wardrobe malfunction
5
6.1
- noun
- /ˈwɔrdroʊb mælˈfʌŋkʃən/
- NSFW
:
fallo de vestuario
- There was a minor wardrobe malfunction at the event, but everyone laughed it off and continued the show.
- wardrobe malfunction at halftime
- Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction
Just having a wardrobe malfunction or flashing your pants.
- Just having a wardrobe malfunction or flashing your pants.
- You know, unfortunately, uh oh, Kevin, I've had a wardrobe malfunction.
Examples
-
The Kardashians are no strangers to wardrobe malfunctions, but Khloé's latest faux pas is causing trouble at home.
Blog text (34) -
The actor tried to keep calm after his wardrobe malfunction revealed more than intended on the red carpet.
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Our next Never, Ever Please had a wardrobe malfunction on stage.
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My gray pants, which had a wardrobe malfunction on me earlier this year, are actually looser than last week.
Blog text (28) -
By the time it started, there was a huge crowd packed in front of the stage—hundreds of women wondering what the participating fashion designers could possibly come up with in the way of cocoa-based ensembles, and hundreds of men wondering if a sudden noise or temperature rise could somehow trigger a wardrobe malfunction.
Blog text (31) -
During the live performance, the singer experienced a wardrobe malfunction that left her feeling embarrassed.
Synonyms
219
3.1
A feeling of awkwardness or shame
51
7.7
A remark or action made by accident that is embarrassing
50
3.5
A small mistake that causes embarrassment
49
3.0
A careless mistake that causes embarrassment or problems
44
5.3
A small wrong action that causes embarrassment or harm to people's trust
33
6.1
A careless mistake that causes problems or embarrassment
14
6.1
An embarrassing mistake that happens in public or during a show
13
8.8
An embarrassing act or remark that upsets people in social situations
6
7.7
An embarrassing mistake made when someone is careless or nervous
1
8.7
An embarrassing mistake someone makes in public
A small mistake that causes embarrassment or trouble
How Embarrassing
- NSFW
69
4.6
- NSFW
5
6.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally built from 'wardrobe' (clothing) + 'malfunction' (a failure), so learners can infer it refers to a failure or problem with clothing. However, 'malfunction' is typically used for equipment and the specific sense of accidental exposure/embarrassment is a metaphorical extension that may not be fully predictable to an average B1 learner without prior exposure.
Etymology
Wardrobe malfunction comes from a simple image: someone's wardrobe (their clothes) has a malfunction—it fails, tears, or moves so it accidentally 'exposes' the person. That's why today the phrase means an accidental, public and 'embarrassing' clothes problem.