tourner casaque

You use this phrase like a regular verb. The word casaque is an old term for a coat. You can say someone a tourné casaque when they surprise you. It often implies a bit of a negative judgment. It suggests the person is perhaps a bit unreliable or opportunistic. Use it when a friend suddenly likes the movie they hated. Or use it when a politician switches parties overnight.

This phrase fits perfectly in political discussions. It is also great for office gossip or sports debates. Use it when your friend joins the rival fan club. It works well when someone changes their mind to please a boss. You can use it in a text to call out a flaky friend. It adds a bit of flair to your storytelling. It sounds more sophisticated than just saying they changed their mind.

Do not use this for physical actions like turning around. It is strictly for opinions, loyalties, or political stances. Avoid using it in very formal legal documents. It is a bit too colorful for a court of law. Also, do not use it for small, logical updates. If someone changes their lunch order, it is too dramatic. Save it for the big, shocking reversals of character.

This expression dates back to the 16th century. Back then, soldiers wore a casaque over their armor. These coats often had specific colors or emblems. If a soldier wanted to desert or switch sides, they flipped it. By turning the coat, they hid their true identity or showed new loyalty. It was a life-saving move on the battlefield. Today, it remains a sharp way to describe a 'flip-flopper'.

You might hear people say retourner sa veste instead. This is the modern, much more common version of the phrase. While tourner casaque sounds a bit more classic and literary, retourner sa veste is used daily. Both mean the exact same thing. If you want to sound like a history buff, stick with casaque. If you want to sound like a local at a café, use retourner sa veste.