Crossword Genius

Decorum in fashions? Totally gutted (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

modesty

'decorum' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'fashions? totally gutted' is the wordplay.
'fashions?' becomes 'modes' ('mode' can be a synonym of 'fashion').
'gutted' says to hollow out the word (remove centre letters) (to gut something is to remove its insides).
'totally' with its centre taken out is 'ty'.
'modes'+'ty'='MODESTY'

'in' is the link.

(Other definitions for modesty that I've seen before include "Humility; decency" , "Unassumingness" , "Self-deprecating quality" , "Decorum, shyness" , "Freedom from vanity" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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