Fashionista

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌfæ.ʃəˈnɪ.stə/

Definitions

1. Someone who is highly interested in and knowledgeable about current fashion styles and trends
2. An individual passionate about following and setting new clothing and accessory trends in the fashion world
3. A person devoted to appreciating and often influencing contemporary styles and elegant dressing

Etymology: "Fashionista" is built from "fashion" plus the suffix "-ista," which comes from Spanish and Italian and is used to form nouns for a follower or supporter of something. The suffix entered wider use through political labels such as "Sandinista," the name of followers of the Sandinista movement in Nicaragua, and "Peronista," for supporters of Juan Perón in Argentina. Once established, it was applied to all sorts of enthusiasts, and "guardianista," from the British newspaper the Guardian, shows how it could attach even to the name of a publication's readership or outlook. The word has a sibling. "Fashionist" existed earlier, and "fashionista" arose alongside it, so the two are doublets: forms from the same source that came into English by different routes and ended up as separate words. "Fashionist" is the older of the pair, and "fashionista" is the one that caught on in everyday speech.

Synonyms: fashion lover, style enthusiast