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{{trope}}
[[File:
{{quote|''"Did not the Abbe F-M say: 'Lost is that man who sees a beautiful woman descending a noble staircase', and were not both these ingredients here, and ready to her hand? What else but a staircase could so perfectly set off the jewel she had made of Elfine?"''
|''[[Cold Comfort Farm]]''.}}
The [[Unresolved Sexual Tension|USTful]], [[Will They or Won't They?]], [[Slap Slap Kiss]] couple is at a formal
▲{{quote|''"Did not the Abbe F-M say: 'Lost is that man who sees a beautiful woman descending a noble staircase', and were not both these ingredients here, and ready to her hand? What else but a staircase could so perfectly set off the jewel she had made of Elfine?"''|''[[Cold Comfort Farm]]''.}}
For non-native English speakers (or anyone who's confused), the trope name refers to the subject cleaning ''herself''
▲The [[Unresolved Sexual Tension|USTful]], [[Will They or Won't They?]], [[Slap Slap Kiss]] couple is at a formal event -- either as reluctant dates or as part of a group. Usually in some sort of [[Dances and Balls|ballroom]] or fancy dress setting. The girl ([[Always Female|it's always the girl]] -- almost) appears a little late, [[Grand Staircase Entrance|standing at the top of the stairs]] in an outfit which is probably an order of magnitude more attractive and stylish than her usual wear. The light catches her just right so she [[Sparkles]]. And, of course, suddenly she's got boobs. The guy, at the foot of the stairs, glances up and sees her and his [[Jaw Drop|jaw drops]], eyes widen. The music rises. His heart flutters. [[Loud Gulp|He may gulp loudly]]. Can't make a coherent sentence for a minute or two. Sometimes the girl is self-conscious and shy of her new appearance, and sometimes she looks at the guy and goes [[Moment Killer|"What? What are you looking at me for?"]] Occasionally she smirks instead, enjoying the effect she's having on the guy.
▲For non-native English speakers (or anyone who's confused), the trope name refers to the subject cleaning ''herself'' nicely -- all prettied up for admiration.
Cue many a [[Shipping|shipper]] going [[Squee]]. Plenty of [[Truth in Television]] here (except that it can easily be a boy in real life).
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Every adaptation of "[[Cinderella (novel)|Cinderella]]" ''ever'' has this moment as the abused scullery maid arrives at the ball with her [[Fairy Companion|Fairy Godmother]] powered ballgown. Possibly the [[Trope Maker]].
[[Wrench Wench
While the ballroom and the staircase are not strictly necessary for this trope to function, they are the most common elements in which to place the events unfolding.
[[Sister Trope]] to [[Beautiful All Along]], [[Princess for a Day]], [[Hollywood Homely]] and [[Bathe Her and Bring Her to Me]]. Occasionally involves a [[Pimped-Out Dress]], but just as often a regular fancy dress will do. May be part of a [[Rags to Royalty]] situation. Sometimes overlaps with [[She
{{examples}}
* Louise in ''[[
▲== Anime & Manga ==
* In ''[[Ranma
▲* Louise in ''[[Zero no Tsukaima]]''. [[Summon Everyman Hero|Saito]] always thinks Louise is cute (''physically'', anyway), but her attitude is [[Tsundere|less tsun-tsun and more dere-dere]] at parties.
▲* In ''[[Ranma One Half]]'', Akane gets Ranma ''but good'' twice, at the start and conclusion of the final story arc, when he sees her {{spoiler|in a wedding kimono (first instance) and then in a Western-style wedding dress}}. Of course, she dresses up in fancy dresses whenever she can and usually does look pretty good, it's just that those two are the most prominent.
** Also Ukyō in the Episode "Ukyō's Skirt, The Great Girly-Girl Gambit". Ukyō looks so stunning in a Fūrinkan girl's uniform that Kunō promptly decides to start courting her as well as Akane and "the pigtailed girl". Even Ranma only recognizes her because she's still carrying her giant spatula. Unfortunately for her, while all of the other guys at school wanted to date her, Ranma still didn't seem to get that what she wanted was to try and give their relationship a boost. Between that, and the fact it ended up in a contest where Ranma got beaten up by all of the other guys, she stopped wearing it out of remorse. She does occasionally dress up in more feminine garb, though the series has something of a [[Limited Wardrobe]] for her.
** A male example occurs with Ranma, in a brief storyline in which Kodachi brings him as her date, to be compared to her rival's date. When said rival sees Ranma for the first time, he'd just been run over by a herd of cows and hardly looked his best. When he shows up at the actual date, cleaned up and looking awesome in a suit, the rival actually is impressed.
** In the same arc, [[Hypocritical Heartwarming|Akane becomes very offended]] when the rival insults Ranma. So, she helps make him look handsome for the date and mentally lampshades this trope while doing it.
{{quote|
* Similarly, in ''[[Urusei Yatsura]]'': Ryūnosuke, who is easily the [[Bifauxnen|most manly]] character in the show, has an episode dedicated to her struggle to become feminine. She really only wished to wear a sailor suit, but in the end ends up wearing the same dress as seen in ''[[My Fair Lady]]''
* Misty of ''[[Pokémon (anime)|Pokémon]]'' fame has done this from time to time. The infamous example of her wearing a kimono at the [[Festival Episode|Summer Festival]] and actually rendering Ash speechless comes to mind.
** Also, in one episode, Ash and Company met a girl who dresses and acts tough. At the end of the episode, when she invoked the trope, Brock reacted the way he usually does around beautiful girls, which prompted her into resume her boyishness.
* Kaname of ''[[Full Metal Panic!]]!'' does this to Sōsuke while posing as an older, married, and sexually frustrated woman. It works amazingly.
** She also pulls it with a kimono, shocking everyone.
* Nadja Applefield from ''[[Ashita no Nadja]]'' embodies the trope whether dolled up via Leonardo and Thierry or wearing her [[Gorgeous Period Dress]] inherited from her [[Missing Mom]]. {{spoiler|When said gown is destroyed by Rosemary, with help of Grandma Anna Nadja sews the intact top part into a new dress.}}
* [[Tomboy|Cagalli]] had this trope [[Genre Savvy|deliberately]] invoked on her in the ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam SEED|Gundam SEED]]'' first season. ''Twice''. She [[Well, Excuse Me, Princess!|wasn't really amused]] in any occasion.
* Continually subverted in ''[[The Wallflower]]''
* Even [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Amy Rose]] has done this on ''[[Sonic X]]'', complete with the reaction from Sonic himself.
* Subverted in ''[[Code Geass]]'', where Nina Einstein is all dressed up in the pre-wedding celebration but is still much more confident at work as a scientist, which is demonstrated by comparison to matter. However, played straight with Milly Ashford on the same occasion and Cecile Croomy earlier. [[Absolute Cleavage]] indeed.
* Hitomi in ''[[Vision of Escaflowne]]''. When she borrows one of Millerna's [[Pimped-Out Dress|Pimped Out Dresses]], Van can't help but spend the entirety of the dinner conversation just gawking dumbly at her (or [[Dope Slap
* ''[[Akane-Iro ni Somaru Saka]]'' uses this. All of the girls dress up and appear, getting a vague response from the main character. Then his sister shows up (late to the entrance) and he's dumbfounded. She's squicked by this, and he's berated by his fiancée (part of the first group).
