Fashion Glossary
Fashion Glossary with Initial-A
Aloha
The Aloha shirt, often confused with the Hawaiian shirt by non-natives, is
a style of dress shirt originating in Hawai. Often short-sleeved, Aloha
shirts are brilliantly colored with floral patterns or generic Polynesian
motifs and are worn as casual, informal wear.
Apron
An apron is an outer protective garment that covers primarily the front of
the body. It may be worn for hygienic reasons as well as in order to protect
clothes from wear and tear. There are many different apron styles depending
on the purpose of the apron.
Apron dress
An apron dress is a sleeveless dress with a design that in some way is
reminiscient of an apron. For instance, it may be held in place with waist
bands, or have a bib front like an apron.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-B
Baseball cap
A baseball cap is a type of soft cap with a long, stiffened and curved peak
and it is worn by men, women and children. The back of the cap often has a
plastic, Velcro, or elastic adjustor so that it can be quickly adjusted to
fit any wearer, although fitted caps also exist. Traditionally the peak is
worn over the eyes, and it is functional for blocking view from the sun at a
low elevation.
Bell bottoms
Bell bottoms are trousers that become more wide from the knees downwards.
It is known and believed that bell-bottoms were introduced sailors working
on deck.The bell-shaped leg made the pants easier to remove in a hurry when
forced to abandon ship or when washed overboard. The flare at the end of the
pant leg allowed them to be rolled up easily than normal straight-legged
pants. Wide hems became fashionable in the 1960s, both for men and women.
Belt
A belt is a flexible band, made of either leather or a type of cloth, worn
around the waist, normally serving the purpose of supporting the clothing
material, particularly trousers. A belt has been repeatedly used in the
fashion world for decorative reasons.
Beret
A beret is a soft round cap with a flat crown and is normally worn by both
men and women. The cap fits snugly around the head, and the soft crown can
be shaped in a variety of ways. It is commonly pushed to one side. Berets
were originally worn by Northern Basque peasants and were knitted from wool.
Today berets are normally made from wool felt.
Bikini
A bikini is a type of women's bathing suit made in two pieces. Two-piece
garments worn by women for athletic purposes have been observed on Greek
urns and paintings, dated as early as 1400 BC.
Blouse
A blouse most commonly refers to a woman's shirt, although the term used to
be once used for men's military uniform shirts. Blouses are often made of
cotton or silk cloth and may or may not include a collar and sleeves. They
are generally elegantly tailored than simple knit tops with details such as
ruffles or embroidered decorations.
Bonnet
A bonnet is a kind of headgear which is usually brimless and is commonly
used for children and babies.
Boxer Shorts
Boxers shorts are a type of underwear, worn usually by men. They are
all-around-elastic shorts named after the shorts worn by professional
fighters.
Burkha
Two different items of traditional Islamic women's clothing are known as a
burka, burqa or burqua.
One is a kind of veil which is tied on the head, over a headscarf, and
covers the face except for a cut at the eyes for the woman to see
through.Nowadays, different designs and patterns are used in burkhas.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-C
Caps
A cap is a form of headgear. Caps are generally soft, and often have no
brim, or just a peak (like on a baseball cap).
Cardigans
A cardigan is a type of sweater that has buttons on the front. It was named
after James Thomas Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, a British military
commander, during his service in the Crimean War.
Cassocks
The cassock is also called the soutane. It is a long, sheath-like, close
fitting, ankle length robe worn by church authorities of various
denominations, including Anglicans and Roman Catholics. The cassock is
derived from the tunic that was formerly worn beneath the toga in classical
times.
Cassock comes in a number of colours, which have traditional meanings.
Chador/Chaddar
It is similar to a khimar, which is a round head-scarf that leaves the face
exposed but only falls to the waist. A chador which covers the face is more
commonly called a (full or Afghan) burka.
Chaps
Chaps are sturdy leather coverings for the legs. They hang from one's belt,
but unlike trousers they are not joined at the crotch. The most sturdy kind
are made from single pieces of leather that wrap around to protect the
fronts and sides of each leg.
