Fashion A-Z | BoF

A-line

A-line is the identify of the triangle-like silhouette that begins fitted, usually beginning on the waist, and will get regularly wider from the hips right down to the hem. It echoes the form of a capital A. The time period was first coined in 1955 by Christian Dior to explain the form of his A-line Spring Summer season Assortment. Later, it developed into Yves Saint Laurent’s 1958 Trapeze Line in his first assortment for the home, the place the form drops from the shoulder.

Almond-toe shoe

Almond-toe shoe, although you may not know its identify, is actually the most well-liked toe for sneakers. It’s neither too pointed, rounded or sq.. It will get its identify from the shoe cap, which resembles the form of an almond and creates a softer, extra tapered rounded level to its toe.

Appliqué

Appliquéis a preferred approach, notably in haute and demi couture, the place one materials, often plain, is positioned on prime of one other to create distinctive contrasting motifs, sample or texture. It’s primarily the collaging, or layering of materials, historically utilizing needlework methods, to ‘decoration’ or ‘apply’ an additional dimension on to the material.

Armscye

Armscye (additionally spelt arm scythe and pronounced ‘Arm’s Eye’) is a Scottish time period in origin. It refers back to the armhole opening in a garment and can also be the tailoring time period for the sample form used when setting up the armhole. In the event you had been to label the anatomy of a costume, the armscye can be on the opening of the bodice, the place the sleeve is hooked up.

Babushka Hood

Babushka Hood is a girl’s scarf. Often triangular in form, the headscarf is tied below the chin — image a Russian doll. Material can range from silk to plastic, with the ‘hood’ overlaying the crown of the pinnacle.

Banding

Banding is the strategy of ‘binding’ or fastening one piece of cloth to a different. Banding might be for operate in addition to frivolity and is used to strengthen or tidy a seam, as a lot as to elongate a hem or add an embellishment with an ornamental inlay or border.

Bar Fagoting

Fagoting is an embroidery approach that may be labored in by hand, in a ‘bar’ impact. (a crisscross design) or utilizing a machine with high quality ribbon. The aim of the stitches are to fill the house between two completed edges. Bar Fagoting is the only fagoting approach, which makes use of twisted embroidery thread, like a buttonhole twist, that’s then coated over-and-over once more with stitches.

Bar Jacket

Bar Jacket was the long-lasting jacket created initially by Christian Dior for his ‘Ligne Corolle’ in 1947, from the present that was famously dubbed ‘The New Look’ by Carmel Snow, then editor-in-chief of Harpers Bazaar US. The jacket is a softer form, with sloping rounded shoulders, slim waist and padding on the hips. It will develop into a signature code for the home.

Basque

Basque waistlines are French in origin. They’re a kind of bodice that both extends under the waistline or over the skirt. They’ve a V-shape and shut contoured match, within the type of a corset. Adopted from the standard Basque nation costume, these waistlines had been popularised within the Victorian period. As we speak they share their identify with a bit of equally sculpted lingerie.

Basting

Basting, a bit like its cooking parallel, is a necessary stage within the preparation of dressmaking. It refers to tacking — the lengthy, unfastened stitches that, relatively than pinning, anchor the fabric in place till the ultimate stitching. If toiles have to be fitted on a physique, it’s much more skilled and comfy to baste, not pin, your silhouette or particular person in place.

Batwing

Batwing sleeve is also called a ‘Dolman’ or ‘Magyar’ sleeve. It’s a lengthy sleeve, reduce broad on the shoulder with deep armholes that results in skinny tapered wrists, giving it a’wing-like’ look. The Dolman traces again to the Center Ages, when it was a unfastened cape-like gown with a sleeve folded from the material. It’s less complicated to stitch than a set in sleeve, as it’s reduce in a single piece. Nevertheless it misplaced recognition throughout World Conflict I and II due to cloth shortages. It underwent a revival within the female Forties, earlier than being re-named the Batwing within the 80s, when it owed quite a bit to Madonna.

Bias Reduce

Bias reduce means to ‘be reduce on the grain’. Slightly than following the straight line of the weave, the bias reduce locations the sample at a forty five° angle on the woven cloth. At this angle, the ‘warp’ and ‘weft’ threads give the material extra of an elastic ‘stretch.’ The bias reduce is widespread for accentuating body-lines and creating extra fluid curves or mushy drapes. It was championed within the Nineteen Twenties by Madeleine Vionnet and later grew to become one among John Galliano’s signature type.

Bolero

Bolero right here doesn’t discuss with the slow-tempo Latin music, however relatively a shrug or quick jacket. Usually open-fronted, it’s collarless with lengthy sleeves and characteristically stops above the waist. It originates, just like the music, from Spain. Earlier than the nineteenth century, it was extra generally known as a Zouave. Though these two jackets share all the identical options, a Zouave had a army affect, whereas the bolero had been impressed by dance and someday even a toreador, Ole!

Field Jacket

Field Jacket (or a field coat) has a straight, unfitted again meaning it hangs loosely from the shoulders. It has developed from the coachman’s heavy overcoat, however grew to become a standing image in the course of the energy dressing Eighties. Since then, the jacket develop into a wardrobe type staple and has been adopted by a number of excessive profile feminine politicians and leaders — assume Chanel tweed coming to the White Home.

Field Pleats

Field Pleats might be present in skirts, shirts or including ornamental flounces to interiors. Field pleats seem in ‘clusters’, typically forming a panel, and are primarily again to again knife pleats.

