History Main / RoughOveralls

# A blue-collar worker, or other level of lower/working class. Along with farmers, this covers other manual laborers such as plumbers, carpenters, janitors, construction workers, and the like who don't work sit-down office jobs. Overalls are a fast visual shorthand for a character who's either doing some hard work where their regular clothes would be ruined, working with their hands, or of lower class than the others around them; put one person in overalls and everyone else around them in suit pants and blazers (or even just collared shirts and khakis), and you can quickly tell who's the WorkingClassHero or assumed to not make as much as the nicer-dressed people around them, including their boss. Sometimes, advertisements and propaganda will use these to evoke the idea of the common man or worker and their connection to the lower class, even if the person wearing them is not. They're also worn by characters who may just need them temporarily to stay clean during hard work such as painting, dirty jobs, or farm work. For particularly hot and/or messy jobs, it's much easier to clean a single garment instead of one's own skin (or [[BeastMan fur]]) and wearing overalls (with or without an undershirt) is a much more practical alternative to [[ShirtlessScene outright toplessness]]. When needed, the front bib also pulls double-duty as an apron should one not have a rag (or discarded shirt) on hand. But without explanations for why they're being worn in this latter case, that gets a little [[Administrivia/PeopleSitOnChairs generic]].

# A blue-collar worker, or other level of lower/working class. Along with farmers, this covers other manual laborers such as plumbers, carpenters, janitors, construction workers, and the like who don't work sit-down office jobs. Overalls are a fast visual shorthand for a character who's either doing some hard work where their regular clothes would be ruined, working with their hands, or of lower class than the others around them; put one person in overalls and everyone else around them in suit pants and blazers (or even just collared shirts and khakis), and you can quickly tell who's the WorkingClassHero or assumed to not make as much as the nicer-dressed people around them, including their boss. Sometimes, advertisements and propaganda will use these to evoke the idea of the common man or worker and their connection to the lower class, even if the person wearing them is not. They're also worn by characters who may just need them temporarily to stay clean during hard work such as painting, dirty jobs, or farm work. For particularly hot and/or messy jobs, it's much easier to clean a single garment instead of one's own skin (or [[BeastMan fur]]) and wearing overalls (with or without an undershirt) is a much more practical alternative to [[ShirtlessScene outright toplessness]]. The front bib also pulls double-duty as an actual bib should one not have a rag (or discarded shirt) on hand. But without explanations for why they're being worn in this latter case, that gets a little [[Administrivia/PeopleSitOnChairs generic]].

# A blue-collar worker, or other level of lower/working class. Along with farmers, this covers other manual laborers such as plumbers, carpenters, janitors, construction workers, and the like who don't work sit-down office jobs. Overalls are a fast visual shorthand for a character who's either doing some hard work where their regular clothes would be ruined, working with their hands, or of lower class than the others around them; put one person in overalls and everyone else around them in suit pants and blazers (or even just collared shirts and khakis), and you can quickly tell who's the WorkingClassHero or assumed to not make as much as the nicer-dressed people around them, including their boss. Sometimes, advertisements and propaganda will use these to evoke the idea of the common man or worker and their connection to the lower class, even if the person wearing them is not. They're also worn by characters who may just need them temporarily to stay clean during hard work such as painting or farm work, but without explanations that gets a little [[Administrivia/PeopleSitOnChairs generic]].

These are the three main uses, with three others that have gone in and out of prominence:

# For particularly hot [=and/or=] messy jobs, it's much easier to clean one's own skin (or [[BeastMan fur]]) than cleaning stained clothes once the job is done, and wearing overalls with no undershirt is a much more practical alternative to [[ShirtlessScene outright toplessness]], in addition to the front bib pulling double-duty as an actual bib should one not have a rag (or discarded shirt) on hand.

