You’ve got to love the lingo of the fashion industry.
Fashion is a heavy-hitting segment of the world economy, so it should be taken seriously. But is it taking itself too seriously?
I am slow to keep up with the jargon. Shrugs, jeggings, boyfriend jeans. I am often garment-naïve until these styles are already passé. I know tunic because Julius Caesar wore one. As an aside, my husband was shocked recently to see a storefront sign advertising the “boyfriend crop.” He thought it was an S&M device.
I try to listen to fashion consultant Stacy London, host of What Not to Wear, when she tells us how it is–what clothing styles we should wear for our body types or how to make an impression at that all-important social occasion. Heaven knows, I need all the help I can get.
But there’s something about Stacy and her ilk that I just can’t take seriously when I hear:
“If you are wearing a sequined evening gown, you need a shoe…” or
“If you are short and stocky, you should wear a pant…”
A shoe? A pant? Just one?
OK, I know that’s accepted fashion-speak, but are we supposed to go along with this without snickering?
I’m not sure I can stand to listen to it anymore. Maybe I’ll go out and buy an earmuff.
Word Nymph 
I was at my sister’s; she has two daughters. One daughter said to her, “Mom, Aubrey has 16 Pravda purses!” indicating that was too many and that she was spoiled, maybe. I asked, “What’s a Pravda purse?” My niece looked at her mother with a bit of disbelief and wondering if I was kidding. My sister indicated that no, Susu is not kidding but sweet as she is, honestly fashionably uninformed. Pravda is the right word, right?
Prada is the purse. Pravda is the Russian newspaper. I’d rather have 16 Pradas.