Braiding

Braiding — the dressmaking model — will not be too dissimilar to hair plait it shares a reputation with. It’s a trim, binding or embroidery that may be utilized to brighten or sample a garment, from the hem to a free-style design.

Bustle

Bustle is the ‘pouf’ or padding that’s worn in the back of a skirt, both beneath or folded in to the material. It may be a drape or twist of cloth, or use a framework of layers and it’s meant to magnify the female attraction of behind. Common notably the Victorian period, when ladies had been nonetheless corseted, and crinolines had been in trend, the bustle provides fullness under a slim waist. It may be set off with bows and ribbons, though its unique objective was extra sensible — to tug the skirt again and maintain the hem from dragging within the mud.

Cable Smocking

Cable Smocking is likely one of the hottest smocking stitches, together with the Trellis sew. It’s a top level view sew, labored in a single row of dots that may then be developed in one among 3 ways to create conventional type English smocking.

Cap Sleeves

Cap Sleeves are a selected type of quick sleeve which are reduce and seamed to suit on the shoulder and taper to nothing beneath the arm. This type is often not as unfastened as a normal quick sleeve T-shirt, however extra like a small umbrella — or cap — overlaying the shoulder.

Capsule Collections

Capsule Collections had been initially popularised by Donna Karan within the Eighties. The thought was to create a capsule wardrobe that options solely probably the most important or influential items from a set. A capsule assortment is actually a condensed model of a designer’s imaginative and prescient, typically restricted version, which transcends seasons and developments by being practical — learn industrial. They typically concentrate on development and delivering key appears, with out the styling and theatrics of a present.

Cartridge Pleats

Cartridge Pleats are a type of pleats most frequently utilized in skirts or curtains. They’re a sequence of small, rounded, stand-away folds of fabric. They’re named so for resembling a line of cartridges on a cartridge belt, though few girls doing their needlework would have really ever seen one among these.

Round Reduce

Round Reduce is likely one of the easiest strategies used to make or assemble. A circle skirt is, because it sounds, simply that — relatively than slicing straight angles, you hint a circle, making a mushy fullness. Round reduce can also be the fundamental sample used to create ruffles, similar to those who adorned conventional flamenco clothes.

Cone Heel

Cone Heel is the ice cream cone of a heel that scoops you up onto your toes. Triangular in form, the heel begins broad on the sole and tapers narrower, generally to some extent. They’re wider, and maybe extra manageable, than a stiletto heel.

Cowl Neckline

Cowl Necklines are when a garment has draped, rounded folds across the neckline, which falls under the collarbone. Cowl necklines grew to become widespread within the Nineteen Thirties, though they’re thought to have been impressed by the fashions of Historic Greece. Their drape works to flatter relatively than conform and constrict the physique’s contours.

Cross-stitch

Cross-stitch is a flexible embroidery sew that may be make a easy background and is commonly used to throw tapestry and ornamental embroidery into reduction. It’s also used for ornamental edging, motifs or easy banding. Because the identify implies, the sew is made up of a cross, or two diagonals.

Crow’s Toes

Crow’s Toes are the triangular stitches historically made on the finish of pockets or darts on tailor-made clothes. The form is first marked by basting, earlier than a needle twists the left to prime nook in small left-to-right stitches and continues down, with prime and outlined once more. Crow’s toes are used to stitch hidden energy in to factors of stress, like pleats or corners.

Cruise Assortment

Cruise Collections, or resort or vacation collections as they’re in any other case recognized, launch between the 2 fundamental ready-to-wear seasons; Spring/Summer season and Autumn/Winter. Initially, they had been created with the jet set in thoughts and catered for a shopper who wanted a wardrobe for his or her mid-season travels to climates totally different to their very own. Now, they’ve been adopted by most of the huge manufacturers as a possibility to inject a wholly new must-have mid-season assortment into market.

Curved Seams

Curved Seams are when the fold or line is curved, like Princess seams. They add tailor-made match or form to garment. When setting up a curved seam, cloth have to be evenly slashed and pulled alongside the seam to permit it to observe the curve desired.

Darts

Darts are a dressmaker’s punctuation marks. They’re a method used for shaping clothes by curving straight cloth to the physique. Darts are created by stitching an extended, skinny pinch to some extent, which is then pressed down to 1 facet. They range in width and size, as a garment requires, and might insert form on the shoulder, neck, bust and waistlines by being tapered at one or each ends.

Dégradé

Dégradé is the place a cloth’s color, or the material itself, fades like a sundown, from the densest pigment or thread to the best. It’s a widespread approach in couture, with all the colors of the spectrum, from the deepest to eh lightest, are sometimes utilized in velvets or silks. However in a barber’s store, un dégradé (coupe de cheveux) is the sunshine layering of hair.

Diamond Smocking

Diamond Smocking is the diamond formed type of smocking, which is an embroidery approach used to carry gathered material in even folds. Smocking was used to create a stretch lengthy elastic was invented and enabled cloth to be fitted in addition to versatile. It dates again to the cuffs, bodices and collars of the Center Ages.

Dirndl

Dirndl is a country-inspired trend. It’s the conventional costume worn by ladies in Southern Germany to accompany the gents of their lederhosen. The dirndl itself consists of a bodice, shirt, and full skirt — assume Maria from ‘The Sound of Music’. A dirndl skit is a part of a lightweight, round reduce costume, which is gathered on the waist and falls under the knee.

Drape

Drape is the best way a cloth or garment hangs. (Curtains are additionally known as draperies.) Coco Chanel as soon as accused Christian Dior of draping ladies relatively than dressing them, however draping is a crucial a part of trend design. It’s the strategy of positioning and pinning cloth onto a costume or tailor’s dummy, to develop the extra fluid construction. It’s used notably in haute couture.

