- English translation
Vanity has you wearing summer clothes in the middle of winter, young man.
- Literal wording
From vanity, O young man, you dress in summer clothes during winter.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying mocks someone who puts on summer clothing in the middle of winter and presents this as a sign of refinement or smartness. The ridicule lies in the gap between the act and the season, since the clothes suit one time but are worn when they make no sense.
Beneath the teasing is a judgment that the act comes from carelessness or from putting something in the wrong place, not from real taste. The sarcasm is not praise for anyone's style; the proverb condemns misjudged timing and is used to point out that a show of cleverness has produced a foolish result.
- When it is used
Use this saying when someone shows off by acting at the wrong time, such as dressing for the wrong season to look fashionable. It works as a teasing remark about a poor choice made for display rather than for sense, and it concerns timing, not real weather advice.
- Register
- proverbial; informal spoken Arabic
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: Vanity has you wearing summer clothes in the middle of winter, young man.