Basic Trope: A flaw in a character's wardrobe demonstrates their character flaw.
- Straight:
- Bob's suit is too big for him, symbolizing the fact he's in over his head in his new job.
- Bob is overdressed for his job, representing the fact he's trying too hard and coming off as unnatural to his coworkers.
- Exaggerated: After one drink, Bob's suit has a massive brown stain down the front of it for the rest of the series.
- Downplayed: Bob has one tiny, blink-and-you'll-miss-it brown spot on his collar representing his hidden alcoholism.
- Justified:
- Bob was promoted from rank-and-file employee to vice president of the company overnight. He didn't have time to go shopping and threw on a hand-me-down suit.
- All that drinking increases the odds Bob would get booze stains on his clothing.
- Inverted: Bob's suit always looks impeccable on him and he has a well-groomed beard, representing his eye for details and manliness.
- Subverted: Bob's suit is too big, but it's a legitimate mistake my the show's wardrobe department and not a statement of Bob's character...
- Double Subverted: ...Until it's revealed later in the season he's been promoted to a job he's not ready to handle.
- Parodied: Bob's suit is expressive and changes size to fit his mood. When he feels confident it fits him well, but when his confidence is shaken it begins hanging on him like a burlap sack.
- Zig Zagged: Bob's suits vary in whether or not they fit him well from episode to episode. Sometimes it reflects his confidence and competence and other times it does not.
- Averted: The way Bob's suits fit in no way reflect upon his characterization.
- Enforced: "Our only remaining suit doesn't fit Bob properly. The audience will know better that he's incompetent anyway."
- Lampshaded: "How about you come back when you fit in your daddy's suit, kid?"
- Invoked: Bob works at a company that issues uniforms, and he's issues an ill-fitting uniform by a subversive employee unhappy to be working under him.
- Exploited: Bob's deliberately wears an oversized suit to show people that he's a common man with humble origins and flaws like everyone else.
- Defied: Bob hires a stylist and a tailor to make sure his suits fit properly.
- Discussed: "You ever notice how everyone on television is dressed perfectly unless they need to tell you something is really off about a character?"
- Conversed: "Oh yeah... Vice President Bob, the little guy playing dress up. Also his suit doesn't fit well."
Back to Wardrobe Flaw of Characterization
