History Main / GivingThemTheStrip

* Happens in the fight between Captain Kuchiki and Espada #7 Zommari Rureaux in ''{{Manga/Bleach}}'' episode 196. Rureaux grabs Captain Kuchiki, who Flash Steps away leaving Rureaux holding his captain's cloak.

** In "Christmas With the Joker", Batman attempts to grab the fleeing joker, only to end up holding the Joker's cardigan, complete with a false set of arms.

* In ''MagicalLegendOfTheLeprechauns'', one of the Fitzpatrick brothers tries to catch Seamus Muldoon to make him tell where is his pot of gold. However, the latter being a leprechaun, he simply disappears, leaving just his green vest in the human's hands.

* In ''TheTwilightZone'' episode "What You Need", a man's tie gets caught in an elevator's doors. He nearly strangles, but cuts off his tie with scissors just in time.
* ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. When Buffy is BroughtDownToNormal in "Helpless", she escapes a vampire by slipping out of her [[LittleDeadRidingHood red coat]] when he grabs it. Unfortunately the vampire uses that same coat to trick Buffy's mother out of the house by wrapping himself up in it and [[WoundedGazelleGambit lying on the ground outside]].

[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]

* In the first act of ''{{The Playboy of the Western World}}'' by John Millington Synge, Michael James Flaherty attempts to strong-arm his son-in-law-to-be, Shawn Keogh, into a plan that Shawn wants nothing to do with, and Shawn abandons his jacket to get away.

[[folder:{{Webcomics}}]]
* ''GirlGenius'': The Minstrel does it in [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120208 this strip]].

* The Counter-Earth version of Green Goblin loses his pants to escape a symbiote blob monster in ''SpidermanUnlimited''. He [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this by mentioning that he's the only superhero on the planet that would consider doing this.

* In the first act of ''The Playboy of the Western World'' by John Millington Synge, Michael James Flaherty attempts to strong-arm his son-in-law-to-be, Shawn Keogh, into a plan that Shawn wants nothing to do with, and Shawn abandons his jacket to get away.

* Not quite the same, but the scene in ''{{Aliens}}'' in which one of the soldiers must shed his acid-blood-spattered body armor before the corrosive can penetrate to his skin offers a comparable strip-or-die choice.

** In "The Last Laugh", the robotic Captain Chuckles snatches Batman's cape and attempts to reel him. Bats is forced to ditch the cape and is seen without it the rest of the episode.

* The Counter-Earth version of Goblin loses his pants to escape a symbiote blob monster in SpidermanUnlimited. He [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this by mentioning that he's the only superhero on the planet that would consider doing this.

-->-- '''Bertie Wooster''', ''[[PGWodehouse Thank You, Jeeves]]''

* During Ranma's first duel with Mousse in ''[[RanmaOneHalf Ranma 1/2]]'', [[HyperspaceArsenal the latter]] has the former [[InstantKnots completely entangled]] in ropes, chains, and [[ImprobableWeaponUser yo-yos]]. This is when Ranma, as a ploy to pass off his ({{mode lock}}ed) [[GenderBender girl form]] as a magic trick, blows up "his" entire costume (bindings included) and emerges as a PlayboyBunny.

* In ''{{Airplane}}'', as Ted Stiker is going through the airport, he's grabbed by a religious panhandler. He slips out of his jacket and continues on, leaving his jacket in the panhandler's hand.

* In ''DieHard'', Hans grabs Holly's wrist as he's about to fall to his DisneyVillainDeath. John saves her from being dragged down with the villain by unhinging her wristwatch, which looses Hans's grip.

* In Beatrix Potter's TheTaleOfPeterRabbit, Peter winds up abandoning all his clothes in the course of escaping the garden.

* TheBible

* Likewise pops up in mythology and other ancient stories from time to time. For example, Pyramus & Thysbe, that inspired WilliamShakespeare on a couple of [[AMidsummerNightsDream different]] [[RomeoAndJuliet occasions]]. Thysbe is waiting for her lover in a forest by moonlight and is attacked by a lion, dropping her shawl which the lion mauls. This was probably TruthInTelevision in ancient times before zippers and tailored shirts, when clothing was more just cloth wrapped or draped around the body.

* ''BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': In "Christmas With the Joker", Batman attempts to grab the fleeing joker, only to end up holding the Joker's cardigan, complete with a false set of arms.

