History Main / ShapeshiftingExcludesClothing

[[folder:Film]]
* ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian'' features a sequence where villian Thulsa Doom (Creator/JamesEarlJones) transforms into a human-size snake and slithers out of his clothes to escape the heroes' raid on his lair.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Vampire constable Sally in Terry Pratchett's ''Literature/{{Thud}}'' resists turning into a bat unless absolutely neccesary, since, as she confesses to werewolf constable Angua, female vampires' clothes disappear when they shapechange. Male vampires, on the other hand, have their clothes transform with them. It's something to do with the stereotype of sexy female vampires, apparently...
[[/folder]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/HildaAndTheMountainKing'', Hilda is changed into a troll because of a magical spell. Hilda is nude as a troll, but because [[NonHumansLackAttributes trolls lack genetalia]], this is of little concern to her. However, [[spoiler:NoImmortalInertia when the curse is broken and Hilda is changed back to her human form, he is again left naked out in the open, and must hide behind a rock to cover herself.]]

* ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian'' features a sequence where villian Thulsa Doom (Creator/JamesEarlJones) transforms into a human-size snake and slithers out of his clothes to escape a raid on his lair.

* ''Webcomic/OutOfPlacers'': When Kass gets turned into a yinglet (essentially a gangly "rat-vulture" creature half the height of a human), he slips out of all his clothes except his shirt, and even that is too baggy on his shrunken form. He has to make do with a {{Sarashi}} until he can get another Ivenmoth uniform tailored for his new size.

** ''ComicBook/SupermansGirlFriendLoisLane #5: "The Fattest Girl in Metropolis"'': Lois Lane sees a murder and is subsequently tracked by the culprit, so Superman uses a "growth ray" to [[TemporaryBulkChange make her very fat overnight]] so that the killer won't recognize her. When Lois wakes up newly fattened, her robe rips down the back and her pajamas are visibly strained. Since none of her old dresses fit, she has to borrow clothes from an overweight neighbor so she can go out and buy new clothes at the "Fat Girl's Shoppe".

** ''ComicBook/SupermansGirlFriendLoisLane #5: "The Fattest Girl in Metropolis"'': Lois Lane sees a murder and is subsequently tracked by the culprit, so Superman uses a "growth ray" to [[TemporaryBulkChange make her very fat overnight]] so that the killer won't recognize her. When Lois wakes up newly fattened, her robe rips down the back and her pajamas are visibly strained. Since none of her old dresses fit, she has to borrow clothes from an overweight neighbor so she can buy new clothes at the "Fat Girl's Shoppe".

* ''ComicBook/SupermansPalJimmyOlsen2019'': At one point, Jimmy turns into a [[MythologyGag gigantic turtle]], which naturally shreds his clothing in the process.

-->-- ''Literature/FoxfireFoxfire'', by Yoon Ha Lee

* With ''VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}}'''s [[HornyDevils Morrigan Aensland]], it's downplayed, averted, and zigzagged all at once. She has the ability to shift her wings into a flurry of bats, but one of the promotional videos for ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'' shows her dispersing her entire being into a flurry of bats, leaving no clothes behind. This is because her clothes [[ItMakesSenseInContext are also composed of bats.]]

An {{inver|tedTrope}}sion of TechnicallyNakedShapeshifter. Compare InvisibleStreaker (aka "Invisibility Excludes Clothing") EmptyPilesOfClothing, MySuitIsAlsoSuper, MorphicResonance, and DressHitsFloor. Contrast MagicPants.

* Mostly averted in ''ComicBook/{{Melusine}}'', were the witches' transformations, both willful and forced, generally includes clothing. In one case, however, Mélusine transforms the village pastor (who's always trying to burn her at the stake) into a moth, and his cassock stays behind. This is because, just earlier, he vowed to eat his own cassock if she escaped him once again; Mélusine, nice girl she is, thus makes it possible for him to uphold this vow.

* [[ShapeshiftingExcludesClothing/LiveActionFilms Films -- Live-Action]]

** Played straight during Time Lords' regenerations, as they start each life in their former incarnation's clothes. There have been two exceptions: the First Doctor's regeneration into the Second (at a time when the concept had not yet been defined properly and was just an excuse to change the actor), and [[spoiler:the Thirteenth's regeneration into a copy of the Tenth (which comes as a complete surprise to them), both of which have the new Doctor's clothes also change along with them]].[[note]]The Fourth Doctor's boots change into shoes when he regenerates into the Fifth, but this was due to a production oversight -- the boots actually belonged to Tom Baker and were not available when the time came to shoot the first full story with the Fifth Doctor.[[/note]]

-->-- ''Foxfire, Foxfire'', by Yoon Ha Lee

** Played straight during Time Lords' regenerations, who start each life in their former incarnation's clothes. The sole exception is the First Doctor's regeneration into the Second (at a time when the concept had not yet been defined properly and was just an excuse to change the actor), where the new Doctor's clothes also change along with him.[[note]]The Fourth Doctor's boots change into shoes when he regenerates into the Fifth, but this was due to a production oversight -- the boots actually belonged to Tom Baker and were not available when the time came to shoot the first full story with the Fifth Doctor.[[/note]]

