Tawdry
Etymology
A contraction of "St. Audrey’s lace," cheap, showy neckwear sold at the fair of St. Audrey (Etheldreda of Ely) in medieval England; "tawdry lace" became a byword for gaudy trinkets. Over time the word broadened from cheap finery to anything sordid or distasteful. Its origin in a saint’s name is entirely hidden by the worn-down spelling.
adjective · /TAW-dree/
Cheap and gaudy in appearance, or sordid and distasteful in nature.
What it names
For flashy cheapness — showy things or shabby conduct with no real value behind the glitter.
Example
The scandal exposed a tawdry web of favors and payoffs.
Related idea
Something tawdry is cheaply gaudy or sordid; something kitsch is tastelessly sentimental but often knowingly enjoyed — vulgar cheapness versus endearing bad taste.