Embroidery

Embroidery is the expert strategy of embellishing and adorning a garment by hand, utilizing stitches in silks and yarns and generally together with sequins, beads, feathers and pearls. Embroidery dates again to the fifth century BC in Historic China. As we speak, Lesage in Paris is likely one of the most revered embroidery homes on this planet. Embroidery employs an infinite variety of totally different stitching kinds, from working to braiding, lazy-daisy, feather, blanket and cross, or French knots, beading, bullion and smocking. This expert handicraft is on the very core of high fashion — it’s the equal of the distinction between handwritten calligraphy and a typed font; the beauty is in its uniqueness.

Empire Line

Empire Line takes its identify from Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, who was married to Napoleon, chief of the First French Empire, within the 18th century. The type has Neo-classical inspirations — as this was a Court docket of Gods and Goddesses. The bodice is fitted below the bustline, whereas the silhouette is often loosely fitted over the physique.

Epaulet

Epaulet, generally spelt Epaulettes, had been initially decorative shoulder decorations that confirmed army rank. They’ve since been adopted as a trend assertion. From the shoulder pteruges of Historic Rome, to ribbons worn on army coats, the epaulet (taken from the French ‘little shoulder’) was a mark of valour. They are often reduce from steel or material, however are sometimes gold trimmed with bullion fringing.

Eyelets

Eyelets are a small gap or perforation that’s used as a fastening, with a wire or hook. Often the eyelet is about with a steel, wire or cloth ring. The ‘little eye’ ring reinforces the outlet and prevents it from stretching, whereas the small eye is for threading lace, string or rope via. Eyelets might be both practical or purely for ornamental functions.

Material

Material is the clean canvas on which trend creates. That is the place to begin the place something goes. Material might be woven or non-woven, knitted or felted fibres and ranges from cotton to organdie, silk to georgette, pannier to jersey, tweed, velvet and extra, coming in each spectrum of color, weight and print possible.

Dealing with Material

Dealing with cloth has two meanings and two functions in trend design. A ‘dealing with cloth’ is utilized to neaten the end on the uncooked edges of a garment, like at necklines and armholes. Formed facings, that are often produced from identical cloth because the garment itself, are reduce to match the sting they’ll face, whereas bias facings are strips of cloth reduce on the true bias or cross-grain. These are formed relatively than reduce to match an edge. Dealing with cloth may additionally discuss with the ‘face facet’ of a cloth. That is the extra presentable, higher facet of the material — all the time simpler to recognise when it’s a printed weave.

Fagoting

Fagoting: see bar fagoting or embroidery.

Fake Pas

Fake Pas, whereas not technically a stitching time period, it’s one thing vastly feared in trend circles. It’s a false step — be it in an error of judgement, a slip of the tongue or worst of all carrying (or creating) the improper factor. A sartorial slip that might land you on the worst dressed checklist is to be averted in any respect prices.

Feather Sew

Feather Sew is an embroidery sew made up of diagonal blanket stitches, which zigzag from left to proper. It’s a approach consisting of looped stitches that was widespread within the nineteenth century. Feather stitching, generally often known as faggoting or fly sew, can be utilized for adorning smocks or loopy quilting.

Filigree

Filigree rhymes with pedigree for a purpose. Filigree is most frequently present in high fashion; an intricate and ornamental approach, the place gold, silver or copper wire is twisted and fashioned into delicate scrolls, ornate arabesques or fanciful tracery, which is scattered like etching over a cloth’s floor.

Flounce

Flounce is an exaggeration, a frill or a flounce. It’s a broad strip of cloth gathered and sewn to a skirt or costume. They most frequently seem on the hem and assist exaggerate the character and silhouette of a skirt.

Fluted Hem

Fluted Hem provides a flirty end to a silhouette — think about a pencil skirt with a flounce on its hem. It’s a preferred female form, which encompasses tremendous slim pencil skirt that flairs out on the knees or under, in a mode that evokes each the mermaid form and a love of dancing.

Frog Fastenings

Frog Fastenings are generally known as a ‘Chinese language frog’. These are decorative braidings used to lock the entrance of a garment and include a button on one facet, with a loop to cross via on the opposite. The ‘frogs’ stand out both facet like bookends. The fastenings date all the best way again to Historic China, however had been famously utilized in within the brocade down the entrance of seventeenth century army uniforms. It was then that this ornamental approach grew to become often known as ‘frogging’.

Gaiter

Gaiter, much like a spat, is a protecting overlaying of fabric or leather that sits over a shoe. Each cowl the ankles and generally even the decrease leg. However whereas a gaiter is is an overshoe, a spat might be integrated into the shoe itself, overlaying the instep and ankle. Think about ‘Spats’ Columbo, the gangster in Prohibition America in Billy Wilder’s 1959 movie ‘Some Prefer it Scorching’.

Gathering

Gathering is a stitching approach that reduces the size of piece of cloth, so an extended piece can match and be hooked up to a shorter one. It’s used to handle, as a lot as disguise, a supply of fullness — reminiscent of on a cuff or sleeve — and may also pinch a skirt right into a waistband or bodice.

