History PlayingWith / StarbucksSkinScale

** A cup of espresso is referred to as "tanned", a [[RealMenTakeItBlack black coffee]] is referred to as "of African origin", etc.

** A cup of mocha is described as being the color of Alice's skin.

* '''Subverted''': Alice is described as having "mocha-colored skin", but then the narrator backtracks and says, "To be honest, Alice's skin didn't really look like any sort of drink."
* '''Double Subverted''': But Bob, who is in love with Alice, compares her skin to "satin, in the color of chocolate."

* Alternatively, Bob describes Alice in this way because he's ObsessedWithFood and often thinks about the color of things in relation to his favorite snacks (for example, he'd describe something purple as "grape" or something white as "milky").

* Alternatively, Bob describes Alice in this way because he's ObsessedWithFood and often thinks about the color of things in relation to his favorite snacks (for example, he'd describe something purple as "grape" or something white as
"milky").

* '''Downplayed''': Alice's skin tone is stated as "brown", but is said to remind Bob of his favorite drink.

** Alice's skin is described as "the color of a cup of French Roast coffee with two teaspoons of cream and three pumps of vanilla, steamed to a 100-degree heat".

* '''Exaggerated''': Every person is described this way, and it's not just skin color: hair and eye color are, too.
* '''Downplayed''': ???

* '''Downplayed''': Alice's skin is described as "dark" or "brown," but the narrative doesn't attempt to give it a shade.

** Bob calls a number, orders something that sounds like a Starbucks DrinkOrder, and one InstantHomeDelivery later, he has a dark-skinned MailOrderBride.

** [[DeliberateValuesDissonance It's the normal accepted convention in the setting due to the quirks of that particular society]: perhaps as its one which is very racially mixed, or its actually considered a polite euphemism whilst "black", "white" etc. are considered racial slurs, or its simply a country which ''really'' likes its coffee and uses coffee-related euphemisms for all manner of things, and nobody cares less either way.

** It's the normal accepted convention in the setting due to the quirks of that particular society: perhaps as its one which is very racially mixed, or its actually considered a polite euphemism whilst "black", "white" etc. are considered racial slurs, or its simply a country which ''really'' likes its coffee and uses coffee-related euphemisms for all manner of things, and nobody cares less either way.

* '''Subverted''': The narrative itself describes Alice as being AmbiguouslyBrown, or doesn't describe her skin tone at all, [[ShowDontTell letting the audience decide for themselves what she looks like]].

** "We need to show that Bob is shallow and/or fetishizes [[ShallowLoveInterest Alice]], rather than seeing her as a person."

** The work is a StickFigureComic a la {{xkcd}}.

* '''Lampshaded''': ???

* '''Basic Trope''': Skin tones are described in tones comparing them to food items.
* '''Straight''': Alice's skin is described as "mocha."
** Bob's skin is described as "creamy."
* '''Exaggerated''': Every person is described this way, and it's not just skin color: hair and eye color are, too.
* '''Downplayed''': Alice's skin is described as "dark" or "brown," but the narrative doesn't attempt to give it a shade.
* '''Justified''': Bob is describing Alice this way, because [[LovingAShadow he doesn't really know her as a person, he's just infatuated with her]]. He may or may not have a RaceFetish.
** Alice describes ''herself'' [[NWordPrivileges in these terms]].
* '''Inverted''': A cup of mocha is described as being the color of Alice's skin.

* '''Subverted''': The narrative itself describes Alice as being AmbiguouslyBrown, or doesn't describe her skin tone at all, [[ShowDontTell letting the audience decide for themselves what she looks like]].

* '''Parodied''': Alice is working behind the counter at Starbucks. Bob (who has NoSocialSkills) wants mocha, so he just points to her hand. Alice gets him exactly the drink he wants.
** Bob calls a number, orders something that sounds like a Starbucks DrinkOrder, and one InstantHomeDelivery later, he has a dark-skinned MailOrderBride.
* '''Zig Zagged''': Some characters are described this way, some are not.
* '''Averted''': The writer does not describe what the characters look like at all, preferring to let the audience decide for themselves.
** Or, while Alice may be described as dark-skinned, or as wearing her hair in cornrows, it doesn't specifically say anything beyond that.
** The work is a StickFigureComic a la {{xkcd}}.
* '''Enforced''': "We need to make our character stand out in the mind of readers. To that end, we are going to make use of PurpleProse."

* '''Conversed''': ???

* '''Justified''': Bob is describing Alice this way, because [[LovingAShadow he doesn't really know her as a person, he's just infatuated with her]].