Some girls go from rough and tumble tomboy to showing that She Cleans Up Nicely and that she was Beautiful All Along.
Not this girl. She's shown in a beautiful Pimped-Out Dress, or maybe even a Sundress of Innocence. Her long hair flutters in the breeze. Her big, beautiful eyes sparkle in the light...
And then she opens her mouth, and the most unrefined, crass, pedestrian, or even vulgar things start to come out of her mouth. Maybe even a Precision F-Strike or a Cluster F-Bomb. She may also have a shrill voice or a thick accent noted for being "lowbrow". Her voice may also be high-pitched, annoying, or overly loud. Even if she's not outright coarse and vulgar, she's often lacking in refinement and/or tact, and will be Innocently Insensitive, if not Brutally Honest, not knowing the various social graces.
She's not a proper, refined lady under that dress. She's also not necessarily Silk Hiding Steel. She's her own person, and the fancy dress and cocktail party weren't her idea.
This trope falls under Bait-and-Switch Character Intro. Sometimes this is an Internal Reveal, the audience well aware of her less dignified qualities. Other times, the audience is just as shocked as the people in the story.
Interestingly, how likable and sympathetic she's portrayed coincides with whether it is an Internal Reveal or a surprise to the audience. If the audience already knows of her lack of refinement, she's a character we're more likely to be shown in a sympathetic light, whereas if her lack of social graces is just as surprising to the audience as it is to the characters in the story, she's more likely to be depicted as unlikable.
If other characters, male or female, find her attractive, they may quickly discover they have been Loving a Shadow, leading to an Instant Turn-Off. However, that isn't always the case. Some characters might find her lack of pretense and sophistry to be uniquely refreshing and continue their pursuit. Even if the interest is not romantic, there are those who will appreciate the individual for their willingness to speak their mind uninhibited.
Due to a variety of factors, this tends to be played more with female characters in fiction. However, it is entirely possible to find male characters who are supposed to be sophisticated, and initially present themselves as such, being seen as far less so the moment they open up to speak.
Compare Butter Face, when the shocking part is the look of someone's face instead of the sound of their voice, and Face of a Thug for more male examples, where a character has a very menacing and scary appearance, but turns out to be a lot softer than expected.
Contrast Sophisticated as Hell, where someone is still seen as highly sophisticated, despite their occasional use of a profane word or two.
Examples:
- The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You: Matsuri's typical attire is an Elegant Gothic Lolita dress, but she speaks extremely rudely with an exaggerated Tokyo Shitamachi accent, which the scanlation renders as a strong Cockney accent.
- Chihayafuru: Chihaya is "hotness in vain" according to her classmates. When wearing a kimono from Kanade's family's shop, she's the picture of grace and elegance... until she starts talking about karuta.
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Andrew Waltfeld says that the ornately dressed Cagalli is "the perfect little lady... until she speaks".
- School Rumble Haruki Hanai is a rare male example. Bookish, but handsome, a black belt, studious, and always willing to lend a hand. But when he offers Tsumugi a lift home on his bike after her glasses were broken, he shatters the illusion of being her "knight in shining armor " by asking her how much she weighs.
- Theyll Do It Every Time created in 1929 by Jimmy Hatlo, has a famous author appear on a celebrity interview show, to discuss her newest book titled The Classic Mystique. She's nicely dressed and expertly made-up (a backstage TV specialty), giving the impression of a classy lady author. Then she speaks with a gutteral vernacular, and it'd be easy to think she hails from Flatbush or Joisey.
- Inter Nos: Shizuru, a Himean general, is immediately captivated by the Otomeian captain assigned to be her bodyguard. However, Natsuki says not a word to her, or any of her people, to the point that Shizuru wonders if the strangely exotic and beautiful girl is a mute. She later sees Natsuki at a distance, talking to someone, but is too far away to hear her speak. An Otomeain senator informs her that Princess Natsuki is "reticent". Her silence is as an Elective Mute. However, when Natsuki does finally become comfortable enough around Shizuru to talk to her, Shizuru discovers that she has a pronounced stutter, which is part of the reason for Natsuki's reticence. However, Shizuru is not put off by the revelation, instead finding it an endearing trait.
