noun
Etymology: window (I) + dressing
1. Britain : the wooden or stone trim of a window
2. : the arrangement of merchandise and decorations in a show window especially of a retail store
3.
a.
(1) : the act or practice of making a false or misleading statement of facts (as of financial condition or a political situation) or of putting up a front in order to make a better impression
too much window dressing by companies which hire … a half-dozen Negroes just to prove for the record that they do not discriminate — Elmo Roper
(2) : the making of adjustments (as in bank statements) that are within the limits of acceptable practice to improve the appearance of a financial position
b. : something that improves the external appearance (as of an organization or an action) and helps to make a better impression : front , facade , cover-up
letting big business run the show with labor representation on his staff only as window dressing — Wall Street Journal
the sententious piety is merely window dressing, a means of passing off spicy stories — A.E.Rodway