# Some media might play overalls up for {{Fanservice}} by putting an adult in overalls without a shirt underneath and showing off the chest area, back, sides of the torso (or entire torso if the bib is down), and/or bare shoulders. Since everything sensitive is technically covered but it's the only garment present, this implies that the overalls are ''all'' the person is wearing. This is a gender-neutral look -- anyone can look sexy in overalls and with men, it's evoking HotMenAtWork. It's also one of the few ways for females to pull off a ShirtlessScene without raising the rating too high, as the front apron will keep their nipples covered, though more "endowed" ladies will have to contend with {{Sideboob}}.
# For particularly hot [=and/or=] messy jobs, it's much easier to clean one's own skin (or [[BeastMan fur]]) than cleaning stained clothes once the job is done, and wearing overalls with no undershirt is a much more practical alternative to [[ShirtlessScene outright toplessness]], in addition to the front apron pulling double-duty as an actual apron should one not have a rag (or discarded shirt) on hand.

These are the three main uses, with two others that have gone in and out of prominence:

# Some media might play overalls up for {{Fanservice}} by putting an adult in overalls without a shirt underneath and showing off the chest area, back, sides of the torso (or entire torso if the bib is down), and/or bare shoulders. Since everything sensitive is technically covered but it's the only garment present, this implies that the overalls are ''all'' the person is wearing. This is a gender-neutral look -- anyone can look sexy in overalls and with men, it's evoking HotMenAtWork.

* ''Anime/SailorMoon'': Rei Hino, a hot-tempered shrine maiden who pictures herself as the epitome of elegance, is occasionally seen wearing a pair of pink overalls. The outfit demonstrates Rei's dual traits as both girly but also ready to jump into "less refined" activities. Their premiere episode shows this as Rei is first seen in the overalls while pretending to [[ImplausibleDeniability not at all be interested in visiting]] the studio for [[ShowWithinAShow the "Sailor V" anime]].

** Buffy on occasion wore overalls, but it was nicknamed by the fanbase as her "Dungarees of Depression" due to how she wore them when feeling sad -- such as when she had no powers but had to save her mother from a vampire in "Helpless" or when she believed she killed mother's boyfriend when he was really an android in "Ted". The exception to this was during a dream sequence in the Season 4's finale, where Giles dreamt Buffy as a WomanChild wearing overalls with her hair in GirlishPigtails.

* ''Series/NaturallySadie'': Prior to the {{Retool}} of the second season, Sadie often wore overalls to show her {{Tomboy}} nature and interest in studying nature, mostly wearing a pair when she volunteers at a zoo or collect samples in a swamp. This became a plot point in "Best of Breed", when an AlphaBitch volunteers to mentor her on a speech contest but critique Sadie's overalls. Sadie in turn, learn some manipulative tactics and has the popular girl trade away her trendy clothes for her own overalls.

* ''VideoGame/StoryOfSeasons'': The farmer in the first game, ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon1'', wears these, as part of the OverallsAndGingham appearance; this carries through to other games, with it being a default look for multiple games. Games that allow clothing variance often have at least one overalls set for the player.

* ''Anime/SailorMoon'': Rei Hino, a hot-tempered shrine maiden who pictures herself as the epitome of elegance, is occasionally seen wearing a pair of pink overalls. The outfit demonstrates Rei's dual traits as both girly but also ready to jump into "less refined" activities. Their premiere episode shows this as Rei is first seen in the overalls while pretending to [[ImplausibleDeniability not at all be interested in visiting]] the studio for [[ShowWithinAShow the ''Sailor V'' anime]].

* The ''Series/HallmarkHallOfFame'' film adaptation of the children's book, ''Literature/SarahPlainAndTall'' has farmer Jacob Witting -- Sarah's husband -- alternate between a couple of pairs of denim overalls while he's working his land. To hint at his lower class status, the left-side strap on one pair has been replaced with a strip of lighter-colored cloth. His young son Caleb wears them as well, and at one point his MailOrderBride Sarah "borrows" a pair of Jacob's to wear while she's helping fix a hole in the farmhouse roof.

* Roger of ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'' wears red overalls with a bow tie. While not a working class hero or of rural background, the overalls evoke the playfulness and goofiness side and of his toon ways; much like other characters put into overalls during the era like the [[WesternAnimation/TheThreeLittlePigs Big Bad Wolf]], he's supposed be a bit of a rube, as seen in his short with Baby Herman getting the best of him.

