History Main / RummageSaleReject

*** The Fourth Doctor's first season outfit is a horrible shabby mess — an ugly shirt, a corduroy jacket with patches on the elbows, a tacky brown and yellow argyle cardigan, a crumpled-up scarf used as a tie, scuffed shoes, and baggy trousers — the aim being to reflect how young he was compared to the previous Doctors, foregoing "mad professor" in favor of "starving student". And there's that scarf; a [[ThrowItIn happy accident]] (they bought too much wool for the old lady who knitted it expecting her to only use what she needed to make a normal scarf, but instead she thought she was supposed to use it all up). As the Doctor's character developed it was decided he should begin to look [[ByronicHero bohemian and byronic]] — he grows his sideburns out longer, ditches the jacket for frock coats, swaps the cardigan for waistcoats, the scuffed shoes for boots with tall heels, and the tacky shirt for a plain ivory shirt with voluminous Victorian-style sleeves, themes he sticks to for the whole of the rest of his tenure. Having established a beautiful and romantic taste in fashion, he then goes on to bury it under huge hair, a big floppy hat and several layers of hideous and ill-matching scarf significantly longer than he is tall, with awesomely disastrous visual results. Certain stories exploit this by having him remove all the mismatched parts of his outfit [[SheCleansUpNicely in order to give him a few moments of looking actually good]], usually when he's supposed to be dashing and romantic, or DarkerAndEdgier ("[[Recap/DoctorWhoS14E2TheHandOfFear The Hand of Fear]]", "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS14E3TheDeadlyAssassin The Deadly Assassin]]", some scenes in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS15E3ImageOfTheFendahl Image of the Fendahl]]", "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS14E6TheTalonsOfWengChiang The Talons of Weng-Chiang]]" and the punting scene in "Shada" come to mind). He tends to stick to browns with the occasional dash of dark red or purple — WordOfGod says the colour palette was inspired by the tendency to describe Creator/TomBaker's [[BadassBaritone distinctive voice]] as "[[TastesLikePurple dark brown]]". Early on he also has a habit of doing his buttons up wrong — he buttons up his cardigan so one side is longer than the other, buttons up his frock coat so the double-breast doesn't cross right, and (in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS14E1TheMasqueOfMandragora "The Masque of Mandragora"]]) does up his waistcoat all the way to the bottom, creating a weird bulge.

* The protagonist of ''VideoGame/DiscoElysium'' starts out in [[ImpossiblyTackyClothes a filthy, tasteless but cohesive]] disco loungewear outfit, but the player will find other items of clothing as they play, often abandoned in bins or similar, and virtually all horrible, filthy or bizarre. Since each clothing item affects your stats, you will likely be changing your outfit to whatever gives you the most plusses for a check, meaning you may find an optimal outfit for passing (e.g.) an Electrochemistry check will be mustard bell-bottoms, a dragon kimono, filthy HoboGloves , and a pair of too-small plastic sunglasses called by the game "Shades of Self-destruction". (On top of this, the character's Horrific Necktie [[CompanionCube will talk to the player if you have it equipped]] and the game warns you that to ever take it off would be to betray it, encouraging it to be kept on with outfits that would not normally require a tie, such as outfits that do not have a shirt. Your sidekick Kim ignores most of the wardrobe crimes but will ask pointed questions about it if you start incorporating bits of a fascist uniform into your wardrobe.

* Delirium from ComicBook/TheSandman comic's patchwork outfits are always an odd mixture of thrift store fixtures.

* Sadamitsu in the Tokyo Arc of ''Anime/OtogiZoshi'' looks particularly ridiculous. His jacket -- an orange and yellow thing with Cupid-style cherubs on the chest and a large red heart in back -- is bad enough, but he supplements this with a [[BareYourMidriff midriff-baring]] black shirt, shiny leather pants, studded leather wristbands, a silver medallion necklace, and some skull jewelry on his hands.

* JustForFun/TropeTan, the [[MoeAnthropomorphism anthropomorphic representation]] of TV Tropes, wears an orange midriff top, patchy brown pants, yellow shoes, [[TooManyBelts crazy belts]], and [[GogglesDoNothing goggles]]. She was ''[[InvokedTrope designed]]'' to be a Rummage Sale Reject.

See also RainbowPimpGear, where video game characters achieve this effect due to their ideal gear being unfortunately mismatched, SeriouslyScruffy (when the character's odd outfit is down to stress), and ImprovisedClothes.

