Idioms about clothes

Birthday suit: naked, just like on the day we are born

In summer she always prefers to sleep in her birthay suit. She feels very hot and doesn´t even wear pajamas.

To keep something under someone´s hat: to keep something a secret

Rumor has it that Bob and Betty are getting married by the end of the year. I wonder how long they´ll still keep it under their hats.

To be an old hat: a real expert

Whoever hears you talking like that about cars would think you´re an old hat.

A wolf in sheep´s clothing: someone who acts like a good person, but is really a bad person.

Gee, Sandra´s really mean! I thought she was adorable at first, but after all things she has done, she turned out to be a wolf in sheep´s clothing.

To dress up: to wear nice clothes and accessories

I don´t like to dress up to go to work. I prefer to take the extra time to sleep some more.

To dress to the nines/teeth or to dress to kill: to be extremely well dressed

When she goes to a party, she always dresses to the nines/teeth and everybody says she´s dressed to kill.

To come into fashion: to be fashionable

Flashy colors came into fashion a couple of years ago.

To handle something with kid gloves: to be very careful handling something

I´m extremely jealous of my clothes, that´s why I handle them with kid gloves.I don´t

want them to be ruined.

To fit like a glove: to fit perfectly

The new dress my boyfriend gave for my birthday looked great. It fitted like a glove too!

To burst at the seams: clothes that are too tight

She´s gained some extra weight, so some of her old clothes are bursting at the seams.

Hand-me-downs: second-hand items, used items people give you

I have no problem accepting hand-me-downs, as long as things are not too shabby or ruined.

To live on a shoestring: have a very small budget and little money to spend

My salary is really low, so I have to live on a shoestring and keep track of my earnings carefully.

The shoe will be on the other foot: the opposite situation will be true.

Now he bosses me around, but when I get promoted the shoe will be on the other foot and I´ll be the one bossing him around.

To be in another person´s shoes: to feel exactly the same as someone else

It´s a very hard situation indeed. I wouldn´t know what to do if I were in your shoes.

To ride someone else´s coat tails: to be successful today as a result of someone else being successful.

He has climbed up his way to success all by himself, he didn´t ride someone else´s coat tail.

If the shoe fits, wear it: if something is said about someone, it might as well be said about you

I wasn´t saying this to anyone specifically, but if the shoe fits, wear it.

To keep someone´s shirt on: to remain calm and be patient

Keep your shirt on, you´re so impatient!

An off-the-cuff remark/To talk through someone´s hat:  to say something without knowing the facts

I´m sorry, I didn´t mean to offend you. It was just an off-the-cuff remark.

Everything I told you was true. I didn´t just talk through my hat.

To buckle down: to start working seriously

If you want to pass your exam, you´ll have to buckle down to work very soon.

To wear someone´s heart  on someone´s sleeve: to behave in a way that makes your feelings obvious

It´s so obvious when Claire´s in love-she wears her heart on her sleeve.

To tighten someone´s belts: to spend less money

 We´re saving up to go on vacation, so we´ll have to tighten our belts for a while

To give someone the boot: to get rid of somebody

Do you think Wendy has finally given Bill the boot? I haven´t seen them together for a long time!

To get hot under the collar: to get angry

Mike gets hot under his collar easily, he should learn to control his temper.

To have something up someone´s sleeve: to have an idea or plan

I´ve run out of ideas-let´s ask Jonh. He usually has something up his sleeve.

Nightcap: a drink (usually whisky/whiskey) taken at bedtime to aid a better sleep.

I'm a bit agitated. I think i'll have nightcap.

Also:

*Sex (thinly veiled euphemism for):

"Would you care to come upstairs for a nightcap?" 

*Last drink of the night:

Last call, anyone up for a nightcap?