While I once blogged a part of this blog elsewhere, I’ve added a bonus to this one by listing terms old and new for all sorts of clothing like coats, pants, hats, shoes, skirts etc. This makes for a lot of information. Even though I couldn’t possibly cover everything, I think you’ll find lots of useful details here.
Clothing and its condition says as much about our characters as they do on real people.
The trick to writing the description of clothing so it doesn’t sound like a fashion magazine isn’t easy.
When ever possible, let clothing and the character’s appearance leak into the scene.That is, the reader can see the character but the description doesn’t interfere with the action of the story
Example: She sat, smiled and nodded her head. Beneath the table, her damp fists crushed the delicate silk of her evening gown while her kid boots tapped a rapid rhythm. This doesn’t sound like a description of clothing at all because it shows that not only is she’s dressed well, but also that she’s nervous.
Clothing descriptions in an action scene is not the norm because detailed descriptions slow the action. There are exceptions, specifically if the costume has a part in the scene.
Example: Set up: In my book Love and Fortune the heroine is a distraction while a group of Yankees soldiers surround a band of weary Rebels. Thus, her attire is important to this scene.
The dancer was one with the music … She raised softly curved arms, and a myriad of gold bangles jangled to the rhythm of the mounting beat. Only her green feline eyes were visible above the diaphanous red silk draped loosely about her head and across the lower half of her face. A red peasant blouse slipped down one shoulder, sparking the imaginations of her hushed, gray-uniformed audience. Inky tresses swirled about her undulating hips, hips that invited a man’s caress. … She pivoted abruptly and dashed into the oblivion of the night. Gradey started to rise, but the clicking of rifles being cocked and aimed froze him in place.
Then of course, there’s times when a character arrives on stage, requiring a quick description of their appearance and little more. For those times, the word lists below come in handy.
Knowing the exact name of a fashion saves words and gives the reader an instant picture: Hobble-skirt, mini skirt, peasant blouse, cravat, kid gloves, pea coat, dickey etc. These terms might also describe the era when the story takes place.
Note: Don’t waste time and words describing an unimportant character who makes only one appearance in the book. Lengthy descriptions imply the character is important to the story.
Below is a list of my fashion terms for women and men. Keep in mind that descriptions of men’s attire should lend themselves to masculinity and durability with a bit of suave thrown into the mix.
By themselves these terms sound like they were taken right out of a fashion magazine. Their beauty is more evident when they’re used to trim a wordy description to a concise expression.
Don’t forget to look over the Definitions Lists at the end of the blog.
General Fashion Terms and Phrases for Women


Accented with
Accentuated waist
Accessorized
Aesthetic quality
Bold detail
Characterized by
Charming
Clean lines
Contrasted
Cut generously
Daring creation
Dazzling sparkles
Deep pleats
Delicate and lacy
Displayed her assets
Dominate stripe
Drama
Eccentric designs
Essential elements
Exotic
Figure fattering
Fitted, tailored to fit
Flair for the spectacular
Flaring
Floaty and sheer
Flowing
Form fitting
Frame the face
French cut panties
Fresh, spring colors
Fullness
Graceful silhouette
Great daring and originality
Harmony
Harsh tones
Height of propriety
Highlighted by
Hot little off-the-shoulder number
Indulge herself with
Latest craze Lavished with ruffles/lace

Lively print
Luxurious silk
Made a statement
Masterfully rendered in
Mode of dress
Modified the hemline
Motif of *** swirled around the hem
Noble simplicity
Ornate
Ostentatious extravagance
Outlined – figure, hem, sleeves
Piping detail
Plunging neckline
Portray the rich variety in design
Prestige of the label
Provocative
Prudish length
Rare
Richly decorated
Romantic
Rounded collar
Sashed at the waist
Savvy cut
Shabby chic
Shapeless
Shapely Profile
Silky scarves
Simplicity
Slim lines
Soft, supple
Spectacular style
Stunning
Stylistic mélange
Taste
Thin as a Vail of tears
Trailing
Trends
Trimmed
Velvety soft
Vogue

Terms and Phrases for Men’s Fashion

Adds endless fashion mile
Black, a logical choice for man of noir
Bold colors for bolder men
Charting a new coarse in men’s tailoring
Convenient
Conventional
Crew neck
Cushioned inner soles
Dressy but dashing
Durable
Enhanced
Expensive masculine leather
Sporty elegance
Geared to a man’s needs
Generously cut
Hand-crafted
Handsomely tailored
Heavy duty
Indispensable
Intricately tooled

