Line #128 Main/DisguiseTropes


1	Tropes about dressing up and pretending to be someone you're not. Or maybe dressing up and [[SecretIdentityIdentity becoming who you really are]]. See also {{Prop}}.
2	----
3	!!Tropes
4	[[index]]
5	[floatboxright:
6	'''Related indexes:'''
7	+ {{Crossdresser}}
8	+ {{Doppelganger}}
9	+ HumanDisguise
10	+ InvisibilityIndex
11	+ LivingADoubleLife
12	+ MoreThanMeetsTheEye
13	+ SecretIdentity
14	+ {{Shapeshifting}}
15	+ StandardSuperheroSuits
16	+ WhoWasThatMaskedIndex
17	]
18	* AdultsDressedAsChildren: An adult tries to impersonate a child.
19	* AgentProvocateur: An individual who pretends to be the other side in order to incite something and frame the other side.
20	* AnimalDisguise: A human disguised as an animal.
21	* AppearanceIsInTheEyeOfTheBeholder: The physical appearance of a being depends on who is looking at them.
22	* AssInALionSkin: An animal disguised as another animal.
23	* BadActorGoodLiar: A character makes for a very good liar or con artist despite being terrible at professional acting.
24	* BadHabits: Someone disguises themselves as religious clergy.
25	* BandagedFace: Covering your whole face in bandages.
26	* BeardnessProtectionProgram: Growing (or shaving off) a beard for a disguise.
27	* BecomingTheCostume: Particularly popular around UsefulNotes/AllHallowsEve, a curse that transforms the individual into whatever their costume resembles.
28	* BecomingTheMask: The personality that is supposed to be the person's cover becomes how they really are.
29	** SecretIdentityIdentity: A person with two separate identities feels conflicted over which one is their true self.
30	** DoubleConsciousness: The internal conflict of a person whose ancestry and/or upbringing are on two different sides.
31	* BeneathTheMask: A person hides their true personality from others.
32	* BlackTieInfiltration: TheInfiltration takes place at a formal social event.
33	* BlatantBurglar: Stereotypical masked criminals.
34	* BlendingInStealthGameplay: Hiding in the environment often requires obtaining a disguise item first.
35	* BluffTheImpostor: Weeding out an impersonator by tricking them into saying or doing something that the real person would never say or do.
36	* BodyAndHost: When a foreign entity enters/outright hijacks a body.
37	* BrownBagMask: Someone hides their identity by wearing a paper bag over their head.
38	* ButHeSoundsHandsome: A person compliments themselves while disguised as someone else.
39	* CastAsAMask: A character and their disguised persona are played by separate actors.
40	* {{Catfishing}}: Using a fake profile to trick or lure someone into a relationship or for other means.
41	* CelebrityMasquerade: A superhero whose secret identity is a famous celebrity.
42	* ChameleonCamouflage: Wearing camouflage or changing your skin to blend in perfectly into the background. Any background.
43	* CharlieBrownFromOuttaTown: A person in exile returns in a PaperThinDisguise.
44	* CheapCostume: Someone in need of a disguise must make do with whatever they can find.
45	* CheckpointBluff: Trying to get past an enemy checkpoint under disguise.
46	* ClarkKenting: No one figures out the superhero's secret identity in spite of the secret identity only having minor differences in appearance.
47	* ClipboardOfAuthority: A person carries a clipboard to makes it look like they belong there.
48	* ClosetGay: Queer people pretending to be straight.
49	* ClotheslineStealing: People are in need of clothing and steal from a clothesline.
50	* CoatHatMask: A type of superhero costume.
51	* CoincidentalAccidentalDisguise: A character ends up looking like something specific through a series of coincidences and gets mistaken for it.
52	* CoincidentalDisguiseComplementingTrait: A character in disguise finds they have a trait that just so happens to make their cover more convincing.
53	* CollectiveIdentity: An alias is used by more than one person at the same time.
54	* ConfrontingYourImposter: An impersonator is foiled by the real person showing up.
55	* ConspicuousTrenchcoat: Someone tries to avoid attention by wearing an overcoat and a fedora.
56	* ConvenientColorChange: Sides are depicted depending on what color they change into.
57	* CoolMask: A person wears a mask to conceal their identity.
58	* CostumeCopycat: A hero is impersonated by someone in a nearly identical costume.
