History Main / SignificantWardrobeShift

* The 2006 incarnation of ''ComicBook/XForce'' has the characters in the eponymous team (most of whom do double duty as X-Men ''and'' members of X-Force) donning black and grey versions of their regular X-threads, symbolizing their new roles as DarkerAndEdgier enforcers in the wake of M-Day. This is probably most obvious with Wolverine, who normally wears bright yellow and blue.
* Creator/GrantMorrison's ''ComicBook/NewXMen'' has the X-Men swapping out their traditional bright blue spandex for black and yellow leather and grey turtlenecks that could easily pass for civilian dress, just as the team moves in a new direction as a highly visible peacekeeping force that fights for mutant rights worldwide.
* A few times when Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk changed personality, his outfit changed too.
** In the 280s, when he has Banner's brain, he goes from shredded purple MagicPants to purple trunks made of unstable Molecules, which shift in size when he does.
** Around 350, when he becomes the gray Joe Fixit (a mob enforcer in Las Vegas), he wears three-piece suits tailored to his frame.
** In issue #377, when he becomes "Professor Hulk", he eschews purple altogether, going for black or dark blue slacks and white or black tank tops.
* Everything about ComicBook/HarleyQuinn's alternate ''ComicBook/SuicideSquad'' costume seems carefully crafted to emphasize her newfound independence from ComicBook/{{the Joker}}. Her [[http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/dcanimated/images/3/3f/Harley_Quinn.png/revision/latest?cb=20081214151450 original duds]] stuck closely to the [[SexyJester court jester]] gimmick (matching the Joker's [[MonsterClown clown]] gimmick), and they were [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver red and black]] to emphasize her evil allegiance and to match the Joker's [[PlayingCardMotifs playing card theme]]. Her [[http://media.insidepulse.com/zones/insidepulse/uploads/2011/07/DCR-Harley-Jim-Lee.jpg alternate costume]] ditches the jester hat, and it has a much more colorful red and blue color scheme that's all her own; it's also noticeably more revealing (with a [[OfCorsetsSexy tight corset]] and hot pants in place of the original's full-body suit), emphasizing her newfound sexual independence.

* In ''ComicBook/SinCity: A Dame to Kill For'', resident {{everyman}} Dwight [=McCarthy=] is introduced as a respectable (by Basin City standards) [[TheTeetotaler teetotaler]] who wears white button-up shirts tucked into simple slacks. After he comes back from a brush with death following a reunion with his old flame [[FemmeFatale Ava Lord]], he manages to completely revamp his appearance [[MagicPlasticSurgery with the help of a plastic surgeon]], and [[ImportantHaircut he lets his hair grow back]]. He also gets a new wardrobe to match [[TookALevelInBadass his new attitude]], swapping his old threads for tight black t-shirts and a black leather trench coat with Army-style epaulets.