Gaucho

Gaucho will not be solely a kind of dance, but in addition a kind of nationwide legend in each Argentina and Uruguay — folklore heroes on horseback. The affect of their conventional costume might be seen from ponchos to espadrilles. The type of a Gaucho is kind of distinct; these cow-herders would usually put on a brightly woven poncho (which doubled as a saddle blanket and sleeping gear), with loose-fitting trousers referred to as bombachas that had been belted with a tirador, or a chiripá, a loincloth. Additionally they carried a facón (giant knife), and a rebenque (leather-based whip).

Godet Pleat

Godet pleat — or a godet skirt — is a flared form that makes use of triangular cloth inserts to present the garment additional motion. The skirt has a fitted higher half, with godet panels inserted at even intervals across the hem, giving it extra swing.

Gore

Gore is a triangular or tapered section (slim on the prime and wider on the base) that’s subtly inserted to increase the width from the waistline to the hem of a skirt. Think about the triangular sections of an umbrella or a ship’s sail; flared skirts might be made with two or extra of those gores.

Gusset

Gusset is a panel, both triangular or diamond in form, that’s inserted right into a garment to assist form and reinforce key factors, just like the underarms or crotch. You get gussets in fashionable tights and pantyhose — they add breadth and breathe to the crotch seam. It’s from this panel that the time period ‘don’t bust a gusset’ (don’t rip your pants) originates.

H-Line

H-Line was one of many silhouettes launched by Christian Dior. This silhouette was launched in 1954 and, because the letter ‘H’ implies, was straight with a slight accent on the waist (the bar of the ‘H’). It was widespread for emphasising size within the leg, making it a female form, relatively than one thing sq. and boxy.

Handkerchief Hems

Handkerchief hems are when the hemline of a costume or a skirt is made up of panels of cloth that fall in factors — just like the corners of a handkerchief. The approach is especially suited to bias slicing, drawing the attention away from the hips and thighs and creating the phantasm of an elongated decrease half of the physique.

Harem Pants

Harem pants are lengthy, dishevelled pants which are fitted on the ankle. They had been initially often known as a harem skirt and had been launched to western trend circles in 1910 by the Parisian designer, Paul Poiret. Harem pants had been impressed by Center Jap kinds that date again a lot additional that the early twentieth century, nonetheless. On the time, the Harem pant was thought-about a controversial manner of introducing trousers into a girl’s wardrobe. Poiret was impressed by pictures of the harems of sultans to create a mode that was as stunning because it was liberating.

Haute Couture

Haute Couture is a much-misused phrase that truly has very particular guidelines for qualification. Translated actually, couture is French for dressmaking, whereas haute means excessive. These are clothes created as one off items for a selected shopper. nineteenth century Englishman Charles Frederick Value is taken into account as the daddy of Haute Couture and at present members are chosen by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. To qualify as an official Haute Couture home, members should design made-to-order garments for personal purchasers, with a couple of becoming, utilizing an atelier (workshop) that employs no less than fifteen full time employees. They need to even have twenty fulltime technical staff in one among their workshops. Lastly, Haute Couture homes should current a set of at least 50 unique designs — each day and night clothes — to the general public each season, in January and July.

Hems

Hems lie on the finish of a bit of fabric, the place the material has been folded and sewn into place to forestall the fabric from fraying or loosing its form. The method of hemming makes use of small, almost invisible stitches to catch the material and maintain it securely in place. A hem’s size additionally typically defines the silhouette of your complete outfit, from mini to maxi.

Herringbone

Herringbone is the identify of a really distinct twill cloth, woven in a chevron sample. Herringbone is a zigzag that reverses each few rows to supply a sample like a herringbone’s skeleton — therefore the identify. It’s a widespread sample in fits and excessive trend, in addition to sportswear. Suppose the Duke of Windsor meets Christian Dior.

Hobble Skirt

Hobble skirts do what the identify implies — make striding down the catwalk or additional virtually inconceivable. They first grew to become widespread within the early 1910s, when the skirt was typically ankle size, tapering even narrower under the knees and inflicting its wearer to hobble. This knee-long corset may need been restrictive, however it had its second; not solely did it keep away from girls’ skirts from blowing up in an unbecoming trend, it was a preferred signature type of the good Parisian designer Paul Poiret.

Interfacing

Interfacing and interlining are each unsung, invisible, but important substances within the tailoring and dressmaking processes. Interfacing is the additional layer of cloth that’s set between the under-side of a garment — at a collar, cuff or pocket — the place added energy and stiffness is required. Interlining is the layer between the highest, outer cloth and a garment’s lining, which once more provides form or energy.

Interlining

Interfacing and interlining are each unsung, invisible, but important substances within the tailoring and dressmaking processes. Interfacing is the additional layer of cloth that’s set between the under-side of a garment — at a collar, cuff or pocket — the place added energy and stiffness is required. Interlining is the layer between the highest, outer cloth and a garment’s lining, which once more provides form or energy.

Jabots

Jabots are the frilled, ornamental ruffles (typically lace) that cling on the entrance of the shirt. They had been the equal of a seventeenth century gentleman’s tie, when jabots had been typically made from lace or cambric, and sewn to each side of the entrance opening of a person’s shirt. Later, they had been secured on the neck with a band or a pin. Suppose Pirates of the Caribbean meets the Supreme Court docket — jabots are nonetheless a part of judges’ and barristers’ ceremonial costume.

Jacquard

Jacquard was an equipment from the nineteenth century and is called after its inventor, Joseph-Marie Jacquard. It’s hooked up to a loom and makes use of a punch-card system, which the loom reads like binary code — every card represents a line of the sample and has holes that enable threads to cross via (or not), altering the colors and slowly creating the jacquard design. It allowed for extra elaborate patterns to be produced in woven and knitted materials at better portions and speeds.