* Used weirdly in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries''. In "Do the Rat Thing", Jasmine is transformed into a rat, shrinking out of the cloak she was wearing over her usual outfit, but the outfit itself changed with her and was restored when she was changed back. Also, her iconic earrings just vanish completely when transformed.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheMask'': In "Little Big Mask", Stanley Ipkiss creates an anti-aging cream and [[ProfessorGuineaPig tests it on himself]] -- only to find that it's actually a very potent FountainOfYouth. Whenever Stanley regresses, his clothes fit progressively less and less until he simply steps out of them as a toddler; even the Mask can't help but notice the effects when he shrinks out of his silk bathrobe and into infancy. In the climax, Peggy wakes up to find Stanley's latest baby clothes empty and assumes he's suffered a DeathByDeaging... only for it to turn out that baby Stanley was just getting a checkup from a doctor, though by now, he's shrunk out of the Mask too. Not long after, when Peggy finally manages to restore Stanley to normal, he finds himself growing up naked except for a diaper.

* [[ShapeshiftingExcludesClothing/Literature Literature]]

!!Examples:

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* In ''Manga/{{Akira}}'', when Tetsuo loses control over his telekinetic powers, he mutates into a giant blob and his clothes are destroyed in the process.
* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Shadow Mei hands a cursed bell to Matsuri, who is immediately [[{{Animorphism}} turned into a cat]] standing atop empty clothes. When Soga performs a purifying ritual on what he believes is a regular stray cat, he's shocked that it results in a completely naked Matsuri laying in his arms.
* In ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'', the only thing that can kill immortals is being absorbed by each other. This makes their body disappear, but their clothes are left behind.
* In one work submitted for serialization in ''Manga/{{Bakuman}}'', about a survival challenge in which anyone who tells a lie dies, the people who are killed in such a manner disappear, leaving only their clothes behind, while a voice comes from their clothes and announces the truth.
* This happens in the first season of ''Manga/BirdyTheMighty Decode'' when the world-destroying parasitic weapon Ryunka spreads to the Greater Tokyo Area, [[TakenForGranite petrifying any person into a glasslike substance]] that [[LiterallyShatteredLives shatters]] into dust, leaving behind nothing but EmptyPilesOfClothing. The death of Nataru's (one of Birdy's childhood friends and fellow Altarian) buddies from the Ryunka's destruction is what prompts him to go on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge in the second season against the criminals responsible for releasing it.
* Vampires that get staked in ''LightNovel/BlackBloodBrothers'' usually leave behind a small pile of dust and a pile of clothing.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
** Yoruichi is naked whenever she transforms back from being a cat.
** When Nelliel is transformed from a child to an adult, her dress is torn apart, leaving her barely covered by the rags. Strangely, when she's turned back into a child, her dress is intact again.
* In an episode of ''Maeterlinck's Blue Bird: Tyltyl and Mytyl's Adventurous Journey'', the animated adaptation of ''Theatre/TheBlueBird'', the titular children are [[FountainOfYouth regressed to infancy]]. Because their clothes didn't shrink along with them, this left them as naked babies frolicking to and fro innocently. When they're returned to normal, Berylude wastes no time giving them their clothes back via magic.
* ''Manga/BusoRenkin'': During her manga-only fight against Madoka Maruyama, [[ActionGirl Tokiko]] gets [[IncredibleShrinkingMan shrunk to eight inches tall]], leaving behind the clothes she was wearing in a pile on the floor and forcing her to improvise some new clothing out of bandages until she can find some doll-sized clothes.
* In ''Manga/{{Claymore}}'', armor breaks when a warrior transforms into an [[FaceMonsterTurn Awakened Being]]. But even the awakened, who are transformed back from their monstrous form into their human form, are then naked.
* Played with in ''Manga/DarkCat''. The only time we see one of the titular magical were-cats switching to human form, we see his nude human body before clothing appears on him, implying that only his body changes and that clothing has to be magically summoned.
* In ''Devil & Devil'', one of the first enemies is a tentacled monster that can suck the life and time out of people, [[FountainOfYouth de-aging them to infancy]]. Because this doesn't include their clothing, this leads to confusion when the monster attacks a female teacher, leading to the strange discovery of a baby girl "wearing" a young woman's clothes.
* Akira's transformations in ''Franchise/{{Devilman}}'' destroy his clothing when he becomes Devilman. He ends up completely naked every time he turns back into his human form.
* Goku and Gohan's clothing in ''Manga/DragonBall'' is shredded whenever they turn into giant apes. Vegeta's armor stays intact, but it was designed with the transformations in mind, explained as being extremely elastic.
* In ''Manga/FruitsBasket'', none of the cursed Sohmas' clothing transforms with them whenever they [[{{Animorphism}} turn into animals]] from the EasternZodiac. The fact that they're naked whenever they transform back into humans is usually [[NakedPeopleAreFunny played for comedy]].
* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'':
