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Richard Woolsey Effect

Militaries have uniforms, so does everything from amusement parks to fast food restaurants, suits can even be said to be the uniforms of the business world. That said, there are often those individuals that just don't seem to enjoy them. Sometimes the character seems uncomfortable in the uniform. Sometimes they just look strange in it. Often times they will go to great lengths not to wear the specified uniform at all. This is often done to show that they aren't really a part of the group whose uniform that they wear of that the character them self is noncomformist in some way.

Named after Richard Woolsey from Stargate Atlantis who, after being made head of the Atlantis base, switched from a suit to the Atlantis base outfit, which did not flatter him at all. Not to be confused with the Ted Woolsey effect, which is about translation style choices.

Examples:

Live-Action TV

Richard Woolsey. In one episode, he's seen wearing a suit and tie during his off hours:
Teyla: I thought you said you were changing into something more relaxed.
Woolsey: For me, this is more relaxed.
Jack Meadows in The Bill spent over 15 years as a plain clothes detective. Now Superintendent, he's had to start wearing one for press conferences.
Abby Sciuto in NCIS does not like wearing suits, preferring to wear Perky Goth attire.
Vic Mackey in his final scenes, stuck at a desk job instead of being able to bust heads on the street.

Literature

Herald Alberich from Mercedes Lackey's Heralds of Valdemar series is uncomfortable in Herald's whites and tends to wear a dark grey uniform when he can.
- Later, former mercenary Kerowyn will only wear her Whites (which she refers to as the "Please shoot me now!" outfit) if she absolutely must.
Richard Sharpe regularly refuses to stop wearing his green Rifleman uniform even when he becomes an officer in a regular 'redcoat' regiment. During the Battle of Waterloo he is actually a member of the Dutch army but still refuses to give up his old uniform.

Requisite Royal Regalia

Costume Tropes

Right Through His Pants