Line #61 Main/ClothesMakeTheLegend


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4	[[quoteright:300:[[ComicBook/{{Superman}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/clothes_make_the_legend4.png]]]]
5	[[caption-width-right:300:Even RunningTheAsylum, you can't really change Superman's costume.]]
6
7	->'''Phil Coulson:''' We made some modifications to the uniform. I had a little design input.\
8	'''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica:''' The uniform? Aren't the stars and stripes a little ... old-fashioned?\
9	'''Coulson:''' Everything's that happening, the things that are about to come to light, people might just need a little old-fashioned.
10	-->-- ''Film/{{The Avengers\|2012}}''
11
12	A popular character is associated with just one outfit. Therefore the writers and/or executives choose to show the character in this outfit as much as possible, whether it be in the [[{{Canon}} canonical works]] or [[TheMerch merchandise]].
13
14	It is important to note some things that don't fit this trope.
15	* LimitedWardrobe in itself doesn't count, although there can be some overlap.
16	* Nor does it count if the character is well known, and just ''happens'' to have a distinctive outfit.
17	* It also doesn't count if the outfit is just designed to stand out, like a RummageSaleReject.
18	* Doesn't count if it's expected of the profession, whether real (like doctors) or fictional (like [[RobeAndWizardHat wizards]]).
19	** This includes uniforms, unless it's [[CustomUniform customized]] in some obvious way.
20
21	The line can be hard to tell, but one good way to know it's this trope is with LongRunners that stick with the same basic outfit for a character. Even if there is a total change, they revert because it turns out the audience prefers that outfit.
22
23	Another way to fit this trope is if the costume gets some CostumeEvolution but still retains the basic form, as with a FrillyUpgrade or some [[PimpedOutDress Pimped-Out Dresses]].
24
25	Compare IconicItem, IconicOutfit, LimitedWardrobe, SuperheroTeamUniform. Not to be confused with ClothesMakeTheSuperman.
26
27	----
28	!!Examples:
29	[[foldercontrol]]
30
31	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
32	* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'': Exemplified in the final arc[=/=]season where we learn there are Sailor Senshi on other planets with radically different uniforms with the only connection being the collar from the Sailor Fuku and some form of headwear akin to a Tiara.
33	* ''Franchise/DragonBall'':
34	** Goku has been wearing an orange Kame school gi since about episode 20 of ''Manga/DragonBall'' when Master Roshi gave him his first one. This costume is so iconic that in the Buu arc of ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', Ultimate Gohan asks Kibito to conjure him up an exact copy of said outfit before he goes to fight Majin Buu. The only difference is that it's a bit more orange. Nevertheless, the gi can be used to date his appearance, because the symbol on the back always represents his most recent teacher. It's to the point that, while he gained a variation in ''Anime/DragonBallZResurrectionF'', he switched back to the Buu gi for the next story.
35	** Vegeta's Cell arc armor is pretty iconic as well despite him going through the most costume changes over the course of ''Z''. If there's any promotional material including him, nine times out of ten he will be wearing that outfit. Notably, he wears the Cell arc armor in both the 2008 special ''Anime/DragonBallYoSonGokuAndHisFriendsReturn'', the 2013 movie ''Anime/DragonBallZBattleOfGods'', and ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'', despite these stories being set between the Buu arc and DistantFinale. Similar to Goku, he got a revised outfit for Frieza's return, but then went back to the old one.
36	* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'': Jotaro Kujo's tattered cap and school uniform. After he loses his school jacket in the fight with ZZ, he has a tailor make an identical one. Even when he's an adult in the later installments, Jotaro still wears outfits that recall his original school uniform.
37	* Ash's hat in ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries''. Later they did change it but no matter what the design is, it's always a red cap with a symbol at the center. And Ash is the only one who wears that kind of hat, to the point that any other character who wears a similar hat is most likely his doppelgänger.
38	* Kouji Kabuto from ''Anime/MazingerZ'' has always worn the same pilot outfit since the '70s: a red skintight bodysuit, striped yellow boots and armguards, and a white helmet with two protruding spikes pointing backwards. It's such a unique design and Kouji's worn it for so long it's become his signature look.
39	* ''Manga/LupinIII'' has Lupin's suit. The only thing that ever changes is the color of the jacket, to the point fans identify arcs of the many, ''many'' Lupin films and specials by what color jacket Lupin is wearing in them; Lupin himself was even able to quickly tell that he'd traveled through time in ''Is Lupin Still Burning?'' by realizing that his jacket had suddenly changed color to red like it was in earlier arcs.
40	[[/folder]]
41
42	[[folder:Comic Books]]
43	* Okay, it would be easier to list iconic {{Super Hero}}es, and their [[RoguesGallery villains]], that ''don't'' fit this trope:
44	** The Comicbook/XMen. They've had a huge variety of outfits over the years. Even Wolverine's yellow spandex doesn't identify him as well as just his hair and his claws.
45	** [[ComicBook/AntMan Antman/Giantman/Yellowjacket/The Wasp/Hank Pym]]. He can't decide on a name, it's hardly surprising he can't pick a costume.
46	** And the original [[ComicBook/TheWasp Wasp]] was, for many years, changing costumes almost as frequently. Originally this was said to be just because she was a girl, and "women like lots of clothes." Later she was given a less offensively stereotypical HandWave as an offshoot of her fashion-designer background, and she has even designed costumes for other Avengers over the years.
47	* ComicStrip/ThePhantom is not only iconic for his costume, but it also helps him maintain his "invincible, immortal hero" ruse; when the Phantom dies, his son takes over both title and costume, so the villains think it's the same man.
