Catwalk (26 page)

Flossy:
Someone who is conceited or down for showing off at the drop of a tin bangle. As in, “She’s so flossy!”

Flurry:
Thoughts that circle wildly like a 1950s skirt. As in, “I just got a flurry. Why don’t we let the junior models work the meowch pouches in the show?”

Friend of Dorothy’s:
Cute gay boy. The Dorothy in question is the main character in
The Wizard of Oz
.

Furbulous:
Fabulous on the warm, fuzzy edge. Associated with feline fatale sensibilities.

Glitch:
Someone who tends to clog the flow. As in, “Please don’t bring Taynasia to the party. She is such a glitch.”

Green with Gucci Envy:
Jealous to the max.

Growing whiskers:
Getting too upset. As in, “Stop growing whiskers and calm down please.”

Gucci hoochie:
Someone who is obsessed with established designer labels and afraid to define their own sense of style.

Hervé Léger:
French haute couture designer known for his trademark mummy-tight, body-sculpting bandage dresses which are sewn entirely by hand and have been worn by fashionistas from Alicia Keys to Naomi Campbell.

Horse and phony show:
The act of performing elaborate antics that are merely designed to cover the fact that a scam or sham is being perpetrated right before your eyes.

Hot off the griddle:
News or gossip so scandalabrious that your fingers are still scorching. “Honey, I got news for you hot off the griddle: Shalimar got nominated as one of the house leaders!”

Hush-hush on the plush:
On the Q.T. On the DDL (down down low). In other words, the person is telling you: “Just don’t say you heard it from me!!”

Hype patrol:
Publicity push for anything from a media event to a sweet sixteen party to a new designer or a hot new product. As in, “I’m gonna be on hype patrol all week so I can get nominated as a Catwalk house leader.”

Jitters and fritters:
Not your garden variety type of fears; this type of high anxiety occurs when the stakes are high or you’re reaching for the sky.

Joints:
Favorite songs or clothing items. As in, “You got the new PRPS jeans? I already got one of them joints—that wash is
sick
!”

Kaflamma:
Drama times two. As in, “If we don’t get to our Catwalk meeting on time, there is going to be some serious
kaflamma
!”

Kaflempt:
Upset. As in, “I’m feeling kaflempt today.”

Kaflustered:
Discombobulated. Kaflempt. When you’re feeling wrecked about a situation.

Kanoodling:
Acting smoochy with someone.

Kibbles ’n Bits:
Loose change.

Kitten smitten:
Someone who gets the feline’s charm. A friend of cats and cat girlies alike.

Knock-knock:
Catwalk code word for spotting a designer knockoff.

La dolce vita:
Italian for “the sweet life.”

Lap it up:
To indulge in a good thing like getting compliments, or taking an extra sniff from a cashmere sweater.

Le podium:
French for runway—the narrow, usually elevated platform on which models sashay during a fashion show.

Lite FM:
Opposite of heavy or stressed. As in, “Don’t let Shalimar see that you’re sweating her bankroll. When she does her presentation, just keep it Lite FM.”

Loony spurts:
Fits of temporary insanity. As in, “I can’t believe Ms. Lynx left me that nasty voice mail. She must be suffering from loony spurts.”

Major:
Fierce times seven. As in, “That hat is major.”

Manny Hanny:
Manhattan. The Big Apple. Aka: “Make Money Manny Hanny.”

Medi-okra:
Average. Mediocre.

Meowch pouch:
A feline fabbie drawstring pouch for carrying important essentials such as MetroCards, lipstick, keys. Can be worn on a string around the neck, or around the wrist. Designed and created by Felinez Cartera.

Meowching:
Gossiping, sharing notes, or cupping your hands together in the Catwalk handshake with a member of your crew.

“Meowch forever!”:
“May the power of feline fatales reign for infinity!”

Milk Dud:
A party pooper. As in, “She is such a Milk Dud.”

Modus operandi:
Mode of operation. Rolling like that. As in, “Would you check out Tiara’s modus operandi? Now, that’s what I’m talking about.”

Ma chérie:
French for “my dear.”

Moi:
French for “me.” Pronounced “mwah.” As in “Are you talking to
moi
?”

Mos def:
Most definitely. As in, “I’m mos def heading over to Mood Fabrics to check out the latest Gaultier gauze prints.”

“Mother Goose is on the loose!”:
Catwalk code warning to watch your back when something is about to go down. The Catwalk crew also use it when they’re referring to hiding from the Catwalk director, Ms. Lynx.

“My pockets are nervous”:
When you’re fresh out of ducats in the bucket. As in, “My pockets are nervous. Can you spring any Kibbles ’n Bits till Saturday?”

Numbing the tootsies:
Pounding the pavement. Walking the extra mile to success. As in, “I’ve been numbing my tootsies for weeks. I know I’m getting nominated for class president.”

Off the hinge-y:
Even more fabbie poo than “off the hook.” As in, “That Tracy Reese satin trench coat is off the hinge-y!”

“Oh, plissé”:
“Please, don’t try it!” Pronounced “plee-say.”

One Big Face:
A hundred-dollar bill.

Persnickety:
Uppity. Highfalutin.

