What does fashionableness mean?
Fashionableness is the quality of being fashionable — that is, of conforming to, or exemplifying, the style and taste currently favored by society. The word names an abstract property rather than a concrete object: one speaks of the fashionableness of a garment, a neighborhood, a café, or even an idea, meaning how well it reflects what is currently considered chic or in vogue. It is a relatively formal, somewhat literary term; most everyday speakers would instead say simply that something 'is fashionable' or reach for near-synonyms such as stylishness, trendiness, or chic. Its connotations are generally positive, suggesting elegance and currency, though writers sometimes use it ironically to suggest slavish adherence to passing trends rather than genuine taste. As a noun derived from the adjective 'fashionable' by the addition of the suffix '-ness', it belongs to a large family of English abstract nouns built on qualities — words like reasonableness or sensibleness — and it inherits its history from 'fashion', a word borrowed from Old French that has denoted manner and style since medieval times.
nounThe quality or state of being fashionable; the degree to which something conforms to current style or taste.
- The quality or state of conforming to prevailing style, fashion, or good taste.
"The fashionableness of the seaside resort faded as quieter destinations came into vogue."
"Critics admired the hotel's quiet fashionableness — elegant without ever seeming showy."
"By the 1970s, the fashionableness of formal afternoon tea had largely given way to more casual gatherings."
As an abstract noun denoting an uncountable quality, fashionableness almost never appears in plural form; treat it as uncountable in practice.
Fashionableness is the rare kind of word that sounds like it belongs in a Jane Austen novel — and indeed its cousins 'fashionable' and 'vogue' have been dressing up English prose since the 1600s.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of fashionableness
Fashionableness derives from the adjective 'fashionable', formed by adding the suffix '-ness' to create an abstract noun denoting a quality or state. 'Fashionable' itself traces back to 'fashion', which English borrowed from Old French 'façon' (from Latin 'factio', meaning 'a making'), and which by the sixteenth century had come to mean prevailing custom or style of dress. The word thus shares deep roots with other Latinate derivatives of 'facere' ('to make'), such as 'faction' and 'facility'.
Related word forms
How fashionableness is actually used
A somewhat formal, literary word; in everyday speech, speakers usually prefer phrases like 'how fashionable it is' or terms like 'trendiness' or 'stylishness'. It carries a neutral-to-positive connotation, though context can make it sound slightly affected or ironic.
Easily confused with fashionableness
Fashionability is the capacity or tendency of something to become fashionable, while fashionableness denotes the actual state or quality of already being fashionable.