* From Software's ''VideoGame/{{Evergrace}}'' duology: the jokey or downright strange looking (calling someone from this series pants-on-head retarded could be disturbingly accurate) weapons and armor, ranging from a frying pan '''''WITH''''' the bacon and eggs still in it, to a bird's nest with the bird still in it (worn as a helmet), to a downed tree (the 'sacred pole', which is about 20 feet long and when not in use is off the edge of the screen), to a random globe you find on someone's desk, to a fanservice-y bit of armor which is just two straps with gigantic pauldrons all megaboost one or more stats. (keep also in mind they can be upgraded and utilized like normal equipment too. The shopkeeper even calls you out on it. "YOU want to upgrade THAT? You're weird.") However, the best all-round builds with an even increase in stats are all plain and generic armor of sorts. And the best full set in the game only looks out of place because this is a medieval fantasy game. (It's a suit of futuristic armor that resembles one of the ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore'' hover leg mechas). Since a good amount of enemies have an immunity to one form of attack or another, using a ridiculous-looking build to MinMax just a couple stats leads to a lot of 0 damage hits on some areas. (An interesting gameplay quirk is that armor that boosts attack doesn't just boost attack, but one of the three kinds of melee attacks too, piercing, chopping, slashing. Whatever is the highest becomes your 'main physical attribute' and determines what is immune to you)

* Done intentionally with the Freedom Fighters in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', who are noted in the artbook to be wearing random pieces of clothes they scavenged and pieces of armor they stole.
* In ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries The New Batman Adventures]]'', ComicBook/TheCreeper bought his costume (a speedo, boots, gloves, and a giant cape-like red boa) at a thrift store in Gotham.
* [[DeadpanSnarker June]] from ''WesternAnimation/KaBlam'' wears: A long sweater that's orange with black spots (think [[WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones Fred Flintstone]]), a yellow t-shirt, green plaid baggy shorts, and purple shoes (or cleats in the earlier episodes). If anything, it just makes her even [[BadassAdorable cuter]].
* Referenced in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' when Connie mentions that the yearbook had to discontinue sections like "class clown" because the previous year's "worst dresser" was actually very poor.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheHairBearBunch'' episode "No Space Like Home," the bears are outfitted with turn-of-the-century swimsuits (all part of an escape plan). Bubi describes the outfits as "early rummage sale."

* If Prince was bad in the TheEighties, Music/CyndiLauper was worse, though she was [[InvokedTrope doing it on purpose]]. Before she got famous, someone sneered at her for "dressing creatively," to which she fired back "Oh, this is what your daughter's gonna be wearin' in a year." [[TruthInTelevision Sure, enough, when she hit it big]]...

* In ''Manga/Brave10'', the Braves are pretty terrible in their sartorial choices, although it's the [[FashionVictimVillain villains]] who really take the {{Stripperiffic}} Rummage Sale Reject aesthetic up a notch. Award-hopefuls include UsefulNotes/FuumaKotaro who is covered in [[KnifeNut blades]] including [[ClothingCombat platform stillettos]], UsefulNotes/IshikawaGoemon with a [[DisguisedInDrag crossdressing]] [[FashionableAsymmetry asymmetric]] [[TooManyBelts belt-heavy]] number, UsefulNotes/DateMasamune in his [[PimpedOutDress Kyoto outfit]] that is indeed fearsome to behold but not for the reasons he thinks, and Kaio who has no bottoms on but a lot going on elsewhere.

*** The Eleventh Doctor got most of his outfit from what was lying around in a hospital while he was fighting two StarfishAliens. The old professor outfit with a bowtie is actually one of the more "normal" ones. For one brief, shining moment in the Series 5 finale, his outfit consisted of tight pants, button-down shirt, tweed jacket, suspenders, bowtie, and ''[[NiceHat a fez]]''. [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} While holding a mop, for no particular reason]]. At the start of the next series, he has a stetson. However, River Song doesn't like him in hats and has an... ''unambiguous'' way of demonstrating this. There's also the long-johns he wore in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E11TheCrimsonHorror The Crimson Horror]]". ItMakesSenseInContext, but especially on Creator/MattSmith's lanky frame, the effect is more than a little silly.

* The Flash Gits of ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' "fame" often come across looking like the {{Pirate}}/[[EverythingsSparklyWithJewelry jewelry]]/BlingOfWar version of this. Since they are [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orks]], they believe that [[GoldMakesEverythingShiny the more shiny things they wear]], the [[NiceHat larger their hats are]], the awesomer the banner they strap to their backs and the bigger their gun (or guns!) are, the more respect they will get.

