Idioms about clothes
all dressed up and nowhere to go
Meaning: Prepared (with clothing or otherwise) for an event that does not occur
all hat and no cattle
Meaning: Pretentious, full of bluster
at the drop of a hat
Meaning: Spontaneously, suddenly
be in somebody’s shoes
Meaning: to be in the situation that another person is in.
big girl’s blouse
Meaning: The phrase a big girl’s blouse is a British and Australian idiomatic expression which refers to an effeminate or weak man or boy.
birthday suit
Meaning: The idiom birthday suit is a slang term for the naked human body.
boots on the ground
Meaning: The ground forces actually fighting in a war or conflict at the time of speaking, rather than troops not engaged or being transported to the fighting.
Clothes make the man
Meaning: The phrase clothes make the man ids a proverb that means that people are judged according to the way they are dressed.
fill someone’s shoes
Meaning: The phrase to fill someone’s shoes is an idiomatic expression that means to take over someone’s function or responsibilities and fulfill them satisfactorily
handle someone with kid gloves
Meaning: If you handle someone or something with kid gloves, you treat them delicately or carefully, mainly because of a perceived sensitivity.
hat in hand
Meaning: The phrase hat in hand means to ask someone for a favor with humility.
have a card up your sleeve
Meaning: If you have a card up your sleeve, have a secret plan that can be used when needed.
have ants in your pants
Meaning: The phrase to have ants in your pants is an idiomatic expression that means to be very excited, restless, anxious or worried about something.
I’ll eat my hat
Meaning: said to suggest that you will be surprised if something happens.
if the shoe fits, wear it
Meaning: If this description of you is accurate, accept it.
in someone’s pocket
Meaning: The phrase to be in someone’s pocket means to be dependent on someone financially and consequently under their influence.
laugh up your sleeve
Meaning: to be secretly amused.
lick someone’s boots
Meaning: The phrase lick someone’s boots means to act in a servile or obsequious way toward someone, especially to gain favor from them.
light skirt
Meaning: The phrase light skirt refers to a loose woman, a prostitute.
lose your shirt
Meaning: If you lose your shirt, you lose all your money as a result of gambling or bad investment.
made out of whole cloth
Meaning: The phrase made out of whole cloth means entirely false – without factual basis; entirely fabricated.
on a shoestring
Meaning: If you do something on a shoestring, you do it with a very small amount of money.
pass the hat around
Meaning: to collect money by asking people or organizations.
put yourself in someone’s shoes
Meaning: If you put yourself in someone’s shoes, you try to see how it feels when you put yourself in their place. When you do so, you feel empathy by trying to look at a situation from a different angle – as if you were the other person.
quake in one’s boots
Meaning: To be frightened, scared, or nervous.
roll one’s sleeves up
Meaning: The phrase to roll one’s sleeves up literally means to turn one’s sleeves upward. Figuratively, the idioms means to prepare for hard work.
shake in one’s shoes
Meaning: The phrase to be shaking in your shoes is an idiomatic expression which mean to be very terrified or anxious.
step into somebody’s shoes
Meaning: to take over someone’s place or job.
take one’s hat off to someone
Meaning: said when you admire someone for an achievement.
talk through one’s hat
Meaning: to talk nonesense
the boot is on the other foot
Meaning: said about a change of positions when someone whon was in a weaker situation is now in strong position.
the men in grey suits
Meaning: The phrase the men in grey suits refers to the powerful and influential men in business or politics.
throw your hat into the ring
Meaning: to show your intention to enter a competition.
tighten your belt
Meaning: If you tighten your belt, you try to spend less money or use fewer resources.
under one’s belt
Meaning: under your belt refers to something that you have learned, mastered, or achieved and that might be an advantage for you in the future.
wait for the other shoe to drop
Meaning: To await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one which is not desirable.
wear the pants
Meaning: If a woman wears the pants, she exercises authority or is the person in charge in a relationship.
wear your heart on your sleeve
Meaning: To await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one which is not desirable.