Top Fashion Buzzwords Summer 2013

Several new fashion terms made their debut in the Oxford dictionary this summer 2013. 

S/S and A/W: abbrev.:  S/S, spring/summer (denoting or relating to fashion designed for the spring and summer seasons of a particular year). A/W, autumn/winter (denoting or relating to fashion designed for the autumn and winter seasons of a particular year).

balayage: a technique for highlighting hair in which the dye is painted on in such a way as to create a graduated, natural-looking effect.

chandelier earrings:a long, elaborate dangling earring, typically consisting of various tiers of gemstones, crystals, beads, etc.

double denim: a style of dress in which a denim jacket or shirt is worn with a pair of jeans or a denim skirt, often regarded as a breach of fashion etiquette.

fauxhawk: a hairstyle in which a section of hair running from the front to the back of the head stands erect, intended to resemble a Mohican haircut (in which the sides of the head are shaved).

jorts: jeans + shorts.

pixie cut: a woman’s short hairstyle in which the hair is cropped in layers, typically so as to create a slightly tousled effect.

Source: Blog Oxford Dictionaries

Bag terminology

See also: 

• Heels.. terminology!
• Handbag fashion

Source: Pinterest

Shoepidity

The act of wearing ridicolously uncormfortable shoes.

Facebook facelift

Facial cosmetic surgery as a result of vanity brought on by seeing too many photos of oneself on social-networking websites.

Virtual vanity

Feelings of insecurity over appearance brought on by seeing pictures of oneself on social networking websites

Pulchronomics

The study of the economics of physical attractiveness

Barbie flu

The trend for young women to dramatically alter their appearance to make themselves look like human Barbie dolls.

Source: About words

Architectural shoe

Shoe design inspired from sources outside of their traditional boundaries of footwear in terms of form, structure, and materiality.

Source: Architecture and Fashion Collide with United Nude Footwear

Test your fashion lingo!

Test you fashion lingo with this excerpt from Toronto Standard:

"Every girl needs a black leather skirt. Step it up this season with an architectural shoe. Nothing screams military chic like skinny cargo pants with a pair of beautiful camo-print ballet flats. Want to look as effortlessly cool as Rachel Bilson? Try a tribal-inspired hobo bag with a retro mini. For night, go luxe with a glam gown, but add unexpected accessories, like a splash of leopard print.
Totally surreal."

Manbag

A handbag or purse carried by a male.

It is easy to define but it gets more complicated when it comes to choosing a man bag. The criteria should be as follows: small, sleek, lightweight, and definitely not look like a purse. Briefcases, messenger bags and backpacks are not man bags. They are too large and bulky to carry on a daily basis without looking like a man is not headed to school or work. Fannypacks are a no-no, unless you want to look like an ubergeek and repel women. Also, stay away from fancy designs, patterns, or the color pink. Flight, utility, and certain camera bags generally fall into the category of man bags.

Four in five men now carry a ‘manbag’ – and on average it weighs more than a lady’s handbag.

The trend has been put down to the need to carry an ever-growing number of electronic gadgets – from smartphones to iPads, Kindles and laptops – as well as keys and wallets.

Read more

Heels..terminology!

BB cream

BB cream: blemish balm (cream).
A type of tinted face cream used to cover (and possibly correct) blemishes.

Source: July-December 2011 package of the Camlex New Words Collection

Textspeak is spreading into fashion lingo

The Guardian tells us that, ‘Beyoncé and Cheryl sported his dresses with amaze (amazing) metal bits,’ while Grazia magazine, urging its readers to watch a popular TV talent show remarks as an aside, ‘Although appaz (apparently) you already are’.  Other text words used in this way include obvs (obviously), totes(totally), blates (blatantly) and soz (sorry).

Source: The spread of textspeak into general language

Fascinator

Fascinators, or cocktail hats, are decorative trappings made of fanciful materials such as feathers, flowers, lace or beads.

They're typically attached to hats or worn in one's hair in lieu of a hat, along with formal attire. The word originally referred to a fine, lacy head covering akin to a shawl and made from wool or lace. The new Duchess of Cambridge has sparked a trend in that accessories, say industry observers and entrepreneurs who specialize in the niche. Some American hat retailers say the accouterments have been selling strong ever since photos of Ms. Middleton wearing them began to surface a few months ago. Serendipity Tiaras generates most of its traffic—31%—from organic Google search results, followed by Google Adwords, which brings in about 18% of sales, says Ms. Lyons.

Source: WSJ

Read also:

Fritinancy

The Perched, the Frothy, the Fascinator

Redo-berty & thrisis

The “final push into adulthood” that takes place between the ages of 26 and 32.
[Redo-puberty]

Reviewing, for Cosmopolitan, Andrea Lavinthal and Jessica Rozler’s book, “Your So-Called Life: A Guide to Boys, Body Issues, and Other Big-Girl Dramas You Thought You Would Have Figured Out By Now,” Jessica Knoll commented on the authors’ use of the term “redo-berty”:

“Redo-berty,” also sometimes called a “thrisis,” usually occurs between the ages of 26 and 32, and is that final push into adulthood,” says Lavinthal. Redo-berty can feel just as awkward as your puberty years, except instead of being jealous that Sally Smith has boobs and you don’t, you’re freaked that Sally Smith has a big rock on her finger or an “Executive” something in her job title, while you’re stuck in a dead-end relationship and/or “career.”

Knoll also noted that the authors had identified some common types of adult including the SOY, “the Sudden-Onset Yuppie.”

Source: sfgate.com