History Main / NonUniformUniform

[[NewMutants http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/new_mutants_3014.jpg]]
[[caption-width:350:Gotta look good while saving the world.]]

This is often done in fiction to make things more visually interesting while still keeping a team feel. In Real Life this is a key reason why novelty neckties are so popular. Big earrings, watches laden down with gadgets, mismatched socks, you get the idea.

* DestinysChild made this their signature look. In a MusicVideo or live performance, the girls' outfits always had the same theme, but the specifics were different for each girl.

* When Reep "Cham" Daggle decided to institute uniforms for his version of the [[LegionOfSuperHeroes Legion of Super-Heroes]] (The 5-years-later/TMK Legion, for those keeping track), they lasted for all of nothing before the various members started wearing them in distinct ways, if they were wearing them at all.

CostumUniformOfSexy is usually this, but with a specific {{Fanservice}} angle. Compare CustomUniform--While that one is "I won't wear the real one, so I'll wear whatever I damn well please," this is "I'll wear the real one, but I'll make mine different than everyone else's." TransferStudentUniforms: Technically I'm waiting for my new uniform to be made so I'll wear my old one, but this is symbolic of my [[NewTransferStudent status.]]

Compare CustomUniform-- While that one is "I won't wear the real one, so I'll wear whatever I damn well please," this is "I'll wear the real one, but I'll make mine different than everyone else's." TransferStudentUniforms: Technically I'm waiting for my new uniform to be made so I'll wear my old one, but this is symbolic of my [[NewTransferStudent status.]]

* In the armed forces, obviously everybody has to wear uniforms that cause them to more or less dress exactly the same. For example, the current-issue US Army uniform is the Army Combat Uniform - exciting name, right? The shirt worn under the "blouse" is just a tan t-shirt. Any tan t-shirt can be worn under the blouse with anything on it, as long as it doesn't show when the blouse is on. Depending on the chain of command, the blouse may not be allowed to be removed if the shirt underneath is non-uniform. Since most Soldiers wear t-shirts with unit-specific designs on them, this isn't often a problem. Another example would be the wearing of unit-specific baseball caps instead of the issue headwear. This is more common in the Air Force, but some Army units allow it as well.

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* Although ''{{Naruto}}'' has plenty of {{Custom Uniform}}s, some characters fit this trope as well, with headbands that are supposedly mean to be worn on the forehead, as a belt, eyepatch, bracelet, or bandana.

* On ''{{Bones}}'' Seeley Booth wears the standard FBI suit, but has wacky socks and belt buckle.

* In ''HourouMusuko'', a girl, Chizuru, wears the boys' uniform to her middle school's opening ceremony. She tends to do this kind of thing on a whim, and later wears the boy's necktie instead of the girl's ribbon on her uniform. Female lead Yoshino struggles over whether to do this herself and eventually starts wearing the necktie also.

* ''{{Persona 3}}'': Only ''two'' (and one of the two wears the winter uniform in the summer) of the eight main characters wears the school's uniform correctly. ''{{Persona 4}}'' has a slightly better record: three (four in summer, five if you count the [[{{Bifauxnen}} cross-dresser]] wearing a regulatory uniform of the opposite gender) of the eight (one of whom doesn't go to school, another is explicitly a delinquent) party members wears the uniform correctly.

This is often done in fiction to keep things visually interesting while still keeping a team feel. In Real Life this is a key reason why novelty neckties are so popular. Big earrings, watches laden down with gadgets, mismatched socks, you get the idea.

Bob must wear some form of uniform which he finds repressive or simply dislikes, so he tries to act out and be an individual through wearing something distinctive. If he actually gets away with it, he may even inspire others to do the same.

Often, Bob's change to his uniform comes from [[NoPurpleDragons finding a loophole]]-- The rulebook says "black shirt, shoes, socks, and pants," but says nothing about [[NiceHat silly hats]] or tearing the sleeves off the shirts.

In Real Life this is a key reason why novelty neckties are so popular. Big earrings, watches laden down with gadgets, mismatched socks, you get the idea.

[[RevolutionaryGirlUtena http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/utena_sch_uniform_5121.jpg]]
[[caption-width:269:Actually, Utena, it says in this school handbook that that "boys uniform" was banned on the account of the Inappropriate Touch Fiasco involving the previous principle a few years ago... [[TwoTeacherSchool The position of which may or may not have been filled again, (explaining a lot).]]]]

** There's a good reason for this: Going too far outside the uniform regulations puts the person outside TheLawsOfWar.