Victoria's Secret Compartment: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

 

A woman hides a plot-sensitive item close to her heart. Or more accurately, between her (usually large) breasts. Related to the [[Double Standard]], since a man can't reach down there without [[Hilarity Ensues|hilarity ensuing]] (consequently, women often stuff a small object down there [[Keep-Away|to keep a man from getting at it]]). May lead to being [[Nipple-and-Dimed]]. Occasionally serves as [[Hammerspace]]. Lends a whole new meaning to the term 'breast pocket'. Does ''not'', as a general thing, refer to the, uh, [[Country Matters|other compartment]].

Occasionally even small pets get stored there (well, it's warmer than a shoulder). Such cleavage critters are usually [[Ridiculously Cute Critter|harmlessly cute]]; if they're [[Does This Remind You of Anything?|longer than they are wide,]] you can bet they're going to be used for blatant fanservice sooner or later. [[Baleful Polymorph|Under]] [[Incredible Shrinking Man|certain]] [[Shotacon|circumstances]], humans can get a [[Double Entendre|ride]] there too, for extra [[Fan Service]] and [[Ship Tease]].

 

 

This is one of several trope names that could be a "Before & After" puzzle on ''[[Wheel of Fortune]]''.

{{examples}}

* ''[[Chobits]]'': Plum (Shimbo's compact [[Artificial Human|persocom]], designed to resemble the laptop), tries to hide in the cleavage of Chi, because Hideki (with all the screaming around) is scaring her.

* Sha Chi from ''[[Penguin Musume]]'' hides a katana (of all things) between her breasts in one episode.

* ''[[Giant Robo]]'''s "Ginrei Special" [[Omake]] [[OVA]]s parodied this by having the [[Action Girl]] in question pull a [[BFG|full-sized bazooka]] from her cleavage while she was wearing a [[Spy Catsuit|motorcycle suit]] (as seen above). Video [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUcxrL2Sg4A&feature=player_detailpage#t=228s here].

* Many suspect that Ururu from ''[[Bleach]]'' has a hidden compartment... ''[[media:uruushidingplace.gif|down there]].'' It's bigger than she is! Ah, the wonder that is [[Hammerspace]].

* In one episode of ''[[After War Gundam X]]'', Ennil asks the guards preparing to kill her and Dr. Farzenberg for one last intimate moment (pretending that they're lovers). They agree, and she opens her jacket... revealing a set of flash-bang grenades, which she and Farzenberg use to escape.

* [[Foreign Fanservice|Elirin]] from ''[[Variable Geo]]'' keeps a lighter in the cleavage of her [[Playboy Bunny|bunny suit]], and uses it for some of her [[Ki Attacks]].

** A few ladies in the manga hide things (microfilm, diamonds) "down there". Busty Fujiko's among the most frequent of practitioners.

** One intro sequence for the TV series shows Fujiko dropping a diamond ring in her bikini top.

** One episode of the anime has Fujiko in disguise, only for Zenigata to see right through it. After revealing her, the first place he looks for a hidden microphone is in her cleavage. [[Genre Savvy|And he's right.]]

** Asakura holding Sayo in her cleavage.

** Earlier on in chapter 35, she stores [[Weasel Mascot|Chamo]] in there. [[Dirty Old Man|Bet he enjoyed it.]]

** In chapter 276, Mana pulls out an [[BFG|anti-tank rifle]]. It's [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshaded]].

** This rule isn't just limited to big-breasted girls in ''Negima'', as Nodoka, who is flat-chested, is seen hiding one of the smaller versions of her Pactio item in her cleavage in chapter 280.

** In a chapter, Rito gets shrunk to roughly 4 inches tall. Lala keeps him all day in her [[Marshmallow Hell]].

** Her younger sister Momo [http://www.mangafox.com/manga/to_love_ru/v17/c149/8.html has been shown] tucking her summoning device into her cleavage.

* Boota of ''[[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]'' has ridden in Yoko's cleavage on multiple occasions, including the first day they met. Kamina and Simon's jealousy is obvious. What's even funnier is that {{spoiler|after the time skip, when Yoko makes her dramatic entrance, guess where Boota goes.}}

* Following Boota's example is Touchoumaru, the pet mouse of Shigure from ''[[Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple|Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple]]''. [http://www.mangareader.net/337-23783-1/historys-strongest-disciple-kenichi/chapter-277.html He's one lucky little rodent].