59	* CostumesChangeYourSize: When clothing seems to [[OneSizeFitsAll expand and shrink]] to fit whoever is wearing it.
60	* CoverIdentityAnomaly: A character, in disguise or otherwise pretending to be someone else, doesn't know some basic piece of information about the person they're pretending to be.
61	* CovertGroupWithMundaneFront: Some sort of [[CovertGroup clandestine]] [[SecretSocieties organization]] hides behind the cover of a seemingly ordinary business or other public front for their true activities.
62	** SchoolClubFront: A StudentsSecretSociety tries to pass themselves off as an ordinary school club that's not up to doing anything too strange.
63	** TotallyNotACriminalFront: A [[OrganizedCrimeTropes criminal gang]] uses a more innocuous, but also totally obvious, front business to hide their more illegal transactions.
64	* {{Crossdresser}}: If someone dresses up as a member of the opposite sex for the purpose of hiding themselves in public.
65	** DisguisedInDrag: When a man disguises himself as a woman.
66	*** HarmlessLadyDisguise: A man disguises himself as a woman specifically to avoid suspicion.
67	** SweetPollyOliver: When a woman disguises herself as a man.
68	*** SweetOnPollyOliver: A man becomes attracted to a woman disguised as a male, the implication being that he is subconsciously figuring out that she's actually female.
69	* DeadPersonImpersonation: Someone uses the identity of a dead person as their alias.
70	* DecoyLeader: Someone who is posing as a leader to protect the real leader.
71	* DeliveryGuyInfiltration: Someone is disguised as a courier, deliveryman, or mailman in order to infiltrate some restricted area.
72	** DeadlyDelivery: An assassin poses as a postal worker in order to kill the target at their home.
73	* DemonicPossession: When an evil entity hijacks control of someone's body, they'll usually try to pass themselves off as their host's identity if they want to stay incognito.
74	* DisguisedHostageGambit: A villain disguises a hostage as himself to fool TheCavalry.
75	* DominoMask: A type of mask that covers only the eyes and the area around them.
76	* DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent: A character with way too many concurrent allegiances to opposing factions.
77	* DramaticUnmask: A masked character takes off their mask, revealing their identity to a shocked character and audience.
78	* DressingAsTheEnemy: Wearing an enemy uniform in order to sneak around their base.
79	* DyeOrDie: Having your hair color changed to try to avoid your enemies.
80	* EasyImpersonation: A hero is impersonated by someone in a not-even-similar costume.
81	* EmergencyImpersonation: An impersonator tries to fill in for someone else and HilarityEnsues.
82	* ExpressiveMask: Someone wears a mask that is somehow still able to register their emotions.
83	* EyeDentityGiveaway: A disguised character has differing eyes that give away their true identity.
84	* FakeAristocrat: A character who passes themselves off as being higher ranking in the social order than they actually are.
85	* FakeIdentityBaggage: A character's stolen or fake identity brings them unexpected negative consequences or attention.
86	* FakeRelationship: Two people pretend to be a couple of lovers.
87	** TheBeard: Pretending to be someone else's lover or spouse to hide their sexuality.
88	** UndercoverAsLovers: Two people pretend to be a married couple or in a romantic relationship as part of a covert mission.
89	* FalseFlagOperation: A group sends out covert operatives (disguised as members of an enemy/rival group) and stage a violent act, falsely blaming them as an excuse to declare a war against them.
90	* {{Fauxreigner}}: Pretending to be from another country when you're not.
91	* FlockOfWolves: Somebody disguises themselves as a member of some group to sneak among them and it turns out everyone else in the area is also in disguise.
92	* ForHalloweenIAmGoingAsMyself: A monster or other non-human being hides in plain sight on Halloween, on the grounds that everyone else will assume they're just wearing a costume.
93	* FullBodyDisguise: A disguise consisting of a costume that completely hides the wearer's body.
94	* GenuineImposter: Someone turns out to actually be the person they appeared to be impersonating.
95	* GideonPloy: Disguising how many people you have on your side
96	* GlassesCuriosity: Wearing glasses as part of a disguise, to impersonate a glasses-wearing person or simply as a bit of facial concealment.
97	* GodGuise: A mortal pretends to be a deity.
98	* GooGooGetup: Dressing up as a baby.
99	* HidingInAHijab: Wearing a headscarf, face veil, or full-body cloak in order to disguise oneself as a devoutly religious Muslim woman.