Chemise
The chemise, called a "smock" or "shift" in the 16th
century, used to be a garment worn next to the skin to protect clothing from
sweat and body oils. Chemise is a French term. Italians call it a "Camicia".
The English called the same shirt a "Smock" and the Irish called
it a Léine.
Clogs
A clog is a type of shoe or sandal with a rigid, often wooden, sole. Clogs
were widely worn by workers as protective clothing in factories, mines and
farms.
Coif
Head coverings worn during the 16th century, the coif is quite simply, a
close-fitting cap made of a light fabric, usually white or naturally-colored
linen (or silk, for the nobility). It was worn to provide warmth, protection
from the elements, and to keep hair from falling on the face. During the
Elizabethan age, it was symbolized with respect for women and, for more
skilled and affluent people, it served the purpose of decoration.
Corsets
A corset is a garment worn to mold the torso into a desired shape for
aesthetic or orthopaedic purposes. Both men and women have worn corsets
since ages and still wear it for different reasons.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-D
Diving suits/Wet suits
A diving suit is an important clothing or device designed to protect divers
from the underwater environment. Modern diving suits can be divided into two
kinds depending on ambient pressure used for soft diving suits and
atmospheric pressure for hard diving suits.
Doublet
A doublet is a man's snug-fitting buttoned jacket that was worn in medieval
west and Tudor times.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-G
Gloves
A glove is a type of garment that covers the hand. Gloves have separate
sheaths or slits for each finger and the thumb. fingerless gloves Iare the
ones that have an opening but no covering sheath for each finger. Hand
garments without separate finger openings or sheaths are called mittens and
are used for cooking purposes.
Guayabera shirt
The guayabera is a men's shirt, probably originating in Cuba, that has been
popular in Latin America since the late 19th century. It has four pockets
(two above and two below) and two vertical lines of embroidery that pass
under the pockets. As a straight-bottomed shirt, it is worn outside the
trousers.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-H
Hakama
Hakama is a type of traditional Japanese clothing. Hakama covers the lower
body and resembles a wide, pleated skirt. Hakama were originally worn only
by men, but today they are worn in a different fashion by both men and
women. Hakama are tied at the waist and fall approximately to the ankles.
Haute couture
Haute couture is a common term for high fashion as produced in Paris and
imitated in other fashion capitals such as New York, London, and Milan.
Sometimes it is used only to refer to French fashion; at other times it
refers to any unique stylish design made to order for wealthy and
high-status clients.
Head gear
Headgear, headwear or headdress is a name alloted to any element of
clothing which is worn on around a person's head. Common forms of headgear
would essentially include hats, caps, bonnets, hoods, headscarves and
helmets.
High-visibility clothing
High-visibility clothing is any clothing worn that has highly reflective
properties or a color that is easily discernable from any background. Orange
hunting vests are a popular example of high-visibility clothing.
Hosiery
Hosiery describes undergarments worn directly on the feet and legs.The
types of hosiery
include socks, stockings and pantyhose.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-J
Jeans
Jeans are trousers made from denim. Originally work clothes, they became
popular among teens starting in the 1950s and are today the most popular
casual wear amongst both sexes.
Jersey
A jersey is a piece of wollen or cotton clothing with sleeves worn as a
pullover; this is to say, it does not open in the front like a cardigan. It
is normally close-fitting and machine-knitted in contrast to a guernsey
which is hand knit in a thicker cloth.
Jockstraps
Jockstraps are also known as athletic supporters and they are used in men's
undergarments for sports and other activities. The typical jockstrap
consists of an elastic waistband with a support pouch for the genitals and
two straps extending from the bottom of the pouch across the buttocks, to
the waistband.
Jumper
A jumper dress or simply jumper is a sleeveless, collarless dress intended
to be worn over a blouse or sweater. There is sometimes confusion over the
name, as in British English, a jumper is a woollen sweater.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-K
Kilt
The kilt is seen as an item of traditional Scottish Highland dress,
although the origin of that tradition is more recent than is commonly
believed. It was only with the Romantic Revival of the 19th century that the
kilt became irreversibly associated with Highlanders, largely because of
non-Highlanders reinterpreting their traditions. Today most Scotsmen see
kilts as formal dress.
