The Man's Glossary

The smooth, smart advertising copywriters at Manhattan's R. H. Macy & Co. last week had their little annual joke on themselves and all other writers of smooth, smart department-store Christmas advertising. Macy's bought a six-column ad in the New York Times for a cartoon of a befuddled, determined male saying to a glamorous second-floor dummy: "I'm looking for the Renoir peignoir with the fabulous moonbeam bow." Underneath, Macy's printed "The Man's Glossary (revised 1944 edition) of Unfamiliar Words & Phrases--As Used by Advertising Writers to Describe Female Apparel and Appurtenances." Sample definitions:

perfume: love.

cologne: marriage.

dram: a man just doesn't give a dram.

gossamer: the nearest thing to nothing--and better in black.

panties: bloomers on the loose.

mink: when a woman turns around to look at another woman--that's mink!

sable: when a woman in mink turns around to look at another woman.

coney, lapin, etc.: just a bunny, honey, made to look like much more money.

knickknack: any little thing.

bibelot: any little thing that costs more.

drawstring handbag: a couturier's adaptation of a laundry bag.

couturier: an advertising writer's adaptation of a little manufacturer.

bois de rose, dusty, shell, etc.: what do you think? Pink!

chichi: the bow on the bird cage.

lush: anything softer than stone.

glamorous: anything plus a sequin.

fabulous: we haven't seen anything like it for half an hour.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.