48	** This works so well that when one Phantom was incapacitated and his sister had to cover for him, people not informed thought it was still him. Despite the, er, fairly apparent differences in height and weight. Oh, and ''breasts''.
49	* In a manner similar to above is Franchise/{{Batman}}, whose black cloak and pointy-eared cowl have allowed a number of people to pass as the genuine article, including Dick Grayson (now a 'Batman legacy' character).
50	** Amusingly, in the [[Comicbook/BatmanNoMansLand No Man's Land]] storyline, Huntress masqueraded as the Batman in the same way as the Phantom's sister. A Lampshade was hung when a bystander comments on how he always thought that 'the Bat' was a guy, only to be fooled into thinking that Batman was ALWAYS Batwoman because "If you were a big tough guy who [[IWasBeatenByAGirl got beat by a girl]], would you admit it? Or would you say it was a huge hulking giant with fangs and claws that took you down?"
51	** Also [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] during the "ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}"/"Knightquest" arc when Bruce is replaced by Jean-Paul Valley, whose methods take a turn towards uncharacteristic brutality and Commissioner Gordon expresses suspicions that it may be a different "Batman"; the character he's discussing this with points out that it's a bit naive to assume there's only ''been'' one Batman up to that point.
52	* To follow up on Batman, his partner Comicbook/{{Robin}} has also taken to this ever since becoming a LegacyCharacter in his own right. Every Robin has worn some variation of Dick Grayson's original ensemble; the red chest piece (with 'R' insignia), yellow cape, occasionally some green thrown in (more evident in the earlier versions), and tied together with a classic domino mask, though [[ComicBook/Robin1993 Tim Drake]] added actual pants to the ensemble which every Robin following him has understandably kept.
53	* Franchise/WonderWoman started to wear pants and even armor instead/in addition to her traditional 'one-piece bathing suit' look. The traditional, core Wonder Woman has stuck more to the classic outfit with only a few notable exceptions. She has always kept her iconic bracers, hairstyle, and tiara though, to tie them together.
54	* Although ComicBook/PhantomLady has gone through several changes, her yellow and green costume is one of the most basic elements of the character, more notable than the character herself at times.
55	* ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} has traditionally kept with his orange and green combo. For a while, he went to an entirely different outfit of white and sea colors in a chaotic pattern meant to evoke the sea. ''ComicBook/AquamanSwordOfAtlantis''' Aquaman lost his shirt entirely, much to the delight of the fangirls.
56	* The entire concept of the LegacyCharacter owes a lot to this trope. It's easy for any random guy off the street to claim he's [[MemeticMutation Chuck Norris]], but even if he ''is'' a total badass, no one will be taking him seriously. Even if Chuck designated him as his official successor. Put him in Batman's suit and have him be the new Batman, and [[WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond that's another story...]]
57	* ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} has traditionally kept her traditional costume: long-sleeved blue shirt, blue or red skirt, yellow belt, and red cape and boots. Every so often DC decides to change it -- usually ditching the skirt -- but such changes are seldom well-received and Supergirl always returns to her classic look. ''[[ComicBook/Supergirl2011 Post-Flashpoint Kara's costume]]'', which replaced her traditional outfit with an armor-like blue leotard with a red crotch patch, drew some ire from fans until [[ComicBook/SupergirlRebirth she changed back]] to her traditional ensemble.
58	* Franchise/{{Superman}}'s traditional red, blue, and yellow costume remained basically unchanged for almost 60 years. Then in 1997, DC got it in its head that Supes needed to be "updated". They traded his traditional powers for some vaguely defined electromagnetism/[[EnergyBeings energy being]]-type powers and his iconic suit for a cape-less blue and white ensemble. The change resulted in a backlash. While the powers and the costume were pretty cool in concept, their origin was far too mediocre to justify such a radical change to such a beloved and iconic character. The new costume and powers lasted all of 13 months before DC returned to the classic version.
59	* DC Comic's ComicBook/{{New 52}} reboot became a war-zone on a lot of forums with this trope as the battlecry among 'conservative' readers who saw issues with changes to core elements of some costumes, arguing that they were iconic.
60	** ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} was shown for a time in armor with crustacean-like hard elements, though it was dropped in favor of the more classic look.
61	** A huge amount of discussion erupted over the idea of Wonder Woman wearing tight pants, though the idea had been done in the past and most of the complaints were over the pants' shiny painted-on look with too much detailing. As with Aquaman, a more classic costume was chosen.
62	** The new Flash drew some ire over his costume having hard elements (namely stream-lined armored pads) because many fans felt the full-body-latex-with-hood ensemble better conveyed the idea of his speed either by making him look sleek or making him look like a speed-skater.
63	** The biggest war of all was the so-called "War of the Briefs". The decision was finally made to remove Superman's iconic 'underwear on the outside' red briefs. The change went through, however, and mostly people don't seem to miss them, although debate still rages over the armored look and high collar of the new outfit. Once again, however, the change didn't stick, and the briefs returned to the costume in 2018.
64	*** In the meantime, it seemed that whether you were married to the trunks or not, a solid slab of blue was not very visually interesting. The belt that took the trunks' place would, with each of its several changes, become increasingly prominent and with more red and yellow -- in other words, the colors of the trunks where the trunks used to be. (The same goes for adaptations, though no two look ''exactly'' alike.) The experiment seemed to have reached its conclusion: ''something'' needs to be there, preferably red and yellow, and "if not the trunks, then what?" didn't seem to have an answer that creators could settle on. As such, it's not a surprise that the trunks were restored.
65	*** Even the relatively minor alterations made to Franchise/{{Superman}}'s outfit in the film ''Film/SupermanReturns'' drew flak from fans, with the S shield being smaller and raised and the darker-than-previous colors being the biggest areas of contention.