Lightweight
Long-range wear
Look sharp, dynamic
Moves from boardroom to beyond
Nattily unkempt
Necessary wardrobe staple
Powerful shoulders
Prerequisite for the outdoor man
Relaxed fit
Sharp front pleats
Step out on the town in these
Sturdy
Comfort you never want to take off
A tie to set off the strong lines of dark suit
Traditional
Two great versatile pieces
Unsurpassed comfort
Well groomed
Wrinkle resistant

Less Than Presentable

All flash no dash
Beauty blight
Bedraggled
Blowzy over-done
Streetwalker chic
Boots with newspaper stuffed inside to cover the holes in the soles
Cleaned his boot toes on his trouser legs
Clothes painted on her
Donned grubbies to do the yard work
Dress gone limp in the heat
Dressed like an unmade bed
Dressed like he’s fleeing a fire
Ensemble clashes
Feet were miserably shod
Flamboyant colors clashed with her hair
Foul-smelling socks
Gaudy/gauche
Gowns cut to see level
High water pants, flood pants
Housedress that looked like a slipcover
Huge hat with a hectic array of feathers, bird’s nest and bird
If she’s class, it doesn’t show on her back

It’s called the tacky cut
Jeans deliberately torn and frayed
Misshapen straw hat perched at a jaunty angle
Motley hat tilted over one eye
Off-beat/kinky/Bohemian/hippie/beatnik
Old mossback cares nothing for fashion
Poured into her jeans
Resembles Rummage Sal
Scandalous lack of decency
Seedy taste
Shabby as a hobo
Shows more of her self than she does style
So nondescript as to go unnoticed
Tattered cast-offs, patched hand-me-downs
Teen uniform of blue jeans, scruffy T-shirt, dirty sneakers and no socks
Threadbare/napless/frayed/holey/dilapidated/misshapen
Vermin ridden/lice fleas/bedbugs
Walking billboard for
Whites that looked gray
Wretched condition of

Getting Dressed

Array
Attire
Bundle up
Change
Clad
Cloaked
Costumed herself
Doll up
Don
Dress fit to kiss
Dress to the nines
Dude up

Equip
Garb
Get beautiful
Get glizted
Getting ready
Glammed
Gown up
Groom
Gussy up
Invest
Make ready
Outfit himself

Primp
Rig up
Shroud
Slicked up
Slip on or into
Snaz up
Spiff up
Spruce up
Suit up
Swaddle
Swath
Wrapped in

General Alternative Names for Clothing


Array
Attire
Best bib and tucker
Costume
Doodads
Drapery
Duds
Ensemble
Evening dress, wear
Fashion
Finery
Flashery
Frippery
Frocks

Garb
Garments
Garmenture
Gear
Getup
Gladrags
Grubbies
Guadery
Guise
Habiliment
Hand-me-downs
Outfit
Rags
Raiment

Regalia
Rigging
Suit of clothes
Suit up
Sunday-go-to-meetin’
Threads
Togs
Trapping
Trousseau
Uniforms
Wardrobe
Weeds
Wraps

