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| 16 | [[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_20200904_001834.png]]]] |
| 17 | [[caption-width-right:350:"Dude! Can you [[PleasePutSomeClothesOn cover yourself up first?]]"]] |
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| 19 | ->''"I hate to break it to you, but you're going to start panics going around with naked hands."'' |
| 20 | -->-- '''Nirai Kujen''', ''Revenant Gun'', ''Literature/TheMachineriesOfEmpire'' |
| 21 | |
| 22 | This trope is for those characters that have a notably different definition of "private parts" than most of the audience. |
| 23 | |
| 24 | Different cultures have different ideas about what parts of the body can or cannot be shown, or even discussed. For some people on this Earth, even a woman's face or hair must not be exposed, while for others, you can be topless as long as you keep your shins covered (a girl has to have modesty, after all!), and in still others a small loincloth is all that's required. Then there's the characters in Fantasy[=/=]SciFi settings who may be outright scandalized if they discover their orthoblaxer ([[BizarreAlienBiology whatever that means]]) is showing. |
| 25 | |
| 26 | May overlap with FantasticArousal. A SuperTrope of FullyClothedNudity, and SubTrope of YourNormalIsOurTaboo. See also OldTimeyAnkleTaboo, where it focuses on exposed ankles, and ItsNotPornItsArt for when nudity in art causes differing ideas about which are explicit and which are not. Supertrope to AppropriateAnimalAttire, which discusses what count as nudity for anthropomorphic animals. |
| 27 | |
| 28 | Please do not add real life examples unless historical or otherwise well-documented. |
| 29 | ---- |
| 30 | !!Examples: |
| 31 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 32 | [[folder:Advertising]] |
| 33 | * [[ExploitedTrope Exploited]] in a poster for Miami, Florida's (where [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl women legally go topless)]] "Miami, See It Like A Native" shows a female skin diver wearing only a [[WalkingSwimsuitScene bikini bottom]]. |
| 34 | * In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf4mjXTEPnE this]] Mandalay Bay commercial, the [[PoolScene topless pool]] when at the beginning a couple of [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl women are seen sunbathing topless]] and especially when Suzanna Jones takes her bikini top off. |
| 35 | [[/folder]] |
| 36 | |
| 37 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 38 | * In ''Literature/BladedanceOfElementalers'', the hero's contracted spirit, Est, considers her legs to be the only private regions of her body. She'll remove all her clothing without a second thought, but suggestions that she remove her knee-high stockings will bring immediate reprisal for perversion, and in some cases death threats. |
| 39 | * In ''Manga/ABridesStory'', seeing a grown woman's hair uncovered by a headdress is shocking and provocative. |
| 40 | * Mermaids in ''Manga/ACentaursLife'' go around topless unless they are expecting visitors from the mountains or need to wear ritual garments. Otherwise the only thing they wear is a g-string tied at the sides over their bottom half. The manga even makes use of the TheissTitillationTheory, as a pair of boys are more enthralled by a bikini model's picture than topless girls right in front of them. |
| 41 | * In ''Manga/DuskMaidenOfAmnesia'', [[CuteGhostGirl Kanoe Yuuko]] has no problem with her ghostly body being seen naked, but when her love interest finds her actual corpse she insists that he cover up the skeleton immediately and calls him a pervert for not doing so. Apparently a skeleton is as naked as you can get. |
| 42 | * According to Otonashi-san's mother in ''Manga/HighSchoolNinjaGirlOtonashiSan'', taking off a kunoichi's mask is the same as taking off her underwear. This gets Arima into hot water when she walks in on an AccidentalPervert moment during which Otonashi's mask fell off (revealing a cold mask underneath). |
| 43 | * In ''Literature/LetsStartAnInnOnTheDungeonIsland'', true to the Victorian Era mores, but gender reversed, women see absolutely nothing wrong in giving the male protagonist Shirou an eyeful, but if they see his naked legs, it's scandalous. Worse, there's also a scene where Shirou has a female pirate captain recuperating from a stab wound unconscious in his bed, and he's at a mirror shaving ''his face'' while she's unconscious. For reference, his face is never covered and nobody has a problem with that. When she wakes up and sees it, she reacts as if she's been caught doing something extremely perverted. Shirou responds by saying "it's alright, you can watch if you want" which turns her red as a beet. |
| 44 | * In ''Manga/MonsterMusume'', [[SnakePeople Miia]] is terribly embarrassed when Kimihito sees her shedding her skin. When Kimihito points out he's seen her ''naked'' and she was fine with that, Miia points out that for a Lamia, shedding your skin is more embarrassing than simple nudity. |
| 45 | * PlayedWith in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia''--Toru Hagakure is an InvisibleStreaker who is usually somewhere between an [[InnocentFanserviceGirl Innocent]] or ShamelessFanserviceGirl, but at one point asks Mashirao to not watch her actually ''take off'' her clothes... which at this point consisted of only shoes and gloves, anyway. |
| 46 | * ''Manga/SetonAcademyJoinThePack'': Naked mole rats, as their name implies, prefer to be naked whenever possible and, in private, are regularly seen in just their underwear. Consequently, they view wearing clothing as humiliating as others would find being naked to the point where class president Miki Hadano sees other students' clothing in {{Pixellation}} and wonders how they can let themselves be seen in all their shame like that. |
| 47 | * The little people in ''Anime/StrangeDawn'' show their feet to indicate willingness for sex. |
| 48 | [[/folder]] |
| 49 | |
| 50 | [[folder:Arts]] |
| 51 | * ''Art/AllegoryOfTheFourSeasons'': As it was the standard in UsefulNotes/TheRenaissance art, nudity holds no sexual appeal unless the artwork depicts the Grecorroman Goddess of love. It's instead, a way to distinguish preternatural beings from the common folk. The four seasons are partially nude because they are neither saints nor divine in nature (from the point of view of that era's canon), but still above normal humans. |
| 52 | * ''Art/TheBirthOfVenusCabanel'': Nothing special for a RecliningVenus, portraying the Roman Goddess of Love as nude after having been born. The same goes for the putti hovering over her like seagulls. |
| 53 | * Creator/SandroBotticelli: [[UsefulNotes/TheRenaissance Rennaissance]] art regards nudity as being of divine nature or, at least, nonhuman. Most of Botticelli's paintings follow this trend, although he often makes sure to cover his subject's genitalia. One example is his famous ''Art/{{The Birth of Venus|Botticelli}}''. |
| 54 | * ''Art/PsycheAndCupidBouguereau'': "Cupid and Psyche as Children" has imagery indicative of {{putt|o}}i art (and artistic depictions of Myth/ClassicalMythology in general) as all characters involved are completely naked. |
| 55 | * ''Art/LeDejeunerSurLHerbe'': In a case of YourNormalIsOurTaboo, one of the reasons behind the painting's controversy is due to the figures in the painting were modern, the clothed figures wearing fashionable Parisian hinting at the painting being set in modern times. At the time, nude men and women depicted in paintings were normally goddesses and other mythical figures (see Creator/WilliamAdolpheBouguereau's art for instance), so the fact that the nude woman is a regular human without the pretense of myth and time was considered scandalous for its day. Others followed in that trend, such as Gustave Courbet with ''Art/LOrigineDuMonde''. |
| 56 | * ''Art/TheFallenAngel'': Nudity is not about sex appeal but about idealizing the painting's subject. Artistic idealism (one of the paradigms of the artistic movement Creator/AlexandreCabanel belonged to) is the abstraction of reality through two filters: the artist's perception and a standard of perfection. Nakedness exalts the human's body natural beauty while, at the same time, conferring a supernatural aura to the subject. In Christian art, nudity is a symbol of shame. Overall, it makes Lucifer's simmering feelings appear rawer and helps distinguish the fallen Lucifer from the still divine angels in the background. |
| 57 | * ''Art/NymphsAndSatyr'': Common for Myth/ClassicalMythology art, [[ItsNotPornItsArt not a single character is clothed]], the only bit of textile being a bit of translucent fabric a nymph is playfully wrapping around the satyr's arm. [[SceneryCensor While all of the genitalia is tastefully censored with said fabric and a tree branch]], breasts and butts are on full display. |
| 58 | [[/folder]] |
| 59 | |
| 60 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 61 | * In ''ComicBook/AllStarSuperman'', the Kryptonian astronauts Bar-El and Lilo-El wear suits that cover their whole bodies, and Bar is disgusted when, in order to save Lilo from a fall that might have killed her, Superman catches her, touching her with his uncovered hands. |
| 62 | * ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'': |
| 63 | ** In one strip set in TheGayNineties, Archie has this reaction to a swimsuit that bares Veronica's... shoulders. |