66	*** Probably the biggest complaints about ''Film/ManOfSteel'' are about the darkened-to-[[MovieSuperheroesWearBlack nearly-black]] costume again ([[NeverTrustATrailer though it varies a lot between promo shots]])... and the removal of the briefs.
67	* ComicBook/TheSentry's clothing is essentially a palette swap of Superman and stays fairly constant. The same thing cannot be said for his origins or his sanity.
68	* ComicBook/IronMan is an odd example as his armor changes every few years, depending on the storyline and if the artist of the day is bored with Tony's current look. However, his ''colors'', red and gold, are the iconic thing about him. A person would probably realize that the red and gold flying piece of metal is Iron Man rather than the specific design he's sporting.
69	* ComicBook/{{Diabolik}} and [[SympatheticInspectorAntagonist Ginko]] have a [[PaintedOnPants skintight]] [[McNinja ninja-like]] black full-body suit and a white shirt/black suit/red and black striped suit outfit respectively. In a variant, Ginko actually has multiple red and black striped suits with stripes of different sizes and tends to wear them at random and never two days in a row, so that Diabolik (a formidable MasterOfDisguise) will never know which tie to use when he replaces him unless [[MuggedForDisguise he resorts to kidnapping the actual Ginko]] (something rather hard to do).
70	* ''ComicBook/{{Vampirella}}'' is so synonymous with the red slingshot bikini that any attempt to make it TamerAndChaster inevitably fails. She wore a battle armor ChainmailBikini for a brief bit during the Harris years in MediaNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks, and has had no less than three redesigns during the Dynamite years, including a BadassLongcoat and CoolShades in 2010 that just made her look like [[Film/BladeTrilogy Blade]], a roller derby outfit in 2016, and a little red dress in 2017. Before long, the bikini makes a comeback.
71	* Played straight in ''ComicBook/AstroCity'', where most costumed super-beings will wear the same outfit for decades, even in the case of generational {{Legacy Character}}s. If a character does change their appearance, it's typically justified, such as the N-Forcer upgrading his armored suits.
72	[[/folder]]
73
74	[[folder:Fan Works]]
75	* In ''Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon'' fanfic ''Fanfic/TheHappiestPlace'', the characters can change their clothing at will through magic, but it always has to hearken back to their original designs.
76	* In ''Worm'' crossover ''Fanfic/EchoesOfYesterday'', Kara's costume makes people believe she's stolen her cape identity from [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} some old comic-book super-hero]].
77	* In ''Fanfic/{{Kaleidoscope}}'', the Agents' transformed costumes are inspired by their skating costumes in the ''Anime/YuriOnIce'' anime, with alterations tailored to the plot.
78	* In ''Fanfic/HellsisterTrilogy'', Highfather asks the Source who they should ally themselves with to battle Darkseid. In answer, the Source draws an "S" inside a diamond. No name is given or needed because Highfather knows that's Superman's crest.
79	-->"Who should we seek for an ally on Earth?"\
80	The word vanished from the wall's surface. The fiery hand travelled over it again.\
81	It drew a symbol.\
82	Highfather nodded, in comprehension. "Ah," he said.\
83	The symbol was a mostly-triangular shield, with an S inside its boundaries.\
84	The New Gods well knew who bore that shield, for they had all encountered him on several occasions.
85	* ''Fanfic/ValkyrieOnFire'': In ''Viam Eorum'', Cinna and Beetee design distinctive uniforms for Katniss, Glimmer, and Gale that reflect their image in the public eye, such as Katniss having form-fitting black armour with flaming gauntlets, Madge wearing a form-fittingly feminine armour, Gale’s suit turning him invisible, and Glimmer’s attire being more basic but including a force field.
86	* In ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' crossover fanfiction ''Fanfic/TheVampireOfSteel'', Buffy quickly recognizes Supergirl because of her distinctive costume.
87	* Discussed in ''FanFic/AManOfIron''; When discussing the importance of symbols, Tony mentions that if he redid his armor to be all gold with red highlights, or set the sunstones that power it in a triangle instead of a circle, then the image of Iron Man would lose the impact it has on the smallfolk and criminals of Westeros.
88	[[/folder]]
89
90	[[folder:Film -- Animated]]
91	* Most of the Franchise/{{Disney Princess}}es have one of their {{Pimped Out Dress}}es show up on the majority of their merchandise.
92	** [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 Ariel]] is an exception, because she is either shown in her [[PrincessesPreferPink pink dinner dress]] or her SeashellBra.
93	** [[WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast Belle]] is too, appearing about as often in her more demure blue-and-white dress, or pink dress and [[PrettyInMink fur cape]], as she does in fancy gold one.
94	** It happened with men too -- WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} kept his 'street rat' getup for most of the TV series and the movie sequels, whether it made sense in context or not.
95	* When Cruella de Vil from ''WesternAnimation/OneHundredAndOneDalmatians'' is shown, she has to be wearing a [[FurAndLoathing huge fur coat]].
96	* WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse just doesn't have that same iconic status without the red shorts and yellow shoes. Same goes for WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck and WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} and their respective wardrobes. Even their outfits in ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' are still based on their classic looks. Mickey still has the red shorts and big yellow shoes. Donald's shirt is still blue and has a (modified) sailor collar. Goofy still has a tall hat and a vest over a turtleneck.
97	** Ironically, Mickey's outfit, while ubiquitous in comic books and merchandise, was actually not worn for much of his film career. The cartoons made between 1942 and 1953 have him wearing more contemporary clothes, not wearing the red shorts on the big screen until the 1995 short ''WesternAnimation/RunawayBrain''. Furthermore, some of his more iconic roles (the Sorcerer's Apprentice in ''WesternAnimation/{{Fantasia}}'', ''WesternAnimation/BraveLittleTailor'', and others) have him wearing some other uniform (although the Apprentice costume is nearly as iconic as the shorts).
