I read and heard ‘fashion pate’ (as in a fashion head) in the mid-twentieth century. I first heard ‘fashion plate’ in use by not particularly well-read persons. Beau Brummel was described in one novel as a fashion pate – nothing on his mind but clothes.
Leave a comment
Search us!
Search The Word Detective and our family of websites:
This is the easiest way to find a column on a particular word or phrase.
To search for a specific phrase, put it between quotation marks. (note: JavaScript must be turned on in your browser to view results.)
Ask a Question!
Puzzled by Posh?
Confounded by Cattycorner?
Baffled by Balderdash?
Flummoxed by Flabbergast?
Perplexed by Pandemonium?
Nonplussed by... Nonplussed?
Annoyed by Alliteration?
Jeff Espina:
March 9th, 2015 at 11:01 pm
I read and heard ‘fashion pate’ (as in a fashion head) in the mid-twentieth century. I first heard ‘fashion plate’ in use by not particularly well-read persons. Beau Brummel was described in one novel as a fashion pate – nothing on his mind but clothes.