100	* HoldingBothSidesOfTheConversation: Faking a person's presence by pretending to be them during a feigned conversation.
101	* HolographicDisguise: Someone disguises themselves by projecting a hologram over their body.
102	* HumanDisguise: When non-human beings pretend to be humans.
103	** ChangelingTale: When [[TheFairFolk fairy]] [[OurFairiesAreDifferent creatures]] pretend to be human children, usually after abducting the real kids and switching places with them.
104	** DevilInDisguise: TheDevil (or one of his minions) is hiding among humanity.
105	** AFormYouAreComfortableWith: When an inhuman being assumes the form of something familiar to humans in order to keep from creeping humans out. Often, the form they assume also looks human.
106	** HughMann: A human disguise [[PaperThinDisguise done badly]].
107	** {{Humanshifting}}: Some [[VoluntaryShapeshifting shapeshifters]] are only able to change into humans from their natural form.
108	** InconspicuousImmortal: An immortal character posing as a mundane mortal.
109	*** GodInHumanForm: A [[OurGodsAreDifferent deity]] pretends to be an unassuming human.
110	** MobileSuitHuman: When a small creature is piloting a robotic vehicle that looks like a human.
111	** PrefersTheTrueForm: When AFormYouAreComfortableWith doesn't buy it, and goes with their true selves in behalf of the recipient.
112	** ReplicantSnatching: When a robot steals the very hide of a human and wears it to cover its body.
113	** TheyLookLikeUsNow: When evil creatures figure out a way to look like humans.
114	* IdenticalStranger: A person comes across and is mistaken for a lookalike.
115	** PrinceAndPauper: Two identical strangers, one [[SecretlyWealthy upper]]-[[SlummingIt class]] and the other one [[MockMillionaire lower-class]], decide to switch lives and disguise themselves as each other.
116	** TwinSwitch: When identical twin siblings impersonate each other.
117	* IdentityImpersonator: Protecting your secret identity by appearing in public with another person pretending to be your alter ego.
118	* ImpersonatingAnOfficer: Pretending to be a police officer as a cover for criminal activity.
119	* ImpersonationGambit: The hero tries to infiltrate the villain's organization by passing themselves off as one of the bad guys.
120	* InconvenientHippocraticOath: Someone is on the run but has to pose as a doctor and heal somebody else.
121	* InhumanEyeConcealers: A character with recognizably inhuman eyes tries to pass as ordinary by wearing glasses or something similar.
122	* InopportuneImpersonationFailure: A character in disguise makes an identity-revealing mistake at a pivotal moment and is unmasked.
123	* INeverToldYouMyName: Someone is revealed to be more than they seem by knowing someone's name without an introduction.
124	* InTheHood: Big, face-concealing hoods for that extra identity concealment.
125	* TheInfiltration: A character must get "inside" a bad-guy organization and pass as a bad guy to accomplish a goal.
126	* InstitutionalAllegianceConcealment: A character must go undercover and gets rid of anything that could reveal their true identity, particularly their affiliation with a known organization.
127	* IrislessEyeMaskOfMystery: A character's irises suddenly disappear when he puts on a mask.
128	* JanitorImpersonationInfiltration: Infiltrating a location by posing as cleaners.
129	* KillAndReplace: Someone intends to murder another person so that they can impersonate them.
130	* KingIncognito: A member of royalty pretends to be an ordinary common citizen.
131	* KnightsArmorHideout: Those suits of armour on display might just have someone hiding inside them.
132	* LatexPerfection: A person disguises themselves by wearing a ludicrously lifelike mask.
133	* LieToTheBeholder: A spell or other mysterious effect is placed on a character to make them look and sound like a completely different person.
134	* LikesClarkKentHatesSuperman: A superhero with a SecretIdentity knows someone who likes one identity, but can't stand the other.
135	* LivingBodysuit: Someone is puppeteered by a sentient, supernatural force from within the victim.
136	* LovesMyAlterEgo: A superhero's LoveInterest is only attracted to their heroic identity, not their secret one.
137	* MalevolentMaskedMen: A group of people wearing creepy masks.
138	* MaskOfConfidence: A person suddenly gains confidence while wearing a mask.
139	* MaskOfPower: A mask that grants powers to the wearer.
140	* MaskOfSanity: An insane character that feigns sanity.
