History Main / SkirtsAndLadders

* In ''{{Bastard}}!!'' (the anime), when Dark Schneider goes off to rescue Tia from a ninja along with the royal army AND the Royal Princess, they run into a problem like this during the assault on the tower. Since the ground-floor is a battleground, DS has to go up last to protect the ladder, but the princess refuses to go up first since she's wearing a rather short skirt. (She originally wore it under a rather fancy set of armor, but DS had her take it off once it became clear that it was completely useless and very encumbering.) DS rolls his eyes, throws her over his shoulder, and climbs up the ladder with her hanging there. Thus, instead of him potentially looking up her skirt, she winds up having her boobs bouncing off his back and her hips grinding against his face all the way up. Judging from her expression, she'd probably have preferred it the other way around.

* In a scene cut by 4Kids, during ''[=~Yu-Gi-Oh!~=]'''s Duelist Kingdom arc, Tea/Anzu and the cheerleading squad (lead by Tristan/Honda) were scaling a secret tower via rope. Honda suggests that Anzu go first so that if she falls they can catch her. She refuses initially, blushing and indicating her skirt. Honda doesn't understand, so Bakura explains the problem. She ultimately allows it so long as they both wear blindfolds (which eliminates the original purpose of catching her if she falls).

* ''Spaceballs'' has the droid Dot Matrix climbing a ladder [[SpaceIsNoisy between spaceships]], followed closely by Barf. She tells him to "stop looking up my can."

* In ''{{Futurama}}'', uniforms for both sexes are skirted, which leads to a scene with [[FanDisservice Zapp Branigan climbing a ladder and Kif looking away]], but not to respect his captain's modesty.

* Happens before the first full moon in ''{{Persona 3}}'' where Yukari warns the MC and [[CasanovaWannabe Junpei]]. Also odd, as she wears a skirt that would show everything in everything single battle second if not for the fact that [[MagicSkirt her legs end in shadow past the hemline]].

* AnitaBlake is climbing down into a sewer with a friend below her. For added fun, Anita explicitly says that if a skirt covers her buttocks, it's long enough for her, and she's wearing a thong. Oh, and she ''knows'' her friend is looking up her skirt, but is so...[[ReallyGetsAround empowered?]] or something that she doesn't care. Of course, this is a [[CharacterDerailment later book]], [[BrokenBase sooo...]]

-->'''Leslie Nielsen:''' Nice beaver.
-->'''Priscilla Presley:''' Thank you, I just had it stuffed. (Hands him a stuffed beaver.)

* Happens before the first full moon in ''{{Persona 3}}'' where Yukari warns the MC and [[TheLeisureSuitLarry Junpei]]. Also odd, as she wears a skirt that would show everything in everything single battle second if not for the fact that [[MagicSkirt her legs end in shadow past the hemline]].

-->'''Priscilla Presley:''' T4hank you, I just had it stuffed. (Hands him a stuffed beaver.)

AsYouKnow, the MagicSkirt is a trope in place to preserve the modesty female characters [[MaleGaze before the audience]]. The trope can't be counted on to be in effect in-universe with regards to the other characters. Some[[hottip:*:unfortunately only some]] skirted female characters are aware of this, and thus this trope.

Basically, a GenreSavvy, skirted females refuses to climb, scale, ascend, mount or escalate a ladder or ladder-like device while men are nearby for fear of subverting MagicSkirt, and [[PantyShot well, you know...]]

She's not always successful. But if she's lucky, [[AllMenArePerverts not all men in-story are perverts]]. If it's the ''camera'' who does this, then it's MaleGaze.

And yes, the trope's name is a reference to the popular boardgame. [[MindScrew Creepy connection, isn't it?]]

[[AC:AnimeAndManga]]

* The first time we met Kamome in CyberTeamInAkihabara she is going first up stairs in a very short skirt providing a PantyShot; when some boys enjoying the view remark her this, her first action is to demand money from them in exchange for the fanservice, so she doesn't denounce them as perverts.

** Half the comedy comes from the fact that Mina is wearing ridiculously modest Victorian bloomers under her dress anyway...this is last century's idea of {{Fanservice}}!

* The Mel Gibson/Goldie Hawn movie ''Bird On A Wire'' featured this in the commercials for the movie. Though Hawn's charcter doesn't invoke this until they're halfway up a fire escape and the wind is lifting her skirt.

--->'''Leslie Nielsen:''' Nice beaver.
--->'''Priscilla Presley:''' Thank you, I just had it stuffed. (Hands him a stuffed beaver.)
* DavidFincher's ''Film/TheGame'' has this. When climbing out of an elevator, Christine wants Nicolas to go first. Nicolas complains it'll be that much harder to pull Christine up than for her to go first. Christine says that she's not wearing any underwear.
** A few minutes later when they are chased by dogs in the alley she doesn't hesitate. Nicolas calls her on it.