** Alphonse Elric's body is destroyed when he and his brother Edward attempt [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique human transmutation]]. When Edward sees Al's clothes on the floor empty, he knows his little experiment has truly GoneHorriblyWrong.
** Usually {{subverted|Trope}} by Envy, although played straight on at least one occasion. While fighting Lan-Fan, Envy wears a coat that flies off while they shapeshift, and they are seen picking it off the ground after the fight. FridgeBrilliance considering that the coat was [[spoiler:probably a souvenir from Ishval]].
* Mostly {{averted|Trope}} in ''Anime/GrimmsFairyTaleClassics'', since the {{forced transformation}}s of the stories tend to be normally dressed when they return to human forms, but played straight with [[spoiler:Rudolf from "Brother and Sister"]]. Probably because [[spoiler:Rudolf/Brother]] is a pre-teen when he's released, while the others tend to be older teens or adults.
* ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'':
** {{Inverted|Trope}} with Sesshomaru, who is a [[{{Youkai}} demon]] and transforms into his monstrous figure without affecting his clothing, which just transforms with him. This seems to be the case with all demons, who can assume a human form.
** The half-demon Gyu-oh is an {{Involuntary Shapeshift|ing}}er. And when he assumes his demonic form at the beginning of the night, he prefers to take off his clothes. This implies that otherwise it would rip.
* Played with in ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' with the [[FightingSpirit Stands]] Yellow Temperance and Khnum. Both are bound to their users, Rubber Soul and Oingo respectively, and both have similar abilities but differ in major ways: Yellow Temperance can imitate people's clothing while allowing Rubber Soul to still wear his own clothing underneath while Khnum allows Oingo to change his appearance, down to his weight and ''smell'' but he can't imitate clothing, the closest he could do is change his hair to look like Jotaro's nice hat.
* Throughout ''Manga/KaijuGirlCaramelise'', Kuroe Akaishi's transformations lead to frequent clothing damage. The initial and common {{Partial Transformation}}s (such as sprouting dorsal spikes or a tail) cause all sorts of tears, compelling her to wear overly baggy clothes to prevent such tearing and to conceal the changes from her classmates. But when she goes into full {{Kaiju}} form, her outfit gets completely shredded, leaving her naked upon turning back human. The first time she became Harugon, when she initially [[ThatWasNotADream thought she dreamed the whole incident]], her mother bragged about having washed her uniform until it was like brand new to obscure the fact that it ''was'' brand new.
* In ''Manga/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaVivid'', the first indicator we see of [[spoiler:Fabia Crozelg]] attacking the characters are their empty clothes floating in [[AntiGravity zero-g]] as she picks them off one-by-one by [[IncredibleShrinkingMan shrinking them and trapping them in a bottle]].
* In episode 5 of ''Anime/MagicUsersClub'', Akane starts to hiccup, causing various strange things to happen. At one point, she shrinks, leaving her clothes piled on the club room floor.
* Dragons in ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid'' are normally {{Technically Naked Shapeshifter}}s, but Ilulu has very poor transformation skills and has to rely on regular clothing if she wants to wear anything other than her cloak ([[InnocentFanserviceGirl not that she really wants to wear anything]]). Of course, since her transformation skills are so poor, she has trouble finding anything that fits her properly given that her human form is really short and has GagBoobs.
* In ''Manga/MonsterMusume'', the nine-tailed fox, Ils Nineta can't transform her clothes so she has to use her powers cautiously or risk ending up naked.
* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'':
** All Might is a HenshinHero, transforming from a skinny (if still muscular) guy into a giant with a HeroicBuild. He often goes around wearing clothes that are very baggy on his civilian form but tight after he transforms.
** Variants: Mirio's {{intangibility}} lacks the usual RequiredSecondaryPowers, meaning that he will phase through most clothing. His [[MySuitIsAlsoSuper superhero costume]] gets around this because [[{{Squick}} it's made from his own hair]].
** Likewise, Kirishima's outfit [[WalkingShirtlessScene lacks a shirt]] in part to be [[RatedMForManly MANLY]], but also because his power (turning his skin as hard as rock) would tend to rip it anyway.
** Himiko Toga's Quirk allows her to shapeshift into anyone whose blood she has consumed. However she cannot shapeshift any clothing she happens to be wearing, so if she needs to be dressed as whoever she is impersonating, she either has to have a spare set of clothing [[TechnicallyNakedShapeshifter or shapeshift into the necessary outfit]].
* The dreaded Third Impact in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' reduces everyone in the world to puddles of orange fluid and [[EmptyPilesOfClothing a pile of their clothes]], even if that person was already dead at the time. Much earlier, after Shinji was absorbed into Unit 01 the only image on the camera from inside was his empty, floating plugsuit, and after the pod opens Misato is shown clutching it desperately and screaming for him to come back, at which point Shinji (offscreen) re-materializes completely naked a few feet away.
* In a chapter of the Japanese-only ''VideoGame/{{Neptunia}}'' manga, after Nepgear, Uni, Rom, and Ram are accidentally [[FountainOfYouth turned into babies]], they are seen swimming in their oversized clothes. Because said clothes don't magically reappear when the girls are returned to normal, this leads to a minor NakedFreakOut from them.