| 64 | ** Another, set in the 1800s, has Betty and Veronica nearly arrested for wearing men's swimwear -- a t-shirt and knee-length trunks combo. |
| 65 | ** When Betty and Veronica, in a story, meet their old version of the '50s (through the [[PortalToThePast Memory Lane]]), Veronica is called out by the two girls for her "skimpy" outfit that bares her midriff. |
| 66 | * When she first joins the ComicBook/{{Runaways}}, Klara, an immigrant from the 1900s, expresses shock at her female teammates baring their shoulders; throughout her early adventures with the team, her arms are frequently covered, either with full sleeves or a cape. Later, she adopts sleeveless dresses herself... but also spends a lot more time sulking. |
| 67 | * In a "The Lighter Side of..." strip by ''Magazine/{{MAD}}'' Magazine's Dave Berg, a young man is girl-watching at the beach when he starts musing on why certain body parts are 'sexy'. He begins wondering what a society that fetishized noses would be like, and gets so wrapped up in his 'what-if?' scenario that he starts ogling a woman with a bandage over the bridge of her nose, much to his friend's disgust. |
| 68 | * In John Byrne's ''ComicBook/TheManOfSteel'', Kryptonian society near the end of the planet's life is so repressed that, when Lara views images of Earth, she freaks out when she sees a field worker (possibly [[{{Foreshadowing}} Jonathan Kent]]) not wearing a shirt. |
| 69 | [[/folder]] |
| 70 | |
| 71 | [[folder:Comic Strips]] |
| 72 | * Back in the sixties, Mort Walker was told he wasn't allowed to show bellybuttons in ''ComicStrip/HiAndLois''. He protested by featuring a box of navel oranges. |
| 73 | ** The same story is told about ''ComicStrip/BeetleBailey'', also by Mort Walker. |
| 74 | [[/folder]] |
| 75 | |
| 76 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 77 | * ''Fanfic/ChangelingCourtshipRituals'' has Queen Chrysalis questioning the point of strippers when ponies are usually naked anyway. Pinkie Pie explains that "It's not what they're not wearing, but how they take it off." |
| 78 | * ''Fanfic/DungeonKeeperAmi'' has [[ADungeonIsYou Keeper]] [[Manga/SailorMoon Mercury]]'s outfit being too much for most people in the ''VideoGame/DungeonKeeper'' world, since they consider her skirt to be too short for a girl her age. |
| 79 | * In ''Fanfic/EmpathTheLuckiestSmurf'', the Psyches view Smurfs as "savages" due to the male Smurfs constantly exposing their torsos, which is why the Psyches themselves wear bodysuits that cover everything but their heads. The Smurfs themselves see nakedness as simply not wearing a hat, which leads to their "getting under each other's hat" ritual that Empath and Smurfette engage in in "Empath's Honeymoon" when they consummate their marriage together, particularly since [[FantasticArousal a male Smurf's bald head is considered an erogenous zone]]. |
| 80 | * In ''Fanfic/FlagFlyingHigh'', Lan Sizhui is very flustered by the possibility of taking his headband off -- since his sect only allows it in the strictest intimacy. He has the same reaction when he fantasizes about seeing his crush with his hair flowing free -- something done in ''bed'' -- and reacts to Harry wearing jeans and a t-shirt as if the other boy was wandering in his undergarments, only calming when Harry also puts robes on. |
| 81 | * ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fanfiction occasionally sexualize certain outfits (socks, wet manes, themed costumes like maid dresses, actual lingerie) even though the ponies are otherwise completely naked by default. |
| 82 | * In ''Fanfic/TheRiseOfDarthVulcan,'' Vulcan in nonplussed by the concept of the usually-nudist ponies wearing lingere. He's met with the reply "what's the fun of a Hearts-and-Hooves present without the fancy wrapping to tear off?" |
| 83 | * A surprisingly common bit of fanon for works centered around ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' with its furrier cast. Apparently pants, shirts and the like are optional, but an anthro is only considered naked if lacking shoes and gloves. A good example would ''Webcomic/SonicEggs'' where Sonic is horrified their human hosts remove Clone Shadow's gloves and shoes in the presence of ladies Amy and Cream. |
| 84 | * In ''Fanfic/{{Splint}}'', [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orcs]] and Men of Gondor have very different views on nudity. Rukhash thinks nothing of walking about with only a loincloth on, which Cadoc is positively mortified about. When Rukhash figures out why he's embarrassed, she finds it both confusing and hilarious. |
| 85 | * ''Fanfic/StarTrekPhoenix'': An early stumbling block when Sunset and Twilight are adapting to life on Earth is that the galaxy's humanoid societies are profoundly uncomfortable with nudity -- Equestrian society has no such taboos, and it takes some effort to explain that their preferred way of going around in public would be considered indecent. |
| 86 | * ''Fanfic/TheWarOfTheMasters'': It's explained at least once (in ''Fanfic/TheBurningOfBerunsWorld'') that [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe Orions]] consider it taboo for religious reasons to go about ''clothed'' beyond a ChainmailBikini (for women; men are allowed to cover more skin but not by much) without life or death need (i.e. they make an exception for environment suits and body armor). Damojena "D'Moj" Massana, [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch an Orion who adopted aspects of Klingon culture in rebellion against her own]], deliberately wears clothing that covers her up to her neck at all times. |
| 87 | [[/folder]] |
| 88 | |
| 89 | [[folder:Films -- Live-Action]] |
| 90 | * ''Film/ChaosWalking2021'': Having been raised in a small, all-male community that emphasizes survival above everything, Todd thinks nothing of stripping off all his clothes in front of Viola - a girl he barely knows - to jump in a river. Viola can only stare at him in [[StunnedSilence silent disbelief]]. |
| 91 | * In ''Film/TheGreatRace'' (set in 1908), Maggie [=DuBois=] daringly exposes her stockings to the newspaper editor, Mr. Goodbody. |
| 92 | * ''Film/TheHourOfThePig'': It's accurately shown that Renaissance Europeans had a very casual attitude to nudity, even with the opposite sex. Men and women are seen bathing freely in the bathhouse. Courtois even discusses this with the village priest, who's in a tub with him, asking about its morality. The priest replies that it's only immoral if the person is your close relative, like a sister (he then gets [[DistractedByTheSexy distracted as a nude nun walks by]]). |
| 93 | * Claudette Colbert famously pulled up her skirt to bare her knee and thigh in ''Film/ItHappenedOneNight'' (1934) as a way to hitch-hike a car. While not exactly nudity for the time, it was suggestive enough to stop traffic! |
| 94 | * ''Film/{{Ophelia}}'' removes all her clothes save for a long-sleeved shift that reaches her ankles to go swimming. By most modern Western standards she's ''overdressed'' to go swimming, but given this is medieval Denmark, she's essentially in [[FullyClothedNudity her underwear]] and the characters react accordingly. When Hamlet and Horatio stumble across her, she and Horatio are quite embarrassed, while Hamlet becomes flirty with her; she chides him for staring and then starts flirting back by slowly rising out of the water. She refuses to get out of the water until they're not looking and then sprints away, clutching her gown over herself. |
| 95 | * ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' |
| 96 | ** ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'': When Jack rescues Elizabeth from drowning and is trying to resuscitate her, he tears off her dress and he cuts off her corset, leaving her in just a chemise. Since her life is on the line, concerns like modesty go out the window. Once it's clear she's ok, though, modesty comes back. A chemise and corset are both ''underwear''--she's wearing her underwear in front of a bunch of men in on a public pier. The man left holding the cut-off corset embarrassedly drops it, like one might drop a bra. Elizabeth's father holds out a jacket to bundle her into to cover her chemise. |
| 97 | ** ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMenTellNoTales'' has a male character ecstatic at seeing a woman's ankles. Meanwhile, Jack is disappointed at not seeing more. Of course, having been with many women, he's presumably less impressed by ankles alone. |
| 98 | * In ''Franchise/StarWars'' continuity, the Tusken Raiders of Tatooine have a taboo about showing ''any'' part of their unclothed bodies to ''anyone'' except their mates (and even then, it's done in private), or some midwives when they're born (parents don't even see their children naked). If anyone else ever sees a Tusken Raider's face, he will make it his lifelong quest to kill that person, and not stop until he has succeeded or he himself is dead. |
| 99 | * Played for laughs in ''Film/TopsyTurvy'', when one of the cast objects to wearing a kimono that leaves his ankles exposed, feeling this is an inappropriate level of nudity. |
| 100 | * The French film ''Film/LesVisiteurs'' starts with the King of France meeting his secret lover, an English noblewoman, in a barn, and begging her to show him something before they part. She lifts up her long skirt a bit... to show him her ankles. The king treats the sight as if she just flashed him. The [[Film/JustVisiting American remake]] (with the two protagonists being played by the same actors) doesn't have this scene. Counterintuitively, there was no particular nudity taboo in the Middle Ages. Conduct was another matter. |
