Vanity slots for any gear your class/job can wear is needed, so you can look how you want with the stats that the community will force you to have (if you want to participate in content). This game doesn't need to turn into the clone wars that other games become at endgame. Let us not forget that they are trying to get Final Fantasy fans to play this game, not just MMO gamers. SE uses screenshots of the jobs in classic AF gear to get those fans to think about joining, but how do you think these fans would respond when they find out, that in order to participate in content, they had to dress like a clown?

To those against it because it would be unrealistic, since when has Final Fantasy ever have realistic gear? Does Squall really look like he could take a blow from a sword or stand up to missiles?

To those against it because they want to know what they are up against in PvP, if you see someone in full AF and think that they'll be an easy target, you deserve to loose to them.