* In ''[[Demashita! Powerpuff Girls Z|Powerpuff Girls Z]]'', Kaoru/Buttercup gets her hair done and is dressed up nicely in the episode where she gets a crush on a guy with big muscles. She looks so different that the Professor and his son Ken didn't even recognize her. Momoko/Blossom and Miyako/Bubbles even managed to [[Up to Eleven|up it to eleven]] when they taught Kaoru manners.
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** {{spoiler|Tieria Erde}} not only dresses up ''really'' nicely for the same second season party, but mixes this with {{spoiler|[[Wholesome Crossdresser]].}}
** Setsuna also cleaned up nicely in that same ball. Seeing him in a black suit was a very, ''very'' nice surprise.
* In ''[[Record of Lodoss War]]'' Deedlit, wearing an extravagant white gown, walks down the stairs with Parn, who is having a LOT of trouble looking her in the eye. Subverted slightly as he spends most of the ball ignoring her advances and [[Ho Yay|swooning]] [[
** And Deedo is so uncomfortable that she whines quite a bit at first, too.
{{quote|
* Subverted in ''[[Private Prince]]'', where female lead Miyako looks extremely good but is ''terribly'' uncomfortable and trips over her high heels and long dress... [[Meet Cute|in front of Will, the lead male.]]
* Asuna in ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]!'', once she lets her hair down and stops being overly violent for a bit.
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* Oscar in ''[[Rose of Versailles]]''. She dressed like a man every day of her life, except one, at a ball, where she decided to go as a woman, in order to impress Fersen. It will work in a kind of way, but before it worked even more on her manservant {{spoiler|and future lover}} Andre. The idea of Oscar in dress made him furious in manga, burst into laughter in anime... but in both, he stopped and looked amazed when Oscar showed up at the top of stairs in her white odalisque dress. And so were the guests at the ball later.
* ''[[Kimi ni Todoke]]'': normally Sawako's look wavers between scary or rather plain (except when she smiles from the heart). After a surprise makeover and a [[Hair Decorations|butterfly hairclip]] from Yano and Chizu, though, she broke the pretty barrier.
* In ''
* In ''[[Berserk]]'', [[Hot Amazon]] Casca, who usually goes around in men's clothing, short hair and non-[[Stripperiffic]] armour, is seen for the first time in a very nice, feminine dress upon {{spoiler|Griffith's brief triumph after defeating Midland's king's rivals}}. [http://www.mangareader.net/96-1128-163/berserk/chapter-8.html Guts' priceless blank stare] upon seeing her dressed this way is one of the series' very rare [[Crowning Moment of Funny|Crowning Moments Of Funny]].
* ''[[Area no Kishi]]'': Kakeru notices this when he reunites with childhood friend Seven. She appears far more feminine than [[One of the Boys|he remembered]] from their days in elementary school.
* ''[[City Hunter]]'': Kaori has sometimes put on a long wig and fooled her partner Ryo Saeba. In episode 137, an old friend of her buy Kaori fashionable clothes, and, with her wig, starts successfully dating Ryo at night. "Cinderella" was even the French title.
* In ''[[Heartcatch Pretty Cure]]'' episode 23, everyone's got their eyes on [[Bifauxnen|Itsuki]] after she first transforms into Cure Sunshine and later, when she first debuts in female clothing during the fashion club's trip in episode 25.
* Miranda Lotto in ''[[D.Gray-man]]''. It was a shock for most readers when they saw her for [https://web.archive.org/web/20130923070629/http://read.mangashare.com/D.Gray-man/chapter-019/page004.html the first time]. Only for Miranda to become like [https://web.archive.org/web/20130925070929/http://read.mangashare.com/D.Gray-man/chapter-026/page017.html this] after she gained her Innocence and self-confidence for the first time in her life.
* [[Played for Laughs]] in episode 85 of ''[[Shugo Chara]] Doki''. The Guardians go to a fashion event, so the girls wake up early to pick stylish outfits for the occasion. However, [[Dropped a Bridget On Him|Nagihiko]] shows up a little late, and once he arrives, the others are in shock when they see him [http://images4.fanpop.com/image/forum/72000/72015_1283260323979_full.jpg in clothes that manage to be even more stylish than the girls'], complete with [[Bishie Sparkle]]. His justification makes the scene even funnier.
{{quote|
'''Amu:''' And it looks like we have a winner... }}
* Pai in the first chapter of ''[[Sazan Eyes]]''.
* Happens during a [[Fancy Dinner]] scene in ''[[Gun X Sword]]'', with Wendy borrowing a fancy dress, taking her hair out of pigtails, and using makeup. Her dinner companion doesn't even recognize her at first. In context, his surprise may have a lot to do with the fact that she looks
* Used in a somewhat weird way in the seventh ''[[Detective Conan]]'' movie. {{spoiler|When Kazuha and Heiji were little, they visited Kazuha's family in Kyoto. Little Heiji ran off to a temple, and while waiting for him little Kazuha was dolled up in a kimono and got her hair done by her relatives. Little Heiji then saw her playing under the [[Cherry Blossoms]], but didn't recognize her... and "that girl from Kyoto" remained in his memory as "his first love". Since the movie had a subplot in which Heiji was searching for the anonymous girl he once liked, it means Kazuha was jealous of... her dolled up little girl self. And Heiji didn't find out until the end of the movie.}}
* In another male example, {{spoiler|Brief}} from ''[[Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt|Panty and Stocking With Garterbelt]]'' cleans up [[Bishonen|very]] nicely.
* Masane from ''[[Witchblade (anime)|Witchblade]]'' looks rather good when she gets dolled up for a party. Unfortunately, her personality and manners are exactly the same.
* When Maka of ''[[Soul Eater]]'' shows up in Soul's soul, wearing heels and a black ballgown. he's [http://www.mangareader.net/157-10163-34/soul-eater/chapter-18.html rather] [http://www.mangareader.net/157-10163-35/soul-eater/chapter-18.html shocked.]
* Liechtenstein, Ukraine and Hungary from ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia|Hetalia]]''. The first looks very cute [http://himaruya.blog61.fc2.com/blog-entry-837.html in a blue ballgown], the second is quite a babe [http://hetalia.livejournal.com/11219211.html in her national dress], and Finland got a picture of [https://web.archive.org/web/20130815010539/http://www.hetarchive.net/scanlations/hetastreeeem/xmas20113.php the third] wearing a very elegant [[Pimped-Out Dress]] during the [[Hetalia Bloodbath 2010]].
** Taiwan also [http://hetalia.livejournal.com/11597580.html looks very pretty in traditional clothing].
** Not to mention the usual [[Shorttank]] Wy looks adorable [http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/mcr_1920.jpg all dressed up.]
* ''[[Victorian Romance Emma]]'': Emma is convinced to attend a ball, and is shown to clean up nicely when she wears a ball gown and no glasses in comparison with her usual maid outfit and glasses.
* ''[[Daily Lives of High School Boys]]'' have [[Fat Girl|Nago]]
* Deunan of ''[[Appleseed]]'' stunned everyone when she turned up for Hitomi's birthday party in a stylish dress, specially designed by [http://chloeings.blogspot.com/2007/08/prada-designs-costumes-for-cartoon.html Muiccia Prada]▼
** It was even lampshaded by one of the people present. Not surprising, considering the vast difference from Deunan's usual [[Action Girl|tomboy-ish]] looks.
