History Main / SkeletonsInTheCoatCloset

** [[GiantEnemyCrab Carapaceons]] wear monster skulls to protect their squishy abdomens. Daimyo Hermitaur and Shogun Ceanataur wear a Monoblos and Gravios skull, respectively, while [[AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever Shen Gaoren]] wears a [[{{Kaiju}} Lao-shan Lung]] skull.
** Nakarkos is a [[MultipleHeadCase two-headed]] {{Dracolich}}...[[spoiler: or so it seems. It's actually a [[TentacledTerror cuttlefish-like cephalopod]] that secretes a copious amount of sticky goo. It uses this goo to glue the bones it belches out from the various monsters it eats onto its forearms in such a way that when it sticks its head underwater, it resembles a two-headed sea-dwelling bone dragon. It has enough bones in its lair to create its disguise and repair it infinitely just by dipping into the bones...this should tell you [[PersonOfMassDestruction several]] [[HungryMenace things.]]]]
** Radobaan from ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterWorld'' is a monster that secretes a tar-like substance from its body, and rolls around in the copious amounts of bones found in the Rotten Vale in order to serve as armor. It can also [[BallisticBone fling these bones at enemies]].

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': Rattleshirt is the leader of a band of barbarian raiders who wears bones sewn together as armor, with a giant's skull as a helmet. His nickname comes from the way they clack together as he moves. He personally prefers the title "Lord o' Bones". Although Rattleshirt isn't diabolically evil, he doesn't have any redeeming qualities either. Notably, his appearance outside of his armor is singularly unimpressive. Later, [[spoiler:the quite heroic Mance Rayder wears this armor as part of his magical disguise]].

* ''Anime/KillLaKill'': Nonon Jakuzure [[http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140308073554/kill-la-kill/images/3/31/Nonon_body.png incorporates skull and bone designs]] [[http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/jhO3CDh-PSM/maxresdefault.jpg into her marching band outfits]]. [[NiceHat The shako]] has an actual skull on it which may or may not be from the pet monkey she owned as a child. Even her [[spoiler:Nudist Beach outfit]] has a skull design on the hat. Fittingly enough, she is the [[BitchInSheepsClothing nastiest member]] of the Elite Four.

* ''ComicBook/TheSandman1984'': Morpheus' "crown" is in fact a gas mask made from the skull and spinal cord of a dead god.

[[folder:Mythology and Religion]]

* Franchise/MarvelUniverse:

** ''Comicbook/XMen'': ComicBook/{{Mystique}} wears a belt of skulls.

* ''ComicBook/RobinSeries'': Warlock's Daughter wears a belt of silver skulls.

* ''ComicBook/TheSandman'': Morpheus' "crown" is in fact a gas mask made from the skull and spinal cord of a dead god.

* ''FanFic/QueenOfShadows'': Yasashi has Shadowkhan bones worked into her armor.
* ''FanFic/JewelOfDarkness'': After [[spoiler: [[RobotMe Ai's]] [[TheStarscream betrayal]]]] at the end of the Jump City Arc, Midnight forges a new suit of armor using [[spoiler: the remains of Ai's body.]]

* ''VideoGame/AdventureQuestWorlds'': Vordred takes this trope UpToEleven. WordOfGod says that the artist asked the boss's opinion on the armor while drawing it. The reply was "Needs more skulls". And then this got repeated a few times as a joke, only the artist took it seriously. Justified and immediately parodied in the final battle against him; the skulls are apparently constantly generated by his actual body, and absorb energy from attacks to fuel this process. Vordred then goes OneWingedAngel and becomes even bigger, with ''every single part of him except his head covered with millions of skulls''.

What sort of person would clothe themselves in bones and skulls?[[note]]Apart from the fact that [[StrippedToTheBone skeletons are indestructible.]][[/note]] Someone who no doubt appreciates them as symbols of mortality and death. The wearer of such attire must surely lead a hardened lifestyle of murder, combat and death-bringing. Perhaps you could say that they're... [[JustForPun bad to the bone]]?

A staple of ObviouslyEvil design. Compare CreepySouvenir, SpikesOfVillainy and ChainedByFashion. See also BadWithTheBone and BallisticBone when bones are used as {{Improvised Weapon}}s.

** The [[https://scryfall.com/card/bng/103/oracle-of-bones Oracle of Bones]] wears humans skulls braided into his beard.

* ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest'': Sha Wujing is described wearing a large rosary necklace made with the seven skulls of monks he killed and devoured during his time as a river monster: when he noticed that those skulls would float on the waters rather than sink he as amused and made them into a necklace. After being defeated, he enlarge the rosary to make a raft for himself and his newfound companions.

*** The Imperium prefers tastefully sculpted depictions of skulls. On ''[[SigilSpam everything]]''. But they use plenty of real skulls too. Playing up their medieval Christian inspiration, lots of Imperial Guard, Ecclesiarchy and Space Marine characters (and not a few Empire and Bretonnian characters from ''Warhammer'' either) wear holy relics prominently, many of which are the bones of saints and martyrs. This is justified by Imperial symbolism; To them, the skull symbolizes the purity of humanity.

** Skulls are a major motif of [[TheEmpire Coalition]] forces, to include robotic infantry made to look like walking skeletons.

* The ''Franchise/TheTransformers'' toyline ''War For Cybertron: Kingdom'' toyline introduced a new type of toy, the Fossilizers, who all transform into the skeletons of different dinosaurs and prehistoric animals. They're also a form of EquippableAlly, who's body can be separated to form weapons and armor that can be attached to hardpoints on other figures in the ''War For Cybertron'' trilogy.

