Martian Fashion with Dr. Karl Aspelund

When we picture life on Mars, we usually think of high-tech habitats and bulky spacesuits—but what about what future settlers will wear underneath all that gear? In this special Everyday Mars episode of Aspiring Martians, I sit down with Dr. Karl Aspelund, Associate Professor, researcher on the 100 Year Starship Project, and lifelong design-thinker, to explore the future of fashion for Martian pioneers.

We dive into the practical and philosophical sides of Martian clothing: how sustainability, comfort, identity, and even celebration will shape what people wear on the Red Planet. We also have some fun speculating about what the fashion trends on Mars might be, greenwashing, flying your freak flag in a monochrome world, the magic of wool, Martian underwear emergencies, and yes, renting the habitat’s celebratory clown costume. From deep-space pragmatism to future colony traditions, it’s a conversation about how the things we wear can connect us—to ourselves, to each other, and to a whole new world.

A huge thank you to Dr. Karl Aspelund for sharing his insights today, to Nick Thorburn for our amazing theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, and to my family for supporting this Mars journey every step of the way.