Line #1 Main/PauperPatches


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9	[[quoteright:200:[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_1maggie.png]]]]
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11	->''"These patches, what are we trying to say? Beggar? No!"''
12	-->-- '''The Genie''', ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}''
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14	What's one of the easiest ways to show that a character doesn't have much money? Have their clothing, often grey or especially brown in color (though not always), worn out to the point where patches, often rags, needed to be sewn-on. The patches are usually placed on the sections of clothing that face the most friction, such as the elbow area for shirts and knee area for pants. The patches are almost always square in shape, but they don't need to be, and they usually don't match the color of the clothing. Some examples have the clothes ''entirely'' be covered in patched rags. You can mostly find characters such as hobos, orphaned children, [[StreetUrchin Street Urchins]], peasants, and literal examples of RagsToRoyalty dressed like this.
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16	Note that for this trope to apply, the character ''must'' be in poverty; if they're wearing patched-up clothes only because they like that style, that's Administrivia/NotAnExample.
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18	Often combined with the related tropes BarefootPoverty and/or HoboGloves to complete the StockCostumeTraits of a poor character. Commonly found on a TinyTimTemplate. Compare BankruptcyBarrel.
19
20	----
21
22	!!Examples:
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24	[[foldercontrol]]
25	[[folder: Film - Animated]]
26	* HeartwarmingOrphan Ann Marie from Creator/DonBluth's ''WesternAnimation/AllDogsGoToHeaven'' is first seen clothed in scraps and rags, being kept prisoner in the villain's riverboat-turned-casino. Understandable since ''dogs'' are in charge of dressing her; Ann Marie gets much better clothes once the Wallet couple adopts her.
27	* ''Creator/{{Disney}}'':
28	** ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}''. The title character has a patch on his pants. The Genie points out this trope when he's turning him into Prince Ali.
29	** In ''WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}}'', Jiminy starts dressed this way before the Blue Fairy declares him Pinocchio's conscience and gives him a clothing upgrade.
30	** [[WesternAnimation/ThePrinceAndThePauper In a version of The Prince and the Pauper]] starring WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse, Pauper!Mickey wore this.
31	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheThiefAndTheCobbler'', the struggling cobbler Tack's clothes have many patches.
32	[[/folder]]
33
34	[[folder: Literature]]
35	* ''Literature/AscendanceOfABookworm'': In the illustrations, poor commoners, including Myne herself, often have patches on their clothes. The patches are also frequently mentionned in the text.
36	* ''Literature/TheBelgariad''. Belgarath the Sorcerer has an outfit that is more patches than not, as part of his vagabond image. Later in the series he admits [[SubvertedTrope he had it specially made, and it's lasted him a good five hundred years]].
37	* ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban'': While his clothes aren't patched, Lupin's introduction notes that his suitcase has been repeatedly repaired, as proof he can't afford a new one. (Two books later, we learn Umbridge made it near-impossible for werewolves to get jobs.)
38	* Loskutik's dress in ''Literature/LoskutikAndTheCloud'' is nothing but patches sewn together, and she gets her name from it (''loskut'' meaning ''patch'' in Russian). She is an orphan with no roof over her head.
39	* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' series, a cloak with many-colored patches is the signifying mark of a Gleeman, a profession of wandering minstrels and storytellers. Although Gleemen tend to be paid quite well for their performances, because they lead a necessarily nomadic lifestyle they tend to have few possessions nonetheless.
40	[[/folder]]
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42	[[folder: Live Action TV]]
43	* ''Series/BlakesSeven''. For the first couple of episodes Villa wore patches. He was from the Delta Grades of his society, indicated to be of lesser social standing than other characters. Note though that his manner of dress also reflected his role of the "Fool" of the group.
44	* Series/ElChavoDelOcho uses them, as he's supposed to be an orphan homeless child.
45	[[/folder]]
46
47	[[folder: Theater]]
48	* Emmett Kelly created the "Weary Willie" character for the circus, modeled after alcoholic railroad hobos of the day. Willie's ragged, patchy outfit was meant to convey that these were the only clothes he's had for years.