141	* {{Masquerade}}: A secret society hides its existence from the normal world while living alongside it and interacting with it.
142	** ExtraStrengthMasquerade: Events happen that ''should'' break the masquerade all the time, but normal people still don't know about the wizards/aliens/etc.
143	** MasqueradeEnforcer: Any super-person who tries to reveal their supernatural nature to ordinary people will be punished.
144	** MasqueradeParadox: A masquerade with supernatural forces that stays hidden from the public despite having no clear reason for doing so.
145	** MutualMasquerade: There are two secret groups hiding their existence from normal people — and thus also from each other.
146	** TheUnmasquedWorld: The masquerade has been broken, and the world of normal humans must now adjust to the extraordinary living in their midst.
147	* MasqueradeBall: A dance where a person can wear GorgeousPeriodDress and a mask to hide their identity.
148	* MasqueradingAsTheUnseen: Posing as a mysterious character who has never been seen by those the guise is intended to deceive.
149	* MasterActor: A person who is good enough at acting that they can impersonate anyone.
150	** MasterOfDisguise: A person who can make themselves look like anyone they choose.
151	* MenacingMask: A mask meant to disguise as well as frighten.
152	* MembershipToken: A person sneaking into a secret club just by presenting an item that proves they're a member.
153	* MimicSpecies: A species whose evolutionary traits make them imitate another species.
154	* MinorWithFakeID: An underage person tries to get into bars or purchase stuff they're not allowed to have using forged [=IDs=] claiming them to be adults.
155	* MistakenForAnImposter: The real person is mistaken for someone impersonating them.
156	* MobileShrubbery: Someone brings the prop they're disguising as with them.
157	* MockMillionaire: Someone pretends to be wealthy.
158	* TheMole: The villain has an underling infiltrate the good guys by pretending to be one of them.
159	** MistakenlyAttackedMole: A person is unaware that the "traitor" is a mole and attacks them.
160	* MostDefinitelyNotAVillain: A character attempts to convince others that they are something by very deliberately and awkwardly claiming to most certainly be that thing.
161	* MuggedForDisguise: Disguising yourself by stealing another person's clothes.
162	* MultilayerFacade: Someone uses nested disguises.
163	* MultipleIdentityIDs: When someone has several fake [=IDs=] for several fake identities.
164	* MysteriousVeil: A character's face is covered either partially or fully with an opaque or semi-transparent veil.
165	* NewspaperThinDisguise: Someone hides behind reading material when they're sitting in a public place and don't want to be noticed or recognized by someone else there.
166	* NixonMask: A rubber mask with the caricatured features of UsefulNotes/RichardNixon.
167	* NobodyHereButUsStatues: Avoiding detection in a location containing statuary by pretending to be one of the artworks.
168	* NotAMask: It turns out that what was thought to be a mask is the person's actual face.
169	* ObfuscatingDisability: Pretending to be mentally or physically disabled.
170	* OldBeggarTest: A god or other powerful being tests someone by turning up at their doorstep posing as someone in need.
171	* OutOfCharacterAlert: An imposter is identified from the observation that their behavior is nothing like the person they are impersonating.
172	** SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay: A character proves their identity to their allies by saying something that only they would say.
173	* OutfitDecoy: A character uses a decoy with their outfit as a distraction.
174	* OverlyStereotypicalDisguise: Someone tries to pose as a person of a specific nationality or identity, but relies far too much on (often inaccurate) {{stereotype}}s, such as wearing formal national dress.
175	* PaperThinDisguise: Someone wears a disguise that is so obvious that you'd have to be really dumb to fall for it.
176	* PerfectDisguiseTerribleActing: The disguise is spot on, but the bad acting still instantly gives the imposter away (or logically should)
177	* PerformerGuise: A character disguises themselves as an entertainer.
178	* PlayingNiceForNow: Two enemies put on an act that they are getting along.
179	* ThePowerOfActing: A character whose acting abilities can fool anyone.
180	* PreferableImpersonator: The impersonator is more liked than the original.
181	* PretendingToBeOnesOwnRelative: Well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin pretending to be one's own relative]].
182	* PressHat: Can be used to disguise yourself as a reporter.
183	* PullTheThread: Playing along with a lie until the liar can't keep up the act.
184	* PurelyAestheticGlasses: Wearing glasses as part of a disguise, to impersonate a glasses-wearing person or simply as a bit of facial concealment. Similar to GlassesCuriosity above.
