History Main / RainbowPimpGear

* ''VideoGame/MarioKart8Deluxe'' is a somewhat infamous example of this. The [[StatsDissonance hidden]] Mini-Turbo stat is extremely powerful, and many builds opt to maximize it. However, while not ALL mini-turbo boosting car parts that boost mini-turbo look awful, the parts considered the best ones (the Mr. Scooty, The Wild Wiggler, The Roller Tires, and Biddybuggy) look less like race cars and more like [[SurprisinglyFunctionalToys toys for babies]] (ESPECIALLY Mr. Scooty and the Biddybuggy, the later of which appears on Ribbon Road, which is literally a child's room). Additionally, while not as important as the previous games, speed is still important, and with heavyweights having the most speed, they're often slapped onto these combinations (ESPECIALLY Waluigi), leaving these heavies often looking [[ManChild completely absurd and ridiculous]] on the meta karts. Even when using speed-boosting karts like the circuit special or sport bike, the rollers are seen as a requirement, and given how small the rollers are, they can look really awkward on these karts.

* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' when first released was [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/wowpedia/images/1/1a/Burning_Crusade_clownsuit.jpg particularly guilty of this]] due to its pseudo-cartoony style. Items were designed independently of each other, meaning that it was very easy to build an efficient but stupid-looking [[http://wowpedia.org/Clownsuit clownsuit]]. However, it was at its worst with the release of the first expansion, dubbed "Outland Clown Syndrome" after the name of the new expansion zone, Outland. Bright colors, tight pants, and stupid hats abounded. The [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/01/02 Penny Arcade comic parodying this]] is, horrifically, only a ''slight'' exaggeration. Blizzard got the message, and the gear from the next expansion onwards was designed to mesh well with each other and use [[RealIsBrown more muted colors]]. Blizzard also later included a feature for players to change the appearance of their gear at will.

* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' brings it out stronger than previous ''Dragon Age'' titles have, thanks to the crafting system. Since the color of a crafted item is based on the materials you used in its construction, it's possible to end up with a scarlet red suit of armor (which, thanks to the game's new design, is a BadassLongcoat instead of plate mail) with bright blue gloves and green boots. This is especially true at high levels, once you've started collecting the best quality materials. A later patch sought to avert this trope by allowing players to recolor their armor to taste.

* ''Literature/ThePortOfPeril'': You can find a real medley of different types of armor throughout your adventure and wear all of it simultaneously. You can obtain chainmail from a human skeleton, a bronze dwarven shield, some old magical elven boots, a winged helmet that belonged to an Elf Lord, and the gauntlets of a Chaos Warrior.

* ''Series/MythBusters'': Tory, on those occasions when he wears a chain-mail shirt and a football helmet.

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* ''WebAnimation/DanTheMan'': Each article of clothing the Custom Player can get has different effects from increasing gold drops, damage resistance, increased damage towards enemies, and other things. But the combinations can be rather... interesting.
[[/folder]]

* ''Website/{{Cracked}}'': [[http://www.cracked.com/photoplasty_204_if-real-life-worked-like-role-playing-game_p25/#20 One image]] from a slideshow titled "If Real Life Worked Like a Role-Playing Game".

* ''WebVideo/StampysLovelyWorld'': The "Rainbow Robes" outfit from 'Stampy's Overwear' consists of a diamond helmet, an iron chestplate, golden leggings, and leather boots. In Episode 184, "Clone Calamity", Stampy goes into battle wearing these.

* ''{{Website/Habitica}}'': Several clothing items, including the Gown of Hearts and the Red Party Dress.

* {{WebVideo/Koibu}}: Pharis ugly gear has beneficial magical properties.

* ''VideoGame/BloodstainedRitualOfTheNight'' ignores this for body gear, [[InformedEquipment which doesn't change her look]] (barring the Valkyrie Dress and Ex Shovel Armor), but plays it straight for anything that wouldn't replace her dress. You can have Miriam wearing a Santa hat, a stone mask, a rainbow-colored scarf, and golden CombatStilettos. Considering the game also averts NoCutsceneInventoryInertia, it can make the conversations rather silly.