49	* Some say that's what the [[CommediaDellArte Harlequin]]'s costume used to be.
50	[[/folder]]
51
52	[[folder: Toys]]
53	* Hasbro's [[https://goo.gl/images/HWH4US Little Miss No Name]] doll from 1965 wore a ragged, patched brown dress.
54	[[/folder]]
55
56	[[folder: Video Games]]
57	* ''VideoGame/FreddiFish'': Laren the shy jug musician from Freddi Fish 5 wears an orange patched sleeveless shirt exposing his tummy.
58	* In ''VisualNovel/TheGreatAceAttorney'', Roly Beate, a London policeman or "bobby" and his young wife Patricia have patches on their clothes, since they are not well off. As a result, Patricia can only afford to buy Roly a single rose as a "bouquet" and wrap it in newspaper.
59	* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'', [[spoiler: after the rich girl, Mila, [[RichesToRags ends up poor]] because of her father losing all his money]], she is shown from then on wearing a patched-up and ugly dress [[spoiler: Maggie on the other hand has the reverse happen to her. She's poor at first, wearing a patched dress, but [[RagsToRiches becomes rich]] and switches to a PimpedOutDress.]]
60	* ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'': The inhabitants of Twilight Town (not [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII that one]]) all sport raggedy, patched-up clothes to go with their "impoverished Eastern European villager" look and the general {{Uberwald}} atmosphere of the chapter they appear on.
61	* In ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'', Trial Captain Acerola wears a dress that is almost entirely made of patches. Something that fits her status as a homeless child and also the fact that she is a Ghost-type Pokémon user.
62	* ''VideoGame/StoryOfSeasons2014'' has the poorer farmer, Fritz, have patches on his jacket and pants as well as HoboGloves. It's stated in the game he repairs them himself--he's a skilled sewer. And thanks to a LimitedWardrobe, even if you choose to marry him and elevate him, he'll ''still'' have patchy clothes and no money--it's implied that, despite your being hitched, he wants to stand on his own two feet and maintain his own farm still.
63	[[/folder]]
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65	[[folder: Web Comics]]
66	* The very first page of ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' has a group of barefoot kids in a poor part of Beetlesburg standing around in torn and patched clothes listening to the storyteller.
67	* Humorous take on this in ''Webcomic/KevinAndKell'', contrasting [[https://www.kevinandkell.com/2003/kk0927.html upgrading]] Microtalon (Microsoft) and Carrot (Apple) computers.
68	* ''Webcomic/LovelyPeople'': The setting has a social credit system. Low scores tend to come with limits to what a person is allowed to buy. A woman whose score is so low she's considered an UnPerson and can't buy necessities has patches on her clothing.
69	* The hobos in ''Webcomic/RealmOfOwls'', being hobos, [[https://realmofowls.com/comics/playing-noggin wear patched clothing]].
70	[[/folder]]
71
72	[[folder: Western Animation]]
73	* Most residents of the orphanage in ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfPussInBoots'' have them on their clothing.
74	* ''WesternAnimation/DynomuttDogWonder'': After Blue Falcon and Dynomutt are fired for losing to Superthug, those patches and other damages to their superhero outfits gradually become evident. It turns out they're just pretending to be unemployed as part of a plan to locate Superthug's hideout and, once the plan works, they reveal non-ragged outfits underneath the ragged ones.
75	* In a flashback in the ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode, "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS5E1FriendOrFoe Friend or Foe?]]", it is revealed that when Mr. Krabs was a kid, he and his Mom were going through some rough financial times, so Mama Krabs had to fashion Mr. Krabs' clothes from rags.
76	* The the two orphan characters on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' show up from time to time in these. One of them is even [[{{OnlyKnownByTheirNickname}} named Patches]], while the other has the IncurableCoughOfDeath.
77	* In "WesternAnimation/ASymposiumOnPopularSongs", Ludwig Von Drake describes how his clothes were in rags at the turn of the century. As he speaks, his tuxedo briefly changes into a tattered one with patches.
78	[[/folder]]

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