==
* Used in ''Rapunzel's Revenge,'' by Shannon and Dean Hale, illustrated by Nathan Hale (no relation). It's a graphic novel that sets the fairy tale "Rapunzel" in the American South, and turns the title character into a hair-lassoing cowgirl. [[Better Than It Sounds]], really.
* [[Yoko Tsuno]] isn't afraid to dress up in a kimono once when she's invited to have dinner in a German castle, much to the surprise of everyone who sees her ("A kimono! In my castle! This is definitely something to celebrate for!", says their host). She also dolls up when she and her partners spent the night in a Scottish castle, and later spends a whole chase scene in a dress.
* In the [[Furry Fandom]] comic ''Ebin and May'', Prince Ebin insists on having his girlfriend, May the servant girl, join him for a royal function. Lord Valkyn is against this since he thinks the humble rabbit doe would feel terribly out of place, but Ebin insists she'll do fine. Valkyn is instantly convinced when May joins them [http://www.radiocomix.com/ebin-and-may/2009/07/01/cinderella-complex-pg5 all properly made up and wonderfully dressed to look like something like the most idealized fairy tale princess] while Ebin smugly enjoys his point being proven.
* ''[[Strangers in Paradise]]'''s Katchoo says this to Detective Walsh (and he to her) when {{spoiler|he goes undercover to help her bust Darcy}}. The normally tomboyish and disheveled Katchoo is wearing a fancy evening dress and makeup.
* Inverted in the early [[Post-Crisis]] ''[[Wonder Woman]]'', Mynda Mayer, publicist extraordinaire, first appears in a sleazy dress and jewelry when she comes to Julia Kapatelis' residence to talk turkey with the new superhero. After being told to take a hike by the Greek professor as a cheap opportunist, Mayer doesn't give up and asks for a meeting in her office. Princess Diana and Ms. Kapatelis decide to come to stop her harassment, and are stunned to see the publicist in plain casual clothes and pants with far more subtle makeup and thus looking cute as a button.
* ''[[Erstwhile]]'' demonstrates this trope while telling All-Fur, when the princess changes from her scruffy appearance to nice clothing for the ball. See it [https://web.archive.org/web/20130826202146/http://www.erstwhiletales.com/allfur-09/#.T0k26PGDsy4 here].
== Fairy Tales ==
* A central part of the "Persecuted Heroine" fairy tale type. This falls into two types:
** "[[Cinderella (novel)|Cinderella]]", where the heroine is oppressed at home (usually by her [[Wicked Stepmother]], sometimes by her sisters) and given magical aid to go to some event (a ball, church, etc.). Others of this type include "[https://web.archive.org/web/20130824020414/http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/cinderella/stories/hearthcat.html The Hearth Cat]", "[https://web.archive.org/web/20130824055850/http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/cinderella/stories/maidenfish.html The Maiden and The Fish]", "[https://web.archive.org/web/20130824023439/http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/cinderella/stories/sheep.html The Sharp Grey Sheep]", and "[https://web.archive.org/web/20131104152714/http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/cinderella/stories/birch.html The Wonderful Birch]".
** "[https://web.archive.org/web/20130718151309/http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/donkeyskin/stories/catskin.html Catskin]", where the heroine must flee her home (usually because of her father) and take a job as a servant. She has brought along her dresses, or a magical way to get them, and can put them on for the ball or other event. Others of this type include "[https://web.archive.org/web/20131006101311/http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/cinderella/stories/katie.html Katie Woodencloak]", [[Joseph Jacobs]]'s "[https://web.archive.org/web/20130824043504/http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/cinderella/stories/rashin.html Rashin-Coatie]", "[https://web.archive.org/web/20130802235809/http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/donkeyskin/stories/bear.html The Bear]", [[The Brothers Grimm (
** [[Joseph Jacobs]]'s "[https://web.archive.org/web/20130718140257/http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/donkeyskin/stories/tattercoats.html Tattercoats]" also is a variant of the Persecuted Heroine, but unusually enough, the prince falls in love with her ''when she's wearing her tatters''; she is cleaned up only at the end to convince his father and the court that she is suitable to marry her guy.
** In another version of the tale, the prince agrees to marry her while she's in tatters but is confused as to why she goes around riding a goat and dressed in rags, while carrying a wooden spoon and with her face always dirty. With each question he has about her appearance (her mount, her clothing, her face, and her spoon), she replies that she only keeps those things because she wants to, and shows him that she is able to turn them into more beautiful things (a white horse, a gorgeous dress, a clean face, and a wand) should she desire. The prince gradually catches on and at the end, he doesn't even ask about the spoon, already knowing why she carries it.
* In "[https://web.archive.org/web/20130814130639/http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/authors/grimms/186truesweetheart.html The True Sweetheart]", the heroine dresses up for the ball in order to win back the prince, who had been [[James Bondage|enchanted]] into [[Laser-Guided Amnesia|forgetting her]].
* Also used in the Japanese tale "Hat-wearing Hanako". The heroine is a [[Fallen Princess]] who hides her [[Memento MacGuffin]] (a small chest with a scroll that proves her heritage) under a [[Nice Hat|huge straw hat]], which she wears 24/7 and refuses to take off. She is taken in as a maid by a high-class samurai clan, and when the eldest son falls for her, she has to clean up nicely to be accepted by her beau's family and prove who she truly is.
* In a [[Gender Flip
** Other variants of this type of fairy tale include "[https://web.archive.org/web/20140119234006/http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/bearskin/stories/dongiovanni.html Don Giovanni de la Fortuna]", "[https://web.archive.org/web/20090319030931/http://www.gwu.edu/~folktale/GERM232/bearskin/web%20pages/SoldierandtheBadMan.html The Soldier and the Bad Man]", "[https://web.archive.org/web/20090319030926/http://www.gwu.edu/~folktale/GERM232/bearskin/web%20pages/RoadtoHell.html The Road to Hell]" (where she actively cleans him up), "[https://web.archive.org/web/20140117195302/http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/bearskin/stories/rewardkindness.html The Reward of Kindness]", [http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0361.html#sutermeister "The Devil As Partner" and "Never Wash"].
== Film
* The beginning of the ballroom scene in [[Disney Animated Canon|Disney's]] ''[[Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)|Beauty and the Beast]]''. In a variation, ''both'' Belle and Beast are cleaning up nicely.
** She was beautiful in her plain clothes, and the time spent in the castle shows her in various elegant dresses. This was just taking her beauty [[Up to Eleven]].
* [[Aladdin (Disney film)|Aladdin]] has never been bad looking but looks especially dashing in his formal "Prince Ali" attire.
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* The beginning of the ballet scene in ''[[Anastasia]]'' (ends in the "what are you staring at?" vein).
* Odette in ''[[The Swan Princess]]''.
{{quote|
** ... [[Foreshadowing|well before]] she's literally [[Involuntary Shapeshifting|turned into a swan]].
* Tanya Mousekewitz gets this kind of effect in ''[[An American Tail]]: Fievel Goes West'' after a makeover from Miss Kitty. Even the cats in the saloon take notice.