* ''VideoGame/MarioKart8Deluxe'' is a somewhat infamous example of this. The [[StatsDissonance hidden]] Mini-Turbo stat is extremely powerful, and many builds opt to maximize it. However, while not ALL mini-turbo boosting car parts that boost mini-turbo look awful, the parts considered the best ones (the Mr. Scooty, The Wild Wiggler, The Roller Tires, and Biddybuggy) look less like race cars and more like [[SurprisinglyFunctionalToys toys for babies]] (ESPECIALLY Mr. Scooty and the Biddybuggy, the later of which appears on Ribbon Road, which is literally a childs room). Additionally, while not as important as the previous games, speed is still important, and with heavyweights having the most speed, they’re often slapped onto these combinations (ESPECIALLY Waluigi), leaving these heavies often looking [[ManChild completely absurd and ridiculous]] on the meta karts. Even when using speed-boosting karts like the circuit special or sport bike, the rollers are seen as a requirement, and given how small the rollers are, they can look really awkward on these karts.
** As a side note, there are 3 karts that [[PaletteSwap share the same stats]] as the infamous wiggler, being the Flame Rider, Silver Arrow, and Standard Bike. While there’s minor differences in drifting and hitbox, they can either be gotten used to by any player who takes the time, or isn’t really noticeable and therefore isn't a big factor overall.

** Averted fully in the 1.6 patch, which introduced a transmog system that's available in V's apartment and safehouses, using your closet to make up to six different outfits based on gear you have picked up at one point with the current character, regardless of whether or not you still have it in your possession.

* ''Webcomic/NerfNow'': This problem in ''VideoGame/{{TERA}} Online'' is called out in [[http://www.nerfnow.com/comic/1243 one strio]]. One character's gear involves a SchoolSwimsuit, a bright yellow flotation device, kitty ears and tail (a part of the character's [[CatGirl regular looks]] by the way), a small crown, and a giant candy cane used as a bludgeon.

* Parodied in the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' episode "Eclipsed", where a soldier, possessed by an ancient evil known as Ophidians, asks how to find the titular Justice League. He's jokingly told "put on a gaudy costume and threaten to hurt a lot of people". Taking it entirely at face value, he [[https://dcau.fandom.com/wiki/Eclipsed?file=Eclipso.png does just that]] and it works like a charm.

* Creator/ProZD: [=SungWon=] Cho explores how people would react to this in-universe in [[https://www.instagram.com/p/BODk0wWDdzm/ this]] clip.

** In ''XIV'', equipment can't be (re)dyed until you hit level 15 in at least one class. Be prepared to have a mismatching wardrobe for a little while, as the colour of equipment from quest rewards and vendors is random. Even after dying is unlocked, there are just some combos of clothes that aren't gonna look good together, even if the colors match. Later on, you gain the ability to cast Glamours on your equipment, changing the appearance into that of other pieces of equipment, allowing you to make any armor match. The developers have since taken note of the trope in ''Heavensward'', where all the gear you can buy from vendors has a visual theme going on and looks quite good if you buy the whole set. Of course, the trope rears its ugly head due to players either not keeping all their gear up to date or are mixing and matching for the sake of optimal stats. This has since been even further averted in ''Stormblood'', where players can now set glamours on their gear starting at level 15. The system was revamped once more in patch 4.2 to include glamour storage, which the developers hoped would finally put the whole RainbowPimpGear trope to rest.

* ''VideoGame/Cyberpunk2077'' has it especially bad, considering that most of Night City dresses like they picked garments at random from a glam-rocker's wardrobe to start. Your character ending up wearing a grey trilby, lime-green sequinned tank-top, purple hotpants and knee-high aluminium-plated biker boots at some point is more likely than not, but it also won't look ''that'' out of place on the streets of Night City. You can constantly upgrade your gear if you find a set you particularly like, but it will get really expensive to keep your armoured coat on the same level of protection as a Legendary neon green tanktop from the street. A later update lets you save your appearance, allowing you to equip whatever you want while looking however you want.

* [[LampshadedTrope Lampshaded]] in ''VideoGame/ShadowHearts From the New World'': A {{Ninja}} actually tells you that no matter how ridiculous something looks, if it raises your stats, wear it.

* ''Anime/DreamFestival'': This can happen when playing the mobile game, since you get randomized clothes everytime you try your luck in the clothing lottery, and you won't get full sets of matching clothes unless you play the event songs enough or get really lucky.

