A disguise can be anything which conceals or changes a person's physical appearance, including a wig, glasses, makeup,

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 or other items. Camouflage 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

criminal In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Can ...

s, terrorists, and secret agents 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 may go 'incognito' in order to avoid unwelcome press attention. In comic books and films, disguises are often used by

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...

es, and in science fiction they may be used by

alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...

s. Dressing up in costumes is a

Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...

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

protesters A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one. Protests can be thought of as acts of coopera ...

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 suit Creature suits are realistic costumes used to disguise a performer as an animal, monster, or other being. They are used in film, television, or as costumed characters in live events. Unlike mascots, they are often made with a high degree of reali ...

s that disguise a person as an animal or monster are used in entertainment,

cosplay Cosplay, a portmanteau of "costume play", is an activity and performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character. Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture, ...

, as well as hoaxes.

In fiction

Myths and legends

The concept of the human guise is often used by various

shapeshifting In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, Magic (paranormal), sorcery, Incantation, ...

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 Superhero fiction is a genre of speculative fiction examining the adventure fiction, adventures, personalities and ethics of costumed crime fighters known as superheroes, who often possess Superpower (ability), superhuman powers and battle simil ...

, disguises are used to hide secret identities and keep special powers secret from ordinary people. For example,

Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...

passes himself off as

Clark Kent Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publish ...

, and

Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...

disguises himself in a costume so that he cannot be recognized as Peter Parker. The Clay Camel, one of

Mandrake the Magician ''Mandrake the Magician'' is a syndicated newspaper comic strip A comic strip is a sequence of drawings, often cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloon ...

'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 A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads th ...

and

spy fiction Spy fiction is a genre of literature involving espionage as an important context or plot device. It emerged in the early twentieth century, inspired by rivalries and intrigues between the major powers, and the establishment of modern intelligen ...

. Arsene Lupin is feared in

Maurice Leblanc Maurice Marie Émile Leblanc (; ; 11 December 1864 – 6 November 1941) was a French novelist and writer of short stories, known primarily as the creator of the fictional gentleman thief and detective Arsène Lupin, often described as a French c ...

's stories because of his extreme ability to disguise himself; this is a trademark of Lupin.

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...

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'', or as an Indian sailor so that he could speak with

Professor Moriarty Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character and criminal mastermind created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to be a formidable enemy for the author's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. He was created primarily as a device by which Doyle could ...

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'', 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 Android may refer to: Science and technology * Android (robot), a humanoid robot or synthetic organism designed to imitate a human * Android (operating system), Google's mobile operating system ** Bugdroid, a Google mascot sometimes referred to ...

. 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 Terminator may refer to: Science and technology Genetics * Terminator (genetics), the end of a gene for transcription * Terminator technology, proposed methods for restricting the use of genetically modified plants by causing second generation s ...

References

External links

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