A disguise can be anything which conceals or changes a person's

physical appearance Human physical appearance is the outward phenotype or look of human beings. There are infinite variations in human phenotypes, though society reduces the variability to distinct categories. The physical appearance of humans, in particular those a ...

, including a

wig A wig is a head or hair accessory made from human hair, animal hair, or synthetic fiber. The word wig is short for periwig, which makes its earliest known appearance in the English language in William Shakespeare's ''The Two Gentlemen of Verona' ...

glasses Glasses, also known as eyeglasses or spectacles, are vision eyewear, with lenses (clear or tinted) mounted in a frame that holds them in front of a person's eyes, typically utilizing a bridge over the nose and hinged arms (known as temples ...

makeup The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , ''asteriskos'', "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often voc ...

fake moustache A fake moustache or false moustache is an item of prosthetic make-up used in dressing-up, acting, espionage and crime. Fake moustaches are made in different ways, but usually require the wearer to use adhesive to affix the moustache to their face ...

costume Costume is the distinctive style of dress or cosmetic of an individual or group that reflects class, gender, profession, ethnicity, nationality, activity or epoch. In short costume is a cultural visual of the people. The term also was tradition ...

or other items.

Camouflage Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the b ...

is a type of disguise for people, animals and objects. Hats, glasses, changes in hair style or wigs, plastic surgery, and make-up are also used. Disguises can be used by criminals,

terrorist Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...

s, and

secret agents Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangib ...

seeking to avoid identification. A person working for an agency trying to get information might go 'undercover' to get information without being recognised by the public; a

celebrity Celebrity is a condition of fame and broad public recognition of a person or group as a result of the attention given to them by mass media. An individual may attain a celebrity status from having great wealth, their participation in sports ...

may go 'incognito' in order to avoid unwelcome press attention. In

comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...

s and films, disguises are often used by superheroes, and in science fiction they may be used by Extraterrestrials in fiction, aliens. Dressing up in costumes is a Halloween tradition.

Types of disguise

Clothing

The most basic type of disguise is to use clothing to conceal one's identity. Such a method is commonly used by undercover investigators, detectives, and police, who go "plainclothes" to disguise themselves as an ordinary citizen rather than wearing their typical uniform. Most investigators and agents have a diverse disguise kit that includes makeup and different forms of clothing. Face-obscuring accoutrements can thwart Facial recognition systems, making them often used by Protest, protesters.

Costume

Costumes are usually intended to change one's identity so that they appear to be a certain fictional character and can assume the role of that character. They are an essential tool of actors in entertainment, such as in film and on stage. Costumes can range from simple clothing changes to more elaborate full-body outfits such as mascots and fursuits.

Realistic

A realistic disguise can totally change the identity of a person down to their basic appearance, making it impossible to tell who they really are. While realistic latex masks are more commonly seen as a plot device in fiction, they have also been used in real life as well. Creature suits that disguise a person as an animal or monster are used in entertainment, cosplay, as well as Hoax, hoaxes.

In fiction

Myths and legends

The concept of the human guise is often used by various shapeshifting mythical beings, such as supernatural creatures and deities, to test or fool humans, or allow themselves to pass amongst them without suspicion. In epic poetry, Odysseus uses the disguise of a beggar to test his family's and servants' loyalty upon his return from a 10-year voyage.

Superhero fiction

In comic books and superhero fiction, disguises are used to hide secret identity, secret identities and keep special powers secret from ordinary people. For example, Superman passes himself off as Clark Kent, and Spider-Man disguises himself in a costume so that he cannot be recognized as Peter Parker. The Clay Camel, one of Mandrake the Magician's foes, is considered the Master of the Disguise, because he is able to mimic anyone and can change his appearance in seconds. In Marvel Comics, a common enemy of Spider-Man is The Chameleon, whose main tactic is his ability to easily blend into crowds, change his voice, and make masks that look identical to other people.

Detective and spy fiction

Disguise is sometimes used in criminal activity and in spying, and is a common trend in Detective fiction, detective and spy fiction. Arsene Lupin is feared in Maurice Leblanc's stories because of his extreme ability to disguise himself; this is a trademark of Lupin. Sherlock Holmes often disguised himself as someone else to avoid being recognized. Examples include dressing as a peddler in order to avoid being spotted on the moor so that he could get his investigative work done in ''The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939 film), The Hound of the Baskervilles'', or as an Indian sailor so that he could speak with Professor Moriarty about his evil plan in ''Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon''.

Science fiction

In science fiction, aliens often take on a human appearance wearing "human suits" as a disguise. An example is the franchise ''V (franchise), V'', in which the alien Visitors are actually lizard-like in appearance beneath their realistic latex (or in the reboot, biological) disguises. Robots can also commonly pass themselves off as human using a realistic outer skin, sometimes leading to a plot twist if a character is revealed as an Android (robot), android. Robotic characters may be used as spies or moles within otherwise human groups. An example of such a plot device is the disguise of the Terminator (character), Terminator.

References

External links

* {{cite video, url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JASUsVY5YJ8, title=Former CIA Chief Explains How Spies Use Disguises, publisher=Wired (magazine), Wired, date=2018-10-22 Deception