* ''VideoGame/BattleClash'', and it's sequel ''Metal Combat''. The main villains of the series Anubis and his true master Typhon ''love'' skulls. They add them as motifs for their mecha, their backgrounds and Typhon's mecha even ''fires'' skulls made of energy.

** ''City of Villains'' adds a huge number of skull and bone themed costume items to go along with SpikesOfVillainy, which were later ported over into ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' as well for all your [[DarkerAndEdgier dark and edgy]] anti-hero needs.

*** Bone and antler are common components of Forsworn weapons and armor, along with [[FurBikini fur]] and [[PeltsOfTheBarbarian hide]], as its true of their tribal "[[BarbarianTribe Reachmen]]" parent culture. Despite eschewing metal in their weapons and armor, they are able to [[RockBeatsLaser fight evenly]] against better-equipped adversaries through use of guerilla tactics and their [[{{Druid}} druidic]] "hedge magic."

** Nakarkos is a [[MultipleHeadCase two-headed]] {{Dracolich}}...[[spoiler: or so it seems. It's actually a [[TentacledTerror cuttlefish-like cephalopod]] that secretes a copious amount of sticky goo. It uses this goo to glue the bones it belches out from the various monsters it eats onto its forearms in such a way that when it sticks its head underwater, it resembles a two-headed sea dwelling bone dragon. It has enough bones in its lair to create its disguise and repair it infinitely just by dipping into the bones...this should tell you [[PersonOfMassDestruction several]] [[HungryMenace things.]]]]

* ''VideoGame/SanityAikensArtifact'': The BigBad is revealed at the end to have de-evolved completely into nothing more than a giant psionic brain. In the final battle, he forms a body in the shape of a giant cow's skeleton from slaughterhouse bodyparts to fight the hero.
* ''VideoGame/{{Shantae}}'': [[BigBad Risky Boots]]' outfit appears to be decorated with pieces of an overly-large skull. In ''[[VideoGame/ShantaeAndThePiratesCurse The Pirate's Curse]]'', it's revealed that the skull [[spoiler:is real, and made from the head of her old boss, the Pirate Master (he's huge)]].

* Dhalsim from ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' is often seen wearing a necklace with three small skulls, which came from children from his home village which died of a disease.

*** Death Knights have the ability to summon a protective Bone Shield, though in this case the bones hover around the player instead of being worn as armor.

*** One of the guardian druid artifact skins gives the bear form a skull helmet, ribcage torso armor and several other bones as defense.

** R'Qazz wears the hollowed out skulls of animals on his body as [[BattleTrophy hunting trophies]], which Skeletor compliments him on. [[spoiler:As Beast Man, the skulls serve as a medium for his [[{{Necromancer}} "Necro Echo"]] power.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Shantae}}'': [[BigBad Risky Boots]]' outfit appears to be decorated with pieces of an-overly large skull. In ''[[VideoGame/ShantaeAndThePiratesCurse The Pirate's Curse]]'', it's revealed that the skull [[spoiler:is real, and made from the head of her old boss, the Pirate Master (he's huge)]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Shantae}}'': Risky Boots' outfit appears to be decorated with pieces of an-overly large skull. In ''[[VideoGame/ShantaeAndThePiratesCurse The Pirate's Curse]]'', it's revealed that the skull [[spoiler:is real, and made from the head of her old boss, the Pirate Master (he's huge)]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Skylanders}}'': Roller Brawl is an [[DarkIsNotEvil Undead Skylander]] adorned in black skull-patterned armor. Her ''Superchargers'' incarnation, "Bone Bash Roller Brawl", seemingly wears actual bones as armor.

* ''VideoGame/{{Skylanders}}'': Roller Brawl is an [[DarkIsNotEvil Undead Skylander]] who black skull-patterned armor. Her ''Superchargers'' incarnation, "Bone Bash Roller Brawl", seemingly wears actual bones as armor.

* ''VideoGame/{{Shantae}}'': Risky Boots' outfit appears to be decorated with pieces of an-overly large skull. It's actually revealed that the skull [[spoiler:is real, and made from the head of her old boss, the Pirate Master (he's huge)]].

* ''Anime/DoraemonNobitasTreasureIsland'' gives the cast a set of new outfits as usual, including a cap made of cattle skull for Gian which he wears for the entirety of the adventure. Granted, it's probably not a real skull but a prop made by DOraemon's gadgets, but still.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Home}}'', the Gorg's shoulder spikes are adorned with several tiny skulls.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Epic}}'': All Boggans wear skulls on their heads and skins on their coats. Professor Bomba found some Boggan apparel beforehand, [[spoiler:which MK, Nod, and Ronin steal to infiltrate the Boggan lair.]]

*** The Imperium prefers tastefully sculpted depictions of skulls. On ''everything''. But they use plenty of real skulls too. Playing up their medieval Christian inspiration, lots of Imperial Guard, Ecclesiarchy and Space Marine characters (and not a few Empire and Bretonnian characters from ''Warhammer'' either) wear holy relics prominently, many of which are the bones of saints and martyrs. This is justified by Imperial symbolism; To them, the skull symbolizes the purity of humanity.

* ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'': Players can craft Necro armor using cobwebs and bones. Wearing a full set once increased the players' speed by about 20% and gives them a visual motion blur to emphasize that they're going fast. By combining Necro armor with the Anklet of the Wind and Hermes boots, you can become a speed demon. The 1.06 update changed Necro armor's full-set bonus to reduced ammo consumption from ranged weapon and increased ranged damage.

* ''VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4'': The Revenants are witches who are always seen wearing deer skulls that obscure their faces. Trolls also often have skulls decorating their belts.