slave to fashion

slave to fashion (plural slaves to fashion)

1. (idiomatic) A person who is particularly concerned that his or her clothing and physical appearance conform to the current, accepted style.
   • 1853, T. S. Arthur, "Going to the Springs; or, Vulgar People," in Heart-Histories and Life-Pictures:

     She was a girl of imposing appearance and winning manners. But this staggered him. If she were such a slave to fashion and observance, she was not the woman for his wife.

   • 1998, Arlyn Gajilan and Beth Kwon, "Tales from the Ruler's Crypt," Newsweek, 4 May:

     The orders were simple: keep it plain, keep it proletarian. Apparently, Lenin was never a slave to fashion when he was alive, so officials thought he should not be one in death.

• Sometimes used in the negative form, no slave to fashion, to refer euphemistically to a person whose manner of dress is unorthodox, bland, or slovenly.

• fashion victim