* A variation in ''[[Tangled (2010 film)|Tangled]]'': Rapunzel's clothing doesn't change, but when Flynn gets four little girls to fix up her hair so it doesn't drag on the ground while they're touring the kingdom, Rapunzel ends up looking even cuter than before. Flynn's face when he sees the final result has the name of this trope written all over it.
* ''[[Over the Hedge (animation)|Over the Hedge]]'' has a little makeover scene for Stella who, with a haircut and comb run through her fur, looks really pretty. For a skunk.
* ''[[Mulan]]'' looks quite nice in her matchmaker ceremony dress.
* In the 2008 Japanese film ''[[Zatoichi|Ichi]]'', hapless samurai Toma meets the title
▲* Deunan of ''[[Appleseed]]'' stunned everyone when she turned up for Hitomi's birthday party in a stylish dress, specially designed by [http://chloeings.blogspot.com/2007/08/prada-designs-costumes-for-cartoon.html Muiccia Prada]
▲** It was even lampshaded by one of the people present. Not surprising, considering the vast difference from Deunan's usual [[Action Girl|tomboy-ish]] looks.
▲* In the 2008 Japanese film ''[[Zatoichi|Ichi]]'', hapless samurai Toma meets the title character -- a blind swordswoman -- when she is in a ''goze'''s customary rags. When she's called to play for the local ''yakuza'' boss to celebrate Toma's hiring as a bodyguard, though, he is visibly stunned by how she looks in a ''kimono''.
* ''[[Rocky (film)|Rocky]]''. [[Meganekko|Adrian]] is the [[Trope Codifier]].
* In ''[[Enchanted]]'', the example is recursive. Giselle shows up at the ball (with Edward in tow) in this fashion. Funnily enough, the ball is an "old fashioned fancy dress" kind, involving clothing of the sort Giselle's been wearing for the whole
*
** According to the extras in the DVD release, that was one of the hardest scenes for [[Daniel Radcliffe]] and [[Rupert Grint]] to get right, because although ''Ron and Harry'' had never seen ''Hermione'' all dolled up before, ''they'' had seen Emma done up to the nines on many occasions.
** [[A Very Potter Musical|"I used to think looks weren't important, but now I think they're more important than anything!"]]
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* The entire point of the movie ''[[Miss Congeniality]]''. The scene where Gracie originally walks out of the hangar in a tight short knit dress with her hair up and makeup on, has all of her fellow FBI agents standing there with their [[Jaw Drop|jaws dropping]].
** [[Dojikko|Then she stumbles on her heels and falls on her face.]]
* Patrick and Kat have this effect on each other in ''[[
* In an inversion of the trope, ''[[Australia (2008 film)|Australia]]'' has the male lead follow the trope nearly to the letter at a charity ball.
* Inverted also in ''[[The Mummy Trilogy]]'' after Rick O'Connell is rescued from the gallows. His shiny reappearance is [[Right Behind Me|nicely timed]] to Evelyn's rant about what a filthy, rude, complete scoundrel he is.
** Evie herself gets a moment like this as before they go on their expedition we are used to seeing her in dowdy and plain librarian's clothes but after they escape from the ship Evie appears wearing an Egyptian black dress and veil which certainly made Rick's eyes widen.
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* In ''[[Watchmen (film)|Watchmen]]'', Laurie Jupiter walks down the stairs to the Owl Cave in her Silk Spectre outfit, in slow motion with music and Nite Owl open-mouthed.
* Male example in the first ''[[George of the Jungle (film)|George of the Jungle]]'' movie;
{{quote|
'''George:''' Pretty darn good! }}
* Parodied in ''[[Not Another Teen Movie]]''. Jenny goes downstairs in her new dress and without glasses, with her family and Jake just unable to believe their eyes, then suddenly a tread breaks and she falls to the bottom of the stairs.
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* Played straight in ''[[My Big Fat Greek Wedding]]''. Toula starts off frumpy, and then later on she [[The Glasses Gotta Go|ditches the glasses]] in favor of contacts, and starts wearing makeup, proving she was [[Beautiful All Along]].
* Jane's reaction to {{spoiler|a fully restored Thor}} in ''[[Thor (film)|Thor]]''.
{{quote|
'''Thor''': More or less.
'''Jane''': It's a good look. }}
* Played subtly near the end of ''[[The Journey of Natty Gann]]'', when Natty and Harry reach Seattle after days of hopping trains and hiking cross-country and Natty gets the chance to actually wash her face and comb her hair. Harry is visibly startled the first time he gets a good look at her after she's cleaned up.
* Played with in ''[[Some Kind of Wonderful]]''. [[Tomboy]] Watts has spent the entire movie dressed in raggedy old hand-me-down men's clothes. In the last act, when she agrees to chauffeur her best friend (and crush) Keith and his crush, Amanda, around on their date, she decides to get dressed up. The effect is striking, and she's much more
* In the [[James Bond (film)|James Bond]] film ''[[Licence to Kill]]'', CIA agent Pam Bouvier is insulted by the idea that she should play Bond's secretary, but when she shows up at the Bank in the dress she bought with the money Bond gave her, he's so stunned by how beautiful she looks that he does a [[Double Take]].
* ''[[Iron Man (film)|Iron Man]]'': Pepper Potts starts off the film wearing drab business suits with her hair pulled back. But for the Stark charity gala halfway through the film, she styles her hair and wears a sexy backless dress, stunning her playboy employer, who finally starts looking at her as a romantic interest rather than just his long-suffering secretary.
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== Literature ==
*
* Gaia Moore in one of the ''[[Fearless (novel)|Fearless]]'' books, although Gaia does not recognize this about herself.
* Male example with Harry Dresden in ''[[The Dresden Files]]: Death Masks''. Harry seems to enjoy the effect he has in his tuxedo when he goes to an art sales event with Susan to investigate Johnnie Marcone.
** [[Truth in Television]]: There's a reason they've never gone out of style. It's incredibly hard not to be a dude that cleans up nicely once wearing a fitted tux.
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* Lessa in ''[[Dragonriders of Pern|Dragonflight]]'', who begins the book as a filth-encrusted drudge, gets this after a vigorous bath and acquires something of a bathing fetish thereafter.
* Though she doesn't actually do so, Herrena the Henna-Haired Harridan, in ''[[Discworld|The Color Of Magic]]'', is implied to be the sort who would clean up well. Unlike most women depicted on fantasy cover art, though, she is described as wearing sensible mail and no leather (except the boots. However, the boots are not black leather).
* ''[[Redwall]]'' did this in ''Mariel of Redwall''. Dandin is described as being surprised that the previously scruffy Mariel (then the amnesiac Storm Gullwhacker), after having been forced to take a bath and get a new green dress, could actually be pretty.
* ''[[Atlas Shrugged]]'': Dagny Taggart, several times.
* ''[[Hero Series]]'': Lee Mallorough, at least once in every book.
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* In the ''[[X Wing Series]]'', one of Corran Horn's friends tells another of his friends, and his love interest, about what he did one year at the Annual [CorSec] Awards Ball to make his date's night special. One part of this was ordering a new formal dress uniform, and it turned out that [[Fair Cop|he cleaned up nicely]].