** Most of the cast's outfits -- in particular, the [[RunningGag liberal]] use of {{goggles|do nothing}} and {{glove|tropes}}s. The reason the franchise's homepage is linked and not individual series is because it would be faster to list aversions than go through each series's weirdly dressed characters in list form. In fact, the only total aversions are Hikari in ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'', Iori in ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02'', and four minor characters in ''Anime/DigimonFrontier''. ''Anime/DigimonDataSquad'' actually got backlash for generally neutralising the weird clothing, with the result that ''Anime/DigimonFusion'' sees the return of the rummage sale rejects in [[UpToEleven truly spectacular]] force. Comparatively ''Anime/DigimonTamers'' also toned it down somewhat; only Hirokazu's clothing -- and at a stretch, Ruki and Jenrya's -- couldn't pass for normal.

* In ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'', the Lost Light members sometimes use holomatter avatars to look like humans. Most of them can pass up as dressing in more on less regular clothing (if we don't count that Cyclonus is an Indian lady in a Victorian dress or Skids and Nightbeat being respectively [[Series/DoctorWho either the Ninth or Eleventh Doctor]] and Series/{{Luther}}), but then you have Rodimus, that is basically [[Film/TheBreakfastClub John Bender]] wearing [[Film/BackToTheFuture Marty McFly]]'s vest instead of his usual jacket, plus a tribal flame tattoo on his right arm, a bandanna, and Hot Rod/Rodimus's usual flame pattern on the undershirt; and Whirl, whose default design (seen in issues 13 and 47) looks enough like a regular tomboyish little girl except for the eyepatch, but then the redesign seen in issue 30 cranks the weirdness up to eleven by adding in bandages, spiked elbowpads, [[FashionableAsymmetry kneepad]], choker and ankle bracelets(the latter worn over army boots), fingerless gloves, wristwatches on both arms, bike shorts under the jumper and a pair of AK-47 sheated on her back and chained on the front of the belt. And that's not mentioning her bushy sideburns, V-shaped eyebrows, and lightning-shaped pupil.

* Also from the ''ComicBook/XMen'', pre-Shadowcat ComicBook/KittyPryde (then going by the codename "Sprite") went through a couple of attempts at designing her own costume, all of which were intended to look like something a young teenager in TheEighties would think was cool. The most infamous was a Dazzler-inspired [[https://www.deviantart.com/kevinwada/art/Kitty-Pryde-Series-80s-Edition-4-324277326 gold lamé monstrosity with legwarmers and rollerskates]].

* Issue 79 of ''ComicBook/StarWarsMarvel1977'' features a gag comic showing assistant editor Eliot Brown demonstrating [[http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YlP_N-gXx-A/Tg92tXYHogI/AAAAAAAAAPk/Spj-wFfa0sc/s1600/Star%2BWars%2BEliot%2BBrown.jpg how to create a Darth Vader costume out of junk]].

* Ford Prefect in the television adaptation of ''Series/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' had a carefully clashing outfit involving a striped cricket blazer and an Argyle sweater.

* ComicBook/KateBishop's first 'costume' in ''ComicBook/YoungAvengers'' (having started in a bridesmaid dress she performed an ActionDressRip on) is assembled from pieces of costumes and weapons belonging to other heroes she finds in Avengers Mansion. It looks makeshift and leads one of her teammates to dub her 'Mockinghawk' (the primary elements coming from the costumes of ComicBook/{{Mockingbird}} and ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}}). Fortunately, this name does not stick.

* The titular hero of ''Film/PumaMan'' has a costume that consists of khaki pants and a poncho.

* In ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'', the Lost Light members sometimes use holomatter avatars to look like humans. Most of them can pass up as dressing in more on less regular clothing (if we don't count that Cyclonus is an Indian lady in a Victorian dress or Skids and Nightbeat being respectively [[Series/DoctorWho either the Ninth or Eleventh Doctor]] and Series/{{Luther}}), but then you have Rodimus, that is basically [[Film/TheBreakfastClub John Bender]] wearing [[Film/BackToTheFuture Marty McFly]]'s vest instead of his usual jacket, plus a tribal flame tattoo on his right arm, a bandanna, and Hot Rod/Rodimus's usual flame pattern on the undershirt; and Whirl, whose default design (seen in issues 13 and 47) looks enough like a regular tomboyish little girl except for the eyepatch, but then the redesign seen in issue 30 cranks the weirdness up to eleven by adding in bandages, spiked elbowpads, [[FashionableAsymmetry kneepad]], choker and ankle bracelets(the latter worn over army boots), fingerless gloves, wristwatches on both arms, [[SkirtOverSlacks bike shorts under the jumper]] and a pair of AK-47 sheated on her back and chained on the front of the belt. And that's not mentioning her bushy sideburns, V-shaped eyebrows, and lightning-shaped pupil.

