Term

Definition

Example

Roots

Adam and Eve's togs

Refers to the clothing that, according to the biblical story, God provided for Adam and Eve after they had eaten the forbidden fruit and realized they were naked. Soon afterwards, the "garments of skin" provided by God have been interpreted in various ways, often with symbolic meanings related to:  God's provision, The covering of sin, A foreshadowing of sacrifice.

Bad hat 

A queer chum, dissatisfactory messmate, from the worst Hibernian characters always wearing high hats (caps are not recognised in kingly Ireland).

Middle class 19th century

Blizzard Collar 

A high standup collar to women's coat and jackets. Suggestive of cold weather.

1896

Bracelets

Police slang for handcuffs

Alright, buddy, let's see those pretty bracelets you've been eyeing all night.

The visual similarity likely led to the adoption of "bracelets" as a more casual and perhaps even slightly humorous term for handcuffs within police circles. Originates from the literal similarity of bracelets and handcuffs. The origin of the term 'bracelet' is from the Greek brachile meaning 'of the arm', via the Old French bracel. A bracelet is also a small brace or bracer (an arm-guard used by archers). Gradually it grew to mean a decorative band around the wrist.

Bullshit sustainability

Used to describe brands that make false claims about their sustainability practices.

Many fast fashion brands engage in bullshit sustainability by labeling products as 'eco-friendly' or 'sustainable' while continuing to rely on exploitative labor practices and environmentally harmful production methods.

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Capsule master

Person skilled at creating minimalist, versatile wardrobes

Sarah, a true Capsule Master, curated a travel wardrobe of just ten items that could be mixed and matched to create countless stylish outfits.

Coined by Susie Faux, a London boutique owner, in the 1970s, though "capsule master" is a very recent social media evolution.

Conscious Consumer

Someone who makes purchasing decisions based on ethical and environmental considerations.

As a conscious consumer, Michelangelo avoids fast fashion brands and instead seeks out clothing made from sustainable materials like organic cotton or recycled polyester. He also prioritizes brands that pay fair wages to their workers and have transparent supply chains.

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Deadstock drip

Clothing made from leftover or unsold fabric.

This jacket is deadstock drip—totally unique and sustainable.

Deadstock is an older retail term for unsold inventory or unused fabric. Drip is slang for "stylish" or "cool," originating from hiphop culture.

Earth warrior

Someone deeply committed to sustainable fashion choices

As an Earth Warrior, they meticulously research the environmental impact of every garment they buy, prioritizing organic materials, fair labor practices, and minimal waste

Seems to have emerged from environmental activism in the 1970s, though its application to fashion is more recent, likely 2010s.

Eco-Bullshit

A dismissive term for brands or products that make exaggerated claims about their sustainability efforts without real substance.

That company claims their products are 'eco-friendly' because they're made with recycled plastic, but they don't mention that the recycling process is energy-intensive and potentially harmful. That sounds like eco-bullshit to me.

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Eco-chic

Stylish, fashionable items that are also environmentally friendly.

Her eco-chic wardrobe is all thrifted or made from organic fabrics.

Combines eco (from ecology, Greek "oikos" meaning "house" or "environment") with chic (French for "stylish"). Popularized as sustainable fashion became trendy in the 2000s.

Ethical-ish

Brands that make minimal effort to appear ethical but don’t follow through.

They’re just ethical-ish—better than nothing, but still shady.

Ethical reflects moral behavior, while adds skepticism, implying partial or insincere effort.

Ethical-washing BS

Brands that make false claims about their ethical practices.

Scenario: clothing company claims to be "ethically sourced" and uses images of happy workers in their marketing. However, investigations reveal that their garments are actually produced in factories with poor working conditions and low wages. "That company's claims about ethical sourcing are just ethical-washing BS. They're trying to greenwash their image while exploiting workers."

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Fabric f*ckery

Misleading claims about the origin or sustainability of materials.

That fast fashion brand is guilty of major fabric f*ckery. They claim their clothes are made from 'recycled ocean plastic,' but independent investigations have shown that a large portion of their materials are actually virgin polyester.

Combines fabric with f*ckery (slang for dishonesty or nonsense), emphasizing frustration with misleading sustainability claims.

Fast fashion fallout

The negative social and environmental impacts of fast fashion.

The fast fashion fallout includes sweatshops and polluted rivers.

Fast fashion refers to cheap, rapidly produced clothing, and fallout suggests widespread, often harmful consequences (originally used in nuclear contexts).

Fast Fashion Faux Pas

Refers to mistakes or poor choices made by brands or consumers that prioritize speed and cost over sustainability.

The rise of disposable clothing, where garments are designed to fall apart after a few wears, is a prime example of a Fast Fashion Faux Pas. Consumers are unwittingly contributing to this cycle by constantly buying cheap, low-quality items, ultimately harming the environment and exacerbating social inequalities.

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Fast fashion trash

Cheap, poorly made clothing that's harmful to the environment.

Tired of constantly replacing cheap, poorly made clothes, she decided to invest in higher-quality pieces instead of contributing to the mountain of fast fashion trash.

