frippery
Ornamental but useless
Frippery is showy but worthless ornamentation—flashy clothing, gaudy accessories, or pretentious decorative flourishes.
The word carries dismissive connotations, suggesting superficiality or wasted effort on appearances: The wedding was all frippery and no substance.
By extension, frippery applies to any frivolous or trivial pursuit: He had no patience for intellectual frippery.
Showy, worthless ornament
- trinketSmall worthless ornament
- gewgawCheap showy ornament
- gimcrackCheap, showy ornament
- tchotchkeSmall decorative trifle
knickknack · bijou · curio · doodad · novelty · charm · pendant · bead
Superfluous adornment
- rufflePleated fabric edging
- flounceOrnamental gathered fabric strip
- furbelowOrnamental pleated fabric strip
- laceOpen-weave ornamental fabric
ribbon · tassel · plume · feather · trimming · embellishment · adornment · garnish
Insignificant matter or thing
- bagatelleTrivial matter or thing
- frivolityUnserious, lighthearted conduct
- fluffLight, soft fibers
- nonsenseMeaningless words or actions
folly · inanity · silliness · pettiness · inconsequence · superficiality · froth · fiddle-faddle
Ostentatious display quality
- gaudinessTasteless, excessive ornamentation
- flashinessOstentatious showiness
- glitzOstentatious showiness
- flamboyanceShowy, confident style
garishness · tawdriness · tinsel · kitsch · bling · glitter · razzle-dazzle · affectation
Excessive, wasteful spending
- superfluityExcessive amount beyond necessity
- overindulgenceExcessive consumption or enjoyment
- profusionExtravagant amount present
- overabundanceExcessive quantity beyond need
lavishness · immoderation · wastefulness · profligacy · exorbitance · intemperance · luxuriance · overdecoration
bauble
Showy, worthless ornament
tchotchke · knickknack · bijou · curio · doodad · novelty · charm · pendant · bead · brooch
frill
Superfluous adornment
- rufflePleated fabric edging
- flounceOrnamental gathered fabric strip
- furbelowOrnamental pleated fabric strip
lace · ribbon · tassel · plume · feather · trimming · embellishment · adornment · garnish · flourish
trifle
Insignificant matter or thing
nonsense · folly · inanity · silliness · pettiness · inconsequence · superficiality · froth · fiddle-faddle · trivia
showiness
Ostentatious display quality
- gaudinessTasteless, excessive ornamentation
- flashinessOstentatious showiness
- glitzOstentatious showiness
flamboyance · garishness · tawdriness · tinsel · kitsch · bling · glitter · razzle-dazzle · affectation · pretension
extravagance
Excessive, wasteful spending
- superfluityExcessive amount beyond necessity
- overindulgenceExcessive consumption or enjoyment
- profusionExtravagant amount present
overabundance · lavishness · immoderation · wastefulness · profligacy · exorbitance · intemperance · luxuriance · overdecoration · embroidery
- trinketstrinket, trinket box, knickknack, bauble, gewgaw
- frillylace, ruffle, frill, flounce, ruche
- empty talkidle talk, hot air, idle chatter, drivel, babble
- ornamentationornaments, ornament, ornamentation, ornamental, embellishment
- thingamajigsthingamajig, thingamabob, whatchamacallit, doohickey, doodad
- extrasextra, add-ons, add-on, extras, addition
fripperyplainness
Unadorned, straightforward quality
simplicity · austerity · minimalism · starkness · understatement
fripperysubstance
Physical material with mass
essentials · necessities · fundamentals · practicality · utility
fripperytatters
Ragged scraps of cloth
dishabille · disarray · shabbiness · raggedness · slovenliness