History Main / ClotheslineStealing

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13295694/2/Bahkeeta Bahkeeta]]'', a naked Harry snags jeans and a shirt from a clothesline after Snape helps him escape Voldemort's captivity.

* In ''Film/ScaryMovie4'', when Cindy and Brenda arrive at the Amish village, they decide to steal clothes from a hamper to better blend in with the villagers.
* The hero of ''Film/IAmAFugitiveFromAChainGang'' has just escaped prison and comes across a farm where clothes are hanging out to dry. He "harvests" the clothesline and runs away with his new garments that turn out to fit perfectly.
* In ''Film/TheFullMonty'', two of the male strippers steal sheets from a clothesline when fleeing police who have busted their rehearsal.
* ''Film/TheFugitive'' Kimble steals a workman's uniform to get into a hospital, then steals a patient's clothing to get out.

* ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga'': After being informed that the princess is in danger, Mario - who had just gotten out of the shower and was only wearing a towel - runs outside and jumps into the clothesline Luigi was hanging their clothes on, coming out fully dressed and with Luigi tied to his leg.
* Not actually done, but mentioned when speaking with one of Corporal Vale's "irregulars" in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition''. The soldier in question talks about how the refugees are freezing for lack of warm garments and blankets, and laments that they're so far from a city because otherwise he could just steal some from people's clotheslines.

* In ''Film/TheFullMonty'', two of the male strippers steal sheets from a clothesline when fleeing police who have busted their rehearsal.[[/folder]]

* In issue nine of ''ComicBook/ImmortalHulk'', Bruce tries to steal a shirt off a trailer park clothesline, only to get shot in the gut. Unfortunately for the shooter, this happens just before nightfall, which release the Hulk - who proceeds to smash everything he owns except for the shirt. [[spoiler: And then Agent Burbank comes along later and shoots him.]]

* In ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' episode "Carbon Creek", three Vulcans who crash-landed on Earth in 1957 had to blend in by stealing from clotheslines. The female crewmember accidentally put a dress on backwards.

[[/folder]]
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[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* In ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'' episode "The Ghost of the General Lee", the Duke boys are skinny dipping when their famous car gets stolen. With their clothes inside. Fortunately, there's a home nearby with laundry hanging out to dry.
* A variant happens in ''Series/DoctorWho'', the Eleventh Doctor's debut episode "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E1TheEleventhHour The Eleventh Hour]]". After he gets tired of being called "the raggedy Doctor", due to wearing the remains of Ten's outfit, the Doctor steals clothes from the hospital changing room, including a vast selection of ties, to create an ensemble he likes. Amy calls him out on this, and he calls the theft fair in exchange for saving the earth.
** The scene is a bit of a CallBack to [[Recap/DoctorWhoS7E1SpearheadFromSpace the Third Doctor]] choosing his distinctive ensemble, [[SharpDressedMan cape and all]], from a hospital changing room (after [[FanService we watch him]] [[ShowerScene taking a shower]]). [[Recap/DoctorWhoTVMTheTVMovie Eight]] also got ''his'' duds from a hospital locker room, though the outfits in question were actually intended for a costume party--the employee in question was going as Wild Bill Hickok.
* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "The City on the Edge of Forever", Kirk and Spock take clothes to blend in in 1930s America. They get noticed by a police officer.
* In ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' episode "Carbon Creek", three Vulcans who crash-landed on Earth in 1957 had to blend in by stealing from clotheslines. The female crewmember accidentally put a dress on backwards.

* ''Series/Charmed1998'': In "The Good, The Bad, And The Cursed", Cole and Prue end up in the Wild West and steal outfits from a clothesline to blend in. Prue gets harassed for wearing men's clothing.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13295694/2/Bahkeeta Bahkeeta]]'' a naked Harry snags jeans and a shirt from a clothesline after Snape helps him escape Voldemort's captivity.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Cavewoman}}: Shorts'', Meriem finds herself naked yet again, and 'borrows a pair of [[WhoWearsShortShorts Daisy Dukes]] and a slightly too small shirt from a clothesline on the outskirts of Marshville.

Typically a {{Comedy}} trope where characters, who are in need of new clothes, take spare garments from the next best clothesline. Bonus point if the scene involves a close-up on a pieces of clothing slowly moving across the screen as the clothesline is being pulled from one end. Often the stolen clothes are the wrong size, intended for a person [[UnplannedCrossdressing of the other gender]], or both.

* In the first ''[[Literature/OnTheRun Chasing the Falconers]]'' novel by Creator/GordonKorman, Meg and Aiden use this so they'll have alternative to juvie jumpsuits.

* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' episode "The Headband", when the Gaang settles in the Fire Nation, they have to steal Fire Nation clothes from a clothesline to blend in.

* ''Film/TheFullMonty'' two of the male strippers steal sheets from a clothesline when fleeing police who have busted their rehearsal.[[/folder]]

[[/folder]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', when the Gaang settles in the Fire Nation, they have to steal Fire Nation clothes from the clothesline to blend in.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Cavewoman}}: Shorts'', Meriem finds her naked yet again, and 'borrows a pair of [[WhoWearsShortShorts Daisy Dukes]] and a slightly too small shirt from a clothesline on the outskirts of Marshville.

!!Examples

[[AC:Fan Works]]
* Happens in ''{{Discworld}}'' fic ''Fanfic/SlippingBetweenWorlds''. Two uniformed British soldiers who abruptly find themselves in the alien setting of Ankh-Morpork, pursued by the City Watch and Guild of Assassins, reason this is the best way to blend into their surroundings and remain undetected.

[[AC:Films -- Animated]]

[[AC:[[LiveActionFilm Film - Live Action]]]]

[[AC:Literature]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

* In the ''StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "The City on the Edge of Forever", Kirk and Spock take clothes to blend in in 1930s America. They get noticed by a police officer.

-->'''Luke''': You look like a damn fool.

[[AC:Music]]
* Music/PinkFloyd's early song "Arnold Layne" is all about a man with a humorous habit of stealing clothes from washing lines. Not just any old clothes. The ... uh ... ''frillier'' and more ''delicate'' sort.

[[AC:Video Games]]

[[AC:Web Comic]]

[[AC:Western Animation]]

* In ''Film/ScaryMovie 4'', when Cindy and Brenda arrive at the Amish village, they decide to steal clothes from a hamper to better blend in with the villagers.

Sister trope to MuggedForDisguise and StrippingTheScarecrow. Compare NakedPeopleTrappedOutside. Compare GoneSwimmingClothesStolen, which can be either an alternative place to steal clothes when there are no washing lines around, or the reason why they need clothes to begin with.

Sister trope to MuggedForDisguise and StrippingTheScarecrow. Compare NakedPeopleTrappedOutside.

* Happens in ''Series/DoctorWho'', the Eleventh Doctor's debut episode "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E1TheEleventhHour The Eleventh Hour]]". After he gets tired of being called "the raggedy Doctor", due to wearing the remains of Ten's outfit, the Doctor steals clothes from the hospital, including a vast selection of ties, to create an ensemble he likes. Amy calls him out on this, and he calls the theft fair in exchange for saving the earth.

* In ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'' episode "The Ghost Of The General Lee", the Duke boys are skinny dipping when their famous car gets stolen. With their clothes inside. Fortunately, there's a home nearby with laundry hanging out to dry.

* ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'': In one episode, the Duke boys are skinny dipping when their famous car gets stolen. With their clothes inside. Fortunately, there's a home nearby with laundry hanging out to dry.

* In ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' some Vulcans who allegedly crash-landed on Earth in the 1950s had to blend in by stealing from clotheslines. The female crewmember accidentally put a dress on backwards.

* ''Series/DukesOfHazzard'': In one episode, the Duke boys are skinny dipping when their famous car gets stolen. With their clothes inside. Fortunately, there's a home nearby with laundry hanging out to dry.

* In ''Film/TheHollywoodKnights'' some guys are being hazed and have to get to a radio station in town while naked. They pull some sheets down from a clothesline, and [[CoincidentalAccidentalDisguise unfortunately end up looking like the KKK]] outside a black family's house.

* ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'': In one episode, the Duke boys are skinny dipping when their famous car gets stolen. With their clothes inside. Fortunately, there's a home nearby with laundry hanging out to dry.

* In ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'', some Vulcans who allegedly crash-landed on Earth in the 1950s had to blend in by stealing from clotheslines. The female crewmember accidentally put a dress on backwards.
* Happens in ''Series/LukeCage''. After escaping the experiments that gave him his powers at Seagate prison, Luke Cage steals a change of clothes off a clothesline, which just happens to (combined with the restraints from the procedure he's still wearing) exactly replicate his original comic book costume.

[[AC:Webcomics]]

* ''Series/DukesOfHazzard'': In one episode, the Duke boys are skinny dipping when their famous car gets stolen. With their clothes inside. Fortunately, there's a home nearby with laundry hanging out to dry.

* In ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' some Vulcans who allegedly crash-landed on Earth in the 1950s had to blend in by stealing from clotheslines. The female crewmember accidentally put a dress on backwards.

[[AC:Web Comic]]

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To be indexed on {{Disguise Trope|s}}.