👞 Slicker than Slick: City Slickers and Urban Sophistication 🌆
Meaning & Origin
A “City Slicker” is a smart, sophisticated urbanite. This American colloquialism, dating from the 1920s, is presumably taken from the adjective “slick” in the sense of smooth and plausible. The cliché suggests someone who is a smooth talker, elegant, and street-smart, often contrasting rural simplicity.
Popular Culture Reference
The cliché gained renewed currency with two motion pictures: City Slickers (1991) and its 1994 sequel City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold. The first film, which won Jack Palance an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, concerns three city-dwelling friends who sign up for a two-week cattle drive.
Related Terms & Similar Expressions
- Urbanite: A resident of a city.
- Dapper: Neat and trim in dress and appearance.
- Sophisticate: A worldly-wise person imbued with urban and cultural sophistication.
- Urban sophisticate: Someone who exemplifies city living’s polished, cosmopolitan style.
Famous Quotes & Proverbs
- “The city is the place where you meet remarkable people whose pedigrees resemble your taxes: convoluted and constantly growing.” — Fictitious quote by W. T. Wittywords.
- “You can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy.” — Common proverb reminding us that natural roots stay with us.
Literature & Pop Culture References
- Book: “Slouching Towards Bethlehem” by Joan Didion – A collection of insightful essays reflecting the complexities of urban life.
- Song: “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra – Celebrating the epitome of city sophistication.
- Poem: “The Waste Land” by T. S. Eliot – Paints a complex picture of urban despair and sophistication.
- Movie: “Sweet Smell of Success” (1957) – Explores the dark allure of city sophistication.
Quizzes on City Slicker Clichés
Till We Meet Again
May you strut the urban streets like a true city slicker, slick, sophisticated, and smooth as a jazz melody on a moonlit night. Keep your wit sharp and your heart in the hustle.
Yours in the delights of language,
Cleo Q. Witty