* Gender-flipped and inverted in ''Chessmen of Mars'', one of the ''[[John Carter of Mars]]'' books. Gahan, the Jed (Prince) of Gathol, first shows up to court Tara in a gloriously bejeweled outfit worthy of his wealth and status. She is unimpressed. When next they meet, he is in the garb of an ordinary warrior. She doesn't recognize him and falls head over heels.
** Though what she falls for isn't mainly his appearance, but his demonstrating now that he's a brave man and a darned good fighter even by comparison with her dad, [[Master Swordsman|the "greatest swordsman of two worlds."]]
* Inverted in ''[[Rats, Bats, and Vats|Rats Bats and Vats]]''; the hero, Chip, has no interest in the heroine Virginia... until she gets nice and dirty.
* ''[[The Princess Bride (novel)|The Princess Bride]]'', where it's played straight and then again not quite so straight. Buttercup starts out as incredibly pretty anyway but moves up to Number One in the "Most Beautiful in the World" Chart when she decides to clean herself up, "unearth the territory behind her ears," and comb her hair. She does it all for Westley, though, so it's also [[The Power of Love]].
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* In [[L. M. Montgomery]]'s ''[[Anne of Green Gables]]'', Anne is introduced as wearing plain, unflattering outfits, having ungracefully long legs, and having orangish-red hair which most people in the book find unappealing. After Anne grows up and is given prettier outfits to wear, there are several points where her friends and various people in the town comment on how attractive she is. In particular, when Anne is giving a monologue for an event, it's mentioned that Gilbert Blythe is admiring how nice she looks in the white dress she's wearing.
* Happens to both Bertie and [[A Midsummer Night's Dream|Peaseblossom]] in ''[[Theatre Illuminata Trilogy|Eyes Like Stars]]''.
* Echo Mockery in [[
* Beautifully subverted in ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire|A Storm of Swords]]'': When Gendry sees [[Tomboy Princess]] Arya in a dress for the first time, he laughs so hard that wine comes out of his nose. (He does admit that she looks nice later, though.)
** Same with Brienne. She looks like a man in men's clothes. In women's clothes, she still looks like a
* In ''The Rivers of Zadaa,'' the sixth book of D. J. MacHale's ''Pendragon'' series, Bobby is rendered drooling and speechless at the sight of [[Hot Amazon|Loor]] in a red dress, the first time she's not wearing her fur-and-leather warrior garb.
* In [[Gene Stratton Porter]]'s ''[[Freckles]]'', Freckles does not recognize the bird woman at a party, because she has dressed for the occasion.
{{quote|
Noticing his bewilderment, she cried: "Why, Freckles! Don't you know me in my war clothes?" '' }}
* In ''[[The Fangs Of Kaath]]'', Sandhri manages to finagle herself into the palace to find her love, Prince Raschid, and finds herself washed up and beset by tailors who manage to create a dress that best flatters her underweight figure. When Sandhri sees herself in the mirror, she is stunned and delighted to see herself transformed into the stuff of [[Arabian Nights]] sexual fantasies.
* In [[Devon Monk]]'s ''[[Allie Beckstrom|Magic In the Shadows]]'', Allie is struck by how Zayvion looks when he arrives for their date, and says, "Don't you clean up nice."
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* This is one of the premises of the Colombian telenovela "[[Yo Soy Betty, la Fea]]". Although she doesn't get "princess pretty" at the end, her appearance definitely improves during the series.
** This happens in the many spinoffs too (such as [[Ugly Betty]]).
* This is the entire premise of the show ''[[How Do I Look]]?''. Take a woman whose friends don't like her fashion sense, buy her a new wardrobe, change her hair and makeup, and show her new look to a crowd of her friends and family as
* In ''[[Castle]]'', [[Fair Cop]] Kate Beckett is told this explicitly using the trope name on at least two occasions: the high society fundraiser in "Home Is Where The Heart Stops" where she and Castle go undercover and the book launch of ''Heat Wave'' in "When The Bough Breaks". They're not wrong, either. The first time is a 'nervous and shy' example because she's wearing an amazingly expensive and beautiful dress that Castle has bought for her; the second time, everyone assumes she's a character actor hired to play 'Nikki', [[Write Who You Know|the character based on her]].
** Also, in "A Death in the Family", Alexis in her prom dress combines this with a [[She
* Kaylee, in the ''[[Firefly]]'' episode, "Shindig". Some women at the party snark at her for wearing a store-bought dress, but she is happily vindicated when one male partygoer comes to her defense (and later the men [[Geeky Turn On|are delighted]] to discover [[Wrench Wench|how tech-savvy she is]]).
* ''[[Battlestar Galactica
** Though it should be noted, Starbuck is an [[Unkempt Beauty]] anyway, and Apollo was attracted to her long before the cleanup.
* Audrey Parker on ''[[Haven]]'' is so inept at picking out pretty clothes she has to have elderly bachelor brothers do it for her but she wears them so, so well.
* ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'':
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** Many episodes got use out of Chateau Sheffield's sweeping staircase.
** Also happens with Brighton's nerdy classmate Brooke, who Brighton (initially) didn't want to go to a dance with in "The Playwright".
* Mark's boyfriend Cliff on ''[[Ugly Betty]]'' has one of these at Bradford and Wilhemina's wedding, causing Amanda to quip "Who knew there were hardwood floors under that shag rug?"
* ''[[Supernatural (TV series)|Supernatural]]'': While the brothers Winchester are hardly chopped liver [[Unkempt Beauty|even at their slobbiest]], in the episode "Red Sky at Morning" the costume designers very wisely put Dean in a tux and had him swagger down a staircase to the sounds of Bond music. A more surefire recipie for swoon-age I cannot conceive.
* In ''[[John Adams (TV series)|John Adams]]'', Abigail Adams spends most of the first few episodes in rather plain dresses. When she does the make-up hair and nice dress thing at Versailles, her husband is lost for words.
** [[Truth in Television]], adorably enough! When Gilbert Stuart mentioned that he "wished to God he could have painted Mrs. Adams when she was young; she would have made a perfect Venus," Mr. Adams expressed emphatic agreement.
* On ''[[Friends]]'' when Rachel heads out for her first night with the girls since having Emma, she does this. As Ross puts it: "You clean up good!" Yes, Mr. "I'm a Doctor" used improper grammar. One imagines his brain wasn't in control at the time.
** "You clean up good" is how the trope is usually phrased in Westerns. Ross is invoking this.
* In the ''[[Are You Afraid of the Dark?]]'' episode, "The Tale of the Closet Keepers", the resident tomboy, Kiki gets one of these. When she is revealed to the Midnight society by Betty Ann, she even gets a whistle from Gary and Tucker incredulously says, "I don't believe it! You look like... Like a girl!"
** Happened again in "The Tale of the Mystical Mirror" which featured a rather homely girl starting work in a beauty shop. After a bit of primping by the owner, the girl walks out in a stylish black dress with full hair and make-up to the glee of her two co-workers. She's back to her normal clothes when she finishes work however.
* Parodied mercilessly in the finale of ''[[Spaced]]''. Daisy tries to invoke this trope (including a memorable sequence where she extends a lipstick accompanied by the ''[[Star Wars]]'' lightsaber sound effect) and at first appears it's working, but then it turns out that the men were actually ooh-ing and aah-ing over a spectacular flaming birthday cake behind her.