- Brave: This is the major source of conflict between Queen Elinor and her daughter Merida. Elinor wants Merida to behave as a proper lady, and fears for the tenuous alliance between the clans if they see Merida as she is. Merida, by contrast, balks at her mother's instructions, which she sees as restrictive and stifling. Merida nearly starts a war when she uses the contest designed to choose her suitor as a chance to skirt around the rules, declaring that she'll be shooting for her own hand.
- Shrek 1: When Shrek and Donkey first meet Princess Fiona, Shrek is in a suit of armor with his face covered, so Fiona assumes he is a typical Knight in Shining Armor come to rescue her. Shrek is so crude and untraditional that she is confused and frustrated throughout the whole rescue, but does not realize that he's an ogre until after.
Fiona: But wait, Sir Knight. This be-eth our first meeting. Should it not be a wonderful, romantic moment?
Shrek: Yeah, sorry, lady. There's no time.
- Downton Abbey: A New Era: In Homage to Singin' in the Rain, British silent film star Myrna Dalgleish comes to film at Downton and turns out to have a coarse Cockney accent which, when paired with her Proud Beauty personality, becomes a real Broken Pedestal moment for her fans Anna and Daisy. But once the film switches to being a talkie and Myrna can't learn the RP accent needed for her role, Lady Mary is asked to step in and provide a Same Language Dub to avert this trope. Subverted at the end when Cora teaches Myrna an American accent, giving her the chance to start over in Hollywood.
- The Man with Two Brains: The main character is searching for an attractive female body in which to place the woman's brain he fell in love with. He finds a suitable candidate...only to discover that said candidate has a high-pitched, grating voice.
- Muppet Treasure Island: Played for laughs. During the roll call, Sam asks for a "Big-Fat-Ugly-Bug-Faced-Baby-Eating-O'Brien". A sultry woman appears and answers with a deep masculine voice. Cue the jaw drop from Sam and Kermit.
- My Fair Lady: In this film (based on the play Pygmalion), Henry Higgins is trying to prove that his elocution lessons can have street urchin Eliza Doolittle pass as a proper lady of quality. However, while her diction is so perfect that she terrifies an actual member of the gentry, who compares her to a school teacher she once had, Henry initially neglects etiquette lessons, and so Eliza thinks nothing of blurting out, "Move your bloody arse!" during a horse race. Her admirer Freddy finds this uniquely endearing and is not put off from pursuing her.
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End: Rare male example. Sri Sumbhajee attends the Brethren Court and is the picture of serenity and patience, saying nothing and listening to everyone, only letting a speaker do the talking for him. However, this speaker gets shot by Captain Teague for suggesting they hang the code, and so when the time comes for him to speak, Sumbhajee stands up and speaks and his voice is extremely squeaky and high.
- Pretty Woman: The audience already knows that Vivian is a Hooker with a Heart of Gold. But She Cleans Up Nicely, and Edward takes her to dinner with him to help feel out Mr. Morse, whose business Edward is targeting. Vivian makes several faux pas, such as suggesting that oysters look like snot. However, Mr. Morse finds her to be charming and refreshingly honest.
- Singin' in the Rain: Lina Lamont is a silent film star in The Roaring '20s, called beautiful and refined by her fans. She's never allowed to talk at press events though, and the reason why is revealed 25 minutes into the film when, once alone with her co-stars and producers, she squawks out a crude "FER HEAVEN'S SAKE! What's the big idea?!" in a shrill Brooklyn accent. This contrast between her voice and public image becomes a huge issue once talkies become big and her studio tries to switch over. The studio averts this for The Dancing Cavalier by secretly dubbing Lina with Cathy Selden. Becomes an Internal Reveal for the general public late in the film when Lina insists on speaking for herself at The Dancing Cavalier premiere, giving Don the opportunity to reveal Cathy as the real star.
- Hoot: Kimberly Lou Dixon, who plays Mother Paula the pancake house mascot, is a young, pretty actress who is said to have a "sandpaper voice".