* In the very early days of ''ComicBook/XMen'', Professor Xavier's five original students [[note]]Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Angel, and Iceman[[/note]] initially wore [[http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/uncanny-x-men/3-1.jpg identical black and yellow uniforms]] meant to show their shared allegiance to Xavier's School. Around 1968, as the kids gradually grew up and became more independent, Xavier eventually decided to give them all [[http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/uncanny-x-men/49-1.jpg their own unique costumes]] to acknowledge how far they had come since beginning their training [[note]]Cyclops got a full-body blue costume, Jean got a green MinidressOfPower, Beast got a blue and red costume, and Angel got a yellow costume with red suspenders[[/note]]. The individual costumes would come to be a mainstay of the X-books as time wore on, showing Xavier's movement away from the rigidity of boarding school life.
* In ''ComicBook/DCTheNewFrontier'', ComicBook/{{Batman}} changes from his TerrorHero Golden Age costume to a LighterAndSofter Silver Age style after his outfit terrifies a child he's trying to rescue from cultists, noting to Superman " ''I set out to scare criminals, not children''."
* ''ComicBook/DCYou'' changed the outfits of several iconic superheroes, in keeping with its DarkerAndEdgier atmosphere.
** ComicBook/{{Superman}}'s suit is changed to a T-shirt and a pair of jeans, which goes to show his transition from idealistic superhero to dour vagrant.
** ComicBook/{{Batman}} used a PoweredArmor with police insignias, showing his closer allegiance to the police instead of being an independent vigilante. [[spoiler:Justified because that's James Gordon under the armor, not Bruce Wayne.]]
** ComicBook/WonderWoman puts on a magical armor worn by Hephaestus, accepting her responsibilities as the new Goddess of War.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}'', Jean-Paul Valley's descending sanity level is also tied to how his Batman uniform looks. When he first takes up the Mantle of the Bat, he's in the regular Batsuit. By the time the story ends, he's donned a suit of armor that looks more like ComicBook/{{Azrael}} than it does Batman.
* ''ComicBook/UltimateMarvel'': Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor are the core members of ComicBook/TheUltimates. Captain America died in ''ComicBook/CataclysmTheUltimatesLastStand'', and Thor got lost in the Negative Zone. Stark disbanded the team, unable to continue with it without them. He keeps working as Iron Man in ''ComicBook/UltimateFF'', but with completely new armor.
* In 1991, ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} dumped the brown and tan uniform he wore since after ''ComicBook/TheDarkPhoenixSaga'' and returned to his classic yellow and blue tiger-stripe costume, though two comics gave different reasoning -- his appearance in ''Spider-Man'' had his costume torn up after a tussle with the Wendigo and he switched to the old costume afterwards because of it, though in his own title seems to suggest that a bunch of problems related to his past caused him to somewhat regress.

* In 2024, LetsPlay/TCNick3 changed his profile picture from the [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tcnick3.png Piplup avatar]] he's well known for in the past five years to a [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tcnick3_2024.png picture of himself in his custom Daisy costume]]. He explains in [[https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxjxKaCl-x15JXYZZvQoIKNnuUJeHiLG53 this community post]] that, though the Piplup image is iconic, he wanted an original avatar that better represents him, distancing himself from some random ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' character.

* ''VideoGame/ChhicoryAColorfulTale'': In the climax, [[spoiler:Chicory ditches her Blackberry-esque Wielder's Cloak after deciding to follow her own path and helping you fight the final boss with her own brush]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'': In the first act, Meilin Lee dresses relatively plainly, with a red cardigan, pink shirt, and dark blue skirt. Her only jewelry is a couple of plastic or fabric bracelets. After she starts embracing her red panda form, she takes off the cardigan, puts on star-shaped stick-on earrings, and starts wearing a black choker around her neck--except at home, where she removes the jewelry and reverts to being "perfect little Mei-Mei". In the epilogue, she's wearing the choker at home and the stick-on earrings have been replaced by real ones, meaning she has gotten her ears pierced and strongly implying the change is permanent.

* Used by ''WebVideo/PhilosophyTube'' (Pre-Transition) on her video on DomesticAbuse and DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale. The video, which was done in a single take, sees Abigail Thorn starting out in a Franchise/{{Superman}} T-shirt, and explaining the many pitfalls of the double standard trope, including the societal idea that men are able to 'handle it' if they find themselves stuck in an abusive relationship. Halfway through the video, after [[spoiler:revealing how she herself had been a victim of domestic abuse and almost killed herself over it and having a breakdown on camera]], the camera slowly does a pan away and does a 360-degree overview shot of the studio she films in. By the time the camera has returned to Abby, she has dressed herself up as Clark Kent, representing that she no longer accepts a Superman-type image of men in relationships.
** Used even more significantly in her video "Identity", in which she comes out as UsefulNotes/{{transgender}}.