| 101 | * In ''Film/TheWrongBox'' set in the Victorian era, Michael Caine does some furniture-moving, rolling up his sleeve enough to reveal his wrist. Nanette Newman is so overcome by this that she faints on the sofa, revealing her stocking-clad ankle, which in turn sends Michael Caine's character into paroxysms of desire. |
| 102 | [[/folder]] |
| 103 | |
| 104 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 105 | * In the ''Literature/AncillaryJustice'' series, the Radchaai have a taboo regarding showing one's hands/arms in public and therefore go around in long gloves. Consequently, Radchaai find it erotic to watch performers playing string instruments either gloveless or wearing very thin gloves (essentially their equivalent of VaporWear). In a more intimate setting, walking around with one glove is like walking around in your underwear. |
| 106 | * In ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'', Ax (a blue, four-legged alien) comments that humans use clothing to cover the parts they consider "inappropriate" but they hide the wrong bits. According to Ax, there is nothing as ugly as a human nose. |
| 107 | * In the ''Literature/ApprenticeAdept'' series, serfs on Proton are required to go naked at almost all times, and thus, for one serf to ''conceal'' their intimate regions from another is considered a racy act. Protective wear ''is'' allowed for the jobs that need it, and if it's part of one of the Games... but that's it. Once you're done, '''clothes off'''. |
| 108 | * ''Literature/TheBrightestShadow'': Used along the lines of real world variants. Some cultures consider pants wildly inappropriate for women, others insist on the torso being entirely covered, and the Rhen are considered scandalous by many despite their clothes seeming normal to most western readers. |
| 109 | * In ''Literature/ABrothersPrice'' people are somewhat relaxed about female nudity; for example the protagonist stripping off the wet clothes of an unconscious, injured woman seems to be no big deal. He has to be chaperoned, though, for which purpose a couple of female toddlers seem to be enough. Male nudity heavily depends on whether the man's sisters are present -- in public, a man should be veiled, but a group of tailors are allowed to see him in his underwear, with his older sisters present at all times. |
| 110 | * In Creator/FrederikPohl's ''Literature/TheComingOfTheQuantumCats'' novel, which concerns the interaction of multiple alternate timelines, one such timeline involves the USA being dominated by extreme moral conservatives (due, it seems bizarrely, to the influence of the wealthy Arabs who dominate world affairs). In which even ''men'' are not allowed to wear topless bathing costumes -- they must resort to the OldTimeyBathingSuit, something which the main character only dares try to remove when no-one else is looking. |
| 111 | * In Donald Kingsbury's ''Literature/CourtshipRite'', Getans gradually decorate their skin with scars and tattoos. Scarred skin can be freely displayed in public, but showing unmodified skin is considered titillating and/or scandalous. The Liethe clan leave their skin unmodified, both for sex appeal, and to disguise the fact that they make heavy use of cloning. |
| 112 | * In ''Literature/TheCurseWorkers'' trilogy, dangerous magic that requires direct contact between the magic user's hand and the target's skin has led to the custom of wearing gloves at all times. This custom has been in place for so long that bare hands are regarded as indecent and titillating even if their owner is not a magic user and baring one's hands in another person's presence is a show of supreme intimacy. |
| 113 | * In the ''Literature/DarknessSeries'', the hot desert country of Zuwayza has no nudity taboo, its people usually going naked except for sandals and a wide-brimmed hat. Ambassadors of other countries there naturally find this a bit disquieting, though one from the kingdom of Algarve "goes native" and sometimes turns up to meetings naked... and the Zuwayzi find ''this'' disquieting because all Algarvians are circumcised, not a custom they have ever used. |
| 114 | * In Creator/MarionZimmerBradley's ''Literature/{{Darkover}}'' novels, women commonly wear their hair in butterfly clips so as not to expose the nape of the neck, which would be indecent. |
| 115 | * In the ''Literature/{{Destroyermen}}'' series: |
| 116 | ** The Mi-anaaka deem toplessness for females acceptable. Actually, their sense of modesty is almost nonexistent, and the main indecency is going without a kilt after puberty. |
| 117 | ** After the Destroyermen reach [[spoiler:New Britain]], they see that it is the norm for those with "indentures" to have no clothing on, and is very rarely seen in a sexual light. |
| 118 | * ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': |
| 119 | ** In ''Literature/TheLastHero'', we're told there is a religion in Ankh-Morpork which prohibits women from showing their ears, lest they inflame the passions of men. |
| 120 | ** In ''Literature/UnseenAcademicals'', the wizards are adamant they can't wear shorts that expose their knees, for fear of the effect this might have on women. The one woman who hears this has trouble keeping a straight face. |
| 121 | ** This prudishness seems to be entirely confined to the presence of women, however -- in ''Literature/NightWatchDiscworld'', the Archchancellor is completely oblivious as to why another wizard thinks he's "inappropriately dressed" after hurriedly getting out of the bath -- he's wearing his [[RobeAndWizardHat hat]], after all, and that's what matters. Although that's only around other (male) wizards -- when an actual woman enters the scene, he hastily requisitions another hat to cover himself with. |
| 122 | ** In ''Literature/MakingMoney'', the University's golem-expert is titillated by the prospect of relocating to a place where he'll actually be able to see women's ankles. Presumably it's lucky that he's already a ghost, else he'd have keeled over with heart failure upon actually entering the Pink Pussycat Club.... |
| 123 | ** Trolls consider near-nudity to be the norm; it's when a troll woman starts putting clothes ''on'' that she's singled out as provocatively-dressed. Troll "robers" from the Strippers' Guild actually put on layer after layer of clothing during their acts. (Their view on time also may play a small part: The past is 'ahead', since you can "see" it, and the future is 'behind' you, since you can't. So someone putting clothes ''on'', from past to future, would be viewed in a future-to-past way as...) |
| 124 | * In ''Literature/{{Hellspark}}'' by Creator/JanetKagan, the Janisetti consider the feet to be a private part; walking around with no shoes on can get a person arrested for public indecency. |
| 125 | * In Creator/RobertJSawyer's novel, ''Literature/IllegalAlien'', the aliens are given a different view on the taboo than humans as to emphasize their otherness. One of the two groups of aliens which make first contact in the novel posses a taboo against internal anatomy, believing that the guts are not to be shown to the world because they are held within. By contrast, they hold no qualms about nudity or sexuality in any manner. This is emphasized greatly in a trial scene in which an alien is asked to explain their anatomy to the court, and they proceed to have great troubles bringing himself to do so, while he has no trouble explaining or demonstrating the nature of their sexuality and, in fact, expresses confusion over the human tendency to hide it. The latter stems from the fact that their females [[BizarreAlienReproduction have four uteruses, and thus usually mate with four males in succession]]. |
| 126 | * Famously ''Literature/JohnCarterOfMars'' has the Martians wear little to nothing save for harnesses to hang their weapons and pouches to carry other items, and the occasional jewelry. The artwork on covers and such that show them with loincloths and barely-there nipple coverings on women is ''adding'' clothing. Barsoom culture simply does not care. |
| 127 | * ''Literature/KrisLongknife'': |
| 128 | ** ''Defiant'': Kris attends a festival on the Hikilan islands, which are ethnic Polynesian, in native garb. Which for her as a "virgin" (i.e. an unmarried woman) means lots of body paint, flower garlands around her waist to cover her privates, and nothing else. |
| 129 | ** The vacation of choice for the Alwan humans is a beachfront resort where no clothing is required at all. Except in the dinner pavilion, where there's a sign posted saying "no total nudity" (i.e. cover your genitals, anything else goes). |
| 130 | ** In addition to this, maneuvering at high gravities with clothes on tends to result in painful bruises from fasteners and medals, so ship crew at Alwa Station customarily enter their high-''g'' stations nude. Consequently, after spending several years on Alwa, in the sequel series Kris, Abby, and various other people attached to the United Society mission to the Iteeche think very little of swimming nude with their various children in the embassy swimming pool. |
