fit the image for this iteration of the character.

I'm also not saying that it wouldn't work with another version of the character in a movie or another TV series, but not for this TV iteration/interpretation at this point in time. Had it been done at the beginning of S2 or at the end of the series (like the big suit reveal at the end of Smallville Season 10), it would have had less of an unsettling and possibly negative impact on the show. Some will agree, others will not. That's perfectly fine.

Now, back to regularly scheduled programming and the 3M Thinsulate topic at hand...

* Cough, cough * Fair enough. Just suggestions. Not practical for L.A. in S1, but essential for Vancouver in S2. PTB not so wise in aesthetics department. * Cough, cough *

Edit: No, new thread was needed. Old thread went off rails. People will comment on 3M application here, not necessarily what didn't happen beforehand (I.e. the woulda, coulda, shoulda debate).

*Cough, cough* Crotch shots. Bike shorts under skirt. Problem kinda solved. * Cough cough * Thinsulate technology under costume, especially torso and shorts, and in boots. Not visible to the eyes. Warmer than down and keeps water out and regulates body temperature. * Cough, cough * Cape clasps recessed/minimsed under collar just behind neck. Sublimated. Boots up to knees with Thinsulate lining. * Cough, cough *

Without knowing how that would work with a pair of hose as Melissa wore, not sure it would make a difference. And how would it make a difference in helping fend off crotch shots. You film a scene, go back look at the daily and oooh crap, crotch shot, gotta set up again and reshoot, probably happened far more than they would have liked...probably why the PTB wanted it before Melissa time is $$$$$. But definitely something to look at for later changes to the suit if needed. Cool stuff....

Added one more link for specs purposes above on how to use / sew with Thinsulate. This one explains interlining with the material. Might be useful.

** https://closetcasepatterns.com/how-to-make-the-warmest-coat-ever-interlining-with-thinsulate/

If anyone has more information regarding insulation options, please share them in this thread.

Cheers and thanks!

One last link added above. Another oureverydaylife.com piece:

- The differences between Neoprene (a type of rubber) and Thinsulate.

https://oureverydaylife.com/the-differences-of-neoprene-thinsulate-12532043.html

Again, if anyone - industry insiders, casual passers-by, etc. - has/have additional specs or comments/input, please feel free to add to this thread.

All contributions are needed and welcome!

Added another article from quora.com for material use and reference. Gives comparisons between various materials. Short article but informative.

- What is the best thermal insulation for clothing

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-best-thermal-insulation-material-for-clothing

Note: The basic answer provided is free but the additional articles listed will require a either a Google, Facebook or Quora account to access (free sign-up).

If anyone has additional links, references or comments, please feel free to add to this thread.