* ''AnitaBlake'' is climbing down into a sewer with a friend below her. For added fun, she explicitly says that if a skirt covers her ass it's long enough for her, and she's wearing a thong. Oh, and she ''knows'' her friend is looking up her skirt, but is so...[[ReallyGetsAround empowered?]] or something that she doesn't care. Of course, this is a [[CharacterDerailment later book]], [[BrokenBase sooo...]]
* There's a comment at one point in the ''BookOfTheNewSun'' where Severian, the protagonist says that he should walk in front of a female character because he's seen the state of her undergarments.
* The shop owner's wife Judith Toumignon in the Gabriel Chevallier's novel "Clochemerle" is the hottest woman in the titular town. When coming to the shop, men often request an item from one of the top shelves. Guess why?
* Ladders aren't involved, but in the ''{{Xanth}}'' series, it's a good idea for a female not to wear a skirt when crossing the invisible bridge that stretches across the Gap Chasm, as anyone walking below could look up and see what color her panties are.

* ''ResidentEvil 2'' - Ada either leads Leon up a vertical ladder (while wearing what's almost a miniskirt), or asks him for a boost up to a high ledge. Leon is clearly taking in the view in the latter.

** In ''{{Resident Evil 1}}'''s remake, you can unlock Jill's ''RE3'' outfit. There are at least two cutscenes where she falls backwards or is shown from below, allowing an upskirt view. In some ''RE 3'' cutscenes you can also see upskirt.
* In ''{{Timesplitters}}: Future Perfect'', Cortez is with the be-skirted Jo-Beth for the horror movie themed level. Half way through the level they find an ominous hole in the ground with screams and roars coming from it. We then get this little gem;
-->Jo-Beth: *hearing the screams* ...er...you go first.
-->*Cortez pauses, the camera [[MaleGaze focuses on her skirt]]*
-->Cortez: Okay.

[[AC:WebComics]]

* In ''{{Futurama}}'' uniforms for both sexes are skirted which leads to a scene with [[FanDisservice Zapp Branigan climbing a ladder and Kif looking away]], but not to respect his captain's modesty.

* Averted by the US Navy, and maybe others. Sailors respect a lady's modesty (and perhaps the occasional Scotsman) by facing away.

* I remember a scene from ''LeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' where Mina climbs up something before Alan, and he's clearly taking a look up her dress (there might also have been some conversation about this trope, I forget).
** It is discussed, and Alan's expression, intentional or not, is a CrowningMomentOfFunny

---> Leslie Nielsen: Nice beaver.
---> Priscilla Presley: Thanks, I had it stuffed. (Hands him a stuffed beaver.)
* David Fincher's ''Film/TheGame'' has this. When climbing out of an elevator, Christine wants Nicolas to go first. Nicolas complains it'll be that much harder to pull Christine up than for her to go first. Christine says that she's not wearing any underwear.

** In ''{{Resident Evil 1}}'''s remake, you can unlock Jill's ''RE3'' outfit. There are at least two cutscenes where she falls backwards or is shown from below, allowing an upskirt view.

* Ladders aren't involved, but in the ''Xanth'' series, it's a good idea for a female not to wear a skirt when crossing the invisible bridge that stretches across the Gap Chasm, as anyone walking below could look up and see what color her panties are.

* Ladders aren't involved, but in the ''[[Xanth]]'' series, it's a good idea for a female not to wear a skirt when crossing the invisible bridge that stretches across the Gap Chasm, as anyone walking below could look up and see what color her panties are.

** [[http://lparchive.org/LetsPlay/RE2&3/chapter23.html thedarkid]]'s excellent [[LetsPlay Let's Play]] of ''ResidentEvil Code Veronica'' has a screencap of Leon getting a view up Ada's skirt. About 80% of the way down the page.

** Attempting to do this in ''ResidentEvil 4'' (again, playing as Leon) attempting to do this to Ashley (or doing it by accident if an enemy throws you to the ground near her) will cause her to [[TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything call you a pervert]].

* The first time we met Kamome in CyberTeamInAkihabara she is going first up stairs in a very short skirt providing a PantyShot; when some boys enjoying the view remark her this, her first action is demand them money in exchange for the fanservice, so she doesn't denounce them as perverts.

* The first time we met Kamome in CyberTeamInAkihabara she is going first up stairs in a very short skirt providing a PantyShot; when some boys enjoying the view remark her this, her first action is demand them money in exchange for the fanservice, so she don't denounce them as perverts.

* In a scene cut by 4Kids, during ''YuGiOh'''s Duelist Kingdom arc, Tea/Anzu and the cheerleading squad (lead by Tristan/Honda) were scaling a secret tower via rope. Honda suggests that Anzu go first so that if she falls they can catch her. She refuses initially, blushing and indicating her skirt. Hondo doesn't understand, so Bakura explains the problem. She ultimately allows it so long as they both wear blindfolds (which eliminates the original purpose of catching her if she falls).