98	** Ever since Creator/FloydGottfredson, the ''first'' guy to seriously write [[ComicBook/MickeyMouseComicUniverse Mickey Mouse strips]], Mickey has been shown wearing just regular clothes in comics. (Gottfredson started a trend where Mickey is just a regular action comic hero who happens to be a FunnyAnimal). The original outfit is generally acknowledged by making his standard outfit red trousers and a white shirt, with whatever other clothes fitting the occasion (he generally wears a green baseball cap outdoors when casual, a BadassLongcoat and fedora outdoors when formal, etc.). When he started wearing the original shorts in European-sold Disney comics, fans cried AudienceAlienatingEra.
99	** Donald's sailor outfit has changed subtly over the years. His hat was white until around 1943, as were the stripes on his collar and sleeves, and the buttons and sleeve stripes disappeared for a brief period during the 1950s.
100	** In fact, unless you have seen some ''really'' random adaptations or don't know the character at all ([[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff which is impossible in some parts of Europe, especially Norway and Finland]]) if somebody asks you what does Donald wear, your first answer is always: "sailor suit".
101	* ''WesternAnimation/OlafsFrozenAdventure'': [[Franchise/{{Frozen}} Elsa]]'s new gown is a gorgeous dark blue, covered in diamond-shaped ice crystals with a white fur lining around the collar. Yet it's still cut like her iconic outfit.
102	[[/folder]]
103
104	[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
105	* Michael Myers' pale white mask and mechanics jumpsuit from ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}''.
106	* ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'': Jason's hockey mask has been a horror icon since ''Film/FridayThe13thPartIII''.
107	** Similarly, Jason's mother [[PredecessorVillain Pamela Voorhees']] blue sweater after her appearance in [[Film/FridayThe13th1980 the first film]]. One funny anecdote is that her original actress, Betsy Palmer, did not realize that the sweater was iconic until she wore a similar sweater that she happened to own to a horror convention, only to have fans question her about why she was not wearing it when she returned wearing a different outfit the next day.
108	* ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet'': Freddy's striped shirt and fedora is probably only ''slightly'' less of an icon, to say nothing of his distinctive blade-fingered glove.
109	* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
110	** Although Darth Vader needs the suit to live, it probably fits this trope better than any outfit in the film series.
111	** Leia will either be presented in her white dress from the first film with the cinnamon buns hairstyle, or golden bikini. Often the iconic hair crosses over to the bikini, even though she never wore them together.
112	** Another mention goes to Boba Fett, who despite never really doing anything great other than figuring out where the Millennium Falcon went, is widely considered to be one of the coolest characters of the series. In his case, the suit IS the legend. The EU reboot removed everything he ever did outside the films but kept the larger Mandalorian culture; now he's just some guy and the armor isn't even unusual.
113	* The leather jacket and fedora Franchise/IndianaJones wears. Especially the {{Fedora\| Of Asskicking}}. Take away the hat, and you've got Henry Jones Jr.
114	** The hat at least was specifically chosen to invoke this trope. When seen in silhouette, they wanted Indy to be distinguishable from all the other characters. This is one of the reasons the hat rarely comes off, no matter what happens. Also, it covers Indy's face, so you can't tell when it's Creator/HarrisonFord and when it's a stuntman.
115	* ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture'' Marty [=McFly's=] red down vest (confused with a lifejacket in the [[Film/BackToTheFuture1 first movie]]) and jeans.
116	* ''Film/DollarsTrilogy'': The Man With No Name's trademark poncho/sarape, light blue shirt, sheepskin vest, hat, and self-rolled cigarillo.
117	** ''In Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly'' he wears [[BadassLongcoat a coat for most of the film.]] But at the end, he gives it to a dying soldier and finds his poncho...
118	* In ''Film/TheMaskOfZorro'', the original, now elderly and infirm, Zorro trains a successor to continue fighting the good fight. Wearing Zorro's trademark black hat, mask, rapier, and whip, people think it's the same Zorro, come back to aid them once more, thus adding to his supernatural mystique. One elderly monk, who aided the original Zorro decades earlier, is astounded to meet the new one, commenting "Age certainly has been kinder to you than it has to me..."
119	* ''Film/ThePrincessBride'': The entire idea behind the DreadPirateRoberts; both the trope and the character(s).
120	* ''Franchise/JamesBond'' has worn a tuxedo or dinner jacket at some point in nearly every movie, with the exception of ''Film/YouOnlyLiveTwice'' and ''Film/LiveAndLetDie''.
121	[[/folder]]
122
123	[[folder:Literature]]
124	* Although a BeamMeUpScotty, Literature/SherlockHolmes's deerstalker hat and cape.
125	* Literature/DocSavage's jodhpurs and torn white shirt. Eventually, every cover depicted him wearing them. Cover artist Boris Vallejo even had to rip a new shirt once after the original shirt was lost, using old cover paintings for reference. Ironically he forgot that he was facing into the painting and the new shirt turned out to be a mirror image of the old one.
126	* [[Literature/WheresWaldo Waldo]] wears blue jeans, a shirt with red-and-white horizontal stripes, and a red-and-white hat with a red bobble, the latter two intended to make him stand out in a crowd.
