The last time I fell in love with a pair of shoes, it was at a store window in a shopping mall in Whitefield. I had been gazing at a pair of sparkling, crystal embossed Italian pumps in forest green with a slim stiletto heel and losing my heart to the beauty of its craftsmanship. As I gazed at the shoes through the clear glass panes, I noticed a number of young girls clustered around the beautiful footwear in the store, taking ‘photographs’ of their feet in gorgeous shoes, which they would later post on Instagram for shoe-lovers like me, across the world.
What was interesting about that moment was the fact that the entire process of loving a shoe, composing the footwear and taking a snap
now has a name – it is called the ‘shoefie’. The word, an offshoot of the ubiquitous ‘selfie’, is now an integral part of the fashion lexicon. A ‘shoefie’ that is posted on Instagram is called a ‘shoestagram’. Shoefies are famous among celebrities like Jessica Biel, Reese Witherspoon, Blake Lively, Kylie Jenner and the certified footwear expert herself, Sarah Jessica Parker. These actresses have fans who follow them mostly for the ‘shoefies’ that they post regularly on Instagram.
The fashion world is full of interesting buzzwords that are much loved and compiled by those in the business. Here are some of my favourites ...
Hero: I used to associate this word solely with those celluloid demi-gods who take your breath away and send your heart racing with their exploits on the silver screen. A hero in the fashion dictionary is an accessory that takes your outfit from simple to simply dazzling. It could be, for instance, a bright
yellow clutch that you decide to carry with a classic grey skirt or an exquisite silk scarf that you wind around your neck that gives you an instant chic-quotient.
Arm-party: This phrase is used to describe a method of bracelet stacking on your arm. It is all about wearing a jumble of baubles on your wrists, like jewelled cuffs, a pretty watch, friendship wristlets, wooden bangles, glittering bands, beaded bracelets — all worn together and mingled so as to make it look like they are having a fun and feisty “party” on your arm.
See now-buy now: This fashionable phrase is actually a concept created by designers to cater to the need of the customer to see something and buy it immediately. This attempt to merge the retail and runway calen
dar has been good for sales as people can buy items from a collection straight off the catwalk instead of waiting for them to launch many months later.
Power pose: Ever since the power-pose concept became popular in the world, it moved into the arena of fashion too. The mantra seems to be, ‘Fake it till you make it’. This idea is ideal for runways where confidence is key and the power pose could make a model look poised and self-assured.
The RBF syndrome: The phenomenon called the Resting B**** face is used to describe a person whose natural expression makes them look unapproachable. This idea soon became popular among fashionistas across the world as many celebrities were spotted with the RBF syndrome. People with RBF wear annoyed, angry and stand offish expressions on their faces when in repose.