* In ''[[Detective Conan]]'', Kudou Yukiko carries an unconscious Conan ''in her cleavage'' while riding a motorcycle across Japan. Conan is actually Shinichi, Yukiko's drug-induced de-aged teenage son. And with her being a [[Hot Mom]]...

* Sheryl in ''[[Macross Frontier]]'' drops Alto's talisman down her shirt in the 5th episode as "insurance" that he'll keep his word. And in the False Songstress Movie she keeps a taiyaki-shaped cellphone in there, which wiggles like a carp when it rings!

** Kalifa apparently hides her key between her breasts.

** Nami hides things in there rather often, including the staff she uses to fight (both before and after getting the Clima Takt). She also stored a Den Den Mushi in her shirt, which was more than pleased.

{{quote|'''Mari:''' I'm definitely not taking you to school anymore!

'''Akko:''' But I didn't have any other place to go! }}

 

== Comic Books ==

* In issue #181 of ''[[Knights of the Dinner Table]]'', Sara gets hold of the infamous cursed die Fitz and keeps it away from the rest of the knights by dropping it down her cleavage and zipping up her catsuit.

* In ''The Adventures of a Lesbian College School Girl'', Jennifer hides the key to Petra's diary in her bra. Petra retrieves it with her teeth. Given the title, you can probably guess what this leads to.

 

== Fan Works ==

* ''[[G.I. Joe]]'''s The Baroness in [http://roadkill-catthouse.deviantart.com/art/No-need-to-frisk-70459861 this piece of fan art].

 

== Films -- Animation ==

* Maggie seems to have learned this at an early age, as witnessed in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' when she grabs Bart's "Babyblaster" game and shoves it down her baby jumper during church.

* The beginning of ''[[Beowulf (film)|Beowulf]]'' shows a girl sneaking a gold coin down her corset.

 

== Films -- Live-Action ==

** In ''[[Batman Forever]]'', Bruce Wayne asks Sugar (one of Two-Face's babes) how to turn Edward Nygma's machine off. He takes the glowing green battery from her and goes in, and then Sugar produces a second, identical battery from down her cleavage and switches it on again.

* In the mostly forgettable [[Jeff Goldblum]]/Michelle Pfeiffer vehicle ''[[Into the Night]]'' the heroine doesn't produce the diamonds she is smuggling until after a [[Trouser Space|very suggestive shower scene]] about halfway through the movie. {{spoiler|hint: they weren't in her cleavage.}}

* Jennifer Connelly again in ''[[The Rocketeer (film)|The Rocketeer]]''. She hides the stolen reverse-engineered plans of The Rocketpack she finds in a secret Nazi bunker.

* In the film adaptation of the comic book ''[[Barb Wire]]'', Barb (played by Pamela Anderson) hides a pair of contact lenses in a little tube down her cleavage. Then it turns out {{spoiler|they were fakes and she was wearing the real ones. Still, the compartment stands.}}

** In ''[[The Man with the Golden Gun]]'', Bond Girl Mary Goodnight and the villain Scaramanga use their Compartments.

** ''[[A View to a Kill]]'': Pola Ivanova smuggles away an incriminating tape down the front of her robe.

* ''Mad Money'', where the trio stuffs every single scrap of clothing with money.

* There was interesting subversion in one of the early Jet Li's film. In it, Jet Li's character caught a female reporter recording something sensitive. He goes up and asked her for the tape. The reporter promptly dropped the tape down her blouse, thinking he won't search her there. He didn't, he just grabbed her legs, turned her upside down and shook until the tape dropped.

* In the ''[[Land of Oz]]'' books by L. Frank Baum, the sorceress Glinda is forever pulling her wand or some other useful magic doodad out of her "bosom". She probably wins the trope because on one occasion she pulled out a magical handkerchief which turned into a camping setup for a dozen people!

* Used by Rosamund in the ''[[Knight and Rogue Series]]'' to store the key to a flimsy lock, much to Fisk's exasperation and Michael's delight.

 

== Live-Action TV ==

* Seen repeatedly in ''[[Deadwood]]'', HBO's Western Drama Series. The prostitute Trixie carries a tiny derringer handgun, and practically never goes anywhere without it. The weapon always stays hidden until she produces it—usually from her cleavage.