* [[http://www.thenoobcomic.com/index.php?pos=5 Sir Bob]] in ''Webcomic/TheNoob'' is an example of this, wearing a violet tunic with poofy sleeves, bright yellow-and-green striped trousers, and a "King of the Trolls" hat that's bright yellow with a blue ribbon.
* [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comics/stolen-pixels/6879-Stolen-Pixels-150-2-Shoes-of-Floppiness Parodied]] by ''Stolen Pixels'' in regards to ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''. ''Franchise/DragonAge'' actually tends to [[AvertedTrope avert this]] by giving stat bonuses to characters who wear a full set of armor (''e.g.'' chainmail breastplate + gloves + boots), but at that point in the game, most characters fit the trope.
* In ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'', [[http://www.nuklearpower.com/2001/08/09/episode-066-is-it-possible-to-be-a-fourth-wheel/ Red Mage states he would wear his underwear over his armour if it granted +3 Endurance.]] It's an obvious jab both at this trope and superhero suits that really look like they [[UnderwearOfPower wear briefs on top of spandex]].
* Peganone's [[http://danielscreations.com/ola/comics/ep0211.html adventuring outfit]] in ''Webcomic/OurLittleAdventure''. Randi even makes the comment that her outfit makes her look like [[WesternAnimation/{{Jem}} one of the Holograms]]. She explains that her outfit gives her a lot of combat and stat bonuses.
* Also parodied in ''[[http://www.supermegatopia.com/booty/gallery/gallery.php?thisLink=fashion.jpg By Way of Booty Bay]]'' (a sub-comic to ''Webcomic/{{Supermegatopia}}'').

* In ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' the Zilly weapons play this trope perfectly, particularly Trickster Mode, which is the most crapsaccharine example possible of WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity[[note]]Except for Dirk, who slightly mitigates the funny factor by combining his clown outfit with a non-zilly katana. Either way, it's anime overpowered but doesn't match the rest of the zilly set, so the trope is still played straight[[/note]]. In contrast to practically everything else, characters, items, and locations in Trickster Mode are drawn with a variety of bright colors... and they look absolutely terrible.
* In ''Webcomic/BloodStain'', the main characters play in an in-universe MMORPG named ''Moonstone Gate''. Elliot asks what Dr. Stein's gear looks like under his cosmetic armor. [[http://sigeel.deviantart.com/art/optimized-gear-430178303 The answer]] is a mishmash of armor sets optimized for his build.
* This problem in ''[[VideoGame/{{TERA}} Tera Online]]'' is called out in [[http://www.nerfnow.com/comic/1243 a strip of]] ''Webcomic/NerfNow'': One character's gear involves a SchoolSwimsuit, a bright yellow flotation device, kitty ears and tail (a part of the character's [[CatGirl regular looks]] by the way), a small crown, and a giant candy cane used as a bludgeon.
* [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/01/02/the-ungift-part-two This]] ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'' strip, which parodies the phenomenon. It's also uncomfortably close to reality (most cloth-wearers, after gearing up in quest rewards in the first zone in the ''Burning Crusade'' expansion of VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft, looked way too much like this).
* The page quote comes from ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick''. Later, Haley is seen retelling the story of the lime green Boots of Speed to Celia, who is appropriately horrified. In an even later arc, we find that Haley actually kept the boots, without wearing them, until she found an armorer who could dye them a more subdued color. [[ZigZaggingTrope Even after the dye job, they glow green when activated]].

* [[http://www.cracked.com/photoplasty_204_if-real-life-worked-like-role-playing-game_p25/#20 One image]] from a ''Website/{{Cracked}}'' slideshow titled "If Real Life Worked Like a Role-Playing Game".
* [[LetsPlay/DuncanJones Duncan]] from [[LetsPlay/{{Yogscast}} the Yogscast]] in his "Blast Off" series, finds himself a set of Indiana Jones-inspired adventure gear, and also crafts a very useful backpack. Unfortunately, the modelling in the mod leaves something to be desired -- they don't follow his actual character correctly, so he winds up with sleeves at right angles to his character's arms, and so forth. And to make matters worse, he then continues on after [[LosingYourHead being decapitated]].
* [=SungWon=] Cho (''a.k.a.'' Creator/ProZD) explores how people would react to this in-universe in [[https://www.instagram.com/p/BODk0wWDdzm/ this]] clip.

[[folder:Role Playing Game]]

* In ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' the Zilly weapons play this trope perfectly, particularly Trickster Mode, which is the most crapsaccharine example possible of WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity[[note]]Except for Dirk, who slightly mitigates the funny factor by combining his clown outfit with a non-zilly katana. Either way, it's anime overpowered but doesn't match the rest of the zilly set, so the trope is still played straight[[/note]]. In contrast to practically everything else, characters, items, and locations in Trickster Mode are drawn with a variety of bright colors... and they look absolutely terrible. [[UncannyValley And horrifying]].

* ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'' delves into this, since most power-ups come with cosmetic changes to your character (some of the BodyHorror variety), and the changes often (but not always) end up stacking. Thus it's not uncommon to end a run with a nun's habit, a hideous [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Harvey Dent-style]] [[TwoFaced facial scar]], a fez ''on top'' of the habit, a lit fuse sticking out of your head, a dead fetus attached to the other side of your face, a dismembered cat tail wrapped around your waist, and [[EyeScream creepy protruding eyes.]]