fashion plate
C1/C2Informal, journalistic, slightly dated
Definition
Meaning
A person who consistently wears the latest, most elegant, and expensive clothing.
Historically, a printed illustration in a magazine showing the latest clothing styles; now often used figuratively to describe someone or something that exemplifies a trend or standard.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term often implies a degree of conscious effort, sophistication, and being a trend-setter rather than just a follower. It can sometimes carry a hint of criticism, suggesting superficiality or excessive concern with appearance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The historical sense (magazine illustration) is equally known in both.
Connotations
In both, the term can be admiring or slightly mocking depending on context.
Frequency
Somewhat more frequent in UK journalism and style commentary, but overall low frequency in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be/look like a ~consider someone a ~dress like a ~Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “She's a walking fashion plate.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in marketing for fashion/luxury goods (e.g., 'The CEO is the brand's public fashion plate.').
Academic
Virtually unused. May appear in historical/cultural studies of fashion media.
Everyday
Used in conversation to describe someone known for impeccable, trendy style.
Technical
Not a technical term in fashion design; a descriptive, journalistic term.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Not used as a verb.
American English
- Not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not used as an adverb.
American English
- Not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- She has a real fashion-plate elegance about her.
American English
- He made a fashion-plate entrance at the gala.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She always wears beautiful clothes. She is a fashion plate.
- With her designer outfits and perfect accessories, she's considered the office fashion plate.
- The young heir, a perennial fashion plate, was photographed in Milan wearing the season's most avant-garde suit.
- The magazine's 19th-century fashion plates are now valuable historical documents.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'plate' as a flat surface for displaying something perfectly. A 'fashion plate' is a person who displays fashion perfectly.
Conceptual Metaphor
PERSON IS A DISPLAY SURFACE/CATALOGUE (showing ideal examples).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводите дословно как "модная тарелка". Это идиома.
- Не путать с "подиумная модель". Fashion plate — это часто не модель, а клиент или знаменитость.
- Эквивалент по смыслу: "ходячий журнал мод", "икона стиля".
Common Mistakes
- Using it to describe just any well-dressed person (requires a consistent, trend-leading element).
- Confusing it with 'fashion model'.
- Spelling as 'fashion playt'.
- Using in overly formal contexts.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the term 'fashion plate' be LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be, but it is context-dependent. It praises style but can imply the person is overly concerned with appearance or is somewhat artificial.
It originates from the late 19th/early 20th century, referring to the colour plates (illustrations) in fashion magazines that displayed the latest styles.
Yes, the term is gender-neutral, though historically it was more often applied to women.
'Fashion plate' often implies a more polished, aristocratic, or consistent display of high fashion. 'Fashionista' is broader, more modern, and can refer to anyone deeply involved in fashion, including bloggers and enthusiasts.