* ''[[Everybody Loves Raymond]]'': Whilst trying to keep the car keys from Frank, Marie drops them down her blouse. Frank: "I'll walk!!"

** Karen hides something from Rosario in her cleavage, and Rosario promptly goes after it. Karen enjoys this, and calls out suggestions as to where Rosario's hands should go.

** Lorraine Finster also pulls this off later, whilst trying to smuggle some of Karen's jewellery out of her house, though not just in her cleavage...

** After informing Jack and Larry of the possible hiding places for a wad of money she used at first, Cindy says that she was finally able to think of the safest hiding place—inside her blouse.

** In another episode, in an attempt to score some action with Jack, Lana takes some money off of him and puts it into her cleavage, telling him to "make a withdrawal." Jack obviously isn't amused, but Chrissy finds it hilarious, saying, "It's a treasure chest!"

* A hilarious misunderstanding in ''[[Coupling]]'' (best not to go into exactly what said misunderstanding was, for fear of text walls) led to a discussion about why men don't smuggle. One given reason was a lack of "concealment crevices"...

* ''[[iCarly]]'': [[Conversational Troping|Conversed]] in "iMake Sam Girlier"; a bully shoves french fries down Sam's shirt. After Sam beats her up, she pulls a fry out of her blouse, eats it, and remarks that it's a pretty good place to keep french fries.

* ''[[Firefly]]''

* Larry's agent Jeff in ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]'' is accused of having a small penis by an ex-mistress, who works as a maid. Jeff explains that in fact it's the opposite, she has a very large vagina. Larry suspects her of stealing a baseball, and when he loses his cellphone tries calling it. ''Hilarity ensues''.

* A skit on Carol Burnett's variety show back in the '70s had her character pull things needed for songwriting out of her cleavage: paper, pencils. When it's pointed out that the pencils aren't sharpened, she sticks one back in—and the grinding sound of an ''electric'' pencil sharpener is heard.

* "[[Chuck|Chuck Versus the Three Words]]": Sarah keeps a knife in her bra. Notable in that the it isn't clumsily concealed in between her cleavage but is instead housed in a special sheath near the straps.

* ''[[Due South]]'', "All the Queen's Horses": Fraser and Thatcher are handcuffed together in the train's horse box, but Fraser may be able to pick the lock using one of Thatcher's hairpins—once they have it. Their hands are unusable because they're cuffed in an inaccessible place, so Fraser has to remove the hairpin from Thatcher's hair by mouth... but then he drops it. Guess where it lands? He then has to retrieve it, again by mouth (but only after asking permission of his superior officer). Thatcher's expression as he recovers the would-be lockpick is priceless.

* In the ''[[All in The Family]]'' episode "Mike's New Job", Edith does this with a slip of paper (on which is written the phone message that will lead to Mike and Gloria's move to California) to keep it away from Archie. Archie doesn't hesitate to go in after it.

* Alex hunter from ''[[White Collar]]'' hides a knife here. {{spoiler|She and Neal use this to escape the Big Bad's [[Death Trap]] in one of the season finales.}}

* In ''[[The Two Ronnies]]'' serial "Hampton Wick", there is a sequence in which the female protagonist works as a pickpocket. She is shown stealing watches, wallets and other valuables, hiding them in her blouse, and later extracting them to give them to the crooks who employ her. After a few iterations, she is seen with an uncomfortable expression on her face; then she drops a stuffed alligator onto the heap of loot.

** The tendency of women to try and use this trope for shoplifting was referenced in [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKCZRg4EveU this] skit (about the 3:50 mark).

* ''[[Sherlock]]'', "A Scandal in Belgravia": Mrs Hudson {{spoiler|hides a camera phone down her blouse}}.

* ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'': Vala Mal Doran will do that to hide something she stole. Notably in episode 2 of season 9, with a gold medal from the Ancient Cavern of Glastonbury.

 

== Music ==

* The video to [[Ke$ha]]'s song "Blow" has her pulling out her ''bra'' at one point.

 

== Print Media ==

* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/47888952@N02/5193835454/ This cover] for a 1962 issue of Detective Magazine.

 

 

== Theater ==

* This is [[Older Than Radio]]. In ''Die Fledermaus'', Eisenstein has a ladies' watch that he charms pretty girls with. He is disguised as a Marquis at a dinner party, and his wife (unbeknownst to him) is disguised as a Hungarian countess. He tries to seduce her, and three guesses where she stows the watch.

