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spats

Apparel
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Short coverings worn over shoes and ankles, typically with a buttoned side, popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, associated with formal menswear and dandyism.

Detailed Definition
Spats (short for spatterdashes) are a once-fashionable accessory that covered the instep and ankle, protecting shoes from mud and spatter. In poetry, spats often evoke the Edwardian era, the world of business, clubs, and upscale dining. They are a quintessential garment of the dandy, and their white or gray color against dark shoes provides a sharp visual contrast. In satirical verse, spats can be a target of mockery, representing excessive concern with appearances. In love poetry, a gentleman's spats might be noticed by a lady, indicating his attention to detail. Their decline after the 1920s makes them a nostalgic garment, often appearing in poems set in the early 20th century, invoking a bygone era of formality and strict dress codes.
Example
Example in poetry:
"His spats of white cloth were a flash against his black shoes"; "The spats' buttons were a row of small decisions"; "He wore his spats to the club, a man of the old school"; "The spats, once crisp, were now grey with the city's dust"; "She admired his spats and knew he was a man of detail"; "The spats' canvas was a shield against the mud of the street"
Additional Notes
Spats (short for spatterdashes) are a once-fashionable accessory that covered the instep and ankle, protecting shoes from mud and spatter. In poetry, spats often evoke the Edwardian era, the world of business, clubs, and upscale dining. They are a quintessential garment of the dandy, and their white or gray color against dark shoes provides a sharp visual contrast. In satirical verse, spats can be a target of mockery, representing excessive concern with appearances. In love poetry, a gentleman's spats might be noticed by a lady, indicating his attention to detail. Their decline after the 1920s makes them a nostalgic garment, often appearing in poems set in the early 20th century. Related terms include gaiters, puttees, and shoe covers. Students should note the spat's association with Edwardian dandyism and its role in signaling a bygone era of formality.
Also Known As
gaiter covers shoe protectors ankle spatterdashes
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