pearlies

A street vendor wears his pearlies while selling fruit from a cart.

Definition

1. Noun (plural):
   • Decorated clothing: "pearlies" refers to traditional clothing, especially a suit or coat, adorned with many mother-of-pearl buttons, historically worn by costermongers (street sellers of fruit, fish, or vegetables) in London.
   • The wearers themselves: The term can also denote the people who wear such clothing, particularly members of the "Pearly Kings and Queens" tradition in London.

Usage Examples

• (His suit decorated with mother-of-pearl buttons.)
• (The people wearing the traditional pearl-buttoned clothing.)

Advanced Usage

• "Pearlies" as a cultural symbol: The garments are a symbol of Cockney heritage and working-class pride in London.
  • The pearlies are passed down through generations as family heirlooms. (The decorated suits are treasured possessions.)

Variants and Related Words

• Pearly (adj): resembling or made of pearl, or referring to the traditional clothing.
  • She wore a pearly-white dress. (A dress that looks like pearl.)
• Pearl (n): a hard, shiny, white or light-colored gem formed inside some oysters.
  • The buttons on the pearlies were made from real mother-of-pearl. (The buttons were genuine pearl material.)

Synonyms

• Costermonger's suit: a specific type of ornate clothing.
• Button suit: an informal term for the heavily buttoned jacket.

Related Idioms

• "All dressed up in your pearlies": to be wearing one's best or most traditional clothing.

  • He was all dressed up in his pearlies for the wedding. (He wore his finest traditional outfit.)

• "A pearly king": a man who wears the traditional pearly suit and is a figurehead in London community events.

  • The pearly king led the procession through the market. (The man in the decorated suit.)