Gaga outbuzzes MObama as fashion's hottest term

getty via daylife


Has there been a fashion force to match Lady Gaga? In terms of outrageous performance factor, surely few have come close. Interesting to see therefore that she just displaced Michelle Obama on Global Language Monitor’s brand new 2010 Fashion Buzzwords list as the fashion world’s most buzzed-about name. Here’s a first look at the yet-to-be-published annual list, which kicks off with Lady Gaga – with MObama dropping to 15th position, down 13 spots from last year. Also of note, “no pants” in third place, which of course go hand in hand, or rather, leg in leg, with Gaga. Frockwriter did have to chuckle at Armadillos coming in at number 10. Some might recall the recent controversy in which Alexander McQueen's extreme shoes recently found themselves mired. Global Language Monitor is an an Austin, Texas-based not-for-profit which tracks and analyses language. Nominated by the global fashion media (including this journalist) the buzzwords were then run through GLM’s "Predictive Quantities Index", a proprietary algorithm that tracks words and phrases in print, electronic and online media. Here's the list.

"1. Lady Gaga - Enigmatic performance artist has had outsized impact on the world of fashion.

2. Leggins 2.0 – Flourishing from Milano to Main Street, leggings are now differentiated as jeggings (jeans + leggings) and meggings (male leggings), and the like.

3. No pants – Hot pants for the 21st Century; not much pant (see Lady GaGa).

4. Off-shoulder – One shoulder and Off-the-shoulder assymetrics are now combined with cutouts, draping, or heritage stylings.

5. Chandeliers - Earrings, that is.

6. Boyfriend (the jacket, jeans etc) – It’s getting to be like an Audrey Hepburn movie out there with boyfriend jackets, jeans and the like.

7. Peek-a-boo – Peek-a-boo fashion is back once again; this time as cutouts.

8. Camo – Camouflage is back, this time with an Urban Jungle vibe.

9. Hippie-luxe – Haute Hippies? That’s the Hippie Luxe movement inspired by the 40th anniversary of that classic New York Daily News headline:  “600,000 Hippies Mired in Mud”.

10. Armadillos – Shaped like a lobster, made of Python, and called Armadillos - the highly controversial sculpted shoe designs of Alexander McQueen.

11. Mixed prints – Mixing various print in sometimes surprising ways:  florals, tropicals, geometrics, polka dots, psychedelics, modernism-inspired, even plaids.

12. Embellishments – Delicate, all, including ruffles, transparency and tulle.

13. Ethical fashion – Echoes of PETA here.  No furs, no armadillos, no leather.

14. Fashion 2.0 - Incorporating streaming techniques that bring designer showcases and shows to the buyers and consumers in real time.

15. MObama – OK, so she wears ‘mom’ jeans, but everyone seems to notice, after all Michelle is The MObama."

Source: Global Language Monitor

The Sunday Telegraph checks up on "this frockwriter blog"

the sunday telegraph

Frockwriter applauds the practise of thorough checking. There can never be enough of it. That said, we could not help have a chuckle at a communication that has wafted our way via the Texas-based language analyst Global Language Monitor, the source of frockwriter’s Fashion Buzzwords story on Tuesday. The organisation was contacted by Elle Halliwell – who sources indicate is The Sunday Telegraph’s “new Melissa Hoyer/Kate Waterhouse” (ie the paper's main fashion writer) and whose first column, we understand, is to be published on Sunday. Halliwell wanted to verify the bona fides of frockwriter’s info, because the paper is interested in the story for this Sunday’s edition. It’s the wording which tickled our funny bone: “I was wondering if you could confirm that this Frockwriter blog is correct” (followed by an excerpt from Tuesday's post).

Look thanks for the interest in the story, to which you will note frockwriter beat The Sunday Telegraph by five days. We will take a bet that frockwriter will not be getting a mention.

At the bottom of Tuesday's post, Global Language Monitor was provided as the source of the information. And frockwriter understands that this blog, along with Reuters, were the first two global news outlets to have the report prior to a wider release. We beat Reuters as well apparently.

Memo to Halliwell: that's fair enough that you might not a/be familiar with the blog, because let's face it, plenty are not. And or b/be willing to take our word for something. Because frankly, why should you?

Frockwriter welcomes the arrival of any general newsroom-trained journalist to the fashion round, because we feel the round should be accorded more gravitas. Notably, in Australia.

We particularly enjoyed Halliwell's (above-linked) January 25 expose “Dogs becoming dumb and dumber” and feel that its brilliant observations could quite possibly be transferred across to an analysis of the profession of journalism period.

From the story:

“EVER wondered why Fido and Muffy prefer the toilet bowl to the water dish? Well, the truth could be that they're just airheads.

“A Swedish research scientist has discovered that the current generation of pedigree dogs, normally social and curious creatures by nature, are disinterested, shy and less responsive to commands than their ancestors.

“The study found show-quality and "handbag'' pooches were the most likely to lack the instincts of previous generations, which were bred for their strength, hunting and working abilities, rather than their looks”.

Yes we can do without: Top Fashion Buzzwords of 2009

michelle obama rocks H&M/nitrolicious


Global Language Monitor is an Austin, Texas-based not-for-profit which tracks and analyses language. Back in July frockwriter provided a preview of the organisation's Top Fashion Cities of 2008 - on which list Sydney ranked seventh after New York, Rome, Paris, Milan, London and Los Angeles. Well now here is a preview of GLM's just-about-to-launch Fashion Buzzwords of Fall/Winter 09/10. Words were nominated by the global fashion media and then run through GLM’s Predictive Quantities Index, a proprietary algorithm that tracks words and phrases in print, electronic and online media. Perhaps not surprisingly in this dire economic climate, Chiconomics - or how to dress well on a budget - is number #1. Michelle Obama comes in at number #2.

We have yet to see Obama sporting any gladiators (#5), one of the biggest shoe trends in quite some time. Obama is nevertheless a Recessionista (#6) who is well versed in Chiconomics, having championed looks from fast fashion (#15) retailers such as J Crew and H&M throughout Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

Designer fashion does get a lookin on the list however.

Lemongrass, the colour of the wool lace coat and dress made by Isabel Toledo for Michelle Obama to wear on January 22nd, comes in at number #10.

And the Series 4 winner of US Project Runway, Christian Siriano, makes the list at number #8 thanks to his trademark "ferosh" - a term Siriano coined to describe any fashion look that is particularly strong and which is now on high rotation across the fashion blogosphere.

Pretty sure this is a world preview.



1. Chiconomics

2. Michelle Obama

3. Sheer

4. Metallics

5. Gladiators

6. Recessionista

7. Voluminous

8. Ferosh

9. Shoe Boot

10. Lemongrass

11. Draping/Grecian/goddess

12. Eco-Fashion

13. On Trend

14. Ethnicware

15. Fast Fashion

16. Fruit Salad (or Macedonian/mixed prints)

17. Tie-dyed silk

18. Muffin top

19. Palettes

20. Tribe



SOURCE: GLOBAL LANGUAGE MONITOR