There was the following passage in the New York Time’s (October 1st) article that came under the title, “Donald Trump’s pathetic fraternity”::
He (Newt Gingrich) piped up to say that Machado deserved to be shamed for her weight gain. His reasoning went something like this: Live by the sash, die by the sash. It’s amazing how much physical license men will give themselves while giving women none. It’s amazing how oblivious they are to the paradox.
Readers English Japanese Dictionary published Kenkyusha defines “sash” simply as a decoration shoulder belt (officially worn by army officers and noblemen / women)
OALD at hand gives the definition of “sash” as a noun meaning; 1.a long strip of fabric worn around the waste or over shoulder. 2.a pair of windows.
But I’m unable to relate a Venezuelan-born American actress with any of these definitions and the above-quoted phrase, “live by the sash, die by the sash.”
What does “live by the sash, die by the sash” mean? Is it a well-established idiom, or just a Gingrich's play of word?