Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

ironical fixed phrase about being elegant / something elegant

English answer:

Just Franceboyance (France flamboyance)

Added to glossary by Rafael Bordabehere (X)
Apr 2, 2009 14:02
15 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term

ironical fixed phrase about being elegant / something elegant

English Art/Literary Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
I am looking for a fixed phrase related to being (over) elegant used when somebody appears at a place dressed better than expected, e.g. team-building event in the woods and somebody who wants to impress others appears wearing their best clothes (or at least not to the occasion - e.g. high heels and a mini skirt, or a white suit).
Ideally (1), the phrase should fit also any product or appearance that is too elegant for the occasion - e.g. exclusive wine / champagne for lunch, a hairdo.
Ideally (2), it should rhyme :-)
Ideally (3), it should have the word "France" in it (in Polish - the source language the fixed phrase is "elegancja-Francja" (which means "elegance-France"), hence the rhyme requirement...). The phrase is used as a short exclamation (for lack of a better word) understood as ironical by all, but the overdressed person (C) who hears flattery, e.g.
A: Look at him and his sunglasses / suit.
B: ...........................
C: Just got them from Harrods.

I have one phrase in my mind, but would not like to suggest anything (but will post it later).
Change log

Apr 9, 2009 11:13: Rafael Bordabehere (X) Created KOG entry

Discussion

Dylan Edwards Apr 3, 2009:
The same as a dog's breakfast, in fact. Example: "they made such a dog's dinner of it".
Dylan Edwards Apr 3, 2009:
Thank you for your comments, Marek. One comment about "dog's dinner": strictly, according to dictionaries, it refers to ostentatiously smart clothes ("dressed up like a dog's dinner"), but many of us think of it as meaning simply "a mess".
Gary D Apr 3, 2009:
Look at him dressed like a froggy French fat cat.
Rafael Bordabehere (X) Apr 2, 2009:
Dear Marek: it does not matter who "win". For me, your enthusiasm and your kind reply is already my price. Good luck.
Marek Daroszewski (MrMarDar) (asker) Apr 2, 2009:
Gary, yes, you are right, the 3rd line does not rhyme. Sorry for not explaining it clearly enough. What I meant was that the phrase itself, as it stands, should form a rhyme.
I am amazed by the number of different suggestions and all of them are excellent! The fixed phrase I found (possibly wrong) is 'dog's dinner'. It may well be that it is obsolete and not used. Also, it does not fit all of my own requirements. However, I would appreciate any of you if you could cofirm or not if 'dog's dinner' could be used here. I love the 'France extravagance' and 'Franceboyance'. Could not resist a smile when I read loud 'Oh Verdun' and Eaux TT. Fancy Francy is simply magic! Gosh, that's posh is brilliant too. I have no idea how I will be able to give kudoz to all of you...
Gary D Apr 2, 2009:
Look at him and his sunglasses / suit.
French fineness in pants
Just got them from Harrods.

Your 3rd line doesn't rhyme with anything in the first 2, Maybe Harrods is the wrong word here?

Responses

+1
21 mins
Selected

Just Franceboyance (France flamboyance)

Luck.
Peer comment(s):

agree BdiL : "Franceboyance!" does it! (no "just" in front). Surely it's a hard task choosing among such a lively, brilliant list of options. And you're right: it doesn't matter who "wins". Maurizio
18 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "I would like to thank again all contributors to this question. The choice to award points is tough... and they go here. "
+2
10 mins

It's just France extravagance

Luck. I'm still thinking ...good "riddle".
Peer comment(s):

agree Lirka
2 hrs
Thanks Irika
agree B D Finch : If said in a posh, weary accent rhyming "extravagahnce" with "France".
18 hrs
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15 mins

fancy Francy

another one
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+1
45 mins

Oh Verdun!

past participle of "overdo", and French.

Well, 2 out of 6-7 criteria ain't bad...

:-)
Peer comment(s):

agree Sheila Wilson : nice one, Cilian !
1 hr
:-)
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+4
9 mins

fancy-pants

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fancy-pants
fancy–pants: overly elegant or refined

It sort of rhymes!

It's most commonly used to describe people, but it can also be applied to the over-elegant items themselves: fancy-pants clothes, fancy-pants car, etc.


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Note added at 11 mins (2009-04-02 14:13:59 GMT)
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To make it into a full exclamantion, you might say "Mr. Fancy-Pants!" or something along those lines.

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Note added at 1 hr (2009-04-02 15:59:09 GMT)
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Ok, so apparently I can't follow instructions past #2. If you want to keep the Frenchiness, you could try "Mr. France Fancy-Pants." Which has the added bonus of containing three near rhymes.
Peer comment(s):

agree Sheila Wilson : How about "Monsieur Fancy-Pants" (or Madame or Mademoiselle as appropriate)?
2 hrs
Oh, I do like Monsieur Fancy-Pants! Perfect suggestion, IMHO.
agree sueaberwoman : Why not Mr - or Monsieur - Francy-pants ? English speakers are so used to sarcastic commentsafter all, that it could also come across as a compliment....
2 hrs
agree Mark Nathan : Monsieur Fancy-Pants gets my vote
6 hrs
agree Samantha Payn
7 hrs
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2 hrs

Eaux T T

In the spirit of and inspired by Oh Verdun!
Peer comment(s):

neutral BdiL : Pardon my dumbness, but I don't get to the bottom of it, though it sounds nice (oh, tee tee!). Care to enlighten me?! Maurizio (THANKS!You see, acronyms and I are not bosom buddies.)
15 hrs
Short for Over The Top! Means excessive, over done ... Pronounced oh, tee tee!
Something went wrong...
+1
4 hrs

gosh that's posh

at least it rhymes
Peer comment(s):

agree Mikhail Kropotov : Oh I like that!
1 min
I enjoy saying it too :)
Something went wrong...
1 day 9 hrs

a crow in a peacock plumage

Very extravagant. Pretending someone that she/he is not.
Something went wrong...
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