Kangaroo Pockets

Kangaroo Pockets are lengthy, lengthwise pockets — a bit like a letterbox — which have two ‘pocket’ gaps for the fingers at both finish. They’re typically used on hoodies or in sportswear, and are named for resembling a Kangaroo’s pouch. (Though an actual Kangaroo would really pop her child in from the highest.)

Keyhole Neckline

Keyhole necklines are a mode of neckline much like a halter-neck, the place the converging diagonals of the neckline’s development meet on the entrance. However relatively than there being stable cloth right here, keyhole necklines have a central cutaway — the keyhole — slightly below the collarbone.

Kick Pleats

Kick Pleats are inverted pleats used on the base of a slim skirt to present it a ‘kick’. They permit the wearer extra freedom of motion. Kick pleats are sometimes quick pleats, main up from the underside hem, and are generally discovered at the back of skirts or coats.

Kimonos

Kimonos are loose-fitting, T-shaped robes which are a part of the standard nationwide costume of Japan. They’ve broad sleeves, usually reduce in a single piece with the remainder of the garment, and are full size, wrapping to shut on the entrance.

Knife Pleat

Knife Pleats, or accordion pleats (just like the musical instrument) enable the garment to increase and calm down in form when shifting. They’re mostly present in skirts and are a sequence of slim, equal pleats, which have been sharply creased so to lie in a single course.

Knotting

Knotting is the craft of tying knots — intentionally — in yarn and string to create ornamental objects, patterns, or methods, reminiscent of macramé and tatting.

Lace

Lace is a high quality, openwork cloth, usually created from cotton, line, silk or metallic threads to make internet mesh patterned work. Lace dates again to the fifteenth century , when it was worn as a standing image white edged cuffs and collars denoted your place in society. As we speak, it’s a widespread trim, notably in lingerie and bridal put on.

Lettuce Hem

Lettuce Hem is fairly wavy — very like the legume itself when it’s been slice up. This wiggle of a hem works greatest edging jersey or materials which have stretch, because the cross-grain elastic high quality retains the ‘bounce’ of the wave, not letting your lettuce go limp and flat.

Lining

Lining is an internal layer of cloth, like silk or fur, that gives a sophisticated end — concealing any seam allowances, interfacing or development particulars Linings may also add a layer of insulation or reinforce shapes and silhouettes, notably in tailoring.

Look-books

Look-books are a set of images compiled by a designer to current their full assortment of clothes, equipment or footwear in a flick guide. For consumers, or press, they’re helpful instruments to assist choose key items for editorial or sale orders. From the runway present to the industrial collections, as every look is numbered and clearly proven. Look books had been created lengthy earlier than the Web, when press and gross sales individuals needed to depend on their notes and reminiscence when selecting appears.

Mad as a hatter

“Mad as a hatter” is a colloquial phrase referring to a loopy particular person — lots of whom are present in trend. The phrase stems from 18th and nineteenth century England, when mercury was used within the manufacturing of felt, which was important to the manufacture of hats on the time. The employees within the factories had been each day uncovered to traces of the steel. As this accrued over time, lots of them developed dementia from the poisoning — and it grew to become often known as mad hatter’s syndrome. The phrase, which refers to somebody seen as insane, was immortalised by the character of the Mad Hatter in Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland.”

Mandarin Collar

Mandarin Collar, or the Mao collar, is a small, close-fitting, get up collar. It’s often about 3-4cm excessive, with edges that don’t fairly meet on the entrance. As its identify suggests, the Mandarin Collar comes from the standard costume worn by the Mandarins in Imperial China. The type can also be fairly much like the Nehru collar that’s typically present in fashionable Indian males’s clothes.

Mary Jane

Mary Jane sneakers are closed toe and low-cut, with a number of straps throughout the instep. The traditional Mary Jane got here in black (generally patent) leather-based and have become the quintessential shoe to put on along with your college uniform — from Prince Charles to Princess Elizabeth, the Mary Jane might be traced as again far as King Henry VIII. Within the Nineteen Thirties, its identify was trademarked in North America. Since then, the Mary Jane has left the varsity yard and travelled from Mao’s China to Manolo Blahnik. As we speak the Mary Jane present is a logo of girlhood; each naughty and good.

Mermaid Line

Mermaid Line — because the identify suggests — is a slinky formed robe that begins with a form-fitting bodice and a skirt silhouette that’s designed to resemble the waft of a mermaid’s ‘tail’. The skirt might or is probably not in the identical color or texture as the highest, however fins, scales and underwater wearability aren’t important a part of the design.

Millinery

Millinery is the manufacture and craft of constructing hats and headwear. A milliner traditionally would additionally produce the whole lot from shirts, cloaks and shifts, to caps and neckerchiefs for each women and men, in addition to designing and trimming their headgear. The time period dates to the Center Ages, when a Milner referred to somebody from Milan — the house of the style and textiles commerce. Millinery has developed all through historical past, however stays widespread with a spread of various occasions and uniforms. Most of the time, hats can point out social standing, from a cowboy’s Stetson to a gentleman’s prime hat, or the cocktail fascinators worn by girls on the races.

Mitre

Mitre is the very tall headdress worn by bishops, cardinals and a wide range of high-ranking clergymen and dignitaries. The mitre dates again to on the tenth century and at present, it’s a image of workplace and authority. It tapers to some extent at each the back and front, with a deep cleft in between.

Mitre Corners

Mitre Corners, or folds, are the diagonal fold used on both facet of garment’s neck label, which create the loop and hook from which you’ll cling the piece.

