The gaudiness of the suit made it so that everyone was paying more attention to the suit and the powers than to his face--so they wouldn't figure out that he's also Clark Kent. Like Martha said, "They're not going to be looking at your face."
umm... I don't know about anyone else, but it's not cause it's gaudy that I'm not looking at his face - it's cause it's so darn *tight*. yeah, mind is in the gutter a little, but come on... how can you not notice - and marvel at - all those um... muscles.
Now, mind you, I picked Clark. But it does help that he's Superman - else he wouldn't be the same anyway. The strength (not necessarily physical) and the confidence, they do come from the powers, don't they?