* ''Literature/CatPlanetCuties'': Ichika dresses in overalls, a t-shirt, and an oversized cap -- which, combined with her physical appearance, makes her look all of fourteen. [[spoiler:She's an immortal who is ReallySevenHundredYearsOld and uses magical talismans, and has cat ears under her hat.]]

** Buffy on occasion wore overalls, but it was nicknamed by the fanbase as her 'Dungarees of Depression' due to how she wore them when feeling sad--such as when she had no powers but had to save her mother from a vampire in 'Helpless' or when she believed she killed mother's boyfriend when he was really an android in 'Ted'. The exception to this was during a dream sequence in the season 4's finale, where Giles dreamt Buffy as a WomanChild wearing overalls with her hair in GirlishPigtails.

* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'': Entrapta wears overalls over the entire series, even during the Princess Prom. In the first half of the series, she wears them like pants with the upper parts hanging loosely, matching her carefree attitude. At the end of Season 4, she appears in Beast Island wearing them correctly with the suspenders on her shoulders, as a hint [[CharacterDevelopment that she has become aware of the consequences of her actions.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'': Ralph, the PunchClockVillain of the ''Fix-It Felix'' arcade machine, wears a pair of dirty brown suspenders with the left suspender unhooked over a frayed plaid undershirt to help emphasize his lower-class lout status as the bad guy. Fix-It Felix also wears overalls--a pair of blue overalls along with his tool belt and hammer--but being the WorkingClassHero handyman these present him in a more professional light than Ralph.

# Some media might play overalls up for {{Fanservice}} by putting an adult in overalls without a shirt underneath and showing off the chest area, back, sides of the torso, and/or bare shoulders. Since everything is technically covered, but it's the only garment present, this implies that the overalls are ''all'' the person is wearing. This is a gender-neutral look -- anyone can look sexy in overalls and with men, it's evoking HotMenAtWork.

* ''ComicStrip/Garfield'': Jon's rural living country brother, Doc Arbuckle, wears these as he still lives on the farm with his parents; his father also wears a set. This contrasts the two of them with Jon, who lives in the city and overlaps with OverallsAndGingham.

* ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'': Ralph is the PunchClockVillain of the ''Fix-It Felix'' arcade machine. Ralph wears a pair of dirty brown suspenders with the left suspender unhooked over a frayed plaid undershirt to help emphasize his lower-class lout status as the bad guy. Fix-It Felix himself also wears a pair of blue overalls along with his tool belt and hammer, but being the WorkingClassHero handyman presents him in a more professional light than Ralph.

** Buffy on occasion wore overalls, but it was nicknamed by the fanbase as her 'Dungarees of Depression' due to how she wore them when feeling sad, such as when she had no powers but had to save her mother from a vampire in 'Helpless' or when she believed she killed mother's boyfriend when he was really an android in 'Ted'. The exception to this was during a dream sequence in the season 4's finale, where Giles dreamt Buffy as a WomanChild wearing overalls with her hair in pigtails

* ''WesternAnimation/ChucksChoice'': In 'So Wrong Its Right', Chuck has reality warp that all the test he takes are easy, however in a case of BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor, all his test are easy because he's sent back to kindergarten, where he's put to wearing shortalls due to his KiddieKid status.

* ''WesternAnimation/BigCityGreens'': Cricket is almost always seen wearing overalls, signifying his country roots.

Overalls, coveralls, dungarees! No matter what you call them, they're sure good at covering up a person. Overalls consist of pants[[note]]or shorts, or a skirt[[/note]] attached to a top front bib, and straps from the back that hook over the shoulders to the front bib. They're often made of denim, a strong fabric that can take the brunt of hard work and harsh cleaning, and cover clothing to keep what's underneath clean. ("Overalls" in British English can also refer to a boiler suit or protective overcoat, rather than the bib-style overalls American English usually refers to.) Jumper dresses (called pinafore dresses in the UK) are a variant where the shorts or pants are replaced with a skirt instead, and can be made either of denim or of something fancier.