Napping

Napping has nothing to do with a lightweight relaxation within the afternoon. In trend, napping is a ending approach, the place the quick fibres are lifted from the material floor to create a ‘nap’. It may be achieved by brushing or rubbing materials or, alternatively, utilizing a machine coated with high quality wire enamel, which decide and lift unfastened fibres, fusing the ends collectively so nothing frays.

Necklines

Necklines define the higher fringe of a garment — clearly — round or under the neckline. They arrive in many sorts of fashion from the low to the excessive, the sq., the V, the halter, the lover, the turtle, the polo and the news, to call a couple of.

Ombre

Ombre is when a color graduates from gentle to darkish, utilizing all of the tones of color within the spectrum. The identify comes from the classical Latin umbrare, that means to shade or overshadow. Chiaroscuro shading is artist’s approach achieved by cross-hatching or shading and may be very widespread in high fashion. For an instance, see John Galliano’s Rene Gruau Dior Couture assortment from January 2011.

Outré

Outré is to be outrageous, eccentric and extremely unconventional and so is an ideal match for all of the un-shrinking violets of the style world. To be startling, uncommon and maybe a contact weird — it’s a nicer manner than saying bizarre.

Overcasting

Overcasting refers to not the climate, however to a way of eliminating. This typically slanted needlework sew that’s often finished by hand and is labored over one other sew to stipulate a design motif. The act of overcasting may also be to sew over uncooked edges to forestall work from unravelling.

Overlay

Overlay is sort of a prime coat of nail-varnish over a base color — it’s the prime layer of frosting in trend. Typically, overlay is a lace or sheer cloth that has been positioned over a unique cloth beneath. It’s also the shoemaking time period for the items of fabric (often leather-based) which are stitched onto the footwear to type ornamental patterns.

Paper-bag Waistbands

Paper-bag waistbands are, really, a contradiction — each refreshingly unfastened and utilizing additional cloth. Think about, if you’ll, a paper bag filled with sweets twisted shut. Now flip this into cloth and as a substitute of the twist, add a belt. Paper-bag waistlines might be each excessive and female or low slung, echoing the spirit of Katherine Hepburn. They get their identify from the gathering approach and the material over the belt hooks.

Passé

Passe is to be previous season, passé or out of fashion favour. It’s higher to be traditional or staple, than to be deemed passé.

Passementerie Edging

Passementerie Edging is a decorative edging or trim, made from braid, wire, lace or metallic beading, and sometimes coming with tassels as properly. The phrase comes from the French passement, that means a passing. This elaborate edging, typically with jet or steel beads, is steadily present in high fashion.

Patch Pockets

Patch Pockets are created by attaching a pre-cut items of fabric and stitching them, like a patch, to the surface of a garment, as a substitute of setting up inset pockets. Typically patch pockets have a flap on the prime and develop into a characteristic of the design — assume the patch pockets on Paddington Bear’s duffle coat.

Patchwork

Patchwork is a method of stitching small items of formed materials, of combined patterns, colors and texture, all collectively to create bigger geometric designs. Historically, this was a type of needlework used to create the patchwork quilt, however it’s now a preferred approach in clothes design and interiors.

Sample

Sample might be one among two issues. It’s both the ornamental design that repeats again and again a cloth, or it’s a flat template, made from paper or card, that’s used as the important thing instruction information for slicing the separate items of a garment. Sample items are traced to permit for measurement, seam allowance and match. They may help the dressmaker calculate the right amount of cloth and its match, earlier than the hint and reduce the template on the ultimate cloth.

Peignoir

Peignoir is the identify for the lengthy, sheer or chiffon outer-garment, worn over by girls over their negligee. To say it is just a lightweight dressing robe diminishes the frivolous great thing about this translucent garment, worn by ladies within the privateness of their boudoir. They take their identify from the French phrase peigner, that means to comb the hair — a reference to the women who used to take a seat at their dressing tables of their chiffons and silks whereas they brushed their hair.

Peplum

Peplum comes from a Greek phrase for ‘tunic’ and is an virtually skirt-like frill or addition. They had been as soon as fitted to a waistcoat or doublet, however now to a girl’s bodice, extending it under the waistline.

Peter Pan Collar

Peter Pan Collars are named after the collar worn by Maude Adam’s in her traditional 1905 efficiency because the lead position in J.M.Barrie’s novel. Formed to suit the neckline, it’s a flat collar that lies upon the torso with mushy, curved corners. It has additionally develop into related to characters like Little Lord Fauntleroy and Buster Brown.

Petticoats

Petticoat was a time period first used in the course of the early fifteenth century, when it was really used to explain a gentleman’s quick coat or undershirt. In a while within the century, it was adopted for girls’s costume and worn beneath a robe as an underskirt — solely a small glimpse of the lacy below layer would peak via. Since then, the petticoat has developed from plain to ornate, and is now used so as to add physique to unfastened becoming skirts. As we speak, a petticoat hem describes the ornate lace or embellished hem that’s added beneath a skirt — extra as an additional flourish, than as an additional layer.

Piping

Piping is a trim or edging fashioned by stitching a skinny strip of folded cloth — usually bias binding — right into a slim tube and attaching it to the sting of a bit of cloth. It may additionally embrace wire to present it additional physique. Piping is commonly used to outline or reinforce the type strains of a garment.