185	* RevealingInjury: An injury reveals someone's disguise to others.
186	* RevealingSkill: A rare skill reveals someone's disguise to others.
187	* RoomDisservice: Someone disguises themselves as hotel room service.
188	* SecondSuperIdentity: A superhero creates another super identity.
189	* SecretIdentity: An ostensibly normal person who is the true identity of a costumed superhero/supervillain.
190	** SecretIdentityChangeTrick: A person with a superhero identity must improvise a way to get out of sight to change identities.
191	** SecretIdentityVocalShift: A character changes their voice while in costume.
192	* SecretlyWealthy: A wealthy person makes others assume that they are middle-class or poor.
193	** SlummingIt: When a rich person pretends to be poor so they can understand how life is like for the less fortunate.
194	* SelfDefenseRuse: Hiding a murder by disguising it as self-defense.
195	* SerialKillerBaiting: Someone disguises as a suitable target to lure out a SerialKiller.
196	* SexierAlterEgo: A person's costumed persona has better luck getting dates than their civilian identity.
197	* TheShadowKnows: A person's shadow takes the form of their true self.
198	* ShamSupernatural: Someone pretends to be a supernatural creature that they aren't.
199	* ShellGame: A game that involves finding a small item underneath a shell that is shuffled among other identical shells.
200	* SomethingForEveryone: Multi-target illusion with personalized effects.
201	* SpotTheImposter: The imposter and the person they're impersonating are seen together at the same time, leading to the other characters having to figure out which of them is their real friend and which one is the phony in disguise.
202	* SpottingTheThread: Figuring out someone is an imposter by noticing a subtle flaw in their disguise.
203	* ASpyAtTheSpa: A person disguised at a spa to gather information.
204	* SpyTuxReveal: A spy strips off his gear to reveal a tuxedo underneath.
205	* StandInPortrait: A person hides by standing in front of a portrait.
206	* StartingANewLife: A character makes a fresh start, possibly with a new identity.
207	* StockingMask: A character disguises themselves by wearing a stocking over their face.
208	* StrippingTheScarecrow: A character in need of clothes takes some off of a nearby scarecrow.
209	* SurpriseInspectionRuse: A character pretends to be an inspector checking the facility in order to gain access.
210	* SuspiciousSkiMask: A character conceals their identity with a ski mask/balaclava.
211	* SwappedRoles: Two characters swap roles to better understand each other's life.
212	* TotemPoleTrench: Two or more people disguise themselves as a taller person by standing on top of one another and wearing a big coat.
213	* ToyDisguise: A small creature can pass off as a common toy.
214	* TrojanPrisoner: The heroes infiltrate an enemy base by pretending to have been captured, with the {{mook}}s usually other heroes.
215	* TwoMenOneDress: Two or more characters share a costume/disguise.
216	* UndercoverCopReveal: Someone is revealed to actually be a police officer on an undercover assignment, usually disguised as a criminal or civilian.
217	** DirtyHarriet: An undercover policewoman pretends to be a [[TheOldestProfession prostitute]].
218	** MustStateIfYoureACop: A [[UrbanLegend misconception]] that undercover police are obligated to reveal their true identity when asked. This is not true for obvious reasons.
219	** UndercoverModel: A [[FairCop pretty policewoman]] goes undercover as a supermodel, or another profession requiring good looks.
220	* TheUnmasking: A superhero (or supervillain) reveals their SecretIdentity to someone, willingly or by force.
221	* UsurpingSanta: A villain captures and impersonates SantaClaus.
222	* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Anyone with the power to change their appearance at will inevitably use this ability to pretend to be someone or something else.
223	* WainscotSociety: A whole second social system exists in close parallel to the "normal" world.
224	* WallpaperCamouflage: Disguising yourself to blend in to the wallpaper or furniture.
225	* WeWillNotUseStageMakeUpInTheFuture: In a science fiction setting, advanced technology is used to change someone's appearance, instead of makeup, wigs or prosthetics.
226	* WhiteMaskOfDoom: A character wears a CoolMask that is white.
227	* WigDressAccent: A character uses simple props to disguise themselves.
228	* AWolfInSheepsClothing: A character hides their true self by pretending to be nicer or more harmless than they truly are.
229	* YourCostumeNeedsWork: The real person is mistaken for a shoddy impersonator.
230	[[/index]]

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