# Some media might play overalls up for {{Fanservice}} by putting an adult in overalls without a shirt underneath and showing off the chest area, back, sides of the torso, and/or bare shoulders. Since everything is technically covered, but it's the only garment present, this implies that the overalls are ''all'' the person is wearing. This is a gender-neutral look -- anyone can look sexy in overalls and with men men it's often evoking HotMenAtWork.

Overalls, coveralls, dungarees! No matter what you call them, they're sure good at covering up a person. Overalls consist of pants[[note]]or shorts, or a skirt[[/note]] attached to a top front bib, and straps from the back that hook over the shoulders to the front bib. They're often made of denim, a strong fabric that can take the brunt of hard work and harsh cleaning, and cover clothing to keep what's underneath clean. ("Overalls" in British English can also refer to a boiler suit or protective overcoat, rather than the bib-style overalls American English usually refers to, which are known as "dungarees" in British English, but can be listed here as well.) Jumper dresses (called pinafore dresses in the UK) are a variant where the shorts or pants are replaced with a skirt instead, and can be made either of denim or of something fancier.

# A blue-collar worker, or other level of lower/working class. Along with farmers, this covers other manual laborers such as plumbers, carpenters, janitors, construction workers, and the like who don't work sit-down office jobs. Overalls are a fast visual shorthand for a character who's either doing some hard work where their regular clothes would be ruined, working with their hands, or of lower class than the others around them; put one person in overalls and everyone else around them in suit pants and blazers (or even just collared shirts and khakis), and you can quickly tell who's the WorkingClassHero or assumed to not make as much as the nicer-dressed people around them, including their boss. Sometimes, advertisements and propaganda will use these to evoke the idea of the common man or worker and their connection to the lower class, even if the person wearing them is not.
# A [[OverallsAndGingham rural character]], regardless of employment. Like above, the overalls symbolize they're some degree of lower class that either doesn't have the means to dress up in nicer clothing or can't be assed to. This can easily make the CountryMouse stand out among their CityMouse peers, or confirm that a CountryCousin is exactly that. Also applies to more "bumpkin" characters, even if they aren't specifically from the country (intended to imply that they're not as sophisticated as those around them) and the poor (who may not have other nicer things to wear), and adult {{Tomboy}}s or TheLadette (such as the WrenchWench).

# Some media might play overalls up for {{Fanservice}} by putting an adult in overalls without a shirt underneath and showing off the chest area, back, sides of the torso, and/or bare shoulders. Since everything is technically covered, but it's the only garment present, this implies that the overalls are ''all'' the person is wearing. This is a gender-neutral look -- anyone can look sexy in overalls, not just women.

Note that the overalls need to be part of the characterization or visualization when on the character, not just [[Administrivia/PeopleSitOnChairs mentioning or showing a character who wears them once in a while without purpose]].

A SubTrope of ClothingReflectsPersonality and MeaningfulAppearance, and the SuperTrope/"overalls" half of OverallsAndGingham. The WorkingClassHero might be wearing these, depending on profession, including the AlmightyJanitor and the WrenchWench. Often seen DownOnTheFarm or in {{Arcadia}}, especially for a FarmersDaughter or CountryCousin. This trope is about teens and adults (at least around 13); for kids, see the SubTrope KiddyCoveralls (even if they're evoking the rural aspects of the trope).

Overalls, coveralls, dungarees! No matter what you call them, they're sure good at covering up a person. Overalls consist of pants[[note]]or shorts, or a skirt[[/note]] attached to a top front bib, and straps from the back that hook over the shoulders to the front bib. They're often made of denim, a strong fabric that can take the brunt of hard work and harsh cleaning, and cover clothing to keep what's underneath clean. ("Overalls" in British English can also refer to a boiler suit or protective overcoat, rather than the bib-style overalls American English usually refers to, but can be listed here as well.) Jumper dresses (called pinafore dresses in the UK) are a variant where the shorts or pants are replaced with a skirt instead, and can be made either of denim or of something fancier.

* The Party from ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'' has overalls as its primary uniform, since they are ostensibly meant to represent the working class that they profess to champion -- blue for outer party members, black for inner party members. This is a reference to how the totalitarian regimes (both fascist and communist) that arose during the leadup to UsefulNotes/WorldWarII did the same to align with the idea they were connected to the common man.