* In 2024, [=TCNick3=] of the LetsPlay/PartyCrashers changed his profile picture from the [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tcnick3.png Piplup avatar]] he's well known for in the past five years to a [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tcnick3_2024.png picture of himself in his custom Daisy costume]]. He explains in [[https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxjxKaCl-x15JXYZZvQoIKNnuUJeHiLG53 this community post]] that, though the Piplup image is iconic, he wanted an original avatar that better represents him, distancing himself from some random ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' character.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[Characters/BreakingBadJessePinkman Jesse Pinkman]] in Season 1 (left) and Season 5 (right). Apparently, two years of CharacterDevelopment and [[TraumaCongaLine psychological trauma]] can leave a mark on a person's taste in clothing.]]

* ''Film/MeanGirls'' has Cady start off wearing t-shirts and jeans. As she's corrupted into 'girl world' she gets a makeover to wear the same clothes as the Plastics. [[spoiler: In the end when she has undergone a HeelFaceTurn]] she's at a balance - casual clothes but femininely styled hair.
* ''Film/MyCousinVinny'': Vinny starts out wearing casual clothing as an attorney, and is promptly critized over it by Judge Haller, who tells him that he has to wear a proper suit and tie in court, showing how he's in over his head as an attorney newly admitted to the bar. [[DoomedNewClothes In one scene, he accidentally drops his new suit into mud]], [[ImpossiblyTackyClothes forcing him to resort to donning a tacky mauve tuxedo to court]]. However, despite this hiccup, he takes the situation more seriously and successfully exonerates Bill and Stan in the end.

* ''Theatre/{{Shucked}}'': Maizy's wardrobe changes as she's returning from Tampa during "Woman of the World". She pulls off her denim skirt to show that she's wearing a brightly-colored one underneath, and from then on, she's typically dressed in bright colors instead of the worn and patched denim work by most of the Cob County residents.

* In 2024, [=TCNick3=] from the LetsPlay/PartyCrashers changed his profile picture from the [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tcnick3.png Piplup avatar]] he's well known for in the past five years to a [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tcnick3_2024.png picture of himself in his custom Daisy costume]]. He explains in [[https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxjxKaCl-x15JXYZZvQoIKNnuUJeHiLG53 this community post]] that, though the Piplup image is iconic, he wanted an original avatar that better represents him, distancing himself from some random ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' character.

* In 2024, [=TCNick3=] from the LetsPlay/PartyCrashers changed his profile picture from the Piplup avatar he's well known for in the past five years to a picture of himself in his orange Daisy-based tuxedo. He explains in [[https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxjxKaCl-x15JXYZZvQoIKNnuUJeHiLG53 this community post]] that, though the Piplup image is iconic, he wanted an original avatar that better represents him, distancing himself from some random ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' character.

* In 2024, [=TCNick3=] from the LetsPlay/PartyCrashers changed his profile picture from the Piplup avatar he's well known for in the past five years to a picture of himself in his orange Daisy-based tuxedo. He explains in [[https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxjxKaCl-x15JXYZZvQoIKNnuUJeHiLG53 this community post]] that, while the Piplup image is iconic, he wanted an original avatar that better represents him, distancing himself from some random ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' character.

* In 2024, [=TCNick3=] from the ''LetsPlay/PartyCrashers'' changed his profile picture from the Piplup avatar he's well known for in the past five years to a picture of himself in his orange Daisy-based tuxedo. He explains in [[https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxjxKaCl-x15JXYZZvQoIKNnuUJeHiLG53 this community post]] that, while the Piplup image is iconic, he wanted an original avatar that better represents him, distancing himself from some random ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' character.

In the visual media, it's common to give important characters some kind of a cool IconicOutfit, LimitedWardrobe, or ConsistentClothingStyle that lets the audience identify them immediately. Sometimes it's just there to look cool, or sometimes it can speak volumes about said character's personality.

No matter what form it takes, it's a quick, easy way to show the audience that NothingIsTheSameAnymore, and it can add some visual variety to a show that might not otherwise have it.