Definitions
Coats
Blazer – jacket tailored similar to man’s jacket; worn for semi-casual occasions by men and women
Bolero – short jacket ending just above the waist; worn by men and women
Burnoose – cape or cloak with a hod worn by Moors, Abrabs etc
Capote – hooded cape; in 1775, a woman’s mantle enveloping the wearer from head to toe; in 1804, man’s mantle with a collar and a wide shoulder-cape; a wide cloak generally in heavy cloth with or without a hood, appearing as part of military and college uniforms and some civilian uniforms
Cutaway coat – formal wear for a man, some with swallow-tail or tails
Dolman – woman’s cape-like coat; woman’s coat with sleeves wide at the armholes and narrower writs
Greatcoat/overcoat – early18th century English surcoat/overcoat with a flat collar topped with smaller collar that could be raised to protect face; in France called the redingote
Mackinaw coat – short coat of thick wool and often in plaid design
Manteau – woman’s cape or cloak
Mantle – wrap, cape, sleeveless cloak
Nehru jacket – lightweight Indian jacket with oriental style stand-up collar; popular in the 1960s
Pea coat – thick woolen coat of short length worn by sailors in winter
Parka – winter hooded jacket usually coming just below hips
Pelisse – long cloak with arm openings, worn by women
Raccoon coat – long, bulky coat of raccoon fur worn by both sexes in 1920s
Raincoat – mackintosh, oilskins, slicker, tarpaulin
Rebozon – Mexican; colorful shawlRedingote – (1)Adapted for women about 1785; lighter unlined version of the man’s redingote; worn open down the front almost like a gown. (2) Men’s double-breasted long overcoat; wide-cut collared coat worn for riding and traveling; appeared about 1725; in 19th century it replaced the coat for town wear; the front panels were in one piece instead of being cut like those of the habit
Safari jacket – usually khaki in color; a hip length jacket with large front pockets and belted at waist
Serape – Mexican, colorful blanket with a hole in center for the head to form an armless coat
Stadium – long coat often of water repellent material with a drawstring hood and large pockets; sometimes the material appears to be quilted; worn for observing sports events
Surcoat – (1) Man’s close-fitting overcoat (2) Coat worn over armor in medieval times
Trench coat – long overcoat or rain coat buttoning down the front and belted around the waist; usually associated with a detective’s wearTuxedo – men’s semi-formal wear
Ulster – long, loose-fitted overcoat
Windbreaker – lightweight nylon jacket; usually zips up the front and often has a drawstring hood
Neckwear
Cravet -band or scarf worn around the neck mostly by men; 19th century
Dickey – detachable collar for women’s blouse; sometimes a fake turtle neck worn by men and women
Eton collar – wide stiff collar worn with a short jacket
Fichu – woman’s triangular kerchief worn around the neck, ends crossed or otherwise brought together over the bosom
Guimpe/chemisette/jabot/tucker – woman’s neck ornament of lace etc.; worn with a dress having a low-cut neckline or openwork bodice
Man’s neck tie – cravat, kerchief, neckcloth, neckerchief, ascot, foulard, four-in-hand (tied in a slip knot with the ends hanging), Windsor tie (silk tied in a loose double bow or tight double knot
Muffler – scarf worn about the neck by men and women for winter warmth
Peter pan collar – short collar with rounded ends on a woman’s dress, blouse, etc.
Ruff – collar of gathered material, popular in the 16th century; wearer appeared to have no neck
Stock – collar fitting the neck like a band
Gloves
Elbow gloves – women’s full glove reaching from hand to elbow; worn with formal attire
Gauntlet – long glove that partially covers the forearm; medieval armored glove
Kid glove made of leather from goat skin
Mitt – long glove, worn by women, covering the forearm and main part of the hand and extending, sometimes, over part of the fingers
Mitten – glove with special space for the thumb only
Mousquetaire – glove with long closed wrist
Trousers
Bell bottom – slacks fitting the thigh closely and flaring at the bottom reminiscent of the old sailor uniforms; popular teen fashion in the 1960s and 70s
Blue jeans – denim trousers with rivets, snaps and zippers
Bermuda shorts – thigh length pants worn by men and women
Capri pants or clam diggers or see pedal pushers – ending just below the knees, usually for women and girls; enjoyed wide popularity in 1940s and 50s and regained popularity in the late 90s
Chinos – khaki-colored sporty slacks worn by men at first and later by women as well
Cords – trousers made of corduroy
Culottes – feminine shorts that give the appearance of a short skirt in the front
Cutoffs – trousers, usually jeans, cut off at or above the knee to make shorts
Ducks – made of ducking material
