伊達だての薄うす着ぎ

だ

て

の

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す

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Meanings

expression

wearing light clothes for style; dressing lightly to look fashionable

A set phrase describing someone who wears thin or insufficient clothing in cold weather out of vanity or a desire to appear stylish. Often used critically or humorously.

真ま冬ふゆにコートも着きないなんて、伊達だての薄うす着ぎもいいところだ。

Not even wearing a coat in the middle of winter—that's taking 'fashion over warmth' too far.

彼かの女じょは伊達だての薄うす着ぎで、寒さむそうに震ふるえていた。

She was dressed lightly for the sake of fashion and was shivering in the cold.

Kanji

伊Italy, that one
達accomplished, reach, arrive
薄dilute, thin, weak (tea)
着don, arrive, wear

Related words

伊達だて
Refers to stylishness, dandyism, or showing off. 伊達の薄着 is a specific phrase using this concept.
薄うす着ぎ
Simply means 'lightly dressed'; 伊達の薄着 adds the nuance of doing so for fashion or vanity.

Built from

だて+薄うす着ぎ

Written forms

伊達だての薄うす着ぎ
Standard kanji spelling for this set phrase.
だての薄うす着ぎ
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; the first part is often written in kana.

Etymology

The phrase combines 伊達 (date, 'stylishness' or 'dandyism') with 薄着 (usugi, 'light clothing'). The exact origin is uncertain, but it reflects the idea of prioritizing appearance over practicality.