* In ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'', At the beginning of the story, Zenitsu was a meek, whining and reluctant demon slayer who only became a warrior to show gratitude towards his master Jigoro. He wore a bright yellow haori given to him by Jigoro, which is themed after his own haori. [[spoiler:In the very end of the series Zenitsu takes up his master's haori, who died before Zenitsu could show how much stronger and courageous he grew to be, but personally congratulated him from the afterlife, thus showing that Zenitsu has successfully inherited his master's will after helping to kill the source of all demons]].

* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamTheWitchFromMercury'' has a rather interesting case with the Gundam Aerial, the main character's Mobile Suit and a [[RobotGirl character in her]] [[EmpathicWeapon own right.]] In the beginning of the series, Aerial is brightly-colored, lightly-armed, and has a very rounded design, which matches with her intended use for duels within the Asticassia School of Technology. Later, when she becomes the Aerial Rebuild, her design is noticeably more ruggged and has a muted color palette, signifying the darker turn that the series undergoes as well as how her purpose has changed from being a unit meant for dueling to a unit designed for war.

** Chloe from ''[[Anime/PokemonJourneysTheSeries Pokemon Journeys]]'' plays this straight. After becoming an official trainer, Chloe starts wearing a pink blouse with a yellow sweater around her waist, light blue jeans, and pink sneakers instead of uniform that has two prominent anchors (which symbolize how stagnant she is).

** Kenichi's initial martial arts outfit is a simple dougi with a white belt that he dons only during training. Later, recognizing his growth, the Masters at Ryozanpaku give him a composite outfit that invoke their specialties (a sleeveless ''gi'' jacket for Akisame's Jujitsu and Sakaki's Karate, chainmail underneat for Shigure's weapon arts, Chinese pants and shoes for Ma Kensei's Chinese Kempo, [[HandwrapsOfAwesome muay kaad chuek]] for Apachai's Muay Thai, and handguards similar to the Elder's for the Furinji style), outfit he wears far more often.

* Everything about ComicBook/HarleyQuinn's alternate ''ComicBook/SuicideSquad'' costume seems carefully crafted to emphasize her newfound independence from ComicBook/{{the Joker}}. Her [[http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/dcanimated/images/3/3f/Harley_Quinn.png/revision/latest?cb=20081214151450 original duds]] stuck closely to the [[SexyJester court jester]] gimmick (matching the Joker's [[MonsterClown clown]] gimmick), and they were [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver red and black]] to emphasize her evil allegiance, and to match the Joker's [[PlayingCardMotifs playing card theme]]. Her [[http://media.insidepulse.com/zones/insidepulse/uploads/2011/07/DCR-Harley-Jim-Lee.jpg alternate costume]] ditches the jester hat, and it has a much more colorful red and blue color scheme that's all her own; it's also noticeably more revealing (with a [[OfCorsetsSexy tight corset]] and hot pants in place of the original's full-body suit), emphasizing her newfound sexual independence.

* ''Fanfic/BurningBridgesBuildingConfidence'' sees Ladybug change her suit, using her flair as a fashion designer to add more support, padding, and personality to the simple spotted leotard. This symbolizes her coming into her own as Ladybug, as well as her breaking away from [[WeUsedToBeFriends Alya]] and [[EntitledToHaveYou Chat Noir]], both of whom immediately criticize the new look in ways that show [[ItsAllAboutMe how self-absorbed they are]].

** When the Eighth Doctor returns to the screen [[LongBusTrip seventeen real life years]] after his debut [[BackForTheDead for his regeneration story]], he is wearing a much different outfit than he started with. His new ensemble uses darker colors and is overall less formal. The darker colors reflect the darker turn his life took due to the beginning of the Time War, crushing the optimistic tone that his tenure started with, and the less formal nature of the getup shows just how well-settled into his role as an adventurer he was by that point.