* In an early ''[[Wings (TV series)|Wings]]'' episode, Helen decides to wear a sexy dress to a cello audition. When she doesn't get the job, she isn't sure whether it was because her cello playing wasn't good enough, or she wasn't sexy in the dress. She shows Joe what she looks like in the dress, and after noting his reaction, she promptly hurries off to practice her cello some more.
* Yes, there's a few ''[[Doctor Who]]'' examples...
** Subverted in "Enlightenment". Tegan changes into [[Gorgeous Period Dress]] to the amazement of everyone. Except the 5th Doctor, who doesn't seem to notice. Much to Tegan's annoyance.
** In "The Unquiet Dead", Rose is ordered to change from her 21st century clothes into something a bit more appropriate for the Victorian period. The Doctor is impressed.
** And again in "The Unicorn and the Wasp", when Donna puts on a flapper dress for a party with [[Agatha Christie]].
** The boys get in on the act too. The Tenth and Eleventh Doctors certainly do when they change their usual "Geek Chic" for more formal attire in "[[Doctor Who/Recap/2007 CS Voyage of the Damned
* ''[[Doctor Who]]'''s spinoff ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]'' gives one of these to Luke Smith, who is rather stunned to notice that [[True Companions|Rani]] ''does'' clean up nicely. Actually, he has one right after the other - first for his mum Sarah Jane, and then for Rani. (This version, obviously, is purely platonic on both counts.)
* While Van Pelt of ''[[The Mentalist]]'' already looks pretty sharp in her work attire, when she really dresses up to pretend to be co-worker Rigsby's girlfriend for a sting, she drives the poor man to distraction.
** And Lisbon, who is often overshadowed by Van Pelt, has one of these moments at a society fundraiser that she's been ordered to go to because the CBI is broke. Jane, [[UST]]-ee/[[All Love Is Unrequited|unrequited love]]/co-worker seems not to notice, but then he ''is'' [[The Chessmaster|Patrick Jane]], and probably thought he could screw with her in some way by not mentioning it. Made better by the fact that when she gets called away to a crime scene, she just sticks her regular leather jacket over the top and looks eccentric and beautiful.
** Some fans have drawn a connection between this and his [[Bunny Ears Lawyer]] stunt of the
* In the BBC's ''[[Robin Hood (TV series)|Robin Hood]]'', tomboy Djaq glams up in order to infiltrate Nottingham castle. The scene features both the possible outcomes mentioned in the trope description: Will is reduced to a staring, stuttering mess and receives a somewhat sharp [[Moment Killer]] response, while Allan manages to be a little more smooth, pays her a compliment and gets the gratified smirk.
* In ''[[Smallville]]'''s season 4 episode "Spirit", a possessed Lois descends the stairs at the Kent Farm in one of the most [[Pimped-Out Dress|hideous dresses]] ever seen -- Clark catches sight of her and gulps. There was also perhaps a better example from season eight's "Bride", where Lois comes down the same staircase in her formal wear as maid of honour at Chloe's wedding; Clark comes to meet her at the bottom in ''his'' formal wear and they both seem silently impressed.
* Parodied in ''Working''. Chris is one of many applicants for a newly opened position under the male chauvinist boss at the office. Chris prays on the boss's good-old-boy tendencies and general machismo to land the job. The show's main character (along with the audience) soon discovers that Chris is really a woman in disguise: Chris''tine''. When Christine outs herself, in the ''sauna'', accompanied by '''all the company's execs''', she returns to the office looking quite sexy in a skirt-suit. Cue one of the male characters saying "That's Chris?! He sure cleans up nice!"
* On ''[[Angel]]'', the titular character scores tickets for the opera. Everyone cleans up well, but Fred and Gunn, both of whom are probably the least upscale fashionable, seem to attract the most
* Subverted in ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', when Buffy dresses in a beautiful period gown for Halloween in an attempt to impress Angel, [[Becoming the Costume|it turns her into a dithering, helpless creature (because everyone's being possessed by their costumes).]] He is not impressed.
** In the same episode, Buffy attempts to get Willow to do the whole "coming down the staircase" thing to impress Xander, albeit dressed as a hot goth rather than a fairytale princess. However, Willow backs out and comes down the stairs... in a traditional "sheet" ghost costume.
** Played straight with Willow and Xander in the Homecoming episode, although without the staircase. Later spoofed in a callback to that same scene when Xander is about to get married, Willow in her bridesmaid's dress looks at him in his tuxedo and comments "Good thing I realized I was gay, otherwise, you, me, formal wear... bad combination."
** Subverted again in "Inca Mummy Girl" in which the gang are having a world cultures themed costume party and Willow turns up wearing an eskimo costume and Xander of course only has eyes for the [[Monster of the Week]] Ampata dressed to the nines. Willow remarks that maybe she should have worn something sexy instead but Oz is playing on stage and this following exchange happens:
{{quote|
'''Devon''': (talking about Ampata) She's an exchange student. I think she's from South America.
'''Oz:''' No, not her. The eskimo. }}
* Inverted on ''[[Taxi]]'': Elaine asks Jim to go to a fancy party with her (out of concern for his feelings and with major reservations). He shows up at her door groomed and shaved, in a neato tux. Elaine gasps "You're gorgeous!" He replies in his quavering burnout voice "Yeah, I never get tired of hearing that."
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* Happens in ''[[Bones]]'' (sort of) when the title character descends the stairs in an awful bridesmaid's dress. Her main love interest says she looks "nice", until Cam helps her fix the dress to be prettier. He then tells her that she looks "gorgeous" to which she simply complains "I thought you said I looked nice before!"
** In the Halloween-themed episode "The Mummy In The Maze", Booth has a similar reaction to seeing Bones in a [[Wonder Woman]] costume.
* ''[[Ace Lightning]]'''s Jessica Fisgus, during the dance at the end of the first season.
* In ''Young Riders'', Louise "Lou" Macloud has to keep her gender a secret from most folks but on one occasion she gets a chance to dress like a girl and wow her teammates.
* In ''[[The West Wing]]'', Leo says this to Congressman Matt Santos...no, it's not [[Ho Yay]], it's just meant to be taken literally.
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* Most of the contestants for NBC's ''[[The Biggest Loser]]'' are quite good looking once they achieve a healthy weight.
* ''[[Hannah Montana]]'' Both played straight and subverted in the episode, "You Are So Sue-able To Me". When Lilly's crush Matt asks her to the school dance, Miley convinces Lilly to get a [[Girliness Upgrade]] to impress him. When she later shows up at school with her new look, she has quite a few guys drooling over her, but then she gets stood up by Matt. It turns out he preferred her [[Tomboy]] look.
* ''[[
** However, there have been other times in the series, before and after this episode, that Sam has put a dress on, and she looks quite good in them.
* Subverted to the point of parody in the ''[[M*A*S*H (television)|Mash]]'' episode "Stars & Stripes". Margaret likes Sgt. (busted to Pvt.) Scully, whose attitude toward women is shall we say less than enlightened. To prove to him she's a woman along with being a Major and a Head Nurse, she gets all dolled up in an outlandish pink prom gown with Stepford pearls, high heels and lipstick. He appreciates it so much he flops down on her bed and asks her to (literally) [[Feminine Women Can Cook|cook him an omelet]].
