Disapparel

/dɪsəˈpærəl/ verb

Definition

To undress or remove clothing and ornaments from someone; to strip away outward appearance or adornment.

Etymology

From dis- (removal) + apparel (clothing, dress). Apparel comes from Old French apareil, meaning 'equipment' or 'preparation,' from Latin apparare (to prepare).

Kelly Says

This older English word captures something interesting—that our clothes and appearance are like a 'parel' or outfit we can remove, which is why fashion anthropologists say disappareling reveals how much identity we invest in what we wear.

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