MMM..... how about a updated idea...

ever heard of DCU online?
It an MMORPG one of the games that was also included in the SONY Hack.

But yea
How DCU system works in that ever gear you collect and equip it basically make a LOG of it.

idea #2
So.. using no fashion but the current armor/cloth/leather available there would be (like what there right now) a interface that you could equip your gear and create the style toggle that kept the look of everything you have Equip so far so that you could upgrade your gear throughout your level but show off the style of rank 1 gear so that you could color coordinate and stylize the look you want for your character. The style log would only record the style/color with no stats its purely for the purpose of customization.

idea #3
another way it could work is; create that extra style toggle that looks like the Gear menu and you could equip a set of armor/helm/legs that you want the style of. the difference from the idea #2 would be instead of the style just being logged you must have the gear items and must equip them into the style menu. If the gears in the (new) style menu were removed equipped in your gear menu the stats of each gear would be active. But if the same gear was removed and put back on the style menu (just for the look) then the stats on the gear would be Inactive because you would have equipped better gear more suited towards your rank and needed in the gear menu as you would now.

These two idea would use the current gear items available but also allow for everyone to sport a different look

Updates could help
- more color selection (yet realistic.. if real life people wear that color then its a realistic color exception of NEON colors according to grausekopf's wishes)
- creation of DYE should be more easier