Learn
Watch & LearnLearning Paths
Daily EnglishSocial EnglishProfessional EnglishVOA English
Words and Their StoriesLearning Expressions with VOA
Processed with VS1Use clothing idioms to describe a formal look, passed-down clothes, or imagining another person’s experience.
VOA source audio
Source: VOA Learning English · Words and Their Stories
View original article & transcriptThe source reviews many clothing idioms, including several already represented in this catalog. This guide selects five distinct expressions for formal style, a humorous euphemism, secondhand clothing, empathy, and a reversal of roles.
Cultural note: “Birthday suit” is a humorous, informal euphemism for being naked and may be inappropriate in professional settings. “Walk in someone else’s shoes” encourages perspective-taking, but it does not mean one person can fully know another’s experience. Avoid the source’s gendered “wear the pants” stereotype and its judgmental “wolf in sheep’s clothing” label.
Keep exploringClothing idioms can describe a formal outfit, a change in circumstances, or an effort to understand another person.
Phrase guide · 5 expressions
Original explanations and examples, created for learners. Save a card for later or hear the phrase spoken by your browser.
Talk about a polished outfit or clothes passed from one person to another.
Meaning
Wearing very stylish or formal clothes.
Tone & use
Informal and often complimentary. “Dressed elegantly” is clearer in formal writing.
Example
“Everyone was dressed to the nines for the orchestra’s opening-night performance.”
Recognition caution
Meaning
A humorous euphemism for being naked.
Tone & use
Informal and joking; use only when the context and audience make the humor appropriate.
Example
“The cartoon character joked that he had packed everything except his birthday suit for the beach.”
This euphemism refers to nudity and may be unsuitable for workplace or learner-facing conversation.
Meaning
Clothes or other items passed from one person to another after they have been used.
Tone & use
Often used for clothing shared among family members. It can be neutral or positive; avoid implying that used items are inferior.
Example
“Her younger cousin was excited to choose a few colorful hand-me-downs from the family’s clothing swap.”
A phrase about imagining someone else’s experience.
Meaning
Imagine what another person’s experience or situation is like.
Tone & use
A common appeal for empathy. It encourages listening, but does not give anyone complete knowledge of another person’s experience.
Example
“Before criticizing the new schedule, the team tried to walk in the caregivers’ shoes.”
Describe a situation that has changed so the positions are now opposite.
Meaning
The roles or circumstances have been reversed.
Tone & use
Informal and often used to compare how someone responds after their position changes.
Example
“He used to ask colleagues for schedule flexibility; now the shoe is on the other foot, and he is approving their requests.”
Knowledge check
Choose the expression that best fits each situation.
Try it · Choose the best expression
1 of 3