* Himari of ''Manga/OmamoriHimari'' changes to a regular-sized cat at one point, and is naked when she changes back. She ends up fully clothed shortly afterwards, but that's because she had stashed her kimono close by and can dress quickly.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'': Jewelry Bonney's age-altering powers are among the few Devil Fruit abilities that don't affect clothing, which explains the {{Stripperiffic}} outfits she and her crew wears: they need fitting clothes for when they have to turn into children.
* ''Anime/PiccolinoNoBoken'': The final phase of Pinocchio's transformation into a donkey rips all his clothes off. They come back when he changes back to normal in the water.
* ''Anime/PrincessTutu'': A girl called Duck, because she was originally one, turns back into her original form whenever she acts like a duck, thus leaving an empty pile of clothing behind.
* ''Anime/RageOfBahamutGenesis'': Nina Dragno is a {{Weredragon}}. Whenever she transforms, she tears through her clothes and winds up naked when she turns back into a human.
* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'':
** Jusenkyō curse changes seldom affect clothes. This has led to several scenes where Ryōga and Shampoo end up unexpectedly naked upon transforming back (admittedly, the latter doesn't much care). In Ranma's case, both forms are human and thus don't fall out of their clothes (except for ditching shoes) although there have been occasions of humiliation when he turns into a guy while wearing distinctly female clothing. The only clear exception to the rule is Genma, who always wears his clothes even though his panda form doesn't because no one wants to see a naked old man.
** Hinako-sensei can switch from a little girl to a buxom woman by draining ki, but her clothes are unchanged. So she wears a dress (or swimwear) that is large for her child form but becomes taut over her adult form.
* This occurs in ''Manga/Reborn2004'' after [[spoiler:Yuni and Gamma]] [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice themselves]] during the final battle of the Future Arc.
* In the climactic episode of ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'', when Akio accepts Utena as his new Rose Bride, his sister/[[spoiler:lover]] Anthy's eyes roll back into her head as her dress falls to the ground without her in it. She reappears a little bit later dressed in the same short red dress she wore as a child and with her formerly tightly bound hair loose, symbolizing how she's reverted to that role now that she's no longer the Rose Bride.
* ''Manga/SacrificialPrincessAndTheKingOfBeasts'': Leonhart is a lion-beast huge even for the standards of his race. Whenever he becomes a regular, thin human (he keeps his horns, although they get smaller), his clothes become baggy, but he keeps them tied to his body, although his chest gets very exposed.
* In ''Manga/TheSevenDeadlySins'', Elizabeth (a human) and Diane (a giant) both get shrunk. Elizabeth becomes the size of an action figure and Diane becomes the size of a regular human. Their clothes didn't shrink with them, forcing Diane to put on Elizabeth's clothes while Elizabeth hides in her [[VictoriasSecretCompartment cleavage]].
* In the ''Anime/ShimaShimaToraNoShimajiro'' episode "Mr. Frog", Mr. Frog features Shimajiro being turned into a toy frog and shrinks out of his pajamas.
* Maya's outfit in ''Manga/TenjhoTenge'' goes from a fully covering haori and hakama in her SleepModeSize to looking like she "works in a sketchy pub" when she changes back to her older, more voluptuous form.
* ''Manga/ThoseWhoHuntElves'': Airi tricks Dihal into drinking a potion that turns her into a giant, tearing through her clothes and leading to a NakedFreakOut.
* ''Anime/ValkyrieDriveMermaid'': Nimi Minimi uncontrollably grows into a giant, tearing through her clothes and leaving her naked. The others clothe her in a makeshift bikini made of sheets, but she continues to grow and tears through them as well until her partner Noe Oya manages to reverse the effect and return her to normal size.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* In ''Film/AliceInWonderland2010'', Alice is shrunk until only her dress remains. She, in fact, changes size several times in the film, justifying [[UnlimitedWardrobe new outfits with each new size]]. This is a contrast from the [[Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland original text]], in which her clothes changed size with her. Presumably this was done for the sake of {{fanservice}}.
* In ''Film/BigFish'', it's revealed that ringmaster Amos Winslow is a werewolf when he leaps out of his trailer one night in full-blown canine form, sans clothes; he turns up the next morning in human form and stark naked, and has to be lent a towel to spare his dignity any further damage.
* Thulsa Doom does this when he [[ScaledUp turns into a giant snake]] in the middle of overseeing an orgy in ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian1982'', explained in the {{novelization}} as fleeing from Conan and his allies.
* In ''Film/Constantine2005'', when a demon is killed, its human host is also destroyed, turning into ash. Only the human host's clothing is left behind.
* During the climax of ''Film/TheFaculty'', the head alien [[spoiler:Marybeth]] shapeshifts multiple times between human and alien forms. The clothes don't come along, meaning that [[spoiler:Marybeth]] spends the end of the film naked. [[spoiler:She tries to use this to seduce Casey, the last non-[[PuppeteerParasite assimilated]] character left standing, during her [[BreakThemByTalking Breaking Speech]] to him.]]