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Granola b*tch

Derogatory term for someone perceived as self-righteous about sustainable choices

Some people use the term "granola bitch" to describe someone who is perceived as overly self-righteous or judgmental about their healthy lifestyle choices, such as veganism, environmentalism, or organic food. For example, someone might say, "Ugh, that granola bitch is lecturing me again about using speedos."

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Green gold

High-value sustainable materials, such as organic cotton or bamboo.

This dress is made from green gold—100% recycled polyester.

Green symbolizes environmental sustainability, while gold conveys value. The term has been used metaphorically across industries to describe valuable sustainable resources (e.g., bamboo or organic cotton).

Green Guilt

The feeling of guilt consumers may experience when they make unsustainable choices, despite wanting to be eco-friendly.

Despite her best intentions to reduce her environmental impact, George felt a pang of green guilt every time he threw away dish soap containers, knowing he should be recycling more.

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Greenwashing

When a brand exaggerates or fabricates their environmental efforts.

That company’s sustainability claims are just greenwashing.

Coined in the 1980s, combining green (environmentally friendly) with whitewashing (covering up flaws). It critiques deceptive eco friendly claims.

Greenwashing assholes

A more direct term for brands that engage in greenwashing.

Although "greenwashing assholes" is a more direct term for brands that engage in greenwashing, it is considered to be inappropriate and offensive. It is important to remember that there are many people working in these companies who are trying to make a difference, and using this term would be disrespectful and unproductive.

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Greenwashing garbage

Brands that claim to be sustainable but aren't.

That 'eco-friendly' fast fashion brand that only uses recycled plastic bottles? Yeah, their clothes are practically greenwashing garbage. They're just trying to distract you from the fact that their production practices are still exploitative and unsustainable.

"Greenwashing" has one of the clearest historical trails. Environmentalist Jay Westerveld coined it in 1986 after seeing hotels promote towel reuse as "eco friendly" while expanding wasteful practices elsewhere. He drew from the term "whitewashing," which dates back to the 1500s.

Hobo-chic

Hobo-chic is a fashion style that blends the aesthetics of disheveled or worn clothing with high-fashion elements, creating a look that is both stylish and intentionally unpolished. It often features oversized garments, layered textures, and a mix of vintage and designer items. This style challenges traditional notions of elegance and luxury, serving as a form of social commentary on consumerism and class distinctions.

The style gained prominence in the early 2000s, with figures like Mary-Kate Olsen popularizing the look.

On the Button or All his buttons on

Sharp, alive, active, someone that is not easily fooled, or someone that is not to be trifled with.

1880

Pre-loved

Used or secondhand clothing (sometimes used sincerely, sometimes sarcastically)

My wardrobe is overflowing with pre-loved treasures – I'm basically a walking antique shop!

Emerged in the 1960s/70s secondhand market as a euphemism to combat stigma around used goods. It gained significant traction in the 2010s with online resale platforms like Poshmark and ThredUp.

Rewear revolution

The push to normalize repeating outfits instead of buying new clothes constantly.

Join the rewear revolution and flaunt your old favorites.

Rewear stems from the idea of reusing or repeating outfits. Revolution connects it to activist language, signaling a cultural shift toward sustainability.

Slow fashion

A movement prioritizing quality, sustainability, and ethical practices over mass production.

I’m all about slow fashion these days—buy less, choose well.

Inspired by the slow food movement of the 1980s, emphasizing quality and sustainability over speed and convenience. It was coined around 2007 by Kate Fletcher, a sustainable fashion pioneer, explicitly drawing parallels with the slow food movement that began in Italy in the 1980s.

Sustainable schtick

A brand's superficial use of sustainability as a marketing tactic.

Their sustainable schtick doesn’t fool me—look at their supply chain

Sustainable ties to environmentalism, while schtick (Yiddish, meaning gimmick) highlights superficial or performative actions.

Thrift Flipping

The practice of buying second-hand items and creatively altering or upcycling them for resale or personal use.

Thrift Flipping, the noble art of transforming someone else's 'trash' into your own 'treasure' (and hopefully, a decent profit), is a surprisingly sustainable way to fuel your fashion addiction while giving the middle finger to fast fashion.

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Thrift queen/king

Expert at finding quality secondhand clothing

As a true thrift queen, she skillfully navigated the racks, finding unique and stylish pieces while contributing to a more sustainable fashion cycle.

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Trash couture

Clothes made from waste materials, sometimes used ironically to criticize poorly made "sustainable" fashion.

That ‘eco’ brand is just selling overpriced trash couture.

Trash highlights waste or low quality, while couture (French for "high fashion") adds irony when referring to unsustainable "luxury" items.

Trend-washing

Similar to greenwashing, it refers to brands adopting sustainable practices superficially to ride the wave of eco-conscious trends without genuine commitment.

Many fast-fashion brands are guilty of trend-washing by superficially incorporating sustainable elements like recycled materials into their collections while continuing to engage in environmentally harmful practices.

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Virtue signaling

Accusation of promoting sustainable fashion just to appear morally superior

Some critics argue that wearing expensive, ethically sourced clothing can be a form of virtue signaling, as it allows consumers to demonstrate their environmental and social consciousness while potentially excluding those who cannot afford such products.

"Virtue signaling" as a critical term gained widespread use around 2015 through social media, though the concept (under different names) possibly dates back to evolutionary biology discussions about costly signaling theory.