Pink Head:
A friend of felines who worships at the altar of pinkdom. Also Pashmina’s nickname and the name of the jewelry collection by Tarina Tarantino.

Pose-off:
A fashion posing contest. The movements are derived from the posing aspect of voguing. True voguers, however, will incorporate intricate dance movements into the competition or contest.

Prada or nada:
When knockoffs will not do the trick. The real thing or bust.

Presto:
Something or someone that is abracadabra fierce. As in, “We need some serious prestos to put on the seats at the fashion show.”

Prêt-à-porter:
French word for ready-to-wear. In fashion parlance, it means clothes that are manufactured as opposed to
haute couture
, which is custom made.

Pronto soon:
Right now. Same as
tout de suite
.

Pure fabbieness:
When something is just utter perfection. As in, “Have you see the new Dolce and Gabbana hobo bag? It’s pure fabbieness.”

Psycho Twinkie:
An annoying person. As in, “Sharpen your claws, girls, here comes that psycho Twinkie Shalimar again!”

Purrfecto:
Better than perfect.

Purring:
Throwing around compliments or bragging. As in, “She’s always purring about Dr. Zeus like he invented rhymes. Puhleez!”

Purrlicious:
Tasty. Exceptionally fabbie. As in, “I think Zeus is purrlicious.”

Purr points:
Rating system on a scale of 1–10 for an object, fashion item, or person with feline fatale qualities. As in, “Did you see the new Fendi clutch? I give it five purr points.”

Purr-worthy:
An object, fashion item, or person with feline fatale qualities.

Put on blast:
To hype. Also, to call someone out. As in, “Why did you have to put me on blast like that?”

Radickio:
Utterly and completely ridiculous. “Did you tell Chandelier she looks radickio in those polka-dot gaucho pants?”

Read with relish (and mustard):
When you really tell someone off. As in, “I’m gonna read you with relish (and mustard) if you don’t stop lapping up my props!”

Runway:
A narrow, usually elevated platform used by models to “sashay, parlay” during a fashion show.

Sassyfrass:
To say something smart-mouthed.

Scandalabrious:
Describes a scandal so thick, it’s dipped in Crisco, then refried. As in, “Chandelier’s father got arrested for chopping up body parts. How scandalabrious is that!”

S’il vous plaît:
French for “please.” Pronounced, “see voo play.” As in, “Why should I do your homework?
S’il vous plaît.
”

Sham-o-rama:
It’s the one place that’s always open
for business in the urban jungle: everywhere you turn, there is someone trying to pull the wool over somebody’s eyes in the name of getting ahead. Word of advice: don’t fall for it!

Shopportunity:
A combination of favorable circumstances for the purpose of shopping till you drop.

Snap your clutch purse:
Go off on somebody. Tell someone off.

Snooty-patooties:
Snobby rich people.

Spin patrol:
A press release version instead of the real deal. As in, “Chandelier is just serving spin patrol. I know she gagged when her father got arrested for selling body parts!”

Sprinkle:
To shower someone with tasty sweet nothings. As in, “Stop trying to sprinkle me. Aren’t you dating Zeus?”

Stroking her fur:
Boosting someone’s confidence. As in, “I know why you’re stroking my fur, but it’s not gonna work.”

Super winks:
Deep, sound sleep. As in, “I’m in serious need of some super winks.”

Swag:
The freebies and promotional incentives that are given away in goodie bags at fashion shows and other fashion clothing and product launch parties and events. Acronym could stand for Stuff We All Get.

“Thank gooseness”:
“Thank goodness.”

Thread the needle:
Do whatever it takes to get the job done. As in, “I can’t believe you still haven’t turned in your illustrations. Just thread the needle already!”

Tiddy:
Tidbit. As in, “Now, that’s a tiddy for your ears only.”

Times squared:
Magnified twice. As in, “There are times squared when I just want to click out my claws and scratch Shalimar’s face into grosgrain ribbons!”

Tout de suite:
French for “right now.” Pronounced “toot sweet.” As in, “You’d better whip it together, because we have to be in Ms. Lynx’s office
tout de suite.
”

Très:
French for “very.” Pronounced “tray.” As in “Zeus is
très
tasty!”

Twirl:
To battle. Also a command used in voguing battle. As in, “You think
you
got the yardage? Then let’s twirl!”

“Wake up and smell the catnip!”:
“Stop daydreaming!” “Stop pretending!” or “Stop sleeping on your game!”

Whatever makes her clever:
Not stressing over someone else’s actions. As in, “I told Taynasia I’d take her to school, but she blew me off. Whatever makes her clever.”

“What’s the fuss, glamourpuss?”:
“Chill out and stop making a scene.”

Wickster:
Someone who is a tad bit wicked. As in, “Shalimar is a real wickster, so don’t lean too close, because she’ll singe your eyebrows off!”

Work it for points on the Dow Jones:
To capitalize on a situation. Or, to prance on the catwalk like your paycheck depends on it!

Yanking my weave:
New-school equivalent of the old-school expression “yanking my chain.” As in, “Knock, knock—stop trying to yank my weave—that’s not a real Louis Vuitton bag!”