artsy-fartsy
Trying too hard
Artsy-fartsy is a dismissive term for art, people, or attitudes perceived as pretentious or self-consciously artistic: The gallery was full of artsy-fartsy types sipping wine and discussing symbolism.
The rhyming reduplication adds mockery—suggesting that what poses as sophisticated is really just affected nonsense.
Also spelled artsy fartsy.
Artificially contrived behavior
- snobbishCondescending toward perceived inferiors
- highbrowIntellectually or artistically sophisticated
- pompousAffectedly grand in manner
- self-importantExaggerating one's own significance
elitist · snooty · highfalutin · posturing · intellectual · pseudo-intellectual · hoity-toity · la-di-da
Rejects prevailing social standards
- beatnikFifties counterculture member
- hippieSixties counterculture member
- avant-gardeInnovative cultural pioneers
- unconventionalDeparting from standard practice
communal · alternative · counterculture · coffeehouse · beret · turtleneck · Greenwich Village · Left Bank
Unconventional in character
- whimsicalPlayfully fanciful or erratic
- offbeatPleasantly strange or unusual
- kookyOddball in manner
- peculiarStrangely unusual
unconventional · creative · imaginative · experimental · abstract · impressionistic · surrealist · mixed-media
affected
Artificially contrived behavior
- snobbishCondescending toward perceived inferiors
- highbrowIntellectually or artistically sophisticated
- pompousAffectedly grand in manner
self-important · elitist · snooty · highfalutin · posturing · intellectual · pseudo-intellectual · hoity-toity · la-di-da · precious
nonconformist
Rejects prevailing social standards
- beatnikFifties counterculture member
- hippieSixties counterculture member
- avant-gardeInnovative cultural pioneers
unconventional · communal · alternative · counterculture · coffeehouse · beret · turtleneck · Greenwich Village · Left Bank
eccentric
Unconventional in character
peculiar · unconventional · creative · imaginative · experimental · abstract · impressionistic · surrealist · mixed-media · installation
artsy-fartsyunpretentious
Lacking false superiority
genuine · authentic · down-to-earth · unaffected · no-nonsense
artsy-fartsydown-to-earth
Practical and without pretension
no-nonsense · plain · unpretentious · lowbrow · philistine
artsy-fartsyutilitarian
Prioritizing function over beauty
practical · functional · no-frills · pragmatic · bare-bones
artsy, arts, arty, artist, artful, artless, artistic, artistry, fart