He flounced out of the government in March, but goes on glowering from the wings.

ECONOMIST: Schr?der��s struggle

That is the real reason Mr Lafontaine flounced so huffily out of office, deserting friends, colleagues and supporters without explanation or apology.

ECONOMIST: Oskar Lafontaine

At one meeting in 1996, Mr Mandelson felt so slighted by Mr Brown that he flounced out, slamming the door behind him.

ECONOMIST: The saint and the scorpions

Beloved by A-listers and pop princesses, these are not clothes for the shy: this is old-school glamour, infused with power, wielded by women who have flounced and shimmied their way to the top.

CNN: Fashion's peacock: Designer Roberto Cavalli