History Main / ShabbyHeroesWellDressedVillains

[[folder:Real Life]]
* Much of this is based on photographs from WWII. The Nazis and Fascists were heavily focused on aesthetics, deliberately PuttingOnTheReich as a way to inspire the locals and intimidate their enemies. The SS were [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver intimidating and]] [[AristocratsAreEvil aristocratic]] from the jump, and Nazi officers ''always'' dressed to impress. Meanwhile, US forces were wearing mass produced and somewhat ill-fitting garb (as the US was somewhat less prepared to enter the war than Germany had been), and thus they tended to wear... pants, bloused shirts, greasy hats. This was amplified by the US idealization of the WorkingClassHero, in contrast to the German love of the Prussian aristocracy. All in all, when a Nazi surrendered to a US commander, you could be forgiven for thinking it was the other way around, as the Nazi would be immaculate and the American would look like he just rolled out of a lunch truck.

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This can overlap with RummageSaleReject, LimitedWardrobe, HomelessHero, ManOfWealthAndTaste, WickedCultured, and/or SlobsVersusSnobs.

* In ''VideoGame/{{XCOM 2}}'', most XCOM operatives wear Rummage Sale Reject clothes, while ADVENT soldiers are in uniforms, and the Speaker and dark [=VIPs=] are sharply dressed.

** In ''Film/BirdsOfPrey'' Harley Quinn wears the most random pieces of clothing she can gather, including what appear to be shredded magazines on her shoulders and she cut her own hair. Crime boss Roman Sionis dresses in flashy suits and has slicked-back hair.

Countless stories depict heroes wearing casual clothes or serving as living embodiments of the RummageSaleReject, if not outright decked out in rags, while the villains dress as stylish and/or high-end as they come. There are many ways to display this trope: The RebelLeader may wear a patchwork cloak while the EvilOverlord wears a jewel-encrusted cape, or the WorkingClassHero may wear a pair of overalls [[LimitedWardrobe every day]] while the CorruptCorporateExecutive has a closet full of suits. No matter what, the general class difference that fuels this trope is always present - the usual explanation is that heroes are a ragtag band of LaResistance against the wealthy, villainous establishment, whether thd funding comes from TheEmpire, a MegaCorp or something else. Another is that our heroes come from a lower-class background (if not outright social pariahs/criminals) while the villains are high-class and wealthy (if not outright AristocratsAreEvil). In short, our heroes are [[UnderdogsNeverLose underdogs]] and their choice of clothing shows it.

* ''WebOriginal/FortniteTheMovie'': Dirt and Jokeman Ranch in Fortnite the Movie 3, Fortnite the Movie 5: Vengeance and Fortnite the Movie 6. Dirt wears a grimy hoodie and jeans in Fortnite the Movie 3, while Jokeman Ranch wears a dapper suit and top hat, and wears the same suit in Fortnite the Movie 5: Vengeance and Fortnite the Movie 6. In Fortnite the Movie 5: Vengeance and Fortnite the Movie 6, Dirt gets a little fancier with a grey suit jacket, however underneath is a hideous Santa t-shirt.

* ''Manga/DeathNote'': Light's wardrobe consists mainly of dress wear and school uniforms, while L's typical attire is a plain white shirt and jeans, and [[DoesNotLikeShoes rarely wearing shoes]]. Lampshaded during the entrance ceremony at Light's new college.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Homer Simpson always wears a plain white shirt and jeans, while local CorruptCorporateExecutive Monty Burns always wears a suit.

* Creator/TotalTelevision's ''WesternAnimation/{{Underdog}}'' wears a superhero outfit that seems too big for him. His two primary nemeses are MadScientist Simon Bar Sinister in a proper white lab coat and RoaringTwenties mobster Riff Raff in a dark pinstripe suit.

Countless stories depict heroes wearing casual clothes or serving as living embodiments of the RummageSaleReject, if not outright decked out in rags, while the villains dress as stylish and/or high-end as they come. There are many ways to display this trope: The RebelLeader may wear a patchwork cloak while the EvilOverlord wears a jewel-encrusted cape, or the WorkingClassHero may wear a pair of overalls [[LimitedWardrobe every day]] while the CorruptCorporateExecutive has a closet full of suits. No matter what, the general class difference that fuels this trope is always present - the usual explanation is that heroes are LaResistance against the villainous establishment, whether TheEmpire, a MegaCorp or something else. Another is that our heroes come from a lower-class background (if not outright social pariahs/criminals) while the villains are high-class and wealthy (if not outright AristocratsAreEvil). In short, our heroes are [[UnderdogsNeverLose underdogs]] and their choice of clothing shows it.

* ''WebVideo/FortniteTheMovie'': Dirt and Jokeman Ranch in Fortnite the Movie 3, Fortnite the Movie 5: Vengeance and Fortnite the Movie 6. Dirt wears a grimy hoodie and jeans in Fortnite the Movie 3, while Jokeman Ranch wears a dapper suit and top hat, and wears the same suit in Fortnite the Movie 5: Vengeance and Fortnite the Movie 6. In Fortnite the Movie 5: Vengeance and Fortnite the Movie 6, Dirt gets a little fancier with a grey suit jacket, however underneath is a hideous Santa t-shirt.

* ''Film/SuperMarioBros1993'': King Koopa wears a scaly black suit, and his Goombas are dressed in longcoats, while Mario and Luigi dress in their usual clothes before switching to red/blue and green/blue work overalls found in a maintenance locker.

* ''Film/SuperMarioBros1993'': King Koopa wears a scaly black suit, and his Goombas are dressed in longcoats, while Mario and Luigi dress in theirusual clothes before switching to red/blue and green/blue work overalls found in a maintenance locker.

* The titular character of ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'' wears a shabby shirt and a worn set of overalls, while [[spoiler:King Candy is TheDandy and the BigBad]].
* ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2'': Po wears nothing more than a pair of sandals and shorts with obvious patches. Lord Shen wears a pure white robe made from "the finest silk in the province," as he puts it.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheIronGiant'': Hogarth wears typical attire for a 9-year-old in the '50s. Kent Mansley works for the government. And all that that implies.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheThiefAndTheCobbler'': Tack wears ragged overalls while [=ZigZag=] wears a black robe with bright yellow highlights and dozens of rings on each hand.
* ''WesternAnimation/AllDogsGoToHeaven'': Anne-Marie's dress is full of patches, while Carface's clothes are well suited to his casino owner's status.

* ''WesternAnimation/RecessSchoolsOut'': Lampshaded on both ends by Dr. Benedict, who wears an Italian raw silk suit and calls T.J. a "rude and badly dressed little boy".

* Despite the Beast from ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'' being a ''prince'', his initial outfit is a cape and a pair of tattered pants. Despite adding a shirt later in the movie, he is still much more shabbily dressed than [[BigBad Gaston]] when not wearing his formal suit.

* ''Film/SuperMarioBros'': King Koopa wears a scally black suit, and his Goombas are dressed in longcoats; while Mario and Luigi dress in red/blue and green/blue work overalls found in a maintenance locker.