127	* ''Literature/SpiderManTheDarkestHours'': The Rhino admitted to Spider-Man (long story involving mutual enemies that like to drain the life force out of totemic-based individuals, like Spider-Man, Rhino, Black Cat...) while recovering from a battle at Spidey's apartment (a battle that left him blinded temporarily), that he hated the suit, especially the Rhino hat. After he had gotten the suit off after a period of being trapped in it, he tried to change his image, wearing a suit and tie. But the first employer he tried to get refused to believe that he was the Rhino, associating him with the costume and the rhino hat. He's been using it ever since simply because the costume is the only way he is recognized enough to get work.
128	* In ''Literature/LegionOfNothing'', the League are legacy characters so they wear their predecessors' outfits.
129	[[/folder]]
130
131	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
132	* Spike's leather coat, that he took off a slayer he killed, in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' as well as ''Angel''. Even when it was damaged, Wolfram & Hart's Italian branch found him eleven exact replicas.
133	* ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'':
134	** Boss Hogg ''always'' wore that all-white suit.
135	** Daisy Duke and the Shorts of Puberty Inducement. They were even named after her.
136	* Series/{{Ultraman}} might count, depending on if that is a suit he is wearing or just how that form looks.
137	* On ''Series/DoctorWho'', each incarnation of the Doctor generally spent most of their screen time in one distinct outfit, sometimes (in the John Nathan-Turner era) static, sometimes variations on a theme, the most iconic being:
138	** The Third Doctor's frilled shirts, velvet jackets and cloaks.
139	** The Fourth Doctor's long, multicoloured scarf and floppy hat.
140	** The Fifth Doctor's cricket jumper and beige jacket, complete with a stick of celery pinned to it.
141	** The Sixth Doctor's patchwork multicoloured coat complete with multicoloured umbrella.
142	** The Seventh Doctor's question mark-themed attire.
143	** The Ninth Doctor's black leather jacket, slacks, and boots, the only variation in his outfit being the color of his V-neck jumper.
144	** The Tenth Doctor's pinstripe suit and brown overcoat.
145	** The Eleventh Doctor has a penchant for tweed jackets, complete with matching braces and bow tie, usually in red but occasionally in blue. (especially the bow tie). He also has the fez.
146	** The Twelfth Doctor's dark coat with the red lining.
147	* ''Series/{{Once Upon A Time}}'' only barely escaped this in the first three seasons, with its iconic Disney characters only wearing costumes that barely resembled their cartoon versions. With the introduction of Elsa from ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen\|2013}}'' however, pretty much all characters from season 4 onward wore live-action versions of their cartoon costumes.
148	* ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'': Captain Jack's RAF great-coat, originally seen in his first ''Series/DoctorWho'' appearance and then in all ''Torchwood'' episodes, excluding a flashback to Victorian times. It then re-appears in ''[[Series/TorchwoodMiracleDay Miracle Day]]'' in a flashback that takes place prior to WWII in real time, indicating that he couldn't wait for the '40s to get into that badass piece of outerwear.
149	* Richard Series/{{Sharpe}}'s Green Rifleman's jacket fits this trope because it's used specifically to distinguish his character from the regular "redcoat" officers.
150	* Harlem Globetrotters Flight Time & Big Easy, on Seasons 15 & 18 of ''Series/TheAmazingRace'', at least acted as if this applied to them, as their entire race wardrobe consisted entirely of Globetrotter gear.
151	* What would Vacation Jason (of the Chris Gethard Show) be without his Hawaiian shirt, shorts, and sunblocked nose?
152	* From ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'', the titular character's long Belstaff coat and, on a lesser note, his blue scarf.
153	* Castiel from ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' is known for his distinctive trenchcoat over a black suit, white dress shirt, and a loosened tie. A change of clothes is treated like OOCIsSeriousBusiness. Jimmy, Castiel's vessel, removes the trench coat. When Castiel loses his angelic powers, he completely changes clothes (as he is unable to use his angelic grace to keep the clothes automatically clean). When the clothes are back, so is Cas. Fans were so accustomed to Castiel's "uniform" that a change from a solid blue tie to a striped blue tie (season 7, after [[spoiler:he's taken over by Leviathan]]) and back (season 13 [[spoiler:when he returns from the empty]]) set off a debate in fandom as to whether the current Cas was the "real" Castiel.
154	* ''[[Series/WonderWoman1975 Wonder Woman]]'': There were attempts to change the iconic look of Wonder Woman, notably in a [[Film/WonderWoman1974 failed TV movie/pilot]] and in the comics themselves at the time, but they failed staggeringly. This series succeeded in part due to the return to the original look of the character. This is why the pilot is named "The New, Original Wonder Woman".
155	[[/folder]]
156
157	[[folder:Music]]
158	* From their live shows in TheEighties, [[Music/{{Queen}} Freddie Mercury's]] white slacks and yellow jacket.
159	* Music/MichaelJackson's one white glove.
160	* Music/{{KISS}}' kabuki-style makeup and comic book-inspired costumes. They vary from era to era but they always include similar motifs based on the KISS characters.
161	** The Demon (Gene Simmons): Usually has spikes and lightning.
162	** The Starchild (Paul Stanley): Usually has stars and a way to showcase the torso.
163	** The Catman (originally Peter Criss): Usually has some kind of paw prints or animal stripes incorporated in the design somewhere.
164	** Space Ace (originally Ace Frehley): Usually has a representation of the night sky (or star charts) and usually the shoulders and boots are in Ace's trademark shining silver.
165	* Music/{{Slipknot}}'s monstrous masks and Jumpsuits.
166	* Music/DaftPunk's robot costumes.
167	[[/folder]]
168
169	[[folder:Mythology and Legend]]
170	* Heracles from Myth/GreekMythology is most often depicted wearing [[NemeanSkinning lion skin]].
171	** Said skin came from the Nemean Lion, whose hide was so tough that no weapon could pierce it. Heracles strangled it to death and skinned the beast with its own claws.
