Sixty Clothing Idioms: Part 1

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a feather in one’s cap – an honour, an achievement to be proud of.
a hand–me–down – an item that has been passed on to a person from someone else.
as tough as old boots – very tough.
at the drop of a hat – without hesitation, immediately.
below the belt – unfair/disregarding the rules.
birthday suit – naked.
bulging/bursting at the seams – overflowing.
by the seat of one’s pants – by instinct rather than skill or knowledge.
cloak–and–dagger – involving mystery and sometimes espionage.
cut from the same cloth – similar.
down–at–the–heels – shabby in appearance.
dressed to kill – dressed glamorously, often with the intention of making an impression.
dressed to the nines – dressed smartly.
hand in glove with – in close association with.
hot under the collar – angry or embarrassed.
“I’ll eat my hat if ___” – “I think it is very unlikely that ___”/ “I’ll be very shocked if ___”.
if the cap/shoe fits, wear it – since a general remark or criticism applies to someone, they should accept i.t
in another person’s shoes – in another person’s situation.
off–the–cuff – without preparation.
old hat – outdated.
out of pocket – having lost money/paid for directly by someone.
the boot/shoe is on the other foot – the situation has reversed, the person in the position of advantage is now in a position of disadvantage.
to air one’s dirty laundry/linen in public – to discuss private problems in front of others.
to bet one’s boots – to bet all of one’s possessions.
to buckle down – to determinedly tackle a task.
to catch someone with their pants down – to catch someone while they are unprepared (usually when they are in an embarrassing or compromising position).
to come apart at the seams – to be in an extremely poor condition/to be close to collapse.
to drag oneself up by one’s bootstraps – to improve oneself through one’s own effort.
to fill someone else’s shoes – to (usually temporarily) take someone’s place.
to fit like a glove – to fit perfectly.

If you’ve found this post useful, why not check out our other articles on idioms?

Thirty Colourful Idioms
Thirty Scary Idioms for Halloween
Twenty Five Idioms about Time
Thirty Five Idioms about Money
Fifty Idioms about the Human Body – Part One and Part Two
Thirty Idioms about Food
Fifty Animal Idioms and What They Mean
Fifty Atmosphere and Weather Idioms and What They Mean – Part One and Part Two
Thirty Sports Idioms to Help You Through the Summer
Two Idioms That Originate in America

09 Dec 2014
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Sixty Clothing Idioms: Part 1

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