Hip-huggers – women’s bell-bottom pants or shorts designed to fit below the waist line; popular in the 1960s
Jodhpurs – for riding; wide through the thigh, decreasing to a narrow calf
Knickers, knee breeches – young boys pants, wide through the thigh and ending at or just below the knee; usually worn with tall stockings; worn in 19th century through the 1930s
Overalls – trousers with a bib attached at the front, held up with straps that extend from the back waist up and over the shoulder
Pantaloons – wide at the thigh and ending at the knee or just below
Peg tops – wide at the hip, narrow at the ankle
Plus fours – wide knickers worn for sports
Rompers, jumpers – worn by toddler; often resemble men’s overallys or are a one-piece outfit with pant legs and sleeves, sometimes the feet too
Shorts – casual summer wear for men and women, ending from just below the underwear to below the knee depending on style (short-shorts, brumudas, walking shorts, etc)
Slacks – generic term for trousers for men and women
Ski pants or sitrrup pants – stretch pants with straps or loops that fit around the instep or the feet to keep them from riding up; worn by both sexes
Stovepipe – long pants with close fitting straight legs
Tights – tight leggings with the foot sewn into them
Toreador – Spanish bullfighter’s pants, fitting snugly below the knees; often used as a variation on the modern capri pants
Underwear
Bodystocking -one piece, form-fitting underwear resembling long johns only made with see-through and or stretch material; also called a cat suit or a type of leotard
Bloomers -underpants worn by women; loose and gather at the knee; 19th century version had an open crotch area
Body suit – stretch material that hugs the torso; snap crotch; sometimes the top half is used as a blouse while the bottom is covered by slacks or a skirt; usually worn by women; sometimes by male dancers
Boxers – male underwear that looks like shorts and are worn under trousers
Brassier, bra – in present-day fashion, a band of material with cups for supporting a women’s breasts, some with underwiring; in the 1920s it was very tight to compress the breasts for the shapeless fashions; by 1932 it was designed to separate and support the breasts. Term bra was used by 1937
Briefs – male or female underwear that hugs the crotch and usually elastic at legs and waist; BVD’s is a popular brand name that has become synonymous with briefs
Bust bodice – introduced in 1889; device to support the breasts and worn above the corset; usually made of white coutil, with side boning and laced front and back; some made of cambric, nainsook, longcloth, surah or woven silk or lisle
Bust improvers – about 1883-1896; worn under the camisole; by 1887 they were in the form of cups with wire structure; in early 1890s pads could be worn to enhance the size of the bustline
Bustle – wire framework, cushion, etc to make a woman’s skirt stand out in the rear; popular during the antebellum and Civil war period;framework was collapsible so a woman could sit
Camisole – loose underbodice; under blouse; appeared in the 1840s and worn over the corset
Chemise – a kind of slip or long undershirt worn by women in different styles and lengths through the centuries
Combination union suit – one-piece undergarment (top and trousers); long underwear worn by men
Corset cover – worn over the corset, sometimes as a waist
Corset, foundation girdle, stays -supports and forms women’s figure in different styles throughout the times; term corset used referring to undergarment since the 1500s
Crinoline – petticoat of stiff material worn under a full skirt (before, during and slightly after the Civil War)
Drawers, underdrawers – undergarment in style of short trousers; at first, two legs sewn to a waist band, the front crotch area left open for convenience; worn by most women by 1830s;in modern times a generic term for male or female underwear
Farthingale – appeared about 1545 in Spain (verdingale); a petticoat reinforced by graduated hoops of cane, whalebone or wire; cone shape resembling that of the Victorian cage-crinoline
Garters – elastic leg bands used to hold up stockings at the thigh
Girdle – woman’s foundation garment used to smooth and shape the figure; comes in different styles and lengths
Long johns – warm, men’s underwear; sometimes one piece, sometimes two
Pantalettes/pantalets – another term for women’s drawers; worn in the 1800s
Petty pants – much like pantalettes but cut narrower and crotch was not left open; worn during the 1960s in place of a slip; could be worn under slacks and dresses
Shift – old fashion term for chemise
Shimmy – colloquial for chemise
Slip – worn under woman’s dress for modesty
Teddy – one piece undergarment, combining top and loose drawers; snap or hook crotch, sometimes worn as night time garment in place of a nightgown.
