[[quoteright:350:[[Film/MissCongeniality https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/misscongen_5705.jpg]]]]

->''"I'm in a dress, I have gel in my hair, I haven't slept, I'm starved, and I'm armed. Don't mess with me."''
-->-- '''Agent Hart''', ''Film/MissCongeniality''

When the FairCop (preferably a female one) is forced to [[SheCleansUpNicely Clean Up Nicely]] and pretend to be a fashion model, [[BeautyContest beauty pageant contestant]], [[YouCanLeaveYourHatOn stripper]] or other hot-chick-related job in order to investigate a crime. The lady is usually HollywoodHomely and doesn't think she's attractive ''at all'' until after the MakeoverMontage. Often a shallow excuse for {{Fanservice}}.

Sometimes combined with DirtyHarriet, for example when impersonating a HighClassCallGirl.

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!!Examples:

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[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* In one episode of ''Anime/SailorMoon'' the MonsterOfTheWeek is drawing energy from women in a contest where wedding gown designers have to model their own dresses. Usagi disguises herself as a contestant in order to find out who it is. Although she had been planning to enter the contest anyway - it's just that her sewing skills were atrocious.
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[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''Franchise/GIJoe'':
** One issue of ''[[ComicBook/GIJoeARealAmericanHeroMarvel G.I. Joe Special Missions]]'' had Scarlett, Lady Jaye, Cover Girl and Jinx undercover as dancers on a parade float.
** Cover Girl's background is this in reverse: She was ''actually'' a fashion model before joining the Joes.
* In ''Literature/DominoLady's Threesome'', Domino Lady goes undercover as a performer in a burlesque show to learn why some dancers have mysteriously vanished.
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[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* This is the entire premise of ''Film/MissCongeniality''. Gracie has to go undercover in the Miss USA pageant to prevent a possible terrorist attack.
* An impromptu one in ''Film/XMenFirstClass'' where Moira sees their lead going into a strip club and so strips down to her underwear and follows him in.
--> "I'm using some equipment the CIA didn't give me..."
* Another impromptu version in ''Film/WhatAGirlWants''. Daphne is tricked by the AlphaBitch into going to a fashion show dressed [[UnderdressedForTheOccasion casually when it's supposed to be formal]]. She gets mistaken for a model and pushed out on stage.
* ''Film/SheShootsStraight'' has Mina and Ling going undercover as models during a fashion show to uncover some illegal weapons trade. It works, until the two women have to fight while wearing heels.
* In ''{{Film/Sleepover}}'' Julie pretends to be a swimsuit model to meet a blind date in a club. The date turns out to be [[OhCrap her teacher]].
* The NotHisSled twist at the end of the 2004 remake of ''Literature/TheStepfordWives'' - [[spoiler: Joanna goes undercover as a Stepford Wife so that Walter can reverse the programming and save the other wives]].
* The whole premise of ''Film/{{Anna}}'', where a beautiful KGB agent works as a super model for her cover identity, and to help get close to some targets.
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[[folder:Literature]]
* Subverted in the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novels: The needs-an-official-document-to-prove-he's-human "Nobby" Nobbs and the gorgeous blonde Sgt. Angua von Uberwald perform an undercover "sting" operation requiring one of them to dress up as a "seamstress" (Discworld euphemism for "prostitute"). Guess which one.
* ''Literature/CiaphasCain''[[note]]HERO OF THE IMPERIUM!!!![[/note]]: Ordo Xenos Inquisitor Amberley Vail is first introduced as a GlamorousWartimeSinger. Helps that she sings very well and [[ObfuscatingStupidity can act]] [[TheDitz the part]].
* A {{Rare Male Example}} in ''Literature/CutAndRun''. In the third book, FBI agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett go undercover as a married couple and Ty has to be a [[TrophyWife Trophy Husband.]] He looks so bleached, waxed, and polished that Zane starts referring to him as a Ken doll.
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[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Happens to Myka on ''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}''. Sparks a [[DiscussedTrope discussion]] of HollywoodPudgy (the writers think it's ridiculous).
* Diana pulls this off in ''Series/WhiteCollar''.
* Kate Beckett does this impromptu-ly around Russian mobsters in ''Series/{{Castle|2009}}''. More specifically: she ditches all clothing bar her bright red bra and panties and wears her jacket as a dress (with a NavelDeepNeckline to boot).
* A rare male case occurs in ''Series/{{Psych}}'' when Shawn and Gus claim to be male models. Both played straight with Gus and subverted when nobody believes Shawn is a model, forcing him to claim to be a hand (and foot!) model.
* Diana Prince, in the ''Series/WonderWoman'' TV series, went undercover as a beauty pageant contestant. Steve didn't think she was pretty enough to pull it off. Because Steve is an idiot.
* This happened on an episode of ''Series/NewYorkUndercover''--in this case they were male models. (In another episode they were drag queens.)
* Every other episode of ''Series/CharliesAngels''.
* On the ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' episode where Bud makes an exercise video, 3 lady cops (coincidentally named after Charlie's Angels) play background dancers in order to take down the mob boss who financed the video. They also arrest Bud for perving on them.
* One episode of ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' has this in the form of Detective Stevens pretending to want to work for an escort service.
* Creator/AmberTamblyn's character in ''Series/TheUnusuals'' had been working Vice undercover as a prostitute before being reassigned.
* Comes up on ''Series/{{Chuck}}'' in one early season 4 episode: The mission takes Chuck and Sarah to Milan for Fashion Week (Casey has to stay behind after [[{{Pun}} stabbing someone with a stiletto]] last time he was in Milan) to retrieve weapons technology from a Volkoff agent who uses her cover as a fashion model to move it through customs. Initially it looks like this will be averted in Sarah's case, until the pair is forced to go ''back'' to Milan and she masquerades as a model to make off with the dress in which the technology is concealed. Of course, a [[DesignatedGirlFight Catwalk Catfight]] ensues.
* In the 70's cop show ''Series/PoliceWoman'', Creator/AngieDickinson's character goes undercover as a casino hostess to infiltrate an illegal gambling ring. Her job is to dress elegantly, be pleasant, and entice "whales" to stay and gamble. She blows her cover when a mob boss demands [[DirtyHarriet sexual services]].
* ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' has a Season 7 episode where Sabrina wants to get a news story on a talent contest - so she, Morgan and Roxie enter as a GirlGroup.
* ''Series/{{Hunter|1984}}'': In the third-season episode "Double Exposure", Sgt. [=McCall=] goes undercover as a photo model to infiltrate a model agency suspected of foul play. She doesn't even have to [[SheCleansUpNicely Clean Up Nicely]]: using her natural good looks, she has no problems producing a portfolio that impresses the agency into hiring her on the spot.
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[[folder:Video Games]]
* In ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'', Agent 47 infiltrates a fashion show in Paris, where he can knock out or [[KillAndReplace kill]] the male supermodel Helmut Kruger. They happen to bear more than a passing resemblance to each other, and add to that some heavy makeup, nobody can tell the difference between them, which gives 47 almost unlimited access to his targets. He can even quite fabulously walk the catwalk before getting on with his assassinations.
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[[folder:Web Comics]]
* Inadvertently happens to Ki in ''Webcomic/GeneralProtectionFault'' during the Nerdvana arc. Ki doesn't try to pass herself off as a supermodel, but is mistaken for one anyway (partially due to the supermodel's thinking all nerds are men).
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