Garmento Glossary

Having lived and worked in New York, in the Garment industry, I came across a few Jewish people in my time. The slang or Yiddish words that were used in everyday conversation are still with me today. I love them. They’re so onomatopoeia (look it up.)

I thought you’d enjoy a little cultural diversification with a trip into the Garmento World.

Garmento, is defined as anyone active in the garment industry…but really it’s used more as a stereotypical definition of someone you can spot at ten paces; as a person who works in the garment industry, in a nebbishy, schmucky kind of way.

So grab yourself a regular coffee (cream, 2 sugars) from the street vendor and a bagel with a schmeer and enjoy!

Farschimmelt: Slang for confused or overwhelmed. “I can’t decide, I’m all farschimmelt.”

Farklempt: Too emotional to talk. “I’m too farklempt, talk amongst yourselves.” Also known as Varklempt.

Kibbetizer: Interfering person or sometimes just shmoozer. “No, you we weren’t interrupting, we were just kibbetizing.”

K’vetsh: whine or complain. “Stop your kvetching already!”

Mashugga, Meshughe: Crazy, nuts, bonkers. “She’s sweet, but a little mashugga.”

Mazel Tov: Congratulations or Good Luck. “Mazel Tov!”

Nebbish: a nobody, awkward, geek. “He’s a little nebbish, but he’s a doctor!”

Nosh: Snack. “Feel like a nosh? Let’s grab a bagel.”

Nudnick: Pest, annoying person. ” Him? Just some nudnick I met at Starbucks.”

Ongepatshket: Cluttered, over-done. Pronounced: unga-pascht. “Oy, the room decor, ongepatshket.”

Shikseh: Non- Jewish girl. “Everyone know he won’t settle down with that shikseh. Ya date’em, ya don’t marry ‘em.”

Schmuck: Jerk. “Schmuck.” Nuf said.

Schmeer: Usually refers to the cream cheese on a bagel. A little more than a smear, a little less than a lot. ” Sesame bagel with a schmeer.”

Shlep: To carry unwillingly. “I had to shlep all the way up town for this?”

Shmaltzy/Shmaltze: Sentimental, corny. “Ack, don’t get all shmaltzy on me.”

Shmooze: Chat, talk. “I was just shmoozing the room.”

Shmuts: A little dirt or mess. “There’s a little shmuts on your collar.”

Shnook: Patsy, sucker. “That poor shnook, he’ll fall for anything.”

Tchotchkes: Little ornaments, decorative items. “Oy, her piano was covered with tchotchkes!”

Toches: Pronounced “took-us”. Behind, buttocks, fanny. “I schlepped my toches all over town trying to find the place.”

My Favorite Manifesto

Jonathan Adler is a well-known New York based Interior Designer. His irreverent, kooky and modern twist on design is fun and inspiring.

I came across his Manifesto on the Jonathan Adler website and I loved it! I think you will find it a great lesson in how to communicate your message and not to take yourself too seriously at the same time.

This Manifesto is just the beginning of how well he translates and communicates his vision, message and aesthetic throughout his website. Check out his About Page too.

He recently completed a project designing a life size Malibu Barbie Dream Home and grown up Barbie Accessories for your home- too fun.

Our Manifesto

We believe that your home should make you happy.

We believe that when it comes to decorating, the wife is always right.
Unless the husband is gay.

We believe in carbohydrates and to hell with the puffy consequences.

We believe minimalism is a bummer.

We believe handcrafted tchotchkes are life-enhancing.

We believe tassels are the earrings of the home.

We believe in our muses: David Hicks, Alexander Girard,
Bonnie Cashin. Hans Coper, Gio Ponti, Andy Warhol, Leroy Neiman,
Yves Saint Laurent, and Madonna.

We believe in the innate chicness of red with brown.

We believe in being underdressed or overdressed always.

We believe in infantile, happy emblems like butterflies and hearts.

We believe celebrities should pay full price.

We believe in rustic modernism: Big Sur, A-Frame beach houses,
raw beams, and geodesic dome homes.

We believe in Palm Beach style:
Louis chairs, chinoiserie, Lilly Pulitzer, The Breakers circa ‘72.

We believe our designs are award winning even though
they’ve never actually won any.

We believe in Aid to Artisans.

We believe dogs should be allowed in stores and restaurants.

We believe in mantiques – suits of armour,
worn chesterfield sofas, heraldic tapestries.

We believe you should throw out your Blackberry
and go pick some actual blackberries.

We believe colors can’t clash.

We believe in blowing your nest egg on our pots.

We believe our lamps will make you look younger and thinner.

We believe in irreverent luxury.