Under shirt – worn by men and women, with or without sleeves under clothing for modesty and warmth
Unmentionables – slang; woman’s undergarments
Skirts
Culottes – skirt made with trouser-like separation; a front panel over the gives the look of a skirt
Crinoline – hoop skirt popular in the Ante-bellum South
Dirndl – full skirt that has a tight waist
Gored – skirt with multiple flaring panels
Hip-hugger – low slung waistline usually found on a mini skirt (skirt worn above the knees) during the 1960s
Hobble skirt – long skirt narrowing at the bottom as to impede walking
Hoop skirt – crinoline; civil War fashion; a hoop was often sewn into the hem to hold the skirt out from the body
Kilt – short, plaited skirt worn by men in Scottish Highlands
Lava-lava – short skirt of printed calico worn in Samoa etc
Maxie – ankle-length skirt, full or straight-lined; became popular in the 1960s
Midi -claf length skirt, usually straight line; became popular in the 60s
Pannier – puffed skirt; cage used to give a wide hipped look
Peplum – short skirts attached to a jacket at waist
Sarong – wrap skirt; Hawaiian native style skirt; may be long or short
Wrap-around – skirt that wraps around the body, overlapping in front and tying or buttoning at the waist
Hats
Balloon – parachute or the Lunardi (after the French balloonist); worn in late 1700s; large and elaborately trimmed with layers of lace and ruching; made of straw, beaver and felt with trimmings in ribbons, bows and feathers
Beanie – brimless, round skullcap worn by children and college freshmen; those worn by children sometimes sported a whirlie fan on top
Beret – small, round hat of cloth, usually worn at a jaunty angle on the head by men or women
Bowler – English term for derby; stiff felt with round crown
Breton – woman’s hat; brim turned up all around
Busby – high fur hat worn by hussars, artillery men etc in British army
Calash – woman’s bonnet or hood; calache or calash was popularized in 1772; lightweight and stiffened with cane or whalebone; constructed with ribbon, it could hide the face; bowl shape with a ruffle around the neck that touched the shoulders; usually worn for walking parties; revived in the 1830s and finally disappeared in the 1850s
Chapeau – man’s top hat introduced in 19th century in Paris; tall crowned, it was worn for formal occasions; made of silk
Cloche – introduced 1920s; silk hat with small brim that fit down over the head and low on forehead
Coif – worn under a veil by nuns, kind of a skullcap
Coolie – Chinese hat of straw or bamboo; wide brimmed and coming to a point at the top; worn mostly by peasantry
Coonskin cap – comprised of raccoon fur and the raccoon’s tail; Davy Crockett hat
Derby, bowler – (slang—kelly) First worn in Britain;small round man’s hat with narrow brim and sported hard round crown; in US known as derby; became fashionable about 1862 for town wear
Dunce cap – cone shaped hat worn by misbehaving student
Fedora -mman’s felt hat with a creased crown and snap brim
Fez – Turkish felt cap in shape of cone; introdced in 1930s
Homburg – man’s felt dress hat with a creased crown and stiff, ribbon-bound rolled brim; first worn about 1901
Madcap – created a stir in the 1930s; knitted tube that could be molded into differing shapes
Mantilla – velvet, lace or the like or a kind of veil covering the head and falling down upon the shoulders
Mobcap – frilled cap formerly worn by women of the 19th century; merely a length of cloth, usually tulle, that covered the hair
Panama – man’s hat fashionable at end of 19th century and beginning ot the 20th; made at first of exotic leaves; later of finely-worked poplar wood; soft straw hats with rounded crowns
Pillbox – woman’s hat introduced in 1930s; Halston created a pill box for Jackie Kennedy
Pork pie – man’s felt hat with round, flat crown and nap brim
Sombrero – Mexican straw or felt hat with high crown and broad, upturned brim
Sou’wester – new England fisherman’s hat with high crown and broad brim that is longer in the back to keep rain off the neck
Snood – woman’s hat in form of netlike bag and worn on the back of the head to hold up the hair
Sum-o’shanter, tam – cap of Scottish orgin with a top that extends over the headband; often decorated with a center tassel
Tarboosh – Mohammedan man’s cap of red cloth or felt, decorated with a long tassel; similar to a fez
Toque – woman’s hat with a soft crown and either very small brim or none at all
Tuque – Canadian knit cap
Wimple – woman’s head covering hidding the entire head, the chin and the neck formerly in general use (Medieval), now used by nuns
Footwear
Boat – canvas shoe with rubber sole that won’t slip on wet slippery surfaces; sometimes a man’s casual loafer type shoe with a rubber sole
Blucher – a kind of half boot
Brogan – strong, heavy or coarse low or high shoe
Buskin – high shoe reaching the calf or beyond; half boot