* ''TheWorldOfPeterRabbitAndFriends'': In the TV adaptation of "The Tale Of Jemima Puddleduck" the fox escapes from the dogs chasing him, but not without losing his clothes first - presumably to make it easier for him to throw the dogs off him and escape.

* ''StarTrekEnterprise:'' Hoshi is the only one who is small enough to achieve an AirVentEscape after bad guys take over the ship and lock everyone in their rooms, and then her top gets caught on something in the vent, leading to FanService.

-->He pushed past me into the house, then turned and grabbed me by the shoulder.
-->"Now then!" he said.
-->I disengaged myself coldly. I had to wriggle out of my pyjama jacket to do so, but I managed it.
-->'''--Bertie Wooster''', ''[[PGWodehouse Thank You, Jeeves]]''

Narrow escapes make for big thrills, and elusive heroes slipping free of the grasp of doom is a classic. Grabbed by an enemy too powerful to fight, the overmatched hero may need to sacrifice fashion or dignity -- possibly [[FanService even modesty]] -- for survival's sake. When you're snagged by your coattails, remember that it's better to need a new coat than a new incarnation: You can always slip out of your sleeves, and leave your attacker with a secondhand garment as a consolation prize.

Most commonly, this trope is employed when a hero or intended victim is grabbed by the bad guys, usually by the jacket or sleeve, and discards all or part of the outer garment to escape. Footwear can also be shed in self-defense if an attacker is trying to drag the victim off a high perch, or if the subject of this trope is wading through deep mud. If a fleeing character's clothing becomes entangled in briars or barbed wire, baring skin may be their only means to free themselves in time, while providing a handy excuse for FanService.

* Happens in the fight between Captain Kuchiki and Espada #7 Zommari Rureaux in ''{{Bleach}}'' episode 196. Rureaux grabs Captain Kuchiki, who Flash Steps away leaving Rureaux holding his captain's cloak.
* In ''YuYuHakusho'', Botan escapes from an ogre's grip by slipping out of her jacket.

[[folder:Comics -- Books]]
* The pickpocket in ''[[TheAdventuresOfTintin The Secret of the Unicorn]]''.

* Happens to CarmenElectra 's character in ScaryMovie , while trying to escape from Ghostface, [[FanService she first loses her shirt and then her skirt.]] It still isnt enough as Ghostface eventually catches her.

* TheBible Mark 14:51-52.
** Also in TheBible, Joseph escapes from Potiphar's wife this way. She later uses the torn garment as evidence to accuse him of rape.
* Likewise pops up in mythology and other ancient stories from time to time. For example, Pyramus & Thysbe, that inspired WilliamShakespeare on a couple of [[AMidsummerNightsDream different]] [[RomeoAndJuliet occasions]]. Thysbe is waiting for her lover in a forest by moonlight and is attacked by a lion, dropping her shawl which the lion mauls. This was probably TruthInTelevision in ancient times before zippers and tailored shirts, when clothing was more just cloth wrapped or draped around the body.

* On ''Series/DoctorWho'', the Doctor is being held by his coat. He talks through his plan and leaves the angels with his jacket and a last parting piece of wisdom.

* Subverted on ''ThirtyRock'': Pete gets his arm stuck in a snack machine while trying to get a dangling treat. He realizes that he's stuck because his jacket is caught on a sharp piece of metal, so he starts slipping the jacket off. He successfully removes himself from the jacket, but finds that ''he is still stuck''.

* On ''[=MASH=]'', Klinger got his skirt caught under a fallen school-bell when he and Father Mulcahy were retrieving some stolen medication hidden underneath it. One of the thieves started taking potshots at them, so he let the skirt tear away from him and ran for their jeep in his undershorts.

[[folder:Theatre]]
* In ''Theatre/SherlockHolmes'', [[BakerStreetRegular Billy]] escapes from one of Moriarty's men this way.

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* On ''[=MASH=]'', Klinger got his skirt caught under a fallen school-bell when he and Father Mulcahy were retrieving some stolen medication from under it. One of the thieves started taking potshots at them, so he let the skirt tear away from him and ran for their jeep in his undershorts.

* Happens to CarmenElectra 's character in ScaryMovie , while trying to escape from Ghostface, [[Fanservice she first loses her shirt and then her skirt.]] It still isnt enough as Ghostface eventually catches her.

* ''StarTrekEnterprise:'' Hoshi is the only one who is small enough to achieve an AirVentEscape after bad guys take over the ship, and lock everyone in their rooms, and then her top gets caught on something in the vent, leading to FanService.