Pleats

Pleats are a fold or doubling of cloth that’s pressed, ironed or creased into place. (Pleats which are sewn into place are referred to as tucks). There are various varieties, however the facet and field pleat are the most typical, though they are often accordion, cartridge, round, curtain, draped, fluted, Fortuny or French. They are often inserte, in addition to inverted. Pleats add an excellent better fullness to a form (notably the skirt). Suppose Marilyn Monroe over the air vent in ‘The 7 12 months Itch’.

Plissé

Plissé initially referred to cloth that had been woven or gathered into pleats and has additionally been often known as crinkle crêpe. It takes its identify from the French phrase for fold. As we speak, it’s a light-weight cloth with a crinkled, puckered floor, fashioned in ridges or stripes. Plissé may also describe a chemical ending approach, the place plisse materials are used for underwear.

Portiere

Portiere is a curtain that hangs over a door or covers a door-less entrance to a room and comes from the French phrase porte, that means door. From “Gone with the Wind,” the place Scarlett O’Hara makes a costume from inexperienced velvet window curtains, to Mr. Dior (who Chanel stated draped relatively than dressed) and the drape of cloth on the prime of a runway, it’s definitely a curtain with potentialities.

Energy Dressing

Energy dressing was a phrase initially coined in Nineteen Seventies America and by the Eighties, everybody was carrying this sensible type of costume. Tailor-made jackets, shoulder pads, clothes whipped in on the waist and a skirt that stopped on the knee. Suppose Melanie Griffith in “Working Woman,” aspiring to be Coco Chanel.

Princess Line

Princess Line will not be a lot a “As soon as Upon a Time,” however the female silhouette of a girl’s fitted costume popularly related to Charles Frederick Value who launched the silhouette in 1870s. He named it after the elegant Princess Alexandra of Denmark. A princess line is reduce in lengthy panels, and not using a horizontal becoming a member of seam or any separation on the waist. As a substitute, it makes use of darts and lengthy seams to form the physique. In 1951 Christian Dior offered a set, referred to as the Line Longue, primarily based on the princess-line.

Puckered

Puckered is when one thing tightly gathers into wrinkles or small folds — it may be a face or cloth. A wrinkled, tightly stitched piece of fabric could also be a deliberate design characteristic, however greater than not it’s one thing to be smoothed out, very like the facial features.

Puffed Sleeves

Puffed sleeves (and later puff-ball skirts) are — because the identify implies — a decadent ‘puff’ of cloth. Consider Renaissance Kings and Queens with their huge sleeves, or Lacroix’s skirts from the Eighties. The form for a sleeve is gathered on the prime and backside, however full in between, permitting it to puff up and create fullness.

Quilting

Quilting is a method the place two or extra layers of cloth, often with gentle padding in between, are sewn along with strains of sewing. The stitches are sometimes labored in parallel strains, forming squares or diamonds in a geometrical sample. The material created seems padded in look and is widespread for jackets, coats and footwear, in addition to the traditional patchwork quilt.

Raglan Sleeve

Raglan Sleeve is a sleeve that extends not solely to the shoulder, however all the best way to the neckline, creating an extended, diagonal seam that runs from armpit to neck. Its identify comes from the First Baron Raglan, Lord Fitzroy Somerset, commander-in-chief, who misplaced his arm in the course of the Crimean warfare. Suppose ‘The Cost of the Gentle Brigade’ combined with sportswear.

Revers

Revers are discovered on the neckline. They’re when a large lapel is turned again to disclose the reverse or underside of cloth. A revere collar, nonetheless, is a flat v-shaped collar, typically discovered on blouses.

Rickrack

Rickrack is a well-liked zigzag braid that may be woven in numerous widths, colors or cloth sorts to edge garments and curtains. Suppose Little Home on the Prairie for this type of waved braid.

Ruching

Ruching is a gathered overlay of cloth strips which are pleated, fluted, or gathered collectively to create a ripple-like impact. The frill or pleat of the material, typically lace, chiffon or muslin, has developed from the sixteenth century ruff.

Ruffle

Ruffle is an ornamental frill of lace or gathered ornamentation of cloth, typically used to trim or embellish the wrist or neck. A strip of cloth, when gathered or pleated, will create a frill that provides a ruffled line to a garment’s straight edge. Consider the lace ruffles worn by Henry VIII or the Victorians. As we speak, you’ll discover them in high fashion and high fashion.

Sartorial

Sartorial, as an adjective, pertains to a tailor or to tailoring. However the time period may also be used to explain, clothes, manners or a mode of costume. The phrase comes from Sartorius, which is the Latin identify of the lengthy leg muscle used when legs are crossed, like a tailor’s typically are.

Scalloped Method

Scalloped approach is a sequence of convex curves, generally on the fringe of a bit of cloth cloth, that look the sting of a scallop shell when repeated. As a motif, scalloping is especially widespread in high fashion, on collars, hems and necklines.

Seersucker

Seersucker is recognisable by the alternating stripes of puckered and clean cloth. The plain weave is made in numerous materials, from artificial to silk. The time period ‘seersucker’ is taken from the Persian phrase ‘shir o shakka’, that means milk and sugar.

Sheath Line

Sheath Line, or a sheath costume, is designed to suit carefully to the physique. Not like different cocktail clothes, it additionally stops on the knee — or simply under. Suppose Jackie Kennedy Onassis or Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffanys.” This type is demure, typically created in a block color and unadorned — the proper substances for a traditional Little Black Costume.

Shell Hems

Shell Hems are a dainty ending choice to edge hems, tucks or trims. This method is actually hemming an edge in an evenly spaced and ornamental method. It shouldn’t be confused with Shell fits, nonetheless; the informal, front-zipped tracksuits produced from nylon or polyester ‘shell’ that had been widespread within the late Eighties.

