History Main / ClothingDamage

** However, muscular Superboy has holes blasted in his shirt so often in season one that it might be meant as a RunningGag. He also loses [[MyFavoriteShirt his favorite boots]] to lava in "Denial." Taken UpToEleven in the season 4 episode "Involuntary" when he sacrifices himself. The lava burns his shirt and skin off, leaving only his pants.

* The Kirk verse of "Music/BannedFromArgo":

[[CityGuards The Shore Police]] were on the way - we had no second chance.\\

* This used to happen to ComicBook/LukeCage a lot to show off how indestructible he was.

* This can happen pretty regularly with ComicBook/SheHulk; though it's pretty much guaranteed with her cousin [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk the Hulk]]. Lampshaded in the ''ComicBook/SensationalSheHulk'' where she ends up in a teddy during the fight. When asked afterwards what the hell made the teddy indestructible, she pointed out the "APPROVED BY THE COMICS CODE AUTHORITY" label on them.

* Played straight and subverted in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/27736435 Zero Context: Taking Out the Trash]]''. Marc Maddhouse deliberately tries to inflict this trope on Callista by shooting her in the back with an energy bolt. He succeeds in destroying her dress, but is disappointed to find that the jeans and T-shirt she had been wearing underneath were thoroughly unscathed.

** In "[[ComicBook/JMSSpiderMan Coming Home,]]" Morlun mops the floor with Peter during their first battle, and his costume is ripped up more and more during each altercation, to the point that it's almost completely in tatters near the end revealing nasty shots of Peter's broken, bloodied, burned, and bruised body, making it look like this time around he's finally met his match. After he finally figures out a way to defeat Morlun, Peter changes to a new, undamaged costume for their rematch.

* This can happen pretty regularly with ComicBook/SheHulk; though it's pretty much guaranteed with her cousin [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk the Hulk]]. Lampshaded in the ''ComicBook/SensationalSheHulk'' where she ends up in a teddy during the fight. When asked afterwards what the hell made the teddy indestructible, she pointed out the "APPROVED BY THE COMICS CODE AUTHORITY" label on them.
* Giant-Man tends to destroy his clothes every time he grew into giant size at least in the first issues of ''ComicBook/{{The Ultimates}}''.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'' and ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' crossover fanfiction ''Fanfic/AShadowOfTheTitans'', Jade suffering this has practically become a RunningGag:

* This is subverted in ''FanFic/FantasyOfUtterRidiculousness''. Despite all the damage that Megas has been dealing Yuuka over the course of their fight, her clothes are barely even phased. Jamie is quietly disappointed at this.

* ''Fanfic/SOE2LoneHeirOfKrypton'': In chapter twelveth's omake Asuka shreds her shirt to reveal she is ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}''. Then Misato rips her clothes off, revealing she is Franchise/WonderWoman -of sorts-. Then they realize Shinji's nose is bleeding as he stares. When he is called a pervert, he lampshades he is surrounded by two beautiful women who are tearing their own clothes off.

* In ''FanFic/ThisBites'', this is implied to be the result of Cross playing with a newly-acquired Flame Dial... with Nami and Vivi being the unfortunate recipients. Su implies the same thing happened to Conis [[NoodleIncident at one time]].

* ''WebComic/GrrlPower'': Has happened to both Maxima and Super Hiro on more than one occasion. In one instance, they were both affected by the same blast, leading to some awkwardness as [[https://grrlpowercomic.com/archives/comic/grrl-power-521-to-no-dress/ Hiro tried desperately not to ogle his superior officer]] - Maxima [[https://grrlpowercomic.com/archives/comic/grrl-power-523-field-flirt/ later admits that]] [[EatingTheEyeCandy she did not]]. The fact that Anvil took this as an opportunity to prank them both by giving them a group hug, in such a way they were facing (and touching) each other only made it... more difficult for both of them. It did lead to Maxima admitting that she would be interested if he weren't her subordinate.

* In the ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms' ''[[Literature/ShandrilsSaga Spellfire]]'' novels, Shandril frequently incinerates her own clothing during particularly intense battles. This is something of a RunningGag.

* In the ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms' ''Literature/ShandrilsSaga'' novels, Shandril frequently incinerates her own clothing during particularly intense battles. This is something of a RunningGag.

* In the ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms Spellfire'' novels, Shandril frequently incinerates her own clothing during particularly intense battles. This is something of a RunningGag.

Can induce YouMustBeCold or DefeatByModesty. See also ActionDressRip, BattleStrip, and FromDressToDressing. For the non-combat version, see WardrobeMalfunction. A female character who likes KickingAssInAllHerFinery is not immune to this (but it's not common). If a character becomes upset or angry because they loved those clothes, it's also MyFavoriteShirt. See StrippingSnag for cases where the clothing is ripped off accidentally, or GivingThemTheStrip when the character opts to shed a garment to avoid injury or entrapment.

