So I just did that one main quest and got a certain outfit:

And I can't help but to think to myself "damn, I look hot as [censored]". But then I look at the stats and I'm once again disappointed at seeing another cool armor set that is inevitably inferior to the armor layers. Once again.

I was quite excited to hear layered armor make its return from Oblivion, even more so hearing you can wear clothing under it like in Morrowind. And it is nice seeing it return, but in this form it really limits the player on what they can wear in the game and makes a majority of the armor/outfits found throughout the game worthless. You'll we wearing the same old leather, metal, combat and so on over and over again until you find the next version of that armor. Which is cool seeing it change over time, but even still, limiting. I'm usually a guy who prefers fashion over stats, but when it becomes that drastic of a difference I can't make the exception.

I hear a certain outfit (if I am hearing correctly):

Can actually be upgraded over time to the point it can sort of match the stats of the layered armors. And in other cases there is a certain NPC in the game that can upgrade armor later on if I'm not mistaken? I don't know the specifics for what that actually means. Regardless, I think the same option should be there for any outfit you want to wear. Of course have some limits at first from making any outfit or armor set the most powerful thing in the game, but at least enough to make it viable to wear.

Just my thoughts on it. Again, nice to see this whole layering system return, but...this wasn't what I was expecting.

If you play on PC there is a mod that lets you put ballistic weave on them

Definitely sounds like my kind of mod. Although unfortunately I play on console at the moment. I suppose I at least have something to look forward to whenever mods are supposedly coming to console.

Also, I don't know why I didn't think of this before, but perhaps the option to just put the layered armor pieces on these outfits in general? I think it would be pretty neat to just wear, say, a suit and have it decked out in metal armor. That would be cool. I know certain outfits in the game have certain features to them that would make that troublesome to have a layered armor piece over them (like the first one mentioned in the OP). But maybe something can be done about that. A part of the armor is already removed because of your Pip Boy. Perhaps something can be done similar here.

Yea I wish they would do more for armor so you can wear what you want without getting slaughtered for doing so...I purchased all my armor pieces (all legendary) a long time ago, and still haven't came across anything better, even with upgrades..so I'm walking around looking like an F'd up transformer most of the time..

Also to your second spoiler..it can be upgraded 3x at lvls 25, 35, 45...so far I got the second upgrade...I don't know how to put spoilers, but will just say, I don't wear it yet..

You'll be walking around in Power Armor for all combat encounters pretty soon, rendering the defensive values of your gear a moot point since they don't stack. Then you can just wear whatever you'd like.

The "certain outfit" can be upgraded if the quest giver survives. When you get 2 Speech Check options, take the left one. If you pass, he survives. After that, he will offer upgrades at levels 25, 35, and 45. Unfortunately, I don't know how effective these upgrades are, as I'm only level 22 at the moment.

Hopefully that won't get me yelled at for spoilers.

I just want to find the bear head, where is it!!!

I have it..it's at a school...forget which one

Fashion over function babes. The SS armor can be upgraded pretty highly? Single unit armor also weights SUBSTANTIALLY less than wearing the various pieces so it's better for sneaking.

I do like the gunner harness with some combat pieces and the unladylike hairstyle with some facial scars. Pistol Packing Mama indeed but, that really only works for a certain kind of character.

Well, I'm going to be making the choice of not wearing power armor all the time no doubt like many others, so I wouldn't call it a moot point. Not everyone is trying to get the best everything possible with wearing power armor constantly. Or even more so, not everyone wants their character to look like that constantly.

I thought about that as well, but at the same time, I wear armor that is all shadowed and muffled (which also makes me look pretty damn fine). I don't know the specific numbers behind how effective those upgrades are, but surely its something significant when its a full shadowed set. So its a question on what exactly is more effective, the less weight or the stealth upgrades.

I stubbornly refuse to get out of

it just looks too good om my guy. I've been making do so far, though I occasionally pay the price, like every time I step on a mine... I also fear I may be nearing levels where it'll simply stop being a viable option since I'm not much into sneaking (and it'd be kinda hard anyway with Danse clanking behind me).

Medalen of Medlen something like that.

Yeah, the armor is one thing I'm a bit underwhelmed on. I'm at level 22 and still wearing a vault suit that I insulated and some leather pieces I modded and a couple leather legendary pieces. One of those is epic as it increases speed by 10% and my toon is like Speedy Gonzalez!

the best system for fashion i think has to go to Star Wars the old republic ,

their model is like this : - u wear anything u want

- each piece of gear can have 1x enhancement + 1x mod

so basicly all u're protections comes from these enhancements inserted in the gear and mods add some kind of bonus , ofc SW: tor is a MMO , and they have healer / tank / dps and each would pick whatever they want

and the clothes are just for fashion so u can pick whatever u like but by using these enhancements + mods u could survive if u step on a mine

Form > Function

I've been wearing the Courser uniform since level 25 or so, and I'm not going to take it off!

MASSIVE warning for the SIlver Shroud outfit. The upgrades are presently broken in that, if you do not go to the quest giver at precisely levels 25, 35, and 45 - no in-between, nothing higher - you'll never get the upgrade prompt. Seems someone forgot to place level brackets 25-34, 35-44, 45+, and instead put single levels as quest triggers.

It has upgades?!

Ayep. I missed out because I did mine at level 48, and now make do with a cheated version of the l45 armor until they patch it and I can take my original suit for a retailoring.

That said, a certain bit of clothing/armor with the ballistic weave completely, hilariously outclasses it (well, it is one of the endgame-level potential items I added for kicks/because it looks awesome), and now I'm invincible to anything short of a full squad of elite synths, a whole pack of deathclaws to the face (granted, vanilla 'claws die in two shots to the gauss, one on a good solid weakspot or sneak attack), or... I don't know, trying to facetank a mirelurk queen for giggles?

Only if the quest giver survives. Not hard if you choose the right dialogue option at the right time, but if you don't, you're screwed and stuck with the basic version of the armor.

Also, I'm curious what the Level 45 version's Ballistic and Energy Resistance stats are. Does someone care to share?

I'll have to find this. There's a certain General's uniform that I wanted to wear but couldn't upgrade, so I stuck with a basic black vest and slacks with ballistic weave.

Just a note if you don't want to layer and use outfits-- toughness and refraction are your friends.

Agree with the TC. The fact that Bethesda shoehorns you into one type of armor( see PA ) makes me wonder wth they even bothered putting any other armor in the game.

I suspect they were overly concerned about clipping between outfits & layered armor bits.

Based on the Power Armor threads I've seen, there are plenty of people not using PA. No shoehorn.

(I've used it once - besides the intro mission - in 29 levels. And now that I have a hazmat suit, I don't need it for the rad resistance.)

Got the first upgrade at 25..and didn't get the second till 42 cuz I forgot, and it got upgraded..

The ballistic weave is something you can get through a quest.. You can then apply it to a bunch of clothing and hats. Amazingly it is really powerful so all that stuff you think is useless right now will become totally wearable all on it's own. I've seen some videos showing clothing that is more uber than the entire set of sturdy leather armor I'm currently wearing. So don't fret just yet...

I agree, when I got the I wanted to wear it as I've gone 100% into the Minutemen thing (and I'm a role player), but it removes all of your armor pieces and you can't upgrade it. Like the OP, I usually go for fashion over function, but wearing that meant missing out on 5 legendary armor pieces.