** At the beginning of the show, Cersei often wore light blues and golds to appear gentler. As time passes and she becomes more paranoid, she begins to wear the Lannister colors, red and gold, more often as well as incorporating metal into her dresses. After [[spoiler: Joffrey dies]], she starts wearing black clothes with a dagger pattern. After [[spoiler: Tommen dies and she claims the Iron Throne]], she starts wearing gowns with high necklines and metal adornments.

* ''Franchise/BatmanArkhamSeries'': Harley Quinn changes her outfit in every game to show how different her job is in each outing. In ''Asylum'' she is in a NaughtyNurseOutfit to show how she was using the asylum to help Joker take it over. In ''City'' she is in a leather clad ensemble to evoke the gang war happening in the streets of Arkham City. Later in the dlc [[spoiler:after Joker dies]] she is wearing darker colors and makeup. In ''Origins'' she looks like an ordinary psychiatrist outfit to show that she has not been corrupted by the Joker yet. In ''Knight'' she wears a combination of both her ''Asylum'' and ''City'' outfits to show [[spoiler:how she thinks she might be reunited with Joker.]]

* Scaramouche/Wanderer from ''VideoGame/GenshinImpact'' covers the full spectrum of this trope over the course of his centuries-long existence. His original appearance as the innocent Kabukimono saw him dressed in primarily white, with touches of lavender and gold to hint at his divine origins. After his descent into [[MaddenIntoMisanthropy madness]] and embracing of a villainous identity, Scaramouche wears clothing that is predominantly black with red and gold accents based on KabukiTheatre traditions. And finally, after being PromotedToPlayable and undergoing a HazyFeelTurn, the Wanderer combines the white and black of his past identities with [[HeavenlyBlue blue]] and gold.

* In ''VideoGame/Persona5Strikers'' the returning characters all have new casual clothes and swimwear to reflect the fact that it's the next summer after the original ''VideoGame/Persona5'', and while most characters have stuck with their ConsistentClothingStyle, Makoto notable has traded in her conservative tunic and plain skirted bikini with an edgier cropped jacket and a sportier bikini, showing that's she's being more true to herself and not forcing herself to conform to the perfect student counsel president role she had in high school.

** The TimeSkip between Volumes 3 and 4 show characters in new outfits as befits their new circumstances. Yang and Weiss are trapped at home, each wearing clothing suitable to their home lifestyles and states of mind: Yang's being a low-maintenance grunge style and Weiss wearing extremely elegant, wealthy dresses. Team RNJR have been on the road for months, so their clothes are practical, travel-worn attire; both Team RNJR and Cinder sport clothing changes that refer to the traumas they've experienced during Volume 3. [[spoiler:Jaune, Nora, and Ren adopt elements of Pyrrha's design and weapons, while Ruby adopts elements of Penny's; Cinder adopts a long gown that covers the left side of her body, which has been badly maimed by Ruby's TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheDragonPrince'': For most of the first three seasons, [[Characters/TheDragonPrinceCallum Callum]] is seen wearing a blue jacket. By the end of Book 3, he jumps off the pinnacle to save Rayla, and his jacket is ripped off as he transforms and swoops in to catch her. After this. [[FragileSpeedster Callum]] is only seen in a red sleevless shirt.

** Dr Mrs The Monarch goes through quite a few outfits as her relationships and professional status change. At first as Dr Girlfriend she wears an all-pink ensemble with a pillbox cap, which makes her stand out next to The Monarch's yellow, black, and orange aesthetics. As the Phantom Limb's girlfriend, Queen Etheria has a see-through lingerie outfit to show that he considers her arm candy at most. After marrying The Monarch and becoming Dr Mrs The Monarch she has an outfit to match his with yellow, black and orange to show their commitment to each other. After becoming a part of the Council of Thirteen she takes on a black and red version of her first outfit, showing how she has moved up in the world beyond The Monarch.