* Amanda Martín, the protagonist and AmateurDetective of ''Literature/Ripper2014'' likes to wear ensembles consisting of consist of pieces bought at thrift shops. Self-expression is more important to her than following trends or even practicality. Her dad takes her out for breakfast and she wears a sarong wrapped untraditionally and flip-flops. When her dad points out it's raining, instead of changing into more practical footwear or grabbing a coat, she puts on a scarf and a Bolivian-style wool cap with earflaps and ties made out of multicolored braids.

** Claudia was described as wearing the wackiest outfits possible, often a mishmash of clothes from clashing social situations (ie, a tutu, combat boots, baseball jersey, and top hat) usually followed by the sentence, "On anyone else, it would have looked crazy, but on Claudia, it was fabulous!".

%% * 1977 Spike from ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' Season 5. DEAR GOD, 1977 Spike.

* Also from the ''ComicBook/XMen'', pre-Shadowcat ComicBook/KittyPryde (then going by the codename "Sprite") went through a couple of attempts at designing her own costume, all of which were intended to look like something a young teenager in TheEighties would think was cool. The most infamous was a Dazzler-inspired [[http://girl-wonder.org/dimestoredames/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/kitty-1.jpg gold lamé monstrosity with legwarmers and rollerskates]].

* In ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'', the Lost Light members sometimes use holomatter avatars to look like humans. Most of them can pass up as dressing in more on less regular clothing (if we don't count that Cyclonus is an Indian lady in a Victorian dress or Skids and Nightbeat being respectively [[Series/DoctorWho either the Ninth or Eleventh Doctor]] and Series/{{Luther}}), but then you have Rodimus, that is basically [[Film/TheBreakfastClub John Bender]] wearing [[Film/BackToTheFuture Marty McFly]]'s vest instead of his usual jacket, plus a tribal flame tattoo on his right arm, a bandanna, and Hot Rod/Rodimus's usual flame pattern on the undershirt; and Whirl, whose default design (seen in issues 13 and 47) looks enough like a regular tomboyish little girl except for the eyepatch, but then the redesign seen in issue 30 cranks the weirdness up to eleven by adding in bandages, spiked elbowpads, [[FashionableAsymmetry kneepad]], choker and ankle bracelets(the latter worn over army boots), FingerlessGloves, wristwatches on both arms, [[SkirtOverSlacks bike shorts under the jumper]] and a pair of AK-47 sheated on her back and chained on the front of the belt. And that's not mentioning her bushy sideburns, V-shaped eyebrows, and lightning-shaped pupil.

* Mason from ''Series/DeadLikeMe'' likes to take the layered look a bit too far and is very rarely seen wearing fewer than three tops at once, often paired with some shabby-looking FingerlessGloves, [[StickyFingers stolen accessories]], and maybe some hideous ankle-zip trousers.

* The protagonist of ''VideoGame/DiscoElysium'' starts out in [[ImpossiblyTackyClothes a filthy, tasteless but cohesive]] disco loungewear outfit, but the player will find other items of clothing as they play, often abandoned in bins or similar, and virtually all horrible, filthy or bizarre. Since each clothing item affects your stats, you will likely be changing your outfit to whatever gives you the most plusses for a check, meaning you may find an optimal outfit for passing (e.g.) an Electrochemistry check will be mustard bell-bottoms, a dragon kimono, filthy fingerless gloves, and a pair of too-small plastic sunglasses called by the game "Shades of Self-destruction". (On top of this, the character's Horrific Necktie [[CompanionCube will talk to the player if you have it equipped]] and the game warns you that to ever take it off would be to betray it, encouraging it to be kept on with outfits that would not normally require a tie, such as outfits that do not have a shirt. Your sidekick Kim ignores most of the wardrobe crimes but will ask pointed questions about it if you start incorporating bits of a fascist uniform into your wardrobe.

** Most of the cast's outfits -- in particular, the [[RunningGag liberal]] use of {{goggles|do nothing}} and {{glove|tropes}}s. The reason the franchise's homepage is linked and not individual series is because it would be faster to list aversions than go through each series's weirdly dressed characters in list form. In fact, the only total aversions are Hikari in ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'', Iori in ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02'', and four minor characters in ''Anime/DigimonFrontier''. ''Anime/DigimonSavers'' actually got backlash for generally neutralising the weird clothing, with the result that ''Anime/DigimonFusion'' sees the return of the rummage sale rejects in [[UpToEleven truly spectacular]] force. Comparatively ''Anime/DigimonTamers'' also toned it down somewhat; only Hirokazu's clothing -- and at a stretch, Ruki and Jenrya's -- couldn't pass for normal.