| 131 | * In the ''Literature/LiadenUniverse'' series, Liadens consider the face to be a private area; showing it in public is unavoidable, but touching it or drawing attention to it is impolite, as is looking too long at another person's. (Wearing a mask counts as drawing attention, in the same class as wearing decorative make-up.) The Liaden language has a lot of emphasis on hand gestures and other body language to convey the information that Terrans use facial expression for; showing any facial expression in public is another impoliteness. ''Touching'' another person's face is an extremely intimate act; there are several instances in the series of Liadens being surprised by how quickly Terrans escalate to kissing, which a Liaden couple wouldn't even consider before they were married (and possibly not even after.) |
| 132 | * ''Literature/MemoirsOfAGeisha'': |
| 133 | ** Sayuri explains that geisha generally do not go out without their makeup on, so to leave just a little bit of bare skin unpainted at the hairline is a very suggestive thing indeed, hinting at what lies beneath. Additionally, necks are considered very attractive and a geisha will wear a kimono with a low collar in the back in the same way a Western woman would wear a short skirt. |
| 134 | ** Mameha teaches Sayuri that the same theory applies to wrists, when pulling the sleeve back slightly to pour tea. |
| 135 | * In ''Literature/TheMonsterBaruCormorant'', about a century ago, when Falcrest was ruled by kings, there was a taboo on bare calves. OurNudityIsDifferent is invoked, as this is brought up in comparison to contemporary Kyprananoke not attaching any obscenity to topless women: nudity is a matter of culture, and going around shirtless in the island heat and humidity of Kyprananoke is just sensible dress. |
| 136 | * In one of AP Herbert's ''[[Literature/UncommonLaw More Misleading Cases in the Common Law]]'', when a man is charged with indecency for entering the sea wearing the "wrong" sort of swimsuit, a judge goes into a bit of a rant about this, contrasting the 19th century definition of "indecency" used by the municipal council with a more liberal 1920s definition: |
| 137 | -->'''Mr Justice Wool:''' Stuff and nonsense, constable! The male torso is not indecent. If it is hairy it may be unattractive: but so is the male foot. So is your face; but the Council cannot compel you to drape it. A lady's back is not indecent: it may be attractive, but so are a lady's eyes. The act says "indecency" not "allure". My father wore nothing but drawers. So did I. |
| 138 | * The ''Literature/MrMen'' rarely wear much clothing, being {{Living Polyhedron}}s, but Mr. Bump is embarrassed when Little Miss Naughty swipes his bandages. |
| 139 | * ''Literature/TheNakedSun'' by Creator/IsaacAsimov takes place on Solaria, a planet with such a small population that individuals rarely ever come into direct contact with another human and they communicate only by holographic messenger systems. While they consider nudity in person to be inappropriate, they have no problem with nudity over TheAlternet. This causes some humorous misunderstandings when Earth detective Elijah Bailey comes to investigate a murder. |
| 140 | * In ''Literature/TheNightAngelTrilogy'', Sethi consider showing ankles to be obscene but have no problem showing breasts. In fact, Sethi wedding dresses are almost more like wedding skirts from the description. Sethi who spend too long living away from home often have trouble readjusting their standards of modesty. |
| 141 | * Played for DeliberateValuesDissonance in ''Literature/ThePoisonwoodBible''. Kilanga women hide their legs under long skirts and think nothing of going topless. Missionary Nathan Price is shocked by their indecency; the Kilanga are similarly shocked by Mrs. Price wearing ''pants''. |
| 142 | * In Robertson Davies' ''Literature/TheRebelAngels'', Maria and her mother host a dinner party for purposes of ensnaring Clement Hollis, whom Maria is in love with. Mamusia instructs her daughter to wear a low-cut top -- they're Romani, so while their legs must be covered, cleavage is just fine. |
| 143 | * In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', Qartheen women habitually wear gowns that leave one breast bare. |
| 144 | * In ''Literature/{{Soulmate}}'', Hannah Snow's PastLifeMemories provide a few examples: |
| 145 | ** When Hana first meets Thierry, or Theorn as he was known then, he's wearing nothing but a loincloth. It's mentioned that Hana is used to seeing people wear very little as her Stone Age tribe have few taboos around nudity, though [[EatingTheEyeCandy she still gets a bit flustered seeing him nearly naked]], underlining her growing attraction to him despite him supposedly being a demon. |
| 146 | ** Ha-nahkt is mentioned as wearing a long skirt, a jewelled necklace and absolutely nothing to cover her chest while performing her priestess duties, which she's unbothered by even when encountering strangers. It was common in Ancient Egypt for women to go topless. |
| 147 | * In Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/TheStand'', 108-year-old Abagail Freemantle remembers appearing on a talent show back in 1902. Before her, a woman performed a "racy French dance", showing her ankles. |
| 148 | * ''Literature/StarCarrier'': It's not uncommon for holograms to be used in lieu of clothing at public events (presumably, nanoimplants control any leakage). In fact, it's equally acceptable for holographic uniforms to be used even in the military. Nudity is perfectly acceptable among friends, whether they want to have sex or not. The only people who feel weird about it are those born on the Periphery (former coastal cities that have been flooded by global warming and a ColonyDrop). They still cling to "outdated" ideas like monogamy. |
| 149 | * This is also seen in the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' novel ''Masks'' (not to be confused with the episode). The heroes had to improvise with Halloween masks. The part where the rebel leader shows her face to Picard is played as a romantically charged moment. |
| 150 | * In the ''Literature/StarTrekNovelVerse'', the Breen Confederacy consists of multiple races who wear identical environmental suits to [[IndividualityIsIllegal ensure everyone is treated equally]]. As a result, ''any'' uncovered skin (or fur, or liquid surface, or whatever) is taboo. |
| 151 | * As Hildy Johnson, the protagonist of Creator/JohnVarley's ''[[Literature/EightWorlds Steel Beach]]'' points out, nudity may be entirely practical in Luna's sealed environments but since it's the default human condition it's considered [[TheissTitillationTheory boring, conservative and unfashionable.]] Most people wear some clothing as a means of personal expression and all professions have some uniform, item, badge, or hat denoting guild membership. Some people just like having pockets to carry things in. |
| 152 | * ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'': |
| 153 | ** The cultures based on the Vorin religion consider a woman with her left hand, called the "safehand" bare to be provocative. Commoner women wear a glove to cover it while noblewomen wear dresses with left sleeves that cover the entire arm and hand, buttoned shut. Using it for basically anything at all is considered a breach of propriety, and even touching someone with their clothed left hand is considered a very intimate gesture. Men have no such restrictions. |
| 154 | --->'''Tyn:''' It's just a hand, Shallan. Storms, you Vorins are so prim. That hand looks ''exactly'' like your other hand. |
| 155 | --->'''Shallan''': And you can see the outline of my breasts under my dress, but that doesn't mean I'm going to display ''those''. |
| 156 | ** The tradition is based on the concept that anything feminine can be done with one hand (such as writing, painting, and research/science). It's implied a few times that this tradition was created [[StayInTheKitchen to keep women from using Shardblades]], which impossibly lightweight for their size, but still require two hands to wield. However the book that established the official standards was written by a woman, and says that [[NeverLearnedToRead only women should read and write]], resulting in women being in charge of basically all scholarship, communication and paperwork. Dalinar muses that he's not sure getting Shardblades was a good trade in the exchange. |
| 157 | * In Creator/RobertAHeinlein juvenile ''Literature/TimeForTheStars'' written in 1956, the hero leaves for a decades-long relativity trip and when he returns is shocked to find that standards have changed because people are walking around 'naked'. Just when the reader thinks this is something titillating, he goes on to clarify that his father, late in the 20th Century, would never have allowed his sisters to appear, even at the breakfast table, without hats. |
| 158 | * Creator/JackVance: |
| 159 | ** In his short story "The Moon Moth", everybody keeps their faces covered at all times by stylized masks that show the wearer's current social standing. Not even spouses ever see each other's naked faces. |
| 160 | ** Similarly, in his ''Marune: Alastor 933'' the act of eating is considered taboo among the upper class: people will eat in private, and couples having an intimate dinner will barely conceal all of that intensely private stuffing of food into a facial orifice behind small table-mounted screens. |
| 161 | * In ''Literature/VanasHeritage'' Inari usually don’t wear clothes and Nirvys sense of nudity differs greatly to the standards of her fellow students. In addition, the nudity standards of all northerners differ greatly to the Eldamirians, who perceive Nirvy as being as good as naked, while the northerners see her outfit as an acceptable summer dress. |