* ''Dårfinkar & dönickar''. Simone, having been masquerading as a boy at her new school, turns up to class in a dress and lipstick. Subverted in that Isak, her crush, decides he likes her back after finding out she's a girl, but before he's ever seen her in girls' clothes.
* In ''[[The Suite Life of Zack and Cody]]'' Zack is persuaded to take tomboy Max out on a date. She appears at the restaurant in a nice dress with her hair done up and Zack's jaw drops.
* In an episode of ''[[H₂O: Just Add Water]]'' Zane buys tomboy Rikki a dress for her to wear at a dinner party at his house. Emma is at the dinner and her jaw drops when she sees Rikki walking down the stairs in the dress with her hair down. She's seen wearing dresses more frequently afterwards.
* In ''[[New Girl]]'', this is Schmidt and Coach's reaction when they see Jess in the [[Little Black Dress]] her friend Cece helps her pick out... a reaction which is killed soon after, when Jess breaks into a celebratory dance.
* Played With in an episode of ''[[Boy Meets World]]''. Topanga suddenly becomes self-conscious about her looks, and decides to get a makeover. However, Cory and Shawn recognize that she was already beautiful before getting "cleaned up" and now with the makeover she will be "mega-beautiful", and sure enough she stuns them when she walks out of the beauty parlor. At the end of the episode she decides not to keep up the new appearance because it's not who she is.
* In ''[[Cheers]]'', Frasier starts salivating with desire when Lilith, who normally sports a criminally tight bun, lets her hair down.
* ''[[Babylon 5]]'': Delenn is always lovely, as per her [[Lady of War]] status, but her usual clothing is Minbari and, while quite beautiful, isn't all that revealing. So when Delenn [[Babylon 5/Recap/S02
** She does it again two seasons later in "Atonement." This time the gown is even more revealing, and
* At the end of ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'' episode "Two", the male soldier puts on an old and damaged suit... not that impressive. The female soldier puts on a white dress and puts her hair in a ponytail. He falls in love.
* An episode of ''[[The Brady Bunch]]'' had this as a plot point for Jan, the middle sister. She's wondering why
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== Professional Wrestling ==
* Usually at the Hall Of Fame ceremony, most wrestlers will be dressed up in formal wear which is a startling change for some when we're used to seeing them in ring gear.
** [[John Cena]] [http://onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/j/johncena/80.jpg normal] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20111117131340/http://www.j-cena.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/14Cena_FiestaBowl.jpg cleaned up]
** [[Batista]] [http://onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/b/batista/52.jpg normal] and [http://potsofhoney77.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/2386202988_d9e6b9e4e8.jpg cleaned up]{{Dead link}}
** [[Evan Bourne]] [http://www.google.com/imgres?q=evan+bourne+at+the+hall+of+fame&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=PWxBMWE8Xp1C_M:&imgrefurl=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/444429-ruining-their-careers-top-ten-chaotically-booked-superstars-by-wwe&docid=cttW2vuovCVijM&w=305&h=400&ei=MXorTuzfFoHOhAeKhMSqCw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=371&vpy=340&dur=998&hovh=257&hovw=196&tx=112&ty=158&page=2&tbnh=129&tbnw=105&start=24&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:24&biw=1280&bih=709 normal] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20110821133210/http://evan-bourne.com/index.php/2010/03/2010-hall-of-fame/ cleaned up]
** [[The Miz]] [http://onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/m/mikemizanin/20.jpg normal] and [http://www.fanpop.com/spots/the-miz-michael-mizanin/images/18868194/title/miz-maryes-photo cleaned up]
* [[WWE
** Beth [http://onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/b/bethphoenix/25.jpg normally] and [http://www.diva-dirt.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/hof_beth.png dolled up]
** [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/n/nattieniedhart/02.jpg Here's] [http://www.diva-dirt.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/hof11_natalya.png Natalya]
** [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/t/tamina/04.jpg And] [http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQiVZN7YNffIlluIdUl_h3dfO-GW38fjdXmqdQou3Fpu5DBkV7vSdaakJZ3 Tamina]{{Dead link}}
* Anyone remember Molly Holly? The [[Hollywood Homely]] self righteous prude who as a heel was always promoted as unattractive? Well [http://img20.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=60178_Molly_Holly_122_218lo.jpg this] is her at the 2009 Hall of Fame.
* This probably wasn't intentional but [[The Ladette|ODB]] sure looked pretty at her TNA wedding.
== [[Tabletop Game]] ==
* ''[[Pathfinder]]'' iconics example: [
== Theater ==
* Subverted in, of all things, the musical ''[[Wicked (theatre)|Wicked]]'' where Elphaba appears at the top of the stairs at a party and everyone turns to stare, before bursting out in raucous laughter at the hideous hat she's been tricked into wearing.
* Sarah at the ball in ''[[Tanz der Vampire]]''.
* At the climax of the ballet ''Rodeo'', the dancing grinds to a halt and [[Aaron Copland]]'s hoedown music [[Letting the Air Out of the Band|loses pitch like a record winding down]] as the tomboy reappears in a nice dress.
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* Played completely straight in ''Calamity Jane'', with all attendants being shocked at seeing Jane in a dress.
* ''[[A Very Potter Musical]]'' has the song [http://teamstarkid.bandcamp.com/track/granger-danger ''Granger Danger''], which consists of Ron and Draco singing about how beautiful Hermione is now that [[The Makeover|looking good has become important to her]]:
{{quote|
''Can take a mess,''
''And make her nothing less than...''
''Beautiful to me...."'' }}
* A variant is done in ''[[Les Misérables (theatre)|Les Misérables]]''. While Marius is bowled over by Cosette's beauty, he doesn't know how she used to like when she was a starved, abused child (the last time we see her in the musical). It is Eponine, raised throughout her childhood with Cosette, who gapes in amazement.
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* ''[[Persona 4]]'' {{spoiler|Naoto Shirogane}} if you get her Christmas Eve event.
* ''[[Quintessence]]: The Blighted Venom'' Reivier masquerading as Duke Heath had his jaw drop when Lunair enters the room in her wedding gown.
* ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]. Brawl'' There's an ongoing line of [[Game Mod|texture hacks]] at [https://web.archive.org/web/20120105174913/http://stacksmash.cultnet.net/ Stack Smash] based on this concept. So far, [https://web.archive.org/web/20090713180102/http://stacksmash.cultnet.net/?p=2406 Yoshi], [https://web.archive.org/web/20090316204115/http://stacksmash.cultnet.net/?p=3480 Pikachu], and even [https://web.archive.org/web/20090421084650/http://stacksmash.cultnet.net/?p=3300 Wario] had this done to them.
* ''[[Tales of Symphonia]]'' Depending on who the character chooses, someone will have this effect on Lloyd during a subquest. Sheena's is notably the most like this trope, though.
** This also applies to Lloyd himself in a formal outfit. Sheena tells him he's handsome during the above sidequest, and Lloyd gets embarrassed.
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* Deliberately played by Agatha in a non-canon ''[[Girl Genius]]'' short story; they didn't have stairs in the right location so she brought her own.