- Judge Dee: Inverted in "The Red Pavilion": Judge Dee comes across an old woman who gives singing lessons, and whose enchanting voice is completely anathema to her appearance. It's a clue that she's actually Green Jade, the woman who was the cause of a murder decades prior.
"This person is completely at Your Honour’s disposal," the blind woman said.Involuntarily the judge shrank back in incredulous horror. Never had he heard such a rich and warm, utterly lovely voice.Coming from that disfigured old woman, the voice seemed a cruel, outrageous mockery. He had to swallow a few times before he resumed.
- The Moving Finger:
- Jerry is completely gobsmacked by the appearance of Elsie Holland, the Symmingtons' governess... at least until she speaks to him, and any attraction disappears. Unfortunately, her employer doesn't mind and is willing to murder his wife to marry her.
I fell to reflecting what would have happened if the gods had given Helen of Troy exactly those flat accents. How strange that a girl could trouble your inmost soul so long as she kept her mouth shut, and that the moment she spoke the glamor could vanish as though it had never been.
- Just afterwards, he mentions the inverse happening:
I had known the reverse happen, though. I had seen a little sad monkey-faced woman whom no one would turn to look at twice.
- Jerry is completely gobsmacked by the appearance of Elsie Holland, the Symmingtons' governess... at least until she speaks to him, and any attraction disappears. Unfortunately, her employer doesn't mind and is willing to murder his wife to marry her.
- My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!: Katarina Claes looks lovely in her pimped out dress, but when she dances with her fiancé's brother, she makes a point of telling him her maids fussed over every detail, even "her undies". Alan, flustered, tells her she shouldn't mention things like that.
- Doctor Who: In "The Unicorn and the Wasp", Robina Redmond, a posh British socialite, is revealed during the climax to actually be the jewel thief The Unicorn masquerading as Robina to get access to Lady Edison's home and steal her jewelry. Once realizing she's been caught, "Robina" drops the RP accent and says, in her natural Cockney accent, "Yes, I'm the bleedin' Unicorn".
- Horrible Histories: In one sketch, countryside households look at potential kids they could foster from London during the World War II era. The first two kids that one couple looks at are both messy and dirty boys. The woman then looks at one neat-looking, seemingly perfect little girl and thinks about taking her home, but then the little girl opens up her mouth and reveals she has a shockingly potty mouth for her age, and has an attitude to boot. The woman immediately changes her mind and takes one of the dirty boys with her instead.
- iCarly: Zigzagged with former popstar icon Ginger Fox who was once voted as the sexiest women in the world and was once considered the top singer of her time. However, following her breakdown, Ginger's career took a nose dive as it was likely that she wasn't very graceful as most people believed. As the iCarly crew work to revitalize her career, they learn that Ginger Fox is basically a complete slob with a crude mouth on her and has bad temper. Worse, the gang learn that Ginger can't really sing, forcing them to use extensive sound mechanics to fix that but even then, Ginger can't lip-sync nor dance. Yet somehow, the iCarly crew are able to succeed in Ginger to make a comeback as the audience still loved her, making them believe that its best they don't know the real Ginger Fox.
- M*A*S*H: Zigzagged; Winchester has spent much of the episode "That's Showbiz" making cutting remarks about the USO performers in general, and Ellie, who plays the accordion, in particular. However, Ellie is able to take the wind out of Winchester's sails a bit when she sits down at the piano in the Officers' Club. Winchester asks if she's going to favor them with some boogie woogie. Instead, she launches into a skillful rendition of Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, op. 13 (Pathetique) (all the more impressive as it's frequently noted that the piano is out of tune), and explains to Winchester that she was a graduate of Juilliard, but that she plays the accordion to make a living. Winchester, properly chastened, even agrees to a dance with Nurse Kellye as Ellie plays another piece.
