To be demode

"The only reason I do not wear skirts is because I would look like my mother." U betcha.

... is an undesirable state for one to be in according to the fashion authority of the here and now, Karl Lagerfeld. Imported from the French démodé and used since 1873, the word simply means out-of-date, no more fashionable, or passé (yet another French word). Mr Lagerfeld, in his personal blog which liberally features the word, has memorably called Louis Vuitton fashion's McDonald's - it's now too popular to an extent it seems to be losing its exclusivity. And in a recent remark, the luxury brand admitted to that claim being the truth and it is the reason behind its made-to-order offerings.

While flaunting an LV monogram bag is your idea of proclaiming to others of your financial prowess in a highly fashionable manner, you might have noticed more than a few other ladies are toting bags of the same design - fake or not fake being irrelevant. By following the herd, it inadvertently tells me that yes, you may have the money but no, you don't have the fashion sense (especially if the rest of what you're wearing do not complement the luxury that bag exudes). Apparently, the same fate of becoming demode is threatening the highly coveted Hermes Birkin bag - our luxury-laden first lady Rosmah Mansor be warned ;)

Personally, I prefer if people complement, ask about, or turn to admire what I am wearing without recognizing the item's brand from 100 feet away. That way, I can never be demode.

By the way, I do own an adorable red velvet Louis Vuitton neck tie which I bought from their flagship store in Paris and a silk one in deep purple I bought here in KL, among other things. So I don't really dislike LV, you know, just as long as it's not 'monogrammatic'.