** Then there's the crossdressing Jägermonster, Maxim.
{{quote|
* Helen complains that she has been cheated out of this effect in [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/narbonic_plus/series.php?view=archive&chapter=37592&name=narbonic_plus#strip3 this] ''[[Narbonic]]'' strip.
* ''[[Teen Girl Squad]]'' -- (It's sortof comic-like, right?) -- The Ugly One isn't so ugly after all at her party... So much So, Strong Bad prevents the "Arrow'd Guy" from, err, Arrowing her, and proceeds to make out with the piece of loose-leaf she's drawn on. "Whoa! Did I draw that new hotness?"
* Hi-Ho Casino part 2 in ''[[Zap]]'' has a moment like this when Reona first appears in her evening gown.
* Jean Poule in ''[[The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob]]'' gets a [http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20100119.html moment] like this when they attend Voluptua's royal ball.
* Policeguy in [[Girly]], as lampshaded [https://web.archive.org/web/20130606070002/http://girlyyy.com/go/407 by Mystery Girl.] {{spoiler|1=So does she- [http://girlyyy.com/go/408 she's his date, Officer Hipbone.] [http://girlyyy.com/go/408&comments=on#comments Even the readers were shocked]!}}
* One girl comments that Eiji Hayashihara has cleaned up well between school years in [https://web.archive.org/web/20110811152428/http://www.redstring.strawberrycomics.com/?p=706 this] ''[[Red String]]'' strip; even though all he seems to have done is lose the ponytail.
* In ''[[Rhapsodies]]'', Kate, who usually favors thrift store and army surplus clothes, prefers that nobody [http://rhapsodies.wpmorse.com/?p=205 finds] [http://rhapsodies.wpmorse.com/?p=1495 this] [http://rhapsodies.wpmorse.com/?p=1650 out.]
* "Max Overacts" has the "you scrub up nice" phrasing in [http://occasionalcomics.com/751/latest-comic-155/ this comic].
* ''[[Skin Horse]]'''s Marcy was the physical embodiment of
* ''[[Strays]]'': [https://web.archive.org/web/20110830130710/http://www.straysonline.com/comic/169.htm Meela has to be cleaned up for the party -- even though she's going as a servant.]
* In ''[[No Rest for The Wicked (webcomic)|No Rest for The Wicked]]'', inverted. [http://www.forthewicked.net/archive/01-20.html November met Princess Colette at a ball, but Colette doesn't recognize her in her travel-stained clothing.]
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== Web Original ==
* When [[The Nostalgia Critic]] showed up in the Chick's review of ''[[The Worst Witch]]'' in an all white suit (instead of his usual rumpled one), Nella and Elisa giggled and fangirled over him, much to the Chick's irritation.
* The title character of the [[Reincarnation Fantasy|Isekai]] web novel ''[[Tori Transmigrated]]'' by "Aila Aurie" spends much of her time "dressed down" -- when she's not in a school uniform, she's dressed for sword practice, riding, or for working on a refugee resettlement project given her. When late in the story she's getting fitted with a gown for an imperial ball and her friends see her, one notes, "I'm so used to seeing Tori wearing pants or her uniform, that I forget that she's also known as a noble beauty".
== Western Animation ==
* ''[[As Told by Ginger]]'': An entire episode was dedicated to this trope where [[Black and Nerdy|Darren]] was finally able to take off his [[Braces of Orthodontic Overkill|head gear braces]]. Upon removing, he finds himself being an instant [[Chick Magnet]].
* ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'' did it in the episode "City of Walls and Secrets", with both Katara and Toph all dolled up and Aang stunned into blushing silence and a stumbling compliment before they had even left for the party.
** A more subtle example would be Zuko at the start of season three. After spending the first season being kinda ugly and the second being dirty and scruffy, the viewers finally got to see him [https://web.archive.org/web/20120809122947/http://piandao.org/screencaps/ep41/ep41-331.png all dressed up and prince-like.]
*** And it gets better. The follow-up comics show him as Fire Lord fixing up the world. And ''DAYUMN,'' he looks '''[[Incredibly Lame Pun|HOT.]]'''
* ''[[Ben 10: Alien Force|Ben 10 Alien Force]]'': A both-genders instance happened for Gwen and Kevin at the end of one episode.
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* ''[[Generator Rex]]'' Doc Holiday dons a lovely white dress for one episode. Rex himself also looks suave in one of Six's suits and his hair combed back.
* ''[[Jimmy Two-Shoes]]'': An episode had Jimmy attending one of Lucius' formal events, on edge that he's going to find out about how he ruined things for him earlier. He states it's all he can think about...[[Ship Tease|until he sees]] Heloise dressed up.
* ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' has Lisa, in one episode convinced that she's ugly, in an attempt to rectify this, Homer enters her in a beauty pageant. Lisa competes, and wins second place. Bart more or less tells her in this episode that she is quite pretty.
* ''[[
** It's actually stated in an episode that she'll only wear one if she's made to, otherwise, she dislikes wearing them. (Was her little act in "Won't Stick to Most Dental Work" plainly fanservice?)
* ''[[Kim Possible]]'' did this one, on two separate occasions, on the stairs at her house. There's no grand staircases in [[High School]] gymnasiums, so one would think that the real-life temptation to attempt this trope for a prom date is very hard to fight for a teenage girl.
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* ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]'' makes himself over to be "long, tan and handsome" to chaperon Mr. Krabs' daughter Pearl to her prom, by way of a wig and stilts. Mr. Krabs even comments "Well he cleans up nicely" when he sees the new look.
* ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1987]]'': Occurs to April in the first cartoon, after Irma insists she dress up for a royal ball at an embassy. All four turtles go gaga over her new look and despite the fact that she's never been a slouch in the looks department, and the fact that they're...well, ''turtles''.
** [[Improbable Species Compatibility]]!
** In the new series Casey Jones looks ''damn'' sexy in a tux.
* ''[[Teen Titans (animation)|Teen Titans]]'': Robin experiences this with Starfire in when she unexpectedly shows up at the party all dolled up so she can "investigate Kitten (the episode's [[Alpha Bitch|antagonist]]) thoroughly". [[
** In the same episode, Robin himself looks quite nice in that tux.
** There's another instance for Starfire, in the episode "Go!". Throughout the entire episode, Starfire has been wearing her prison garb and either screaming at everyone or being suspicious of them (since she just escaped being sold into slavery, that's understandable). At the end, when the enemy has been driven away, Starfire shows up wearing the outfit she spends most of the series wearing, smiling and looking happy and relaxed for the first time. Everyone is amazed.
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* Done in an episode of ''[[The Weekenders]]'' where Lor develops a crush on a boy and starts acting more girly to impress him including wearing dresses and makeup and even Tino is shocked at how good she looks.
* In ''[[The Powerpuff Girls]]'' episode "Octi Gone", the girls all wear party dress versions of the normal clothes. Bubbles and Buttercup are even [[Hair Decorations|decked out in hair bows]]. Of course, [[Tomboy|Buttercup]] is the one to complain:
{{quote|
'''Buttercup:''' No! Cuz I have to wear this stupid girly party dress and I look like a dork! }}
* In ''[[Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends]]'', Frankie was never lacking in the looks department, but when she dressed up for a date, Mac and Bloo began fighting for her affection.
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