So... you've been given the power of Super Speed and you can't wait to use it, huh? Well, I envy you kid...
But, wait a moment, I don't think you're ready to take off just yet!
Why not? Well, for starters lets see your footwear... Oh no! You better forget running over 100mph in those little rubber-soled things kid! The friction you will generate hitting the pavement will melt those things down before you even make it to the state line!
What you're going to need are some bona-fide, heavy-duty, featherweight, collapsible and unstable molecule high-performance boots!
They must have non-skid soles and must be able to withstand incredible temperatures on both ends of the spectrum. Unfortunately, I don't think they come in your size. I once read somewhere you could get them from Star Labs in Metropolis, but maybe it was just a rumor.
What? Run barefoot you say? Well... I guess you could try that. But wait! How did you get your powers? Was it through breathing hard-water fumes, like our old pally-boy Jay Garrick?
You don't know the story? Well, in a nutshell, he was working in a lab sometime in the early 1920's when he accidentally knocked over some jars and beakers and was overcome by the strong fumes. When he came to, hours later, he realized he was late for a date with his future wife-to-be, Joan and as he ran down the halls and into the street to catch a taxi, he realized was moving at an incredible rate of speed. He used his powers for god, yadda yadda yadda 'til he eventually co-founded the Justice Society of America in time to help with the war effort in the 40's to kick some Nazi butt!
Yes, I'm getting to that! Anyway, when Jay got his powers, it also mutated him physically. In other words; his body became unbelievably strong and resistant to physical stress. His skeletal and muscular systems became incredibly dense in order to withstand and absorb the shock of traveling at super-human speeds. Anyone traveling at those speeds without the necessary physical modifications would disintegrate their joints before even hitting 55mph! Ouch! 
Well, I'm glad your body can stand it. Excuse me for worrying about your health! Anyway.. I guess you're all ready to run off, right? WRONG.
Look at yourself! You may tell yourself you look just like the Flash in those duds, but it looks more like you're wearing the Flash's pajamas! I'm sorry but Barry Allen you are not.
Well, that's kind of a long story, but here's the condensed version of his story:
He's a police scientist (aka CSI/Forensic scientist) who was mysteriously struck by lightning on a clear night while working on a case in his lab at the police station. Flying across the lab room from the enormous jolt of electricity, he crashes into a large shelf holding a wide variety of chemicals and his irradiated body is doused with an unknown combination of them. Later, he discovers he has gained the power of super speed through experiencing a few comical occurrences.
Yes, I'm getting to that. Anyway, he decides to call himself the Flash (aka; Jay Garrick) after his favorite childhood comic book hero. (Barry is the original fanboy!) BUT, unlike the original Flash of the 1920's, he needs to wear a cowl to disguise his identity.
(Incidentally, Jay Garrick disguised his alter ego by vibrating his facial muscles at a high rate of speed thereby concealing his features in a blur of motion, but Barry won't discover this until many months of experimentation later) So he redesigns his full-body uniform on the basis of, yes, aerodynamics.
The bright design is based on the sound concept of visibility and recognition at high speeds and the material used was a product of his own invention, or so the legend goes. But the point I'm trying to make is that inappropriate speed wear will ultimately become zero speed wear! The windburn would eventually make short work of any common man-made fabric! Barry Allen's speed, allegedly, far surpasses that of his predecessor Jay Garrick. For this reason, like his footwear, his uniform must also be fashioned from highly-resistant and unstable molecular fibers. Yes, I know they're a contradiction in terms, but where did a little kid you learn that term anyway?
In any case, Barry himself wouldn't need protection from the elements himself. Some sources tell us he's not entirely.... human, anymore. Others say that he's protected by some sort of mystical SpeedForce which also generates his powers. I'm sure the truth lies somewhere in between... or maybe we're looking at the entirety of his powers all wrong... maybe Quantum Physics can provide a more plausible explanation... anyway....
Listen kiddo, kick back, enjoy this here root beer, read this comic and I'll be back in a moment... gotta go see a man 'bout a horse. Sit tight kid and I'll be back to give you some more tips on the Scarlet Speedster, the Sultan of Speed, the Monarch of Motion... The FLASH!
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