| 162 | * In Kilgore Trout's ''Literature/VenusOnTheHalfShell''[[note]]"Kilgore Trout" was a fictional sci-fi writer invented by Kurt Vonnegut. However, ''Venus on the Half-Shell'' was actually ghostwritten by {{Creator/Philip Jose Farmer}}.[[/note]], an alien race known as the Shonks regard their faces as their private parts. Thus, they always wear masks in public, and arrest the space-travelling protagonist for indecent exposure. |
| 163 | * The classic SF story "The Wheels of If" by Creator/LSpragueDeCamp has a scene on an alternate Earth where belly buttons are considered obscene... but nothing else is, resulting in BarelyThereSwimwear of an unusual sort. The protagonist (who is from our Earth) doesn't realize this at first, he just notices that everyone seems to be walking around what he considers to be nude, so he takes his clothes off to fit in... and is promptly arrested for "Shameful Outputting" of his navel (the person explaining exactly what he's being charged with can barely bring himself to say it). |
| 164 | * ''Literature/WiedergeburtLegendOfTheReincarnatedWarrior'': Lamia have no cultural nudity taboo, so Lin is initially confused when the human characters tell her to PleasePutSomeClothesOn. Her bottom half is a particular problem since she has no legs, so she ends up wearing a set of wraps in an x-shape over her breasts and a sarong around her hips to cover her genitals. |
| 165 | * In ''Literature/WorldWar'', the [[LizardFolk Race]] wear no clothing (except in cold climates), but they are covered by intricate bodypaint from head to toe, which indicates their rank and position. The more intricate the pattern, the higher the rank. Naturally, bodypaint has to be reapplied daily (sometimes, more frequently). Fast-forward after the end of the hostilities, and the next generation of humans see nothing wrong with walking around in barely any clothing (sometimes, no clothing at all, females included), using bodypaint patterns as substitute. Naturally, the older generation finds this improper, but good luck telling teenagers that. In the final novel, the protagonists return to Earth in the 21st century and discover that there is now absolutely nothing wrong with a gameshow girl walking around with her breasts bare on live TV, while half the audience is likewise topless or completely nude (may or may not be covered in bodypaint). |
| 166 | * In ''Literature/YoungWizards'', an alien resembling a walking fir tree uses a [[CensorSteam decency field]] to cover his roots. |
| 167 | [[/folder]] |
| 168 | |
| 169 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 170 | * An episode of ''Series/TheBennyHillShow'' aired on broadcast TV in America had a silent sketch in the Australian outback. Women were shown showering and their breasts were clearly visible. Someone forgot to censor it for the easily shocked American audiences, apparently. |
| 171 | * In the ''Series/BoardwalkEmpire'' episode "Two Boats and a Lifeguard" (set in 1921) a woman gets a fine for wearing a too short bathing suit. The law requires that the skirt can't be higher than seven inches above the knee. |
| 172 | * ''Series/DoctorWho'': |
| 173 | ** In the classic series, at least one character has a similar reaction to Ace in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS26E2GhostLight Ghost Light]]". Despite the clothes not being particularly revealing by '80s standards (and those of the present, obviously). |
| 174 | ** "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E2ToothAndClaw Tooth and Claw]]": Queen Victoria refers to Rose (wearing overalls) as being "naked". |
| 175 | ** Apparently, [[Recap/DoctorWho2013CSTheTimeOfTheDoctor you don't wear clothes to church]]... but are expected to use holograms[[note]]It is specifically stated in the episode that you are only required to be naked while attending the church, but you can use a hologram to hide the nakedness if you want to, because the priests are trained to see through the holograms anyway. It's mostly for those "prudes" who are scared of being naked.[[/note]]... which the clergy can see through anyway. |
| 176 | * There's an episode of ''Series/LoisAndClark'' where the main characters travel back in time to TheWildWest, and a (female) saloon keeper is disgusted that Lois walks around "naked" (the exact word), despite being dressed in what by 1990s standards would be perfectly respectable attire for a professional woman. By 19th century standards, it wasn't (maybe due to the fact the skirt was too short). |
| 177 | * Klay from ''Series/MariaClaraAtIbarra'' is from the present day so she does not understand the clothing standards of the 19th century. By her standards, the people are overdressed yet they do not wear underwear. |
| 178 | -->"You don't wear panties, but I'm the one who is indecent?" |
| 179 | * On ''Series/TheMuppetShow,'' Kermit is considered indecently naked when he loses his collar. |
| 180 | * In the Cops episode of ''Series/MyNameIsEarl'', a foreign Sikh neighbor denies spying on Joy in her trailer and says "Look at the way she dresses! I can see her elbows any time I want to!" |
| 181 | * In the Czechoslovakian scifi series ''Návstevníci'' ("Visitors", not to be confused with the French movie above) people from the future are all bald, and consider being seen without a wig or other head covering to be indecent. |
| 182 | * An episode of ''Series/NightCourt'' featured delegates from a vaguely South-Asian nation who had no nudity taboo. To them, a woman becomes more sexually attractive when she is wearing more clothes. This trope comes into play when the ambassador gets the hots for Christine, and tells her he's been "dressing you with my eyes." At the end of the episode, she throws on her very cumbersome coat and scarf and says "have a ball," and he reacts with intense glee. |
| 183 | * One regular feature of blooper and out-take shows comes from the American version of ''Series/ThePriceIsRight'', where an over-excited woman contestant called down from the audience to participate in the show whoops, hollers and dances her way down the aisle, bouncing so hard that her breasts bounce right out of her skimpy strapless top. And for a moment or two she does not even notice... when this aired in "blooper" shows in the USA, this segment was censored by the classic black band. Exported to Britain, it was uncensored and screened in all its dubious glory. When several months later a censored version was shown on a British show, possibly because that was lifted directly from an American edition, people rang and wrote to the TV station to ask why they were bothering to censor the clip after it had been screened uncensored for so long. |
| 184 | * An episode of ''Series/QuantumLeap'' had a WWII GI's Japanese bride hanging her laundry out to dry in the air, then stripping to the waist to continue the laundry, unaware of her mother-in-law's horror at the nudity. |
| 185 | * In the short-lived sci-fi series ''Something Is Out There'', we find that Ta'ra's culture had a different definition of nudity than humans. |
| 186 | -->'''Ta'ra:''' We've already seen each other's hands, what more is there? |
| 187 | * ''Franchise/StarTrek'': Ferengi culture dictates that females shouldn't wear any clothing (or do much else, for that matter). Quark is constantly embarrassed that his mother won't follow this norm. A running gag in one episode was for Ferengi seeing Quark's mother dressed to avert their eyes the way a human would upon accidentally walking in on a naked person. The metaphor is taken to its logical conclusion when Quark's mother asks Rom (Quark's brother) if he'd be more comfortable if she took her clothes off. He would indeed. |
| 188 | [[/folder]] |
| 189 | |
| 190 | [[folder:Music Videos]] |
| 191 | * In Music/WeirdAlYankovic's music video for "Amish Paradise", two Amish boys are reading a Playboy-esque magazine for the Amish. The centerfold features a woman revealing... her shin. |
| 192 | [[/folder]] |
| 193 | |
| 194 | [[folder:Theatre]] |
| 195 | * The hooker-advertising-her-wares strip tease described by Nancy in ''Theatre/{{Oliver}}'': |
| 196 | -->"Pretty little Sally goes walking down the alley, displays her pretty ankles for all of the men. They can see her garters, but ''not'' for free and gratis -- an inch or two, and then she knows when to say when!" |
| 197 | * In olden days, a glimpse of stocking was looked on as something shocking, now God knows... ''Theatre/AnythingGoes''. |
| 198 | [[/folder]] |
| 199 | |
| 200 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 201 | * The Kasatha are a minor alien race in ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'' and a more prominent one in ''TabletopGame/{{Starfinder}}''. Kasatha traditions of modesty require that the mouth be covered at all times. To date, no living Kasatha has been depicted with a bare mouth in either system's official art. The closest artwork has gotten was some reanimated Kasatha skeletons in the first part of the ''Iron Gods'' Adventure Path (and all that tells us is that they have human-like jaws). |
| 202 | * ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasyRoleplay'' mentions Bretonnians have a taboo against women showing uncovered hair and adds that if one was to accidentally catch a Bretonnian lady bathing naked her instinct would be to use her towel to cover her hair. |
