http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MiniDressOfPower

The Spoony Experiment on Selphie from on Selphie from Final Fantasy VIII "A schoolgirl in a miniskirt, armed with nunchucks. Hot."

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An Action Girl, from minor to outright badass, wearing a mini dress, either as a one-piece dress or as a top and miniskirt (Bare Your Midriff optional). Often comes with color-coordinated boots ending just below the knee.

This requires being an action girl almost full time, not just wearing a mini dress, even as a uniform, or just having a few action girl moments.

Also, the length can vary from just above the knees to the equivalent to a Dangerously Short Skirt.

In comics, it's not as popular as a Leotard of Power or a Spy Catsuit, but other media take to it just fine, particularly Magical Girl and Magical Girl Warrior series. Either expect to see plenty of Panty Shots or it will be a Magic Skirt. Skirt over Slacks, Proper Tights with a Skirt or Modesty Shorts aren't unheard of either.

Sometimes the dress will be simple, and other times it will be a Pimped-Out Dress. It can even start out simple and turn pimped-out through Frilly Upgrade. If the dress is fancy enough, and the wearer badass enough, it can overlap with Kicking Ass in All Her Finery.

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While fighting in any kind of skirt or dress is not the most practical idea ever, this trope does reflect reality a little in that A) it's hard to run or kick when you're wearing a tight skirt or dress that's knee-length or longer, and B) a looser, longer skirt or dress might catch on to something. If it is pleated and is wide enough, it will not be hard to run or kick when you're wearing is as with a tight skirt or dress that's knee-length or longer, and if it's short enough it might not catch on to something. Yet these outfits don't provide much protection and still rely heavily on Rule of Glamorous to work as well as they do.

There is, however, symbolic basis for this trope. As popularized by fashion designer Mary Quant, the miniskirt was a mini dress of power in the metaphorical sense, representing the sexual liberation and freedom of the 1960s. Not only did it allow for freer movement than longer dresses, but it also represented rebellion against more conservative dress codes in the 50s and younger women leading fashion trends. Although the miniskirt is no longer as shocking in present times, and its significance as female empowerment remains controversial due to it also being used as Fanservice, producers, particularly women, will invoke this trope to show a female character being both feminine and willing to fight.

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A Sister Trope to Lady Legionnaire Wear. Compare Sexy Santa Dress, Zettai Ryouiki, She's Got Legs, Leotard of Power, Superheroes Wear Tights.

Examples:

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Anime & Manga

Comic Books

Fan Works

Dungeon Keeper Ami: The very first page contains a lampshade to the Sailor Senshis', who wear sailor fukus to fight monsters. Noting the length of the girl's skirt, or rather the lack thereof, the [Reaper] nodded approvingly. No self-respecting heroine would be caught dead in an outfit like that.

Films — Live-Action

Literature

Miss A of Please Don't Tell My Parents I'm a Supervillain wears a sparkly pink cheerleader outfit into battle, including a combat skirt.

Live-Action TV

Pro Wrestling

WCW's Mona regularly wore one with a Cleavage Window.

Cheerleader Melissa, as a holdover from her cheerleading role.

American Angel had one in one of her outfits, but only in the back, rather than all around, as it was supposed to wave like a flag.

Jade Chung used to wear these almost exclusively, from Chinese dresses when she was managing, to mini skirts and tops when she was wrestling. Has since traded these in for more professional outfits.

Rebecca Knox wrestled and jigged in three layer mini dresses, modesty shorts of course. Although once wrestling Malia Hosaka she gave an accidental view of panties from above rather than below.

Shazza McKenzie, who never got around to leading cheers but kept the uniform.

Melina and Mickie James both came to WWE in outfits that varied between short skirt and mini dress but both stopped wearing them in an effort to be taken more seriously. (Melina, when challenging for the women's title, Mickie, when dropping her feud with Trish Stratus). In Mickie's case though, she had them before WWE and would take them back up after leaving it.

La Amazona, one of the powerhouses of the International Wrestling Association's women's division, liked to incorporate skirts into her wrestling gear.

Christina Von Eerie semi-frequently wears them, especially when on TNA Impact as Toxxin, where they got very elaborate (for wrestling gear).

Paige Turner, the wrestling librarian combines this with a downplayed Panty Shot since she is not promoted as a sexy character.

Leva Bates went from a geeky superhero in tights, to a cosplaying stunt woman who would wear these to fit certain characters, then Blue Pants in NXT to The Librarian in AEW, and swapped her outfits to this trope long term. Leaves the skirt when she's wrestling, preferring to wrestle in shorts instead.

Video Games

Web Animation

RWBY Pyrrha Nikos wears an almost-to-waist tube top-style armor and miniskirt, which doesn't hinder her, even when running. Nora wears a loose, mid-thigh skirt with an armor-like top. Blake also mocks Weiss for wearing a dress into battle. Weiss claims it's a "combat skirt," and exchanges a low-five with the similarly dressed Ruby. Cinder Fall wears a red minidress. Justified because it's infused with Dust. Her clothes are literally her weapons.



Web Comics

Web Videos

Ten Little Roosters mocks the aforementioned Weiss example above when Ryan Haywood catches Miles Luna wearing Lindsay Jones' Ruby Rose costume. When Miles gives the same reasoning Weiss did, Ryan's responds by saying "I'm in a kilt. That's the original combat skirt."

Western Animation