* [[spoiler:Allison]] in ''Film/TheGrudge 2'' is pulled ''into'' her clothes, leaving them in a heap on the floor in front of [[spoiler:Jake]]. [[SubvertedTrope Kayako then manifests inside the clothes to menace her next victim.]]
* ''Film/HarryPotter'':
** In ''Film/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'', Quirrell collapses to dust, leaving his clothes to fall empty to the floor.
** ''Film/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban'':
*** Pettigrew leaves behind his clothes after turning into a rat. Which is strange, because in an earlier scene in the same movie Pettigrew turned from an apparently naked rat to a fully clothed human. The books and the rest of the movies avert this, as Animagi always have clothes on when they turn human, and [=McGonagall's=] cat form is noted to have markings around its eyes which resemble her glasses.
*** Also played straight with [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Lupin's transformation into a werewolf]], which completely shreds his clothing apart.
* During the climax of ''Film/Hellboy2019'', Gruagach is shrunk back down to his original size and then some [[spoiler:when Nimue betrays him]], so his gauntlet and armored shorts clank to the floor as he swiftly dwindles to infant-size. [[spoiler:And then Nimue pops him like a blister.]]
* In ''Film/TheHowling'', when Eddie Quist transforms into a werewolf in front of Karen, the resulting transformation rips off his clothes.
* In ''Film/TheIncredibleShrinkingWoman'', Pat shrinks until even a small pouch that she wears as clothing is all that's left of her.
* At the end of ''Film/LoveAtFirstBite'', Dracula leaves his BadassCape behind after turning into a bat, leaving Jeffery to stab madly at it with his wooden stake until Lt Ferguson tells him to stop because Dracula has long gone. The two of them then help themselves to the cape to impress women.
* In ''Film/{{Maleficent}}'', this was considered as an option for Maleficent's raven companion Diaval. However, they went with the MagicPants version, as the movie is meant for children, and having Diaval put on clothes behind a bush whenever he is turned into a man would be a waste of time. Played straight when Maleficent initially turns him into a human -- his feathers don't turn into clothes, he's naked. After [[StrippingTheScarecrow robbing a nearby scarecrow of its clothes]], Diaval remains dressed for the rest of the movie.
* Empty piles of bandages are all that is left after the protagonist of ''Film/{{Mannequin}}'' is whisked across time and space.
* In ''Film/MomAndDadSaveTheWorld'', an unpinned [[SchmuckBait light grenade]] disintegrates anyone who picks it up, leaving only the victim's clothes behind.
* The climax of ''Film/NuttyProfessorIITheKlumps'' features Sherman Klump trying to reabsorb [[EnemyWithout Buddy Love]] back into his body by tricking him into accidentally ingesting a dose of his FountainOfYouth formula. As a result, Buddy immediately regresses into a two-year-old and out of his clothes -- leaving him completely naked in front of the executives he was trying to sell the formula to. For good measure, Buddy is annoyed at being stared at and angrily insists that "this is an impressive package for a toddler!"
* In ''Film/OBrotherWhereArtThou'', Pete is apparently transformed into [[BewitchedAmphibians a toad]], which his fellow adventurers find in his otherwise empty clothing.
* When Santa dies in ''Film/TheSantaClause'', all that's left is his Santa suit, which Tim Allen must don.
* Parodied by ''Film/ScaryMovie'': a bunch of rappers instead left their Bling behind. Somehow the people manage to get one and when they ReverseThePolarity it becomes TheNudifier.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** ''Film/ANewHope'': At the end of Vader and Kenobi's lightsaber duel, Kenobi seemingly gives up and lets Vader slice him -- but when he does so, we (and Vader) find his clothes empty. He would AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence and leave his clothes behind. (Vader then stomps on the robe as if to make sure Kenobi is not just hiding in there!)
** ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'': This happens to [[spoiler:Yoda when he dies, leaving behind a tattered robe and blanket to collapse after he joins the Force in death]].
** ''Film/TheLastJedi'': Also happens to [[spoiler:Luke Skywalker. After tricking the bad guys with a Force projection, it is shown that Luke was sitting on a rock and soon vanishes seemingly into the Force, his clothes and cape being whisked away by the wind]].
** ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'' features Zam Wesell, a BountyHunter who usually has the appearance of a human woman, but is actually a member of a reptilian shapeshifter species called Clawdites. While she can change her physical appearance, her armor stays the same. Another Clawdite bounty hunter in ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars The Clone Wars]]'', works around this trope by having [[HolographicDisguise hologram projectors in her armor]] and combining them with her natural shapeshifting, allowing for further flexibility in her disguises than Zam showed on screen.
* ''Film/SwordOfTheValiant'', starring Creator/SeanConnery. An apprentice witch is turned into a red frog for being naughty by his character. The scene finishes as they converse while she is perched atop of her empty dress surrounded by her accessories.
* The creature from ''Film/TheThing1982'' can absorb and perfectly replicate its victims, but can't mimic clothing and usually needs to rip through clothes in order to fully assimilate. As such, finding a character's shredded coat puts the rest of the crew on edge over who's really the Thing.