Stiletto Heels

Stiletto heels are excessive and slender, tapering to a pointy level on ladies’s sneakers and boots. Their creation was tied to the appearance of technology that allowed designers to make use of metal-reinforced shafts that will assist a thinner heel. The phrase was first related to sneakers within the Nineteen Thirties (they had been named after the stiletto dagger), and conjures up a picture of the femme fatale, a cocktail of fetish and female.

Sweetheart Necklines

Sweetheart necklines observe their namesake in form, with a curved backside edge, often double scalloped, that resembled the highest half of a coronary heart. Regardless of their demure identify, nonetheless, sweetheart necklines really intensify the bosom, with their concave backside edge drawing the attention downwards.

Tailoring

Tailoring’s definition may fill an entire dictionary by itself. A tailor is the artisan who suits and measures a buyer (assume Savile Row) For a garment to be tailored is to be reduce, it needs to be constructed and made-to-measure for the person. Tailor-made can also be a strategy to describe a garment that’s extra structured and exactly fitted; in high fashion you’ve got tailleur (tailor-made, fitted) and flou (the extra fluid, night put on and drape).

Tapered

Tapered, for edges, hems, heels or seams, is when the form diminishes or reduces in thickness at one finish, tapering to some extent.

Trapeze Line

Trapeze Traces had been popularised by Christian Dior’s successor, Yves Saint Laurent in spring 1958, along with his Trapeze Line assortment that featured clothes that flared from the fitted shoulder line. The trapeze line reinvented the A-Line, what had bee “most wished silhouette in Paris,” with the identical swing as its circus counterpart.

Trompe L’Oeil

Trompe l’oeil is an artwork approach that has been borrowed by trend, the place a designer creates an optical phantasm, via a change in perspective, dimension, or placement. From high fashion to the excessive avenue’s phantasm clothes, this technique is a well-liked manner of fixing form or including layers, belts and collars. It was first popularised by the designer Elsa Schiaparelli in 1927, when she wove a collar right into a sweater.

Turtleneck

Turtle-neck is the American identify given to a polo neck, however in England, the place there are each polo and turtle necks, it has a twin that means. For the English, this neckline is tubular, though not as excessive or folded down as a polo neck typically is. It will get its named for resembling a turtle’s neck coming out and in of its shell.

Uniforms

Uniforms are worn in school, by the military or totally different tribes of trend followers, who select to all put on the identical type, label and hues. They’re distinctive units of clothes, worn by members of the identical organisation so that each one are ‘uniform’; similar in all however form, measurement and face.

Unpressed Pleats

Unpressed pleats are softer, as you’d anticipate, than their pressed counterparts and have a extra rounded edge. Unpressed pleats are additionally often wider, making a extra delicate silhouette than cartridge, pressed or ornamental pleats.

Valance

Valance is a brief piece of material, typically hung to hide structural fixtures. Mostly used to edge tables, beds or cabinets, this type of ruffle additionally has a spot in excessive trend.

Vent

Vent doesn’t right here discuss with an explosion of sizzling air or feelings. In garment phrases, a vent serves an analogous objective to a slit. They’re typically within the again seam of a jacket, the place they’ve been inserted to let the form ‘breathe’.

Wedge Heels

Wedge Heels are probably the most comfy and flattering choices for anybody whose top wants a lift. The heel sits on triangular, unbroken ‘slice’, which runs solidly to the center or entrance of foot. Common for the reason that Nineteen Thirties, they’re typically made from cork, wooden or rubber and are generally completed in material or leather-based. Wedge heels had been a forerunner and extra female different to the platform sole.

Welt Pockets

Welt pockets are both discovered on the entrance of a person’s tailor-made jacket, with a handkerchief tucked in to them, or on the reverse of a pair of denims. They’re certain, flat pockets which have completed with a welt or strengthened border alongside the sting of a bit of cloth.

Spouse Beater

Spouse beater right here doesn’t imply something violent. As a substitute, it’s the slang phrase for a vest or tank prime, usually white in color. The time period took place as a result of merchandise’s affiliation with the stereotype of abusive males, however feminists adopted have since adopted the garment as their very own — to hell with the person.

Wing Collars

Wing Collars are most frequently discovered on a person’s costume collar or black tie apparel. They’re starched collars, that get up stiffly, with their factors folded right down to resemble little peak wings —very like a paper aeroplane.

X-Line

X-lines have fun the feminine determine — a small waist, emphasis on shoulders and a full hem follows within the form of the letter ‘X’. An hourglass X-line is created utilizing belted or fitted waists, padded shoulders and full skirts and is a well-liked type for coats.

Yoke

Yoke is the body or bar, fitted to an individual, or animal, that helps to unfold and carry weight evenly. They may also be a body or sample that’s fitted on the shoulders or the waist, to emphasize the construction of a garmet. Bodice yokes had been first seen within the Eighteen Eighties, with the yoke skirt in 1898, however they’ll now be discovered stitched-in, overlaid (as ornamental or clear yokes), scalloped, scrolled and even as plastrons — yokes worn on the surface of a garment, which have been tied across the waist with a sash.

Zippers

Zippers are hookless fasteners. They’ve two rows of ‘enamel’ that slide collectively to bind and fasten openings on luggage, skirts or trousers. Zips might be inserted right into a slash or seam with a closed finish. Elsa Schiaparelli was one of many first designers credited with turning zippers right into a trend assertion again within the Nineteen Thirties.