Hey ^-^. All of these things are actually planned.
Consumables will likely be used entirely via a quick menu system with a limited # of loadout slots that the player can fill from the player character's inventory while outside a mission. These slots would also be used to handle consumable skills whose charges refresh after a mission -- like the AoE clearing one(s) you mention :D.
We're looking at ideas for a costume system called a "phase shifter" slot, which would override the equipment visuals. We're also looking at a color palette slot called a "wave shifter" slot. The player would be able to find color palettes as loot and equip them, overriding equipment / cosmetic colors. This would be sort of a modernization on the old retro color palette systems for beat em ups.