172	* Myth/RobinHood is almost always portrayed in tights, a green tunic, and either [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin a hood]] or more recently a pointed cap with a feather in it. Oddly, some of the older tales have only Robin's ''men'' wearing "Lincoln Green", while he himself [[PaletteSwap dressed in more expensive scarlet.]]
173	[[/folder]]
174
175	[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
176	* Wrestling/HulkHogan is famous for his red and yellow spandex, including the yellow muscle shirt he tears away before every match.
177	** Except during the [[Wrestling/NewWorldOrder nWo]] era, which went with a new nickname, "Hollywood". And with it a new signature look: black tear-away shirt, black tights and boots with lightning, and a black weight lifting belt.
178	* [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin Steve Austin]] runs around in his little black vest, and his little black trunks, and his little black boots, and kicks the crap out of people.
179	* [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] had his "$500 shirts" and the sunglasses to match.
180	* Wrestling/MickFoley has become identified, seemingly irrevocably, with flannel vests and sweatpants.
181	** His Cactus Jack character's "Wanted: Dead" t-shirt was a staple.
182	** His Mankind character was known in later years for his mask and white dress shirt.
183	* Wrestling/RicFlair just isn't Ric Flair without a gaudy, sequined robe. He kept wearing his long after ring robes had gone out of fashion in wrestling. Additionally, Ric always wore matching trunks, kneepads, and boots, and the trunks and boots always were embossed with his initials in the same fancy font.
184	* Wrestling/RobVanDam has his airbrushed singlets.
185	* Wrestling/BretHart, and through him, nearly everyone associated with the Hart family save the [[Wrestling/DaveyBoySmith British Bulldog]] wore pink and black wrestling tights, usually a singlet, and often paired this with a leather jacket. His brother {{Wrestling/Owen\|Hart}} went so far as to copy Bret's pink mirrored shades for a time as well.
186	* [[Wrestling/JesseVentura Jesse "the Body" Ventura]] and his feather boa.
187	* Wrestling/TheUndertaker's black duster, cowboy hat, and gloves. At least when he's really The Undertaker and not Bikertaker.
188	* Wrestling/{{Sting}} has worn his post-[=nWo=]-invasion look longer than he wore his "surfer" gear. The Crow gimmick consists of a long black trench coat, black boots, black gloves, black scorpion-themed bodysuit (later replaced with one of his merch t-shirts), and his trademark black and white face paint.
189	[[/folder]]
190
191	[[folder:Video Games]]
192	* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
193	** Although the colors have changed, Mario and Luigi still have their cap and overalls, although the colors weren't really finalized until ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' (when the color palette was large enough to properly show it). [[note]]Though there have been alternate outfits for Mario in games like ''VideoGame/SuperMarioOdyssey''.[[/note]]
194	** Peach's [[PrincessesPreferPink pink dress]].
195	** As do Wario and Waluigi, except in the ''VideoGame/WarioWare'' games where Wario has a different outfit. In the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series, though, he can use both; significant enough that he's the only character with a true alternate costume in ''Brawl''.
196	* In ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'', Link's green cap and tunic. A particularly notable example as Link is a LegacyCharacter, and many games provide new reasons for the new guy to wear the iconic wardrobe.
197	** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', Link was raised among the Kokiri, where all the boys wore green caps and tunics. As the origin story of the BigBad, and for a long time the earliest confirmed game chronologically, many later games can have their use of the outfit ultimately traced back to here.
198	** By ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'', the legend of the ''Ocarina'' Link has spread, and it's now traditional for boys to wear green on a certain birthday as a sign of coming-of-age. It just so happens that on ''this'' Link's birthday, his sister was kidnapped. He continues to wear his green gear into ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass''.
199	** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap'' has no explanation for the tunic, but Link meets a talking green cap who serves as the game's ExpositionFairy. At the end of the game, [[spoiler:as the restored-to-true-form Picori wizard departs]], he leaves Link a replacement cap similar to the ones worn by other Links.
200	** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', the clothes seem to have become somehow intrinsically linked to the bearer of the Triforce of Courage. The Link of that game only starts wearing those clothes because when he was restored from his wolf form for the first time, they appeared on him in place of his work clothes. The Light Spirit who restored him indicated this as a sign that he was TheChosenOne.
201	** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks'' takes a slightly different approach, in that the cap and tunic have become the uniform for the royal guard (presumably in honor of the ''Wind Waker'' Link that helped found this kingdom). This game's Link starts wearing them when he has to dress up as a guard to sneak Zelda out of the castle.
202	** Prequel ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' again has it as a preexisting uniform, this time for the Skyloft Knight Academy. Though in this case, it comes in multiple colors to note which year the students are in (but Link's year is of course green).
203	** In ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriors'', Link is a recruit in the Hyrulean Army, and wears a standard trainee uniform for the first level. When he meets Impa, she is impressed by his skill and gives him the green tunic, recognizing him as the reborn hero.
204	** Played with in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTriForceHeroes'', which is set in a kingdom where fashion is SeriousBusiness. Link is given the standard green outfit when he's tasked with saving the day at the beginning of the game, but there's no special meaning to the clothes and they're only to replace the fashion disaster he was wearing before. Players are even discouraged from wearing the default outfit in favor of other costumes that provide various special abilities. Because of this, promo art does favor the default outfit, but not exclusively. Even then, it's a game with ColorCodedMultiplayer, so red and blue are seen as often as green.