** However, muscular Superboy has holes blasted in his shirt so often in season one that it might be meant as a RunningGag. He also loses [[MyFavoriteShirt his favorite boots]] to lava in "Denial."

Female characters tend to fall victim to this, converting their usual costumes into something more {{Stripperiffic}}. A male action hero might instead simply lose their shirt altogether for a ShirtlessScene, though lately, the FemaleGaze element has increased.

* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'':
** Played to its most disturbing in the episode "Birthmark" where Slade actively tears Raven's clothes, showcasing the various demonic birthmarks that show up on her skin. The intense shredding eventually leaves Raven clad in a ragged bikini and is so [[MindRape reminiscent of rape]]. [[{{What do you mean its for kids}} Are we sure this is a children's show]]?

** In "Haunted". Robin's costume is heavily damaged following his battle with Slade's projection. He also damages his costume in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansTroubleInTokyo'' during his fight with Saico-Tek.
** And in "The Beast Within", Beast Boy's costume shredded every time he turns into the werebeast. [[FridgeLogic And yet it remains intact when he turns into an elephant, dinosaur, whale or other animal of enormous proportions.]] It's possible that it has something to do with him being able to control his powers, as the werebeast transformations weren't voluntary. He also suffers no clothing damage when transforming into the werebeast [[spoiler:when Slade unleashes Trigon's army on the Titan's tower.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' tends to be fairly realistic about this, often having clothing damage that doesn't come off like fanservice (for example, the boys at the end of episode 2).
** However, muscular ComicBook/{{Superboy}} has holes blasted in his shirt so often in season one that it might be meant as a RunningGag. He also loses [[MyFavoriteShirt his favorite boots]] to lava in "Denial."

* ''Series/NYPDBlue'': In one episode, Det. Connie McDowell gets her shirt almost completely torn off during a struggle to arrest a criminal, revealing her black bra.

* ''Literature/SweetDiamondDust'': In the short story "The Gift", Carlota is expelled in all but name from her exclusive girls' school because the nuns fear that she, as carnival queen, will bring shame to the school. Just when Carlota is about to leave, the director Mother Artigas, ambushes her. The nun starts by [[TraumaticHairCut chopping off Carlota's hair]]. Then she moves on to attacking her physically and verbally (complete with racial slurs), leaving Carlota all bruised up, shorn and exposed in her torn uniform.

* ''Literature/SweetDiamondDust'': In the short story "The Gift", Carlota is expelled in all but name from her exclusive Catholic girls' school because the nuns feel that she, as carnival queen, is turning an exclusive affair into a vulgar affair where everyone can take part. Just when Carlota is about to leave, the director Mother Artigas, ambushes her. The nun starts by [[TraumaticHairCut chopping off Carlota's hair]]. Then she moves on to attacking her physically and verbally (complete with racial slurs), leaving Carlota all bruised up, shorn and exposed in her torn uniform.

* ''Literature/SweetDiamondDust'': Carlota is expelled in all but name from her exclusive Catholic girls' school because the nuns feel that she, as carnival queen, is turning an exclusive affair into a vulgar affair where everyone can take part. Just when Carlota is about to leave, the director Mother Artigas, ambushes her. The nun starts by [[TraumaticHairCut chopping off Carlota's hair]]. Then she moves on to attacking her physically and verbally (complete with racial slurs), leaving Carlota all bruised up, shorn and exposed in her torn uniform.

* The bounty hunter SelfDemonstrating/{{Lobo}} has the ability to near instantly regenerate any damage done to his body, even from being reduced to a puddle. Unfortunately, his clothing doesn't grow back, often leaving him bare naked after, and occasionally during, his fights. Lobo seems to understand how this makes people feel, and takes great pleasure in the discomfort his nudity brings to others.

For characters who show a miraculous total immunity to this, see BulletProofFashionPlate, and the related MySuitIsAlsoSuper, the StockSuperPower version. MagicPants combines both of these seemingly opposed tropes — no matter how much clothing damage they take, they still have enough threads left over to cover the naughty bits.

* This used to happen to [[ComicBook/LukeCageHeroForHire Luke Cage]] a lot to show off how indestructible he was.

** While fighting Vilgax, Gwen takes a blast which obliterates her clothing. Fortunately for her modesty, the physical damage she takes causes her to revert to her [[EnergyBeing Anodite]] form, in which she has BarbieDollAnatomy.

* In the reprints of the ''Franchise/DocSavage'' novels in the 1960s, artist James Bama painted Doc with his shirt ripped beyond repair from his continual fights, showing off his rippling muscles. There was even a contest run by the publisher called "Doc Savage Needs a New Shirt!" This is used as a MythologyGag in the [[Film/DocSavage 1975 film adaptation]], when Doc gets his shirt torn in a similar fashion during hand-to-hand combat with Captain Seas.