Kimono
Kimono is a traditional garment from Japan. Kimono was basically a word
that referred to all types of clothing, but the word eventually came to
define to the full-length robe-like garment still worn by women, men and
children.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-L
Lingerie
Lingerie is a term, derived from the French language, used for women's
undergarments.
Long underwears/Long Johns
Long underwear usually refer to a style of two-piece underwear with long
arms and long legs that is worn during the cold weather.
Most long underwear are made using a box-weave, and sometimes flannel is
also used, while the others are made of two layers.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-M
Moccasin
Moccasin is a native American word, and means a shoe made of deerskin or
soft leather. It is made in one piece; the sole is soft and flexible and the
upper part is often adorned with embroidery, beading or other ornament.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-N
National Costume/National Dress
National costumeor regional costume expresses an identital costume that
usually symbolises the clothing traditions in a specific geographic area. It
can also indicate social, marital and/or religious status. Such costumes can
be used in two ways, one for daily occasions, the other for traditional
festivals and formal wear.
Neckwears/Ties
A necktie , also simply called a tie, is a piece of material worn around
the neck. The modern necktie's original name was the four-in-hand tie. It is
usually a dress requirement for businessmen and probably the most common
father's gift in the world.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-P
Pants
Pants are clothing for the lower body, while its original term comes from
pantaloons. In Canadian, Australian and American English, the term pants
refers to a long outer garment worn over the hips and legs, which in British
English are called trousers
Pantyhose
Pantyhose are tight fitting coverings of the body from the waist to the
feet, usually worn by women. Just like stockings, pantyhose are normally
made of nylon.
Parkas
An anorak or parka is a type of heavy jacket with a hood, generally lined
with fur or fun fur, so as to protect the face from a combination of
sub-zero temperatures and wind. Although of Inuit origin, the word "anorak"
is mainly used in Britain, while "parka" is the almost universal
name in the United States and Canada.
Penny Loafers
Penny loafers are low, leather step-in shoes whose tops resemble a
moccasin, but have broad flat heels. They have no shoelaces or buckles.
Penny loafers are made of leather and are often worn in formal situations.
Petticoat
A petticoat is an article of clothing for women; specifically an
undergarment to be worn under a skirt or dress. The petticoat is a separate
garment hanging from the waist . The practice of wearing petticoats was well
established by 1585. Its uses differ from place to place. In India,
petticoats are worn underneath a long drapable saree.
Pinafore/Apron
A pinafore apron or simply pinafore is a type of apron worn by women. It
originates from "pin afore", reflecting that the bib part of an
apron was earlier often secured to the chest using pins.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-R
Robe
A robe is a loose-fitting outer garment. A robe is distinguished from a
cape or cloak by the fact that it usually has sleeves.
Rugby
A Rugby shirt is a shirt worn in the popular Rugby game. It usually has
long sleeves.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-S
Sarong
A sarong is large sheet of fabric, often wrapped around the waist and worn
as a skirt by men and women in southeast Asia and Pacific islands,
particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia. The fabric is often colorful or
printed with intricate patterns, often depicting animals or plants. There
are also checkered or geometric patterns, and the kinds resembling tie dye.
Saree
It is a long six-yard garment that Indian women drape around as an garment.
It is one of the most popular wear amongst women all over in India and it is
produced in different rich fabrics like silk, chiffon, cotton etc.
Shirts
A shirt is a sort of top, i.e. a piece of clothing used to cover the trunk
of the body. In the UK, it refers almost specially to what Americans call a
dress shirt, i.e. a garment with a collar and a full vertical opening with
buttons. Today, plain, printed, checkered and skillfully patterned shirts
are readily available in market.