| 203 | * Reeves are a race of mercenaries and warriors in the ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}'' setting who are averse to anyone seeing their faces, including other reeves, keeping their faces hidden by helmets or veils. If anyone sees a reeve's face, the reeve becomes obsessed with finding and killing that person. (Although, enough dead reeves have been examined for their looks to be documented; they have four eyes, no hair, and pebbly skin.) |
| 204 | [[/folder]] |
| 205 | |
| 206 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 207 | * In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'' the [[https://serenesforest.net/the-sacred-stones/scripts/supports/ephraim-larachel/ L'Arachel/Ephraim support conversations]] have L'Arachel [[LargeHam panic]] at the sight of Ephraim's bare shoulder (which he exposed so she could heal an injury to it). [[HypocriticalHumor It should be noted that L'Arachel's own shoulders are constantly exposed]]. |
| 208 | * [[ExpositionFairy Starlow]] of the ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'' games takes offence at being described as nude in ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiDreamTeam Dream Team]]'', pointing out that she's wearing shoes (which are the only things she's actually wearing). Given that she's a [[WaddlingHead Star Sprite]] with no discernible 'parts' to speak of, it's not a stretch to assume that they must consider barefootedness to be nudity. |
| 209 | * ''VideoGame/StarControl'' contains two examples. |
| 210 | ** The Utwig are a race that consider it highly inappropriate to show one's face, so much of their society's etiquette is revolved around wearing different masks for different occasions, including disposable ones for the bathroom. Masks that cover less are considered highly titilating, including the "infamous lewd monocle". |
| 211 | ** The Slylandro are a sort of example. They are gaseous beings whose visual sensors respond to different wavelengths than ours; we can see right through them, and note that they have "glowy bits" within their bodies. If asked about these, the Slylandro become very flustered and embarassed, as the glowy bits are apparently involved in reproduction and ''they'' can't see them. You are politely requested not to bring the matter up again. Especially around Sullen Plummet; she's shy. |
| 212 | [[/folder]] |
| 213 | |
| 214 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 215 | * ''Webcomic/DanAndMabsFurryAdventures'': Matilda helpfully explains Furcadian modesty standards in [[http://www.missmab.com/Demo/Fashion01.php this bonus comic.]] |
| 216 | * In ''Webcomic/{{Drowtales}}'', drow usually wear high collars so that it became {{Fanon}} that they view the neck as a private part. Confirmed as AscendedFanon at the bottom of [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=395 this page.]] However it's [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=5576 apparently]] not [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=7901 strictly enforced.]] |
| 217 | * Becky from ''Webcomic/DumbingOfAge'' had a very conservative and religious upbringing which drilled it into her that all of the body's naughty parts must always be covered up. When she starts dating the NeverBareheaded Dina, she discovers that her brain extrapolated this information into "any body part that is always covered up ''must'' be naughty", and develops a fetish for seeing the top of Dina's head. Cue multiple failed {{Zany Scheme}}s to get that hat off her head. Of course, the whole time all Becky had to do was ask her to remove it. |
| 218 | * In ''Webcomic/{{Earthsong}}'', people of Weaver's species consider it obscene to show the mouth, and Weaver mentions that he had to get used to seeing other species go around unveiled. Justified since they communicate through {{Telepathy}}, only use their mouths to eat, and [[spoiler:are hiding some seriously ScaryTeeth behind those veils]]. |
| 219 | * In ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}'', one of the alternate-universe adventuring parties in the Maze of Many came from a world where exposing one's ''nose'' is considered obscene. |
| 220 | * ''Webcomic/GorgeousPrincessCreamyBeamy''; Usaginarian females consider it indecent to be seen in public without their bunny-ear hats. Vanilla's crown is deemed close enough to count when she's on another planet. |
| 221 | * This ''Webcomic/HarkAVagrant'' [[http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=338 strip]] brilliantly invokes the OldTimeyAnkleTaboo. |
| 222 | * In ''Webcomic/{{Hominids}}'', with the exception of female Mountain-Dwellers it is considered appropriate for any hominid species to go topless due to the culture of Mountain-Dwellers. |
| 223 | * In ''Webcomic/{{Housepets}}'', most notably "The Arc Specifically About Being Naked", domestic animals (but not wild animals living in civilisation) are considered naked if they're not wearing their collars. This is repeatedly lampshaded as making no sense whatsoever. |
| 224 | * In ''Webcomic/KazasMateGwenna'' the naked jungle heroes were called by ''DimensionalTraveler'' Jenny Anywhere (A literal ''MediaNotes/JennyEverywhere'' clone) to go to the ''AlternateUniverse'' of Earth-N. A world where almost everyone is naked, including the super heroes who fly around with ''nothing'' but masks on. |
| 225 | * ''Webcomic/LeagueOfSuperRedundantHeroes'': Buckaress has such a {{Stripperiffic}} costume that she "feels naked" wearing [[http://superredundant.com/?comic=119-normal an ordinary sweater and jeans.]] |
| 226 | * In Humon's ''Webcomic/LoveAndTentacles'', Frida is embarrassed to discover she's been [[http://humon.deviantart.com/art/Visit-from-mother-118619810 waving her smaller tentacles around]] in front of Tom's mother. |
| 227 | * In ''Webcomic/NotQuiteDailyComic'', the spheroid alien Bobbles (can) only wear clothing on their feet. After becoming humanoid through magic, they do use clothes yet don't consider themselves naked as long as their feet remain covered. |
| 228 | * Bastin from ''Webcomic/TwoKinds'' always hide their feet, from the ball of their toes to their ankles. One can get away with {{Sarashi}}-like bandages, but the fashion seems to be [[BuffySpeak an armored foot-sleeve dealie-o]]. WordOfGod is [[ConvenientlyCommonKink they have a species wide foot fetish]], and thus consider bare feet nudity. [[http://twokinds.keenspot.com/archive.php?p=413 Alaric's statue of Keith]] has ''only'' the feet covered. |
| 229 | [[/folder]] |
| 230 | |
| 231 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 232 | * [[http://history.icanhascheezburger.com/2011/08/23/funny-pictures-history-dat-ankle/ This captioned picture]] plays with an internet meme. |
| 233 | * The Website/CollegeHumor page on "If the Internet Always Existed" has bare ankles on the 1900 version of a porn site. |
| 234 | * In ''Literature/TalesOfMU'', a nymph's divine beauty is meant to be seen, and the act of wearing clothes in public, denying others the pleasure of seeing (and [[EthicalSlut holding]]) such beauty, is indecent by nymph standards. Mack learns about this upon [[AccidentalPervert walking in on Amaranth trying on a bathrobe in her own room]]. |
| 235 | * One online picture dealing with a [[SuccubiAndIncubi succubus']] mode of dress uses the "inverted" version. Everyday running around is stark nude, "Daring" is only a corset, and by the end she's incredibly embarrassed to be dressed in a parka and snow hat. |
| 236 | [[/folder]] |
| 237 | |
| 238 | [[folder:Web Videos]] |
| 239 | * In WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick's review of ''Film/KateAndLeopold'', she lists "can't show your ankles" as one of the problems with Leopold's time period. |
| 240 | [[/folder]] |
| 241 | |
| 242 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 243 | * Played for laughs on ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', where the Naked Wizard put a cloud on his head and suddenly declared himself "Not naked!" |
| 244 | * Darwin from ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'' only wears shoes, so his feet when shown are usually pixelated the way the other characters' privates are pixelated in-show. Darwin's feet aren't pixelated when he's wearing a towel, which he still wraps around his [[{{Cephalothorax}} "waist"]]. |
| 245 | * In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'', Stan sets up a deal with Ikea to refurnish all of [[NoWomansLand Iraq]] so it looks like "your first apartment". This cues a CutawayGag of a citizen appreciating how his new home looks, before being appalled at his wife's blatant display of nudity and telling her to put some clothes on. She's fully clothed except for her eyes so she covers up her eyes and immediately trips over a table. |
| 246 | * Most of the mice on ''WesternAnimation/AngelinaBallerina'' are naked 24/7 aside from hats, vests and aprons, with Miss Lily being an exception. This got toned down a bit in later seasons. |
| 247 | * Resident Trollan wizard Orko from ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse'' is never seen without his trademark scarf and wizard hat, even when encountered at night wearing pajama robes. This is because Trollans will only show their faces to their true love. The visiting [[BrattyHalfPint Yuckers]] is even chastised by sister Dre-Elle when he darts off screen, leaving behind his scarf and ball cap. |
| 248 | * On ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' there is an entire fashion industry in Equestria despite the fact that the majority of the population spends most of their time naked. At one point, Spike (the token male member of the main cast) gets locked out of a dressing room while Applejack (ironically the consistently most dressed pony, with her hat) lampshades that: "We don't normally wear clothes." |
