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Between 2009 and 2020, Josh published more than 10,000 blog posts. Here, you can access his blog archives.

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“Neck Doily” as Slang for “Jabot” In Black’s Law Dictionary

January 28th, 2014

Bryan Garner just made my day when he tweeted the draft definition for “jabot” in the next edition of Black’s Law Dictionary. It says “Also termed (slang) neck doily.”

I think I may have coined a word!

I first used the phrase “neck doily” in this post from October 2009 noting that Justice Sotomayor was not wearing the “neck doily” that Justice Ginsburg gave her. At some point earlier, I made a joke to a friend about Justice Ginsburg’s frilly jabot. I said something to the effect of, “Is she a Justice or a tea cup? Why is she wearing a doily around her neck.” And, it stuck. Above The Law adopted the usage back in 2010. I’m even cited as a footnote on Wikipedia for jabot!

Since then I’ve (somehow) published about two dozen posts on the neck doily. Justice Kagan wore a neck doily in her first Supreme Court portrait, and during her investiture, but not during her first day on the bench. Kagan later said of the jabot, “In my real life I’m not a frilly, lacy person.” Though all the female Justices wore some kind of neck accoutrements (somewhere between a scarf and a doily) while sitting for their portrait. Then there was the time Justice Ginsburg swapped her neck doily for some bling, and the blue neck doily for the same-sex wedding she officiated at.

If this is my only contribution to the English language, I will be happy.

Breaking: Justice Ginsburg “Neck Doily” Watch – RBG Swaps Jabot for Bling!

November 26th, 2012

Earth-shattering news from the Supreme Court, courtesy of Robert Barnes:

I hope someone got a sketch of that! For more on the Jabot (or as I call it the neck doily) see these posts.

Update: Thanks to the inestimable Art Lien, we now have a sketch of Justice Ginsburg “forgo[ing] the jabot.”

Here are Art’s comments:

One thing a sketch artist at the Supreme Court needs to look for is whether Justice Ginsburg is wearing a jabot or one of her increasingly large doilies around her neck. Today, for the first time I can recall, she wore neither. She appeared to be wearing a sparkly necklace of dark crystals. I couldn’t quite make it out.

Bling Bling!

Update: WaPo Reliable Sources has the scoop on RBG’s new bling.

Time to bust out your holiday-season bling — and that goes for you Supreme Court justices, too!Ruth Bader Ginsburg turned some heads Monday when she showed up in court wearing a big shiny necklace with her robe instead of her usual frilly white jabot. We’re told that the bib-style sparkler (glass beads on a black scalloped base) was a Banana Republic offering that came in the VIP gift bag at Glamour magazine’s “Women of the Year”gala in New York this month, where Ginsburg was among the honorees. (Sorry, no photo: Cameras aren’t allowed in the court.)

Swanky. Here is a pic from Banana Republic’s web site:

H/T DC Dicta

Justice Sotomayor Offers Career Advice to Abby on Sesame Street — Become A Supreme Court Justice!

November 10th, 2012

Sound advice, but I don’t think Abby could make it through the confirmation hearing. Fortunately Abby can keep her day job as she, along with Big Bird, won’t get fired any time soon. And mega props to Justice Sotomayor and Abby for wearing a neck doily (in case you were wondering, my blog is linked to on the Wikipedia page for the jabot!).

H/T How Appealing