Skirts
A skirt is traditionally a feminine tube or cone-shaped garment that is
worn from the waist and which covers the legs. Unlike pants, a skirt is not
divided. At its simplest, a skirt can be a draped garment made out of a
single piece of material, but most skirts are tailored, with gores, pleats,
or panels, of light to mid-weight fabrics, such as denim, jersey, worsted,
or poplin.
Socks
A sock is a baglike covering for the foot and/or lower leg, which is
designed to ease chafing between the foot to keep the feet warm and absorb
sweat from the feet. Sock lengths vary, from covering only the foot, to knee
level
Stays
A old type of corsets. It is over the dress or skirt hang in the lower
edge, opposite a corset which cover the hip.
Stockings
A stocking is a close-fitting, elastic garment covering the foot and lower
part of the leg, but usually not intended to conceal the leg. It was
formerly made of woven cloth but now of knitted wool, silk, cotton or nylon.
Suspenders
Suspenders are small straps or bands that hold up socks or stockings. They
are straps that run over the shoulders and support or hold up trousers or a
skirt.
Sweater
A sweater, pullover, jumper or jersey is a relatively heavy garment
intended to cover the torso and arms of the human body and ideally supposed
to go over a shirt, blouse, T-shirt or other top.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-T
Tank tops
A tank top is a sleeveless shirt that can be worn by either sex. The name
derives from its resemblance to a tank suit, a style of one-piece women's
swim suit with shoulder straps
Tennis shirt
A tennis shirt, popularly called the polo shirt, is a T-shaped shirt with a
collar and two buttons; typically including a pocket. Common fabrics for
these shirts include pique cotton, jersey cotton, or pima cotton.
Ties/Neckware
A necktie is a piece of material worn around the neck. The modern neckties
original name was the four-in-hand tie. It is usually a dress requirement
for businessmen and is normally accompanied with a formal wear. The modern
necktie along with the Ascot and the bowtie are all descended from the
cravat.
Toga
The toga was the distinctive garb of Ancient Rome. It consisted of a long
sash of cloth, folded in a particular way, that was worn over a tunic. The
sash went over the left shoulder and under the right arm
Toque
The term comes from the Spanish word toca. A toque is a type of hat with a
narrow brim or no brim at all. They were popular during the 13th-16th
century in Europe, especially in France. One toque that is still common is
the toque-blanche, which is the standard chef's hat.
Trousers
Trousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body and
cover both legs separately . Trousers are worn at the hips or waist, and may
be held up by their own fastenings, a belt, or suspenders. Leggings are
form-fitting trousers of a clingy material, usually a knit. Trousers,
together with a shirt, are the standard clothing for men in many parts of
the world.
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a shirt with short sleeves, a round neck, put on over the
head, without pockets. It was originally used as undershirt. This is still
done, but it is also often worn as the only clothing on the upper part of
the body
Tunic
The tunic used to be a common masculine garment of Roman Civilization. It
was worn by citizens and non-citizens alike; citizens, though, would wear it
under the toga, especially at formal occasions.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-U
Underwear/Undergarments
Undergarments, also called underwear or sometimes intimate clothing, are
clothes worn next to the skin, usually under other clothes.
Uniforms
A uniform is a set of standard clothing or dress code worn by members of an
organization.
Union Suits
A union suit is a type of one-piece long underwear long favored by men in
North America until recent times. Historically made of red flannel with long
arms and long legs, it could be buttoned traditionally in the front and had
a button-up rear access hatch for defecation.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-V
Vest
A vest is a type of men's garment. A variant is the string vest which is
constucted from a loosely woven string mesh. A vest may also be worn as an
outer garment in sports wear, especially in athletics. Advanced sports vests
are made from hitech man-made materials designed to wick persperation away
from the body and aid cooling.
Fashion Glossary with Initial-Y
Yukata
Yukata is a type of clothing worn by the Japanese, especially women, at
firework festivals and other summer events. It is a kind of casual kimono,
also commonly worn after the bath at Japanese-style hotels. The word
literally means bath robe or bath clothing.
Fashion
Glossary