- Night Court: Dan is looking for a date to a function with the mayor, and every woman he knows has turned him down flat. Or, more precisely, every woman who knows about his Handsome Lech tendencies has turned him down flat. While at a bar with his colleagues, Dan spots a beautiful woman at the bar and approaches her, asking her if she'd be willing to go to the event at the mayor's office with him. She turns to him and, in a nasal, vapid voice, asks, "Would I have to shave my armpits?"
Dan: Let me get back to you on that.
- Star Trek: The Original Series has the eponymous Elaan from "Elaan of Troyius" who is the very image of Ancient Egypt-omania beauty as played by France Nuyen
up until the moment she imperiously demands people kneel to her and tend to her every whim, combined with Jabba Table Manners once she gets to dinner.
- Pygmalion: In this Edwardian play, the source for the film My Fair Lady, Professor Henry Higgins takes a bet that he can teach flower girl Eliza Doolittle to pass in upper-class company by changing her accent. When Higgins first introduces her to such company, Eliza appears presentable enough, and has even learned to speak with perfect high-class diction — but the effect is ruined by her choice of subject-matter and vocabulary, culminating in the famous line "Not bloody likely!", which was practically a Cluster F-Bomb by the standards of the time (and made the play quite controversial when it was first produced).
- Fate/Grand Order: Played With. Saint Martha is the picture of a perfect saint: soft-spoken, elegant, dutiful, compassionate, and protective. But if she's running out of patience, she starts speaking like a rowdy bruiser who's just done with all the shit given to her and would gladly punch people around to get her point across (to the point that others think that she tamed Tarrasque not by the grace of God but instead by punching it into submission). However, Martha has always stated that both her graceful and rowdy personalities are truly hers rather than faked.
- Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes: Francesca is a downplayed example. At first glance, she appears to be your typical ladylike healer, and does act like it some of the time... but annoy her enough or get into battle and she starts showing off her rough upbringing, with the tone of her voice going from prim and proper to rough and thuggish.
- Twisted-Wonderland: A male example. Epel is elegant, delicate, quiet and, when he does speak, very polite... unless he's speaking up because you've made him angry, in which case he reverts to his Tohoku dialect (in the Japanese text)/Deep South slang (in the English text), in which he's short-tempered and crass.
- Back at the Barnyard: In "Pig Amok", the animals see Pig's arranged bride and react very positively, calling her beautiful. And then she starts talking in a crass tone and acts abusively towards Pig, causing them to retract their statements. Unfortunately, he is too lovesick to notice, and it takes Otis faking a heart attack near the end of the episode to get Pig to call off the marriage.
- Looney Tunes: In the horribly racist Wartime Cartoon Tokyo Woes, the radio announcer Tokyo Rose is initially portrayed as a beautiful, dainty geisha. However, when she starts speaking, she suddenly gains Asian Buck Teeth and starts talking like a Jive Turkey.
- My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: Inverted in "Sweet and Elite"; Rarity is worried that the high-class ponies she meets at Canterlot will think less of her when they meet her friends from Ponyville. And some of the guests are put off by the mannerisms of the rest of the Mane Six. However, Fancy Pants aids Rarity in the defense of her friends, saying he finds them "charmingly rustic".
- The Simpsons:
- In "Mr. Spritz Goes To Washington", Mayor Quimby didn't know what his mistress sounded like until after he changed the route the airplanes were taking so he would no longer be bothered by the noise. It turns out she sounds rather screechy.
Quimby: That's your voice? Now I regret building you that opera house!
- In "Margical History Tour", King Henry VIII picks an attractive woman to marry after beheading Anne Boleyn. When the pope asks for vows at the wedding, her declaration is said with a high-pitched, ditzy voice so off-putting to Henry that he sends her to the chopping block.
- In "Treehouse of Horror XVII", a female golem constructed for the lonely golem appears doe-eyed upon coming to life, before she starts speaking in a raspy voice with sassy mannerisms courtesy of Fran Drescher. Homer is ready to chop her apart for this, but the golem stops him since he embraces her as she is.
- In "Mr. Spritz Goes To Washington", Mayor Quimby didn't know what his mistress sounded like until after he changed the route the airplanes were taking so he would no longer be bothered by the noise. It turns out she sounds rather screechy.
