slave to fashion
1
7.2
- idiom
- Informal
:
esclavo de la moda
- To avoid being a slave to fashion, he decided to wear clothes that truly reflected his personality.
Examples
-
These kids today, they're just slaves to fashion.
-
Slaves to fashion we are not.
Blog text (6) -
I think society, in some ways, has become more of a slave to fashion rather than to quality and beauty in design.
Blog text (31) -
I'm low maintenance because I don't see the point in becoming a slave to fashion "just because."
Blog text (19) -
He is a slave to fashion and indifferent to national politics.
Academic text (2014) -
YOU'RE A REAL SLAVE TO FASHION, YOU KNOW THAT, TON?
-
Sounds like she's saying most women cannot avoid being slaves to fashion because they've been told too many times that’s the only way to be attractive.
Blog text (19) -
Many young people today are considered slaves to fashion as they prioritize trendy clothes over comfort.
-
She realized she had become a slave to fashion when she chose high heels for a long day instead of comfortable shoes.
Synonyms
9
4.9
A person who loves fashion and follows or sets new styles
1
8.6
A man who cares a lot about his clothes and how he looks
1
6.5
A person who cares a lot about clothes and follows the latest styles
A person who likes fashionable clothes and enjoys dressing well
Antonyms
How Devoted
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from 'slave' used figuratively (a person controlled by something) plus 'to fashion' indicating what exerts control, yielding 'a person controlled or obsessed by fashion'. This metaphorical 'slave to X' construction is common and has clear cross-linguistic parallels, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would very likely infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
Slave to fashion uses a clear image: a slave has no choice and is controlled, while fashion is about what people wear. So the phrase shows someone who must follow every new style and means 'too devoted to the latest trends'.