* Playfully subverted in ''[[Annie Get Your Gun]]''. After Annie's younger sisters lock up her guns before her big showdown against Frank, each of them tries to tuck the keys down the front of their dresses for safekeeping. And each time, the keys [[Pettanko|fall right to the floor]]. Annie's little brother decides to keep the keys in his pocket instead.

 

== Video Games ==

** That's nothing compared to Magoichi, who is apparently capable of summoning pistols, hand grenades, a shotgun, a machine gun and a bazooka from her ''[[Of Corsets Sexy|corset]]''. Either that, or some sort of [[Hammerspace|secret dimension]]. Though She actually keeps her pistols in a strap on her leg. All ''infinity'' of them.

* In ''[[MadWorld]]'', the three geisha you save in the Asian Town level {{spoiler|appear during the final boss battle, pulling health-restoring items from their cleavage and tossing them off to you if you're running low. Oddly, the [[Announcer Chatter|announcers]] make no comment on this.}}

* In ''[[Resident Evil]]'', Jill Valentine can carry more items than her allies, Chris (RE1) and Carlos (RE3), despite the fact that both of the guys are demonstrably stronger than she is. This is especially noticeable in ''3'', where Jill's wearing a tube top and miniskirt, while Carlos is wearing combat gear loaded with pockets.

* In one of the cutscenes in ''[[Bayonetta]]'', she hides a round in VSC.

* Although he is a man, this appears to be Link's [[Hammerspace]] in ''[[Ocarina of Time]]''.

* Judging from some of the animations in ''[[King's Quest VII]]'', this is used as Valanice's and Rosella's [[Distaff Counterpart]] to Graham's and Alex's [[Trouser Space]].

* In the first ''[[Discworld]]'' game, Rincewind gets a ride in the cleavage of The Lady.

* In ''[[Marvel vs. Capcom Clash of the Superheroes]]'' and ''[[Marvel vs. Capcom 2]]'', one could be forgiven for thinking [[Mega Man (video game)|Roll]] pulls her [[Arm Cannon|Roll Buster]] from beneath her dress, but it's apparently her shoe.

 

== Web Comics ==

* ''[[Ronin Galaxy]]'': In the beginning of the second chapter, Leona manages to keep her sword hidden in the upper folds of her kimono, even past the gaze from possible onlookers such as Cecil.

* Parodied with a rare female "down there" version in ''[[Last Res0rt]]'', where Jigsaw hides her Hammerspace inside her... wait for it... ''[[Funny Animal|marsupial pouch]]''. [[Late to the Punchline]] moments ensue when she reaches in to get anything.

* [[Author Avatar|PMJ]] the Hamster's personal assistant Helga provides her boss with transportation this way in ''[[Sequential Art (webcomic)|Sequential Art]]''. One could say it's the [[A Worldwide Punomenon|"breast seat in the house"]].

{{quote|''Through intense training, Tiren has learned to hide an innumerable amount of weapons on her person, regardless of what she happens to be wearing.''}}

* {{spoiler|[[Shredded Moose]] did this with a word bubble's tail. It was allegedly so vile that even the most caustic critics were afraid of comment on it beyond pointing out that it's there, [[And That's Terrible]]}}

 

== Web Original ==

** While reviewing ''[[Interstella 5555]]'' with other crew [[Paw Dugan]], [[The Nostalgia Chick|Nella and Elisa]], [[Jew Wario]] is skeptical at the sight of the female lead tucking a card between her boobs. Lisa responds that it's just one of those special things about being a lady. To demonstrate, Nella pulls several tins of food out of her bra. Shocked, [[Jew Wario]] turns back to Elisa, who has produced [[Hammerspace|three books and a pair of sandals]] from her cleavage.

** Dominic jokes about all the things that have gotten lost in [[Tomb Raider|Lara Croft's]] [http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatguywiththeglasses/vgcon/11858-ep6lara cleavage.]