205	** Averted by ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', where Link gets all sorts of clothing options, and all the promotional material features Link in a ''blue'' tunic and no hat; the classic green outfit is only unlocked if [[spoiler:the player completes all 120 shrines]]. The iconic outfits of various other Links are also available as Toys/{{amiibo}} bonuses. WordOfGod from the creators is that they held the iconic outfit back because they were afraid that if it was available too early, players would wear it exclusively for the entire game and ignore all the other equipment available.
206	* Regardless of how much it's possible to tweak the armor in the actual game, [[PlayerCharacter Commander Shepard]] in the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series is always shown in promotional material in his/her default dark grey N7 armor. Applies to a lesser extent with companion characters, who are primarily associated with their default outfits.
207	* Mai Shiranui, from ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' and ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' suffers from this, mainly due to her status as MsFanservice in both games. They attempted a change of outfit in the ''Fatal Fury'' series, but it only lasted two games (''Fatal Fury 3'' and ''Real Bout Fatal Fury'') before she returned to a variation of her original outfit. In ''[=KoF=]'', only minor changes were ever made to her clothing, and only in the ''[[AlternateContinuity Maximum Impact]]'' series did she get to wear different ''alternate'' outfits, which are still heavily based on her traditional one.
208	** ''King of Fighters'' native Iori Yagami has only had one outfit for about 10 years (from his debut in 1995 to ''The King of Fighters XI'' in 2005): a black jacket over a long white shirt with red pants that are tied at the knees. In ''The King of Fighters XII'', as part of his character's change away from flame powers to purely slashing attacks, he also got a new set of threads (the same black jacket but now over a short red shirt and a pair of white pants), although his DLC variant in ''XIII'' who has the flames still has his usual outfit. ''XIV'' marks a more drastic deviation with Iori donning a red jacket over a mauve-colored shirt and black pants, though the look is vaguely reminiscent of his "Another Iori" design, a [[AssistCharacter Striker]] version of him in ''2000'' based on artwork depicting Iori when he's playing in concerts or at bars with his jazz band outside of the KOF tournament, although yet again his classic outfit is DLC.
209	** Zig-zagged with Kyo. His schoolboy uniform is by far his most iconic, popular, and recognizable look, but he hasn't canonically worn it since ''The King of Fighters '97''. The developers have gotten around this by introducing several clones and doppelgängers like Kyo-1, Kyo-2, and Kusanagi, while some games (such as ''Maximum Impact 2'') have flat out featured a "classic" version of Kyo as a separate playable character. ''The King of Fighters XIII'' even offered the school uniform as a PaletteSwap for Kyo in Color Edit Mode, and much like Iori's, the costume is DLC in ''XIV''. Additionally, whenever Kyo appears in non-canonical crossover games like the ''VideoGame/SNKVsCapcom'' series, he's usually wearing the schoolboy outfit instead of one of his more modern looks. The animated series ''Animation/TheKingOfFightersDestiny'' split the difference by giving him a leather jacket that's patterned after his uniform.
210	* Similar to the Mai Shiranui example, [[Franchise/StreetFighter Chun-Li]] got a new outfit for the prequel games ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha Street Fighter Alpha/Zero]]'', but already by the second installment, there was a way to play as her in [[VideoGame/StreetFighterII her original outfit]].
211	** Ryu and Ken in their respective white and red gi's, though Ken started wearing his differently in ''VideoGame/StreetFighterV''.
212	** Sakura wore a school uniform in ''IV'' as her main costume despite the fact she's graduated years ago at that point. She does get a new costume in ''V'', though.
213	* ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}''
214	** Samus Aran's Varia Suit, with [[ShouldersOfDoom shoulder pads]] and an orange/yellow scheme as the default colors. It's so iconic, in fact, that for a long time people didn't know [[SamusIsAGirl she was a girl]]. ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'' replaced it with a sleeker suit that was ''blue''/yellow by default... which promptly disappeared for years, as the next stretch of games were all prequels. (To be fair, [[VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy some of those games]] have done their own meddling with the suit via power-ups, but it's always [[BagOfSpilling returned to normal]] [[StatusQuoIsGod by the end]].) Only ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'', the first actual sequel to ''Fusion'' nearly twenty years later, started messing with the default colors again; giving her a blue-and-white color scheme.
215	** Her blue [[VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission Zero Suit]] is also very memorable, cementing Samus' choice of clothing underneath her Power Suit as a LatexSpacesuit from that point on; after a variety of undergarments and casual wear featured [[VideoGame/Metroid1 in]] [[VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus the]] [[VideoGame/SuperMetroid previous]] [[VideoGame/MetroidFusion five]] [[VideoGame/MetroidPrime installments]].
216	* Mages in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasy'' all have nice hats, except the white mages, which almost always have nice hoods. Specifically, the blue [[RobeAndWizardHat robe, pointy wizard hat]], black or shadowed face, and yellow eyes are so iconic that they are almost as identifiable as Chocobos and Moogles. Still, it only appears in a few installments of the long-running series.
217	* Dark blue and light blue spandex, both in about equal measure. An ArmCannon. Usually a helmet. No matter how much time passes, that is the default equipment for all who hold the name "Franchise/MegaMan."
218	* Expect for those in ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'' series, where only the bearer of a pure Model X has that scheme, with protagonists bearing a mix of ''[[VideoGame/MegaManZero Zero]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/MegaManX X]]'' outfits.
219	* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'':
220	** Snake's dark blue stealth suit and bandana.
221	** Ocelot's Brown duster and quick draw gun belt.
222	** [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater Eva's]] NavelDeepNeckline jumpsuit.