* In ''Film/UnearthlyStranger'', a woman turns out to be a member of an invading alien race. when she tries to stop them, her people, they kill her by fading her out of existence while being held by her husband, leaving only her clothes draped over his arms.
* ''Film/ViceVersa'' involves a FreakyFridayFlip where the father and son changing into each other (rather than their minds changing places), so the two are left wearing their original and now ill-fitting clothes. As they get ready to switch back at the end, they get naked so they won't have to hassle with that again.
* In ''Film/WarOfTheWorlds2005'', the alien heat ray reduces people to ash, [[EmptyPilesOfClothing leaving their clothing behind]], [[FridgeLogic but not underwear, for some reason]]. [[InvertedTrope Non-Magic Pants]]?
* The sorceress Fin Raziel of ''Film/{{Willow}}'' has spent the last few decades trapped in the form of a possum courtesy of Bavmorda, and [[IneptMage Willow]]'s efforts to undo the spell only wind up transforming her into various other animals; towards the end of the film, however, Willow ''finally'' manages to get the spell right -- leaving Raziel human and naked.
* In ''Film/Wishmaster2EvilNeverDies'', a wounded thief who finds himself cornered by the Djinn is so scared that he wishes [[ExactWords he was never born]]. ''[[JackassGenie Very]]'' [[FountainOfYouth bad]] [[DeathByDeaging idea]]. His clothes are all that's left of him after the Djinn has granted his wish.
* In ''Film/TheWitches1990'', when someone is turned into a mouse, they leave their clothes behind. When this happens to Luke, the witches immediately stomp on his clothes in an effort to kill him before he can escape. [[spoiler:At the very end of the film, Luke is restored to normal by the Grand High Witch's [[HeelFaceTurn assistant]], he's naked -- and he destroys his dollhouse apartment as well!]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* In ''Literature/AllTheBirdsInTheSky,'' when Patricia the ChildMage finally unlocks her powers and transforms into a bird, she leaves her empty school uniform behind. When her pursuers find the discarded clothing, they assume this is [[NakedNutter just another symptom]] of [[HeroWithBadPublicity mental illness]] and spread the word that a naked tween is running about the forest; needless to say, they don't find her.
* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'':
** Originally true for the main characters, but they quickly figured out how to morph skintight clothing, though looser, baggier clothes remain beyond them (they improve over the course of the series). The kids have to wear [[DressedInLayers leotards and bike shorts under their regular clothes]] and can't morph shoes. This limitation is because the Andalities, who invented morphing tech, [[ExposedExtraterrestrials don't wear clothes]] and so didn't take them into account. It's considered a sign of one's talent when a visiting Andalite is able to morph clothes when turning into a human.
** This significant piece of the story was completely and [[CoversAlwaysLie absolutely ignored on the cover art]] (which featured the book's narrator transforming into an animal featured in the story.) The creators readily admitted that this was done simply to make the covers more interesting since they now had various colors and fabric textures to incorporate.
* The titular character from ''Literature/{{Bisclavret}}'' must take off his clothes to change into a wolf and can't change back without them. Not for reasons of modesty, mind you -- they somehow act as a TransformationTrinket.
* The second ''Literature/BoneChillers'' book, ''Little Pet Shop of Horrors'', has a girl who's turned into a dog by a potion. When she regains human form, she realizes she's naked.
* In a book titled ''The Demon in Me'' by Michelle Rowen, Dark Witches are dissolved to nothingness very quickly when killed leaving only a pile of clothes.
* In the ''Literature/{{Deverry}}'' novels, transformation spells can only affect living matter, so shapeshifters have to carry a bag with their clothing around with them if they don't plan on changing back in the place where they started.
* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
** This applies to [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolves]], as demonstrated in ''Literature/MenAtArms'' when Angua suffers GoneSwimmingClothesStolen and has to stay in wolf shape until she can get back to the watch house and improvise some clothing (in later books she keeps a bag with a dress when in wolf form). It also applies to female vampires, but not male ones, because the Discworld runs on tropes including the RuleOfSexy.
** In ''Literature/TheLastContinent'', ambient magic begins playing merry hell with the UU faculty's temporal glands when they arrive in early XXXX, resulting in several of the wizards aging or regressing at random; their robes do not change to match their new ages, especially noticeable when Archchancellor Ridcully becomes a toddler.
* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'':
