”Slay the House Down Boots” Meaning
This complimentary phrase means something was done extremely well. The slang term “slay” means to present yourself with confidence, whether you’re walking, performing, or simply looking very good. “House down” and “boots” are both slang terms that intensify the word “slay,” similar to using the words “very” or “extremely.” Boots - This term is used in much the same way as the word “very.” For example, you would say, “Girl, that outfit is fierce boots,” instead of “Girl, that outfit is very fierce.” House Down - This intensifier means something is extremely good. Many believe it comes from the theater slang “bring the house down,” which referred to an audience cheering, clapping, and shouting loudly in response to an especially good performance. For example, “You are so fierce, you bring the house down.” Some use phrases with the words in a different order, such as “slay the boots house down.”
Related Slang Phrases
“Slay the house down boots” has a few related slang phrases. These phrases are variations of the main phrase that add even more intensity and praise to the term. They’re all compliments that mean someone has done an extremely good job. Slay the House Down Boots Houston I’m Deceased - This term is a play on what astronauts say when communicating with NASA mission control in Houston, Texas. The idea is that something is so good it has to be communicated to the authorities. “I’m deceased” is a humorous way of giving praise. The speaker is saying the performance was so overwhelming they have died. Boots the House Down - This is a shorter version of the phrase that’s often used as “she boots the house down” to imply the performance is so good the person is kicking the house down along with the usual meaning of boots. Kitty, Kitty Purr Boots Down - This phrase means that you are feeling confident. It was popularized by Blue Kim, a contestant on Big Brother, known for using creative slang.
Using “Slay the House Down Boots”
Use this term to compliment someone who did a fantastic job. This phrase is appropriate to use when you see a friend do something especially well. Traditionally, it complimented a performance or the performer’s appearance. In the wider culture, it has come to be used to compliment anything a person does well. “Her lip-syncing slays the house down boots. It’s that good.” “Girl, you slay the house down boots in that dress.” “That wig slays the house down boots. You can’t even see the lace up close.” “Have you heard her new song? It slays the house down boots.”
Origins of “Slay the House Down Boots”
The slang phrase originated in ballroom drag culture. Since the 1920s, ballroom culture has been a safe space for LGBTQ people – especially Black and Latinx individuals – to find community and celebrate their identity. Part of that expression was developing creative and witty terminology that hadn’t been widely used outside the community until recently. Drag slang has been popularized by the shows RuPaul’s Drag Race, Pose, and Legendary. Paris Is Burning, an award-winning documentary about the New York City ballroom scene, also introduced ballroom culture and slang to a wider audience when it was released in 1991 and then when the Criterion Collection version was released in 2020. English pop star Charli XCX tweeted “um yes queen, skinny legend Versace boots the house down, slay queen hunty mama and opp daddy, work charli xcx snatch my wig,” on April 20, 2021 The wider use of slang from ballroom culture is controversial. Many feel the original terms coined primarily by people of color are being co-opted and diluted, losing their cultural significance.
Other Ballroom Slang
Ballroom culture has a whole language of creative slang terms. Many of these terms have leaked into the wider culture due to the popularity of RuPaul’s Drag Race and contestants like Bob the Drag Queen. Here are a few examples of other slang terms that came from ballroom culture: No Tea, No Shade: The “tea” is usually defined as the truth or gossip. Shade means delivering a subtle insult. So, “no tea, no shade” means you’re about to tell the truth without gossiping or insulting anyone. For example, “No tea, no shade, that color is not good with your complexion.” Clock: Clocking generally means noticing something or identifying something a person wants to hide. For example, if a person’s lace on their wig is showing, another person might say, “Oh, miss thing, your hairline is clocked.” Serving Face: This term means that you’re presenting your face confidently as if you’re being photographed. For example, “Look at her, serving face like she’s on the cover of Vogue. Feeling the Fantasy: You’re feeling the fantasy when you really get into your drag character’s persona. For example, “Check you out! You’re feeling the fantasy tonight, aren’t you.” She Owns Everything: “She owns everything” means someone looks so rich and fierce that they “own” the walkway, the room, the building, and possibly the entire world. For example, “In those rhinestone platforms, she owns everything.”
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