| 249 | ** There's a fairly consistent pattern that ponies are embarrassed not by nudity, but by the act of disrobing itself. Rarity has privacy shields for changing in her boutique and covers herself when abruptly disrobed in "Make New Friends but Keep Discord", and Fluttershy covers herself when Rainbow Dash yanks off her bedsheets in "Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000". |
| 250 | * ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' features a planet where most of the [[StarfishAliens objects and creatures are made out of gears]]. In one episode Rick removes two cogs off Gearhead's crotch and replaces his "mouth" cogs with them. The guards see this and reacts in disgust. |
| 251 | * Count Max brings this up in ''WesternAnimation/ScaryGodmother'', saying his wife, Ruby, is beautiful but "You can practically see her ankles!" Justified, as he's more than likely originally from an era where that kind of dress was taboo. |
| 252 | -->'''Max:''' One century it's corsets and bustles and the next thing you know--\ |
| 253 | '''Skully:''' It's platforms and miniskirts? |
| 254 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': |
| 255 | ** Skinner is horrified when his mother goes on a date in an outfit that reveals her... ''figure''. |
| 256 | ** There's also an episode set in the 1800s, where the buy-your-photo section of a log flume ride has to deal with a shot of a lady "flashing her private parts". It's her ankle, and the man running the shop claims he'll take care of it before shiftily stowing it in his pocket as if it were porn. This was a parody of the "Flash Mountain" craze. |
| 257 | ** Another episode has Marge's mother recount the time she was arrested for indecent exposure, having gone to the beach with her ankles visible. |
| 258 | ** One scene that ended up getting cut was one in which the seniors of Springfield shot a "porno" involving old early twentieth-century bathing suits. |
| 259 | * During one "Silly Songs" segment of ''WesternAnimation/VeggieTales'', Larry the Cucumber emerges from the shower and is frantically searching for his hairbrush. Several fully-nude vegetables enter to help and are shocked to see Larry, who normally doesn't wear anything, in only a towel. |
| 260 | [[/folder]] |
| 261 | |
| 262 | [[folder:Real Life]] |
| 263 | * A common myth about the Victorian Era is that the sight of a woman's ankle was considered outright scandalous. This is largely exaggerated; while heavy layers of clothing was the fashion and bare legs were discouraged, [[https://youtu.be/kkDo9yRab-I ankles were nothing special to the Victorians.]] |
| 264 | * An apocryphal story has a 17th-century Spanish queen[[note]]Said to be [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariana_of_Austria Mariana of Austria]], second wife of Philip IV[[/note]] passing through a town renowned for its silk production, where the merchants presented her with a gift of stockings. Since they were effectively lingerie in the time period, her scandalized attendant threw them aside, declaiming, "Know that a Queen of Spain ''has no legs''.". The story ends with Mariana, who was around fourteen years old by then, crying as she feared her legs would be cut off once in Spain. |
| 265 | * Professional Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman was arrested at Revere Beach, Massachusetts in 1907, for wearing an indecent bathing suit. [[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Annette_Kellerman.jpg Here it is,]] covering her from neckline to mid thigh. |
| 266 | * KimonoFanservice mentions in passing a fetish for the nape of the neck. There was never a taboo against showing them, however. |
| 267 | * The "CAP" Alert Christian movie review website frequently deprecates movies where females wear "form-revealing tops". |
| 268 | * In some African cultures, thighs are considered indecent to show, yet breasts are A-OK, hence you'll see women wearing skirts long enough to cover their thighs and nothing on top. In fact, people of these cultures will find it hilarious when they are told of the Western fetishization of breasts, believing those who buy into this to be like babies. |
| 269 | * The Mormons' idea of dressing modestly is that which will cover their temple garments, which are basically a white T-shirt and white shorts with special symbols embroidered on them. Showing any part of their temple garments in public (especially to a non-Mormon) is considered a taboo in the LDS Church. The idea is that if the garments can be seen, then the outfit is too revealing, so anything sleeveless or backless is automatically out, as well as anything that shows too much thigh.[[note]]Note that there do seem to be exceptions for things like athletic wear, else Brigham Young University wouldn't have a Division I (and quite good) women's gymnastics team which dresses in the conventional manner, i.e. leotards.[[/note]] |
| 270 | * Ancient Minoan artwork depicts women walking around in outfits that cover their legs, but upper body coverings leave their breasts exposed. |
| 271 | * Men of the Kapauku tribes of Papua New Guinea often wear nothing but penis-shafts, which will [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin cover the penis]] (while often being comically oversized) but leave the testicles, buttocks and rest of the body exposed. |
| 272 | * In some modern Asian countries, it is considered somewhat risque for women to show their shoulders or neckline below the collarbone, but wearing extremely short shorts or skirts is perfectly fine. At the same time, men don't typically go topless as often as they do in the West. It is not uncommon to see t-shirts over swimsuits for both men and women. |
| 273 | * In Korean spas, which are segregated by gender, the clients typically go completely nude, especially in the saunas. Creator/MargaretCho was therefore quite shocked when, during a visit to one, she was asked to put on a robe because some of the older clients were uncomfortable with her tattoos. |
| 274 | * This is essentially why nude or topless beaches are more common in Europe than the rest of the world (though opinions on nudity in other settings vary). |
| 275 | ** Australia has a European perspective on beach wear. This [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-Lx2ihpGbc commercial]] from New Zealand was later reused there with a slightly different voice over, and demonstrates the setting specific standards by showing the transition from normal male beachwear of briefs (togs) into indecent exposure (undies!) just by walking inland and boarding a bus, elevator, etc. |
| 276 | * One of the most enduring and widespread dress styles during the middle ages featured a rather low cut that showed off the breast (even nipples), and an extremely low cut on the back (often down to near the waist). At the same time these dresses tended to be ground length and would never have been shorter than knee length. In modern Europe, women in period dresses of the same style often add a (mostly) anachronistic cloth over the torso while those same re-enacters tend to comment on how their dresses show no leg. |
| 277 | * Until the early 20th century, it was considered indecent for women to have their hair loose, and for men to go outside without a jacket or other profession-appropriate cover for their shirt. It was even considered inappropriate for men to remove their jackets when indoors, except for reasons like excessive heat. |
| 278 | ** As recently as the 1990s, one company in London was notorious for instantly firing any of its [male] employees caught in the main elevator without their jackets. |
| 279 | * The English comedian Zoe Lyons has a stand-up routine about how she fell victim to this; her Dutch girlfriend, for whom nudity is no big deal, persuaded her with great difficulty to come to a nudist beach where they both stripped and lay down to sunbathe. Lyons fell asleep, and woke up to find her now fully-dressed girlfriend about to go off and find food for them. Lyons stood up to go with her, but then over the sand dune came two old and fully-clothed Swiss friends of Lyons' girlfriend who greeted her affectionately, not batting an eyelid at the fact that Lyons wasn't wearing anything, because after all it was a nude beach and they were being relaxed and European about it. Politeness obliged Lyons to stand around completely naked making small talk for several minutes with three fully-clothed people, including two complete strangers, to her own crippling embarrassment. The others weren't embarrassed at all. |
| 280 | * "This film contains [[NationalGeographicNudity ethnographic nudity]]" is a warning message seen at the beginning of many anthropology and cultural tourism documentaries focused on tribal communities, usually of the South Pacific, Central Africa, or the Amazon, meaning that the native people will be shown in their normal state of (un)dress without post-processing blur and that their nudity will be treated as a non-issue rather than as embarrassing or titillating. |
| 281 | * Many female specific variations begin as ways for upper class women to distinguish themselves and emphasize their status, then filter down as the economic conditions improve or modernize; more women no longer have to deal with physical labor considerations and begin emulating the wealthy. |
