slave to fashion
English
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Noun
[edit]slave to fashion (plural slaves to fashion)
- (idiomatic) A person who is particularly concerned that his or her clothing and physical appearance conform to the current, accepted style.
- 1853, T. S. Arthur, “Going to the Springs; or, Vulgar People,”, in Heart-Histories and Life-Pictures:
- She was a girl of imposing appearance and winning manners. But this staggered him. If she were such a slave to fashion and observance, she was not the woman for his wife.
- 1998 May 4, Arlyn Gajilan, Beth Kwon, “Tales from the Ruler's Crypt”, in Newsweek:
- The orders were simple: keep it plain, keep it proletarian. Apparently, Lenin was never a slave to fashion when he was alive, so officials thought he should not be one in death.
Usage notes
[edit]- Sometimes used in the negative form, no slave to fashion, to refer euphemistically to a person whose manner of dress is unorthodox, bland, or slovenly.