Cool & contemporary vocab: fashion
You can often tell a lot about a person from the clothes they wear. There are some people who just buy clothes according to the time of year, while there are others who only buy clothes which are currently in fashion. Young people tend to follow the latest trends because it is important for them to feel hip and trendy while older generations may choose comfort over fashion and buy clothes which they know suit their age, personal style and body shape.
This post shares several current words and phrases related to fashion so you can also sound ‘on-trend’ when talking about your style preferences and what’s ‘in’ or ‘out’ this season.
Vocabulary
- dress to impress
meaning = to wear clothes that will amaze someone or some people you want to think highly of you
example = I dressed to impress at the party and everyone noticed me.
- a slave to fashion
meaning = someone who feels they have to follow every single fashion
example = It is expensive to be a slave to fashion as you have to keep buying the latest trends.
- plus-size
meaning = a person or item of clothing which is bigger than the usual sizes found in shops
example = Plus-size shops sell clothes for large people like me because all the clothes in other shops are too small.
- the look
meaning = a type of appearance or style
example = I tried to dress like Iron Man for Halloween but people thought I was C3PO from Star wars. It wasn’t the look I was going for.
- a hipster (person)
meaning = someone who is very influenced by the most recent ideas and fashions
example = My local cafe is full of young hipsters these days, all looking very cool and trendy.
- hipsters (object)
meaning = low-cut trousers or jeans that only come up to the hips instead of the waist
example = I never feel very comfortable wearing hipsters. I always want to pull them up!
- to be all the rage
meaning = to be very popular at a particular time
example = Flared trousers were all the rage when I was a young girl. We called them bell bottoms!
- mix and match
meaning = when you wear different styles or fashions together
example = She mixed and matched clothes from this season, last season and her own classic style.
- your wardrobe
meaning = all the clothes you have
example = I really need to update my wardrobe. I haven’t bought any new clothes for ages.
- a snappy dresser
meaning = someone who wears very stylish clothes
example = My dad has always been a very snappy dresser. He loves to look smart and modern.
Phrasal Verbs
- to dress up / dress down
meaning = to wear smart clothes for a special occasion / to wear casual clothes for an informal event
example = I had to dress up for my university graduation so I bought a suit.
- to throw on something
meaning = to put on an item of clothing without giving much thought to how it looks
example = I had to go out quickly so I just threw on a pair of jeans and an old jumper.
- to switch up
meaning = to change what you usually wear so that you look different.
example = I switched up my wardrobe with some new accessories and now have a completely new style.