| 282 | * In ancient (and even some modern) Asian cultures, a noblewoman's bare feet were considered almost as private as her genitals. Even now, in many parts of the world baring the soles of your feet is viewed as not just indecent, but ''insulting.'' |
| 283 | * The degree of cover that is the norm in Islamic countries varies widely by history, geography, and economics. There is a general call to modesty in the Koran, but what meets that criteria is not defined (males are also instructed to be modest, but morality is typically not attached as it is for women). Most Muslim nations meet this with the hijab, a covering for the neck and hair, but several nations and cultures are more relaxed, such as Jordan and the Tuaregs. In the Ottoman and Persian Empires and for thousands of years before them, the higher a woman's status the more she covered herself; wearing a veil generally indicated that a woman was high-class, and hiding the eyes from view could indicate nobility. Some of their successor nations, particularly in the Gulf, have taken this to an extreme in part to emphasize their recent economic rise, in part due to conservative movements that have increased influence since the latter half of the 1900s. What is considered indecent continues to vary - one recent innovation is the burkini, which covers the hair, hands, and legs and includes a skirt to allow for modesty at the beach and in competitive swimming. |
| 284 | ** Other conservative religious groups also include modesty among their strictures, and also often attach indecency only to female compliance. Married Orthodox Jewish women wear head coverings, which can include wigs, while Christian groups often don't restrict headwear, but do generally emphasize form obscuring dresses. |
| 285 | ** Conversely, in the Tuareg culture of North Africa men wrap a fold of their trademark indigo turban (Tagelmust) across their faces at all times while in public (to the point where their faces become permanently blue as the dye leaches into their skin, which is why the Tuareg are sometimes called "The Blue People"), but women do not cover their faces at all. A man baring his face in public is seen as shameful, as the wearing of the veil is a rite of passage into manhood. |
| 286 | * The Western attitude to showing female hair from about 1600-1850 flipped the general economic model. Mothers (or women who'd been married for long enough that they were ''expected'' to be mothers), widows, little girls (and little boys, who wore the same clothes as girls) and old maids (that is, single women over about twenty-five) wore caps. So did servants and nearly all working class women (being caught outside without one was a pretty sure indicator of a prostitute). But ''ladies'' -- those who were daughters or wives of the landowning class, that is -- didn't wear them with evening wear, and single young ladies who were 'out' -- that is, available and looking for marriage -- didn't wear them at all (Jane Austen's adoption of them at the age of twenty-three can probably be read as her giving up on men at this point). Over the 19th century they dwindled to being only for widows and servants, and that to only a kind of token headband by World War One. |
| 287 | ** As for going outdoors, both sexes were expected to wear hats whenever they left the house until quite recently (the reason people stopped is thought to be the advent of cars). Men, however, were supposed to take them off when they entered a building -- especially a church -- to show respect, and by extension to briefly raise their hat as a respectful greeting (though this might have come from the fact that they would bow slightly at such moments until the early 19th century -- bowing would make your hat fall off). Women, however, would usually have their hat tied on or pinned to their hair, so they would only remove it when at home. (Hats also went on ''over'' the aforementioned caps.) |
| 288 | * The painting ''Art/{{Olympia}}'' by Édouard Manet depicts a nude woman on a bed. When it was exhibited in Paris in 1865, it was considered immoral and vulgar, not because of the nudity, but because the details of the painting imply that the woman is a prostitute, and also because the woman is staring directly at the viewer, unashamed of her nudity. His ''Art/LeDejeunerSurLHerbe'' is similar in this regard, with one of the women being nude and staring straight at the viewer. |
| 289 | * Married Orthodox Jewish women, in addition to wearing conservative clothing, are also required to cover their hair, using a wig, a hat or sometimes both. In some sects women are only required to cover a part of their hair, while in others they are not allowed for a single strand of their actual hair to be visible. The Satmar Hasidic sect takes this to the point where married women have to shave their heads entirely. |
| 290 | ** While Modern Orthodox men often dress pretty "normally," save for a head covering, Haredi and Hasidic men would be considered under-dressed in anything but a suit. |
| 291 | * A subversion: when the Spanish colonials tried to conquer the Araucanians in South America, the natives kidnapped many Spanish women; most were later returned in a peace deal, wearing native-made clothes and naked from the waist down. However, the Araucanians had the same understanding of nudity as Europeans; they were invoking this trope to mock the way the Spanish viewed their culture and assumed NationalGeographicNudity. |
| 292 | * Nudity in ''children'' has been more tolerated than in adults for most of history, not least because little kids grow so rapidly that keeping them fully clothed involves much more work and expense. Modern parents' PedoHunt fears did more to put an end to this than any amount of pressure from MoralGuardians; of course, part of the reason is that, until relatively recently, it was assumed that nobody would be sexually interested in children. The greatly reduced costs of clothes in the modern era is probably why nobody has really complained about this transition much. |
| 293 | ** Nude swimming was the norm in many boys' gym classes in schools up until the 1950s: another practice that fell away with the declining cost of clothing (swimwear included) and the prevalent homophobia of that highly-conservative era. |
| 294 | ** Japanese culture still has a fairly lax attitude toward boys being naked, which is why you'll sometimes see it [[MaleFrontalNudity uncensored]] in anime. Again, the assumption is just that people will just see it as kids being kids rather than something sexual. |
| 295 | * In some parts of the Middle East, Central Asia, throughout most of China and Korea under the Confucian society, and earlier periods of Japan, for the men it was considered indecent for their hair or top of their head to be shown in public. Hence many fashionable headwear worn like the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turban turban]], the Korean [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gat_(hat) gat]], and many [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_headgear Chinese variations]]. Try looking for men without their headgear in Chinese, Ottoman, or Persian arts. Guaranteed it would extremely rare to stumble upon a single male character with their hair or head shown. |
| 296 | ** With Asian countries, this has something to do with under the Confucian custom, following Confucius' belief that it was considered barbaric for a man to not cover his head as the hair was sacred and should not be shown except at home. As for the Middle East, this links back to the modesty belief in Islam (see above) and the products of the pre-Islamic practices (like the Persians and Assyrians). |
| 297 | * Surprisingly, higher class women in Ancient Greece were expected to cover themselves in veil except for their face when they went out outdoors, a custom that is very similar in the Middle East. This was explored in depth in ''[[https://www.academia.edu/10399067/Aphrodites_Tortoise._The_Veiled_Woman_of_Ancient_Greece_2003_ Aphrodite's Tortoise: The Veiled Woman of Ancient Greece]]'' by Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones. |
| 298 | * Some regions of the precolonial Philippines had a much different view on toplessness than Europeans did. Wearing a shirt seemed to be more ''class-based'' than gender-based; as with many tropical climates, [[NationalGeographicNudity not wearing too many clothes in the heat is practical instead of titillating.]] Spanish accounts frequently complain that working-class men and women alike walked around shirtless, and the shirts or robes they saw nobles and wealthy people wearing [[VaporWear were far too thin for Western-style modesty.]] |
| 299 | * In late 18th and early 19th century Europe (corresponding to late Georgian and Regency era England), the most fashionable and daring upper class ladies wore necklines so low that their nipples were exposed (or could be exposed during a dramatically timed “accidental wardrobe malfunction”), but always made sure that their shoulders were covered (because only prostitutes walked around with their shoulders showing). |
| 300 | * Yanomami, an indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest, considers female breasts are ok to exposed, but genitalia is a big no-no for women after puberty due to the belief that menstrual blood is poisonous. After a young girl gets her period, she must keep her genitalia covered by a loincloth or a skirt. |
| 301 | [[/folder]] |
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