 

== Western Animation ==

* Near the end of one [[Looney Tunes|Pepe Le Pew]] cartoon, Pepe is looking for Penelope, thinking she has maybe returned to the perfume shop. Penelope, who finds a blue Pepe to be extremely hot, comes in behind him, closes the door, and drops the key down the front of her coat. It's a [[Poetic Justice]] ending: Pepe had been chasing her throughout the cartoon because a spill of whitener had left her tail with a skunk-like streak. Towards the end, she fell in a rain barrel (removing the white on her tail and giving her a cold so she can't smell anymore) while he fell in the blue paint (covering up the BO that made her run away earlier). Now ''she's'' chasing ''him''. Several Pepe Le Pew cartoons have these turnabout endings.

* ''[[Batman: The Animated Series|Batman the Animated Series]]'': in "Pretty Poison", Poison Ivy retrieves her poison lipstick from her cleavage.

* In ''[[Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer]]'', Cousin Mel often hid things between her breasts like Austin Bucks phone number, Santa's letter, and some money she received from Bucks.

* Cornfed's girlfriend Tamora from an episode of ''[[Duckman]]'' hid things like Cornfed's phone number and her note to him in her enormous breasts.

* A girl also did this in the ''[[Beavis and Butthead]]'' episode "Date Bait" after Butthead gives her some dollars.

* ''[[DC Showcase: Catwoman]]'' features Selina retrieving her whip and a golden cat collar from inside her suit by way of her undoing her top. This is quite impressive considering just how tight we see the suit really is.

 

== Real Life ==

* There have been bras designed with a pocket between the cups to hold money.

* There have also been bras designed with a holster between the cups. There just aren't many good places for a woman to carry concealed, y'know.

* In the 1950s, the "Miami Brassiere Brigade" stole hundreds of thousands of dollars of coins from phone boxes (it went to the company where they worked) by putting it in their bra. The things you learn from ''[[QI]]''...

* There is [http://www.knitacondomamulet.com/bra-breast-pouch-condom-a.html a knitting pattern] for a bra with a pocket. While not in the cleavage, it claims to be able to hold condoms,<ref>which is actually a bad idea, since body heat can weaken the rubber in a condom, which is also why they don't recommend that men keep them in their wallets</ref> change, and other small items.

* An anecdote from the filming of the original ''[[Doctor Who]]'': apparently during the filming of the 1987 episode "Time and the Rani", the actress who played the female villain, Kate O'Mara, held up recording because her stick-on beauty spot had vanished from her face while on location, which meant they couldn't film her as it would have caused a continuity issue. It turned up an hour or so later... down her cleavage.

* [[Jamie Lee Curtis]] demonstrated on ''[[The Late Late Show]]'' that she kept a Palm Pilot and other items in her bra. May have been a call back to ''[[True Lies]]''.

* In a marching band with woodwind instruments, this is actually quite reasonable. Marching band uniforms don't always have pockets, and woodwind players always need a spare reed on hand.

* Many female shop lifters will attempt this. You'd think women would keep stolen goods ''away'' from where most men are looking.

* It is, or was, common for women to keep their lipstick in their bras even when carrying a purse. The warmth softened it, making it easier to apply evenly.

* Sports bras create an actual 'pocket' between the breasts since they're made in one straight piece of fabric instead of discrete cups. Beware stuff shoved in the top making its way down between the breasts and out under the elastic strap, especially if it's heavy or the bra's a little tight—the notch at the base of the breastbone can create a gap under some circumstances.

* Jennie Stencel from WXII apparently can [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOPMfDdyeyQ&feature=related hold quite a bit in her bra].

* Larger-breasted women are especially lucky in this area in terms of how much stuff they can hold in this compartment without it being noticeable. With large breasts comes great difficulty finding shirts that actually fit properly, especially if she has a much smaller waist circumference than that for the bust, so assuming that she doesn't tailor it later, the shirt will go over the bust and hang down. If a larger breasted woman is in this situation, she can put amazing amounts of stuff under the breast that can create quite a lump, but is quite invisible if she keeps her shirt on. This is sometimes called "infinite capacity".

* Many women keep cash/credit cards tucked in the bra even if they do have pockets. A woman may not notice if someone picks her pocket in a crowd, but it's a sight more noticeable if someone tries to reach down her bra.

* Female operatives in World War II were specifically trained in the use of all possible hiding places on their persons, especially the ones most men would be reluctant to examine too closely. This was most assuredly among them. This aspect of training has most likely been retained.

 

[[Category:Double Standard]]

[[Category:Hammerspace]]