History Main / EarnedStripes

** In Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries, officers wear stripes on their sleeves to denote rank.

* Downplayed in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion''. Misato gets a promotion but doesn't say anything about it. Only Kensuke, a military otaku, notices the change in her ranks, and Shinji is surprised when he congratulates her on it.

* In ''Literature/TheDaVinciCode'' it's claimed chevrons are actually phallic symbols, o the more penises you have on you the higher-ranked you are.

* ''Fanfic/RocketshipVoyager''. While Captain Janeway is forced to give former Space Commander Chakotay his rank back to get the help of his Maquis rebels, she refuses to promote B'Elanna Torres to Chief Engineer because a) she's a civilian and b) she doesn't appear to have the temperament for command. However at the end of the story, B'Elanna is wearing the uniform of a Tech Lieutenant (j.g.) after proving her abilities as an engineer under fire.

The point is when you see a person wearing these stripes you know they demand respect. And wearing them without earning them properly is a social taboo, extremely disrespectful, and can even be a BerserkButton for members of the culture. Similarly earning them and refusing to wear them is a major symbolic rebuke to the ones bestowing it.

* ''Franchise/{{Naruto}}''
** Ninja recognized by their clan for graduating the academy are given headbands, a piece of cloth with a metal plate that has their nation's symbol engraved on it. The traditional use is a forehead protector, but it's been used as a belt, necklace, armband etc. Missing Nin who are no longer recognized by their clan will either strike through the symbol or stop wearing it entirely. The first episode focused on the title character's feeling of neglect when he was the only one in his class not to earn a headband and be praised by his parents. He then defies all expectations and earns one by perfecting a master level version of the basic technique he failed at.

* The ''Literature/CiaphasCain'' short story "Sector 13" ends with one of the MauveShirt guardsmen who were accompanying Cain complaining about his new stripes (as he doesn't think they feel right), but is reassured when Cain points out he'll soon manage to lose them.

* ''ComicBook/{{Wonder Woman|1942}}'': When ComicBook/SteveTrevor goes from USAAF captain to USAAF major the insignia on his uniform change accordingly.

* Finishing ''VideoGame/{{Journey}}'' for the first three times will place progressively fancier decorations on your avatar's robe, letting other players recognize you as a seasoned traveler. [[spoiler:The White Robe is awarded for finding all the glyphs, indicating to everyone that you know this game in and out.]] A version of AndYourRewardIsClothes that's visible to other players online.

* In many Native American tribes warriors had to earn their eagle (or other high-status) feathers. This is part of the reason outsiders shouldn't don war bonnets as part of a costume.

** In one episode a male nurse with the rank of sergeant is given an unofficial, honorary field promotion to 2nd Lieutenant for the last three weeks of his tour of duty. Major Houlian donates her old Lieutenant bars to pin on him.

** While Orks have indicators of rank like amount of defeated enemy heads on their spikes, the easiest way to tell who's in charge [[LargeAndInCharge is through size.]] Humans confused them for a while until they learned to taget the biggest hat.

Supertrope to ColorCodedPatrician, and HatOfAuthority. Often overlaps with PrestigeClass. Compare PowerMakeover when the power itself causes the transformation rather than ritual, and LawOfChromaticSuperiority when colour is used for indicating rank instead. Contrast SlaveBrand, where a mark is given to indicate that you're lower on the totem pole, and is often by forced on rather than granted by merit. See InsigniaRipOffRitual for when the stripes are no longer deserved, regardless of which side does it.

Supertrope to ColorCodedPatrician, and HatOfAuthority. Often overlaps with PrestigeClass. Compare PowerMakeover when the power itself causes the transformation rather than ritual. Contrast SlaveBrand, where a mark is given to indicate that you're lower on the totem pole, and is often by forced on rather than granted by merit. See InsigniaRipOffRitual for when the stripes are no longer deserved, regardless of which side does it.

* In ''Literature/KrisLongknife: Emissary'', Kris pulls rank on the ArmchairMilitary admiral commanding her escort when he makes a foolish decision, noting "there are five stars on my flag to your three."

** Media beginning with ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' denote a Starfleet officer's rank by the number of collar pips, from a single gold pip for an ensign to four pips for a captain. Admirals wear two sets of pips on a rectangular plate with a gold border, and starting with ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'' they get a more elaborate uniform jacket with gold piping.

* In ''Series/StargateSG1'', no one makes a big deal of it, but Sergeant Harriman (aka "Walter") goes from being a US Air Force Master Sergeant (E-7) to a ''Senior'' Master Sergeant (E-8) and by the end of the series' run, he's become ''Chief'' Master Sergeant, making him the senior non-commissioned officer at Cheyenne Mountain. His shoulder stripes change each time to match his new rank. Despite his rank, O'Neill usually referred to him by his first name, and Mitchell called him "Sarge". Either is inappropriate, but accurate of the treatment of non-coms by officers.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/earned_stripes.JPG]]
[[caption-width-right:350: The more the better]]

** Further, only ninja ranked Chunin or higher can wear the greenish flak jackets. Shikamaru being the only one of his class to pass the Chunin Exams first wears it during the Sasuke Retrieval mission. After the time skip a few others have chosen to wear it too.

* Subverted in Film/GoodMorningVietnam, where Sergeant Major Dickerson (Army) tries to intimidate Airman Cronauer (Air Force):

* In the ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' expanded universe, the stripes down the sides of Han Solo's trousers mark him as a recipient of one of his home planet's highest honors for courage under fire.

*** Chief O'Brien, a senior Starfleet non-commissioned officer, starts out uniquely wearing only a single black pip. Later in the series he's given a unique collar badge inspired by real-life naval chief petty officer insignias.

The point is when you see a person wearing these stripes you know they demand respect. And wearing them without earning them properly is a social taboo, extremely disrespectful, and can even be a BerserkButton for members of the culture.

Supertrope to ColorCodedPatrician, and HatOfAuthority. Often overlaps with PrestigeClass. Compare PowerMakeover when the power itself causes the transformation rather than ritual. Contrast SlaveBrand, where a mark is given to indicate that you're lower on the totem pole, and is often by forced on rather than granted by merit. See InsigniaRipOffRitual for when the stripes are no longer deserved.

* Inverted in the WesternAnimation/BugsBunny short "Forward March Hare" where his DrillSergeantNasty gets demoted throughout the course of the film due to Bugs' incompetence. As the film goes on we see fewer and fewer stripes on his sleeve. By the end he's a Drill '''Private''' Nasty.

* In ''Series/StargateSG1'', no one makes a big deal of it, but Sergeant Harriman (aka "Walter") goes from being a US Air Force Master Sergeant (E-7) to a ''Senior'' Master Sergeant (E-8) and by the end of the series' run, he's become ''Chief'' Master Sergeant, making him the senior non-commissioned officer at Cheyenne Mountain. His shoulder stripes change each time to match his new rank.
** Despite his rank, O'Neill usually referred to him by his first name, and Mitchell called him "Sarge". Either is inappropriate, but accurate of the treatment of non-coms by officers.

'''Mal:''' ''(blankly)'' The sash.\\