** [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]] in ''Literature/FoolMoon'' with the [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent various werewolf transformations]].
*** The loup-garou (who transform due to a curse on his bloodline) and the Alphas (who transform under their own power) play this trope straight.
*** Later books mention the Alphas, who are people who use a magical spell to transform themsleves into wolves, routinely donning clothes that are extremely easy to shed. [[spoiler:The reverse, a wolfwere (a wolf who uses magic to turn into a human),]] also cannot change clothes upon transformation.
*** The hexenwolves (who transform by the power of magical belts) avert this, and their clothes apparently transform with them. The description of the hexenwolves transformation doesn't include details on exactly how their clothes (and any other objects on their person) transform into fur and flesh, but it doesn't describe them tearing their clothes during transformations, or stripping beforehand, so it can be assumed that the belts' spell also covers things that are not part of the human's organic body.
** Senior Council member Listens-to-Winds is a Native American wizard and master shapeshifter. He can change his clothes to the forms he takes, from bus-sized bear, to falcons, to a turtle.
** {{Skinwalker}}s subvert this because when they look like humans, they can make the clothes to match as part of their disguises.
** Most Denarians, people who carry a coin binding a FallenAngel and can shift into another form (like one short woman becoming a giant praying mantis monster), can change their clothes with them.
* ''Literature/ForLoveOfEvil'' features a sorcerer's apprentice learning how to shapeshift but not knowing how to take his clothing along with him during the change.
* [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]] in the ''Literature/GwendalavirUniverse''. Several characters have a shapeshifting ability,[[note]] and it's heavily implied that it's the same power: They must turn into an animal that has roughly [[ShapeshifterBaggage the same size]] as theirs and they all have either only one animal form or just a few into which they can easily turn.[[/note]] but it seems to work differently depending on the user.
** Salim from ''In Ewilan's Quest'' can turn into a wolf, but his clothes vanish every time. He starts as [[ReluctantFanserviceGirl Reluctant Fanservice Boy]], but Ellana's influence, and not least getting used to ending up naked among people any time the situation gets tense eventually make him grow into [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl Shameless Fanservice Boy]]. [[note]] He also learns how to bypass the problem: In case he'd need his clothes after turning back into a human, he puts them off first, secures them inside a backpack, turns into a wolf, and simply carries the bag. Though said operation is done shamelessly, even if people can see. Ewilan is used to it, and [[FemaleGaze probably doesn't mind]] anyway.[[/note]]
** Hoever, Shaé from ''The Other'' [[spoiler:(as well as her son Elio)]] can retain her clothes when she turns back into her human form even if they disappear when she's in animal form. It isn't exactly explained why in-Universe, although Shaé assumes that it's because they are somehow part of her, and thus are included into her animal form. Or she simply has better control over her power than Salim has.
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
** When using Polynectar, the drinkers have to prepare a set of clothes fitted to their new form, since the older clothes will either be torn off if the drinker becames bigger or be too large if the drinker becomes smaller.
** Likewise, metamorphing werewolves tear their clothes.
* In ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'', the god Vkandis decides to show his displeasure with his priesthood by (among other things) incinerating the high priest with a BoltOfDivineRetribution; a witness says that nothing was left but the man's smoking vestments and boots.
* In ''The Incredible Adventures of Karik and Valya'', the eponymous siblings shrink to insect size, leaving their clothes behind. The girl is '''very unhappy''' about not having her clothes on. Also happens in the Soviet [[TheFilmOfTheBook film of the book]], where the shrinking scene shows their clothes falling to the floor. Underwear is included. Of course, by the time the movie switches from FirstPersonPerspective a few minutes later, they have managed to fashion themselves some kind of loinclothes.
* In ''Literature/TheIndianInTheCupboard'', when the person who would have been sent through time and space to the cupboard is dead, all that gets sent back is a neatly folded pile of clothing. [[spoiler:This is the fate of Tommy, the WWI-era medic from the first book.]]
* In ''Literature/TheLicaniusTrilogy'', Nethgalla makes Davian strip before allowing him to use the dar'gai'thin transformation Vessel. She outright invokes this trope, stating that she has no desire to get him another outfit.
* In ''Literature/LoyalEnemies'', the werewolf Shelena has to strip and stash her clothes away before shifting forms because they'd otherwise get torn in the process. When at one point she is magically forced to shift forms while clothed, she finds herself in the situation of having to cross the village while holding it all together with just two hands. As she puts it, the less is said about the incident, the better and she ''really'' hates the fact that Gloom the [[{{Weredragon}} dragon]] has MagicPants.
* The first ''Literature/MagicShop'' book involves a ring that can turn you into a monster. When protagonist Russell breaks the rules about how to use it properly, he actually bursts into flames and winds up temporarily {{Shapeshifter Mode Lock}}ed. Mr. Elives manages to turn him back but doesn't care that Russell [[NakedPeopleTrappedOutside has to run home naked]] as a result.
* In ''Literature/MercyThompson'', clothing is not kept during shifting -- and for werewolves, who become larger when they shift, it is torn. Werewolves and other shapeshifters will therefore discard their clothing prior to shifting if there is time to do so. As a side effect, shapeshifters (and those who live with them) tend to be comfortable with casual nudity. The exception is Charles, who can make clothes magically appear on his body due to his [[MagicalNativeAmerican background]].
* ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments'':
** The vampires {{invert|edTrope}} it. When they change, their clothes do not.
** Even if fairies or witches use magic, clothes change.
** The werewolves play it straight. When they transform, their clothes tear and they are left naked.
* Helene from ''Literature/Mouse2017'' turns into a tanuki to search Mouse's room. When she transforms back, he finds her naked in his bed.
* Steven Matuchek from ''Literature/OperationChaos'' takes off his clothes to shift. This is simply because a large wolf inside a man's clothes is very awkward -- and doesn't automatically tear the clothes.
* Werewolves in ''Literature/TheParasolProtectorate'' (and ''Literature/TheFinishingSchoolSeries'', related) routinely strip before transforming. One novel suggests that "cloakrooms" became popular for the benefit of the werewolf members of society; they could undress and don a cloak if there was going to be a delay in transforming or collect a cloak if they'd arrived in wolf form.
* ''Literature/RainOfTheGhosts'': Aycayia (basically a [[OurWerebeastsAreDifferent manatee]] {{selkie|sAndWereseals}}) is naked when she takes off her magic skin, though she often uses seaweed as ImprovisedClothes. Also {{implied|Trope}} with the Kim kids, to explain why they're naked after spending two days turning to dolphins and back.
* Anyone who [[VoluntaryShapeshifting shifts Aspect]] in ''Literature/{{Runemarks}}'' and its sequel and prequel invariably end up naked after shifting back. Loki in particular spends a lot of time starkers.
* In the book ''Samantha Slade -- Confession of a Teenage Frog'', a girl tests a "formula for greatness" created by a small boy she babysits to help her win an election at school. It turns out that the stuff randomly turns her into a frog, so she is constantly having to crawl out of a pile of her clothes.
* In ''Literature/ShadowOfTheConqueror,'' Daylen runs into this problem when experimenting with [[SwissArmySuperpower binding Light]] to his mass, which also causes [[AgonyOfTheFeet his feet to explode]] due to them getting stuck in the ground.
* In the book series ''Soul Guardians'' by Kim Richardson, when the Oracles wanted to de-angel-fy someone they forced them to take a cold shower in a special chamber where the water disintegrated their body into a shiny foamy substance that was washed away down the drain by the water leaving a free-floating soul and a pile of clothes.
* [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Werewolves]] in Creator/LisaShearin's ''SPI Files'' series have to strip or else suffer ClothingDamage when they transform. Most spend the hours prior to the full moon in cheap track clothes and flip-flops. Luckily for Yasha, the series' primary werewolf character, he works for a CrazyPrepared secret organization that protects the {{Masquerade}}, so when he ''has'' to dress formally during an undercover mission, he's issued the perfect outfit for this trope: a ''male stripper's tuxedo'' that's held together by snaps so as to be shed with ease.
* In ''Literature/SpiritHunters'', animal spirits have to drop their clothes when they change into their four-legged forms. Which results in a few awkward situations for Kitsune Sura and Nezumi Chiri.
* Used in ''Literature/TheTimeTravelersWife'' when the titular time traveler... time-travels.
* In ''Literature/Touch2017'', James' [[BlowYouAway powers]] allow him to change his whole body into air. The first time this happens he's flying and feels the odd sensation of his clothes passing ''through'' him as they flutter to the ground. (He recovers the hoodie but has to fly home without any pants, thankfully too high to be seen.) He's a lot more powerful in this form, but the fact that he reforms naked means that he tries to avoid using it.
* In the book ''Literature/TrueAngelHero'' by Laura Amy O'Hanlon, Kennedy kills her mother Ocran, who is a bad woman. When she dies, she vanishes instantly leaving her empty clothes to fall to the ground.
* {{Implied|Trope}} in the cover of ''Literature/TheWerewolfOfFeverSwamp'', which shows a wolf howling at the moon with a set of clothes laid out at its feet. The [[Series/{{Goosebumps}} TV adaptation]] shows the half-transformed werewolf is at least shirtless, but the book itself doesn't address the issue at all.
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* ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'': The gelatinous [[OurZombiesAreDifferent Zombie Researchers]] still wear the tattered, ill-fitting lab coats of their human hosts. The pants of the victims have disappeared entirely because there's no way those could fit around the glop that replaced the victims' legs.

* ''VideoGame/TengaiMakyouIVTheApocalypse'': Madame Appetit is a monstrous pig-woman who sends out her "Debu Rangers" to make everyone in the American Southwest obese so that she can later [[ImAHumanitarian make them into food]] ("debu" is Japanese for "fat", by the way). One such unfortunate victim shown in an animated cutscene is a girl named Karen; a Debu Ranger sneaks through her window at night and force-feeds her a handful of magic biscuits, causing her to rapidly fatten up and rip most of her nightgown to shreds.

* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Shadow Mei hands Matsuri a cursed bell, immediately [[{{Animorphism}} turning him into a cat]] standing atop empty clothes. When Soga performs a purifying ritual on what he believes is a regular stray cat, he's shocked that it results in a completely naked Matsuri resting in his arm.