223	* ''Franchise/MortalKombat'':
224	** Liu Kang just wouldn't be Liu Kang without his trademark red-and-black pants and [[MartialArtsHeadband red bandana]], which have been a staple for the character since his appearance in [[VideoGame/MortalKombatII the second game]] (in [[VideoGame/MortalKombat1992 the first game]], he wore simple black pants and no headband). The same is true of his fellow Shaolin monk Kung Lao--you can change the color of ''his'' pants, but you can never change his [[SignatureHeadgear hat]].
225	** Sub-Zero and Scorpion are always clad in blue and yellow outfits, respectively, no matter how they are designed.
226	** Resident Earthrealm protector and thunder god Raiden is rarely seen without [[AllAsiansWearConicalStrawHats his conical hat]] and some kind of white outfit, often accented with blue and/or gold starting in ''MKII''. ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance Deadly Alliance]]'' added a cape to his design, which proved popular enough to be a semi-recurring feature of his outfit in later games like ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatVsDCUniverse MKvDCU]]'' and ''VideoGame/Injustice2'' [[spoiler:as well as during his tenure as [[CameBackWrong Dark]] [[KnightTemplar Raiden]]]].
227	* VideoGame/ProfessorLayton and his top hat, which he hardly ever takes off. Many puzzles revolve around said hat, which is also an IconicItem and the game logo.
228	* The ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' franchise gives us Master Chief and his MJOLNIR PoweredArmor. Easily one of the most iconic costumes in gaming.
229	* ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza}}'' has Kazuma Kiryu in his iconic light-grey blazer, matching pants, and maroon shirt, which he wears in almost every appearance (save for a few instances, such as the prequel ''VideoGame/Yakuza0'', and even then, the outfit he wears is similar to what he would wear later in the series's chronology; the climax of ''VideoGame/Yakuza4'', where he wears a black suit; and the opening act of ''VideoGame/Yakuza5'', where he wears normal civilian clothes).
230	* In ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'', Ratchet's orange-with-green-pants look has become his standard outfit, being used in ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankAll4One All 4 One]]'', ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFullFrontalAssault Full Frontal Assault]]'', [[WesternAnimation/RatchetAndClank the movie]] plus [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClank2016 its video game]], and ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankRiftApart Rift Apart]]'', and had an earlier version from ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureToolsOfDestruction Tools of Destruction]]''. While this trope is downplayed in that upgrading to armour is a staple trope of the franchise, with rare exception Ratchet has started the game with this look since 2007 and thus is always how he appears on the cover and other promotional artwork.
231	* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'': The [[PowerTrio big three's]] (Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles) [[WhiteGloves gloves]] and shoes are always consistent, no matter how many times they're redesigned. ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' replaced Sonic's shoes with Soap Shoes, only for him to go back to his traditional red boots in the next game. Early ''Franchise/SonicBoom'' concept sketches presented various drastic redesigns for the cast that replaced or did away with the shoes and gloves before the devs were told to go with more traditional looks. Similarly, the removal of the gloves was one of the many radical departures in [[Film/SonicTheHedgehog2020 Sonic's original movie design]], before he was changed to a more game-accurate design following the backlash.
232	[[/folder]]
233
234	[[folder:Webcomics]]
235	* Invoked in-universe in ''Webcomic/ButImACatPerson'', where business tycoon Ann Walker invariably wears a red suit and pearl jewelry. Just because she's blind doesn't mean she doesn't understand how to make an iconic look work for her.
236	[[/folder]]
237
238	[[folder:Web Original]]
239	* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic's black jacket, white t-shirt, maroon tie, black hat, and jeans, except for a couple [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness very early episodes]]. And, as an optional accessory, [[TriggerHappy a gun]].
240	[[/folder]]
241
242	[[folder:Western Animation]]
243	* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' and her black shirt, gloves, and cargo pants. For some, it was jarring when she got a new uniform in season four. Not many of the prodigious amounts of FanArt featuring her dress her in the new outfit. Even the show's character artist, Stephen Silver, drew two potential future updated versions of her outfit based on the original mission look.
244	* Characters in ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'' all have a signature outfit. Lampshaded in one episode when Daria looks through her closet to "decide" what to wear. Her closet contains 3 sets of the same green jacket, brown shirt, and black skirt...and nothing else.
245	* Perhaps it's because he's a Mack truck, but [[Franchise/{{Transformers}} Optimus Prime]] is always red-and-blue, with the truck's windshield acting has his pectorals and the iconic mouthplated look. Except for [[WesternAnimation/BeastWars Optimus Primal]], of course. Likewise, it's quite common for Megatron to be gray and have either have some sort of Fusion Cannon or other type of weapon on his right arm, or a strangely bucket-shaped helmet.[[LegacyCharacter Other examples exist in the Transformers franchise]], such as Rodimus Prime (always red-with-orange, with flame decals on his chest and large spoilers for his alt-mode), Starscream's wings forming a V behind him, or [[TheFaceless Shockwave]] (a black plate with a single red LED light for a face), a yellow KidAppealCharacter (Bumblebee) or Cheetor, etc.
246	** Many also have an iconic alt form and associated kibble, Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus take the form of a Truck or Fire Truck, Megatron and Shockwave are either a Tank, Jet, or classic Handgun, Starscream and his fellow seekers are planes, Bumblebee's some sort of small and[=/=]or fast car, Ratchet and Red Alert are Ambulances, and so on.
247	* Since the actual ''Comicbook/TeenTitans'' comics were not well known outside of the comic fandom, but the cartoon series was a huge hit with the general public, Starfire's [[MinidressOfPower animated continuity costume]] is now often cited by those who don't know otherwise to be her [[ChainmailBikini core outfit]], going so far as to lament the "changes" made to it in DC's current comic lineup (her costume is different in the newest line than it was in either the older comics OR the cartoon show).
248	[[/folder]]
249

Context Main / ClothesMakeTheLegend