| abstract | - This basic theory underwrites Stripperiffic clothing, Impossibly Cool Clothes, and pretty much anything else you stick female characters into: what makes clothing sexy is the hope of a catastrophic Wardrobe Malfunction. The Trope Namer is William Ware Theiss, costume designer on Star Trek: The Original Series, who first codified the concept. The theory acknowledges that this possibility is entirely imaginary: the true magic of these outfits is that no matter what She Fu the wearer attempts, she is never ever going to expose a nipple. Not in this time slot. Having said that, the TTT takes advantage of an odd side effect: a particularily sexy outfit actually out-titillates a nude woman. Evidently, she who might become naked is more interesting than she who already is. Particularly common in Science Fiction and related genres. However in Will and Grace, Debra Messing occasionally wore outfits that would not be anatomically feasible for a better-endowed woman. Though Theiss was a costume designer, according to Inside Star Trek: The Real Story, by Herb Solow and Robert Justman, most of the costumes following this theory were actually somewhat more modest before being "improved" by Gene Roddenberry. According to the "Art of Star Trek" book, Theiss preferred to design costumes that only appeared to be in danger of slipping or coming off, through the use of strategically-placed sheer or skintone fabric. Impossibly Low Neckline ("What's holding it up?"), Absolute Cleavage and Sideboob ("What's keeping those two strips from slipping off to one side or the other?"), Godiva Hair ("All she has to do is turn her head a little...") and Underboobs ("That shirt should ride up!") are common forms of this. Theiss was further able (forced?) to add to the effect by the censorship rules of the time in terms of what parts of the body could or could not be shown (the navel being the most well-known restriction). He found he could get a surprisingly erotic effect from the carefully arranged display of areas of skin not generally considered erogenous. Compare Wardrobe Malfunction. Contrast Fetish Retardant. Not to be confused with the Theis Titillation Theory. Examples of Theiss Titillation Theory include:
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