neologism

Have you ever been reading the newspaper and come across a word that you had never seen before? No sooner do you look it up in the dictionary and add it to your vocabulary than you come across it again in the novel that you are reading. And then again on the radio. And then someone uses it in conversation with you. What is that phenomenon called? For lack of actually knowing what it is called I have come up with my own term - ubiquidipity. It's a new word to describe things that suddenly and serendipitously become ubiquitous. Things like words, and fabric.

Last week I encountered a woman carrying this very bag (recognise the fabric?). Her husband had purchased it for her from Red Dog 3 (13 Ormond Road, Elwood). A quick trip to Elwood and I learnt that the bag is a Catherine Manuell design (apparently not part of the recent catalogue) and the fabric is called Helsinki. Ubiquidipity.

But that's not all. On a stroll along Carlisle Street, St Kilda last week I walked past Dollhouse Clothing (23 Carlisle Street, St Kilda; 9525 3520) and learned what 'ex-designer fabric' means. It means this designer on the right. Ubiquidipity.