Clog – shoe with a thick, usually wooden, sole
Cowboy boot – leather boot with high or low shaft to protect the leg; square or pointed toes
Espadrille – rope-soled canvas shoe; sometimes lacing around the ankles; sometimes appearing as a sandal
Flats – woman’s low-heeled shoe; can be casual or dressy
Gaiter – old fashion shoe with elastic on the sides instead of laces or buttons; a kind of high shoe
Galoshes – waterproof boots pulled over shoes
Go-go boots – a short boot with shaft reaching a few inches above the ankle; usually were white color with the mini skirt; enjoyed popularity in the 1960s
Hobnail boot or shoe – soles protected by short nails with large heads
Loafer, shuffler – slip on shoe, slipper; another name is penny loafer
Moccasin – leather slip-on shoe with no heel; often with fringe and beads and originally worn by American Indians
Mule – woman’s house slipper that leaves the back of the heel exposed
Oxford – low shoe with laces or buttons
Pump – mlight low shoe original worn by dancers
Sabot – wooden shoe worn in France, Holland, Belgium etc.
Saddle shoe – light-colored oxford style shoe of leather with darker saddle over the top
Scuff – slipper without a heel; for house wear (see mule)
Sling backs – woman’s shoe with an open heel, held on foot with an ankle strap
Sneaker – soft shoe made for sports; usually made of canvas and rubber, sometimes with leather upper; often called running shoe (tennis shoe)
Thongs – open foot rubber or leather sandals held onto foot with a small strap between the big and second toes.
Wellington boot – man’s boot with a loose top, the front of which is higher than the back; similar boot worn under the trouser leg
Miscellaneous
Aigrette – a spray of feathers or gems worn on a hat or as hair ornament
Alb – white garment for church service worn by a clergyman
Applique – cutting out designs on fabrics and embroidering or sewing them onto a garment for decorative purposes
Bandbox – box holds collars, hats
Bandeau – a band or fillet for the hair
Basque – woman’s blouse with a tight-fitting waist, with or without short skirt or peplum attached (19th century)
Batiste – semi-sheer lightweight cotton fabric with silky texture and a silky look
Bertha – wide collar often made of lace
Bombazine – fine twilled fabric of silk and worsted or cotton; often dyed black for mourning dress
Calico – inexpensive coarse cotton fabric with a plain wave and usually a printed pattern
Cambric – close weave; stiff cotton fabric; slightly glossy
Canonicals, clericals – clergyman’s official dress
Cashmere – soft, light-weight, smooth material in a twill weave; wool or cotton or silk warp; usually plain colors (often used for winter dress in 19th century)
Cassock – close-fitting garment extending to the ground, worn by certain members of the clerby
Chambray – a cotton material always made with a colored and a white filling which produces a grayed effect (like a man’s blue work shirt)
Chantilly lace – delicate lace of silk or linen having scrolled or floral design
Chatelaine – ornamental hook, clasp or brooch worn at a woman’s waist having a chain or ribbon etc attached for keys, trinkets, purse, watch or sewing needs (medieval women wore chatelaines with castle keys attached)
Crepe De Chine – fine soft crepe fabric
Cummerbund – broad pleated sash worn on a dress with drop waistline in the 19th century; pleated fabric belt worn by men with formal attire
Damasse silk – brocaded silk material
Dandify – dressing of male in excessively neat and foppish manner; dapper, well-groomed, spruced up, dapper Dan, decked-out, dressed in high arrogance
Décolleté – low neckline on woman’s garb
Dimity – fine, sheer cotton fabric with mall cords or groups of small cords arranged in stripes or cross bars
Dolman – long robe worn by Turks
Dolman sleeves -wide at the armhole and tight at the wrist
Dropped fly – flap on the front of men’s trousers popular up to the 1840s when a standard front fly replaced it.
Ensemble – woman’s outfit of clothing and parts of which go together or harmonize
Epaulette – shoulder ornament (as often seen on a soldier’s uniform)
Faille – ribbed silk fabric; resembling taffeta in look and stiffness
Garibaldi – full-bodied shirtwaist or blouse worn by women and often cinched with a belt
Haberdashery – men’s clothing; suits; sometimes men’s stores were called a haberdashery
Henrietta – fine woolen cloth
Invest – dress or cloth in the badges and decorations of office, rank etc.
Kimono – characteristic of Japanese; wide-sleeved outer garment like a wrap robe, often flowing to the floor
Lambrequin – scarf worn over a hat to protect against rain, wind and sun
Linsey-woolsey – wool and linen fabric
Livery – uniform of a male servant
Man who pays inordinate attention to his person – Beau Brummell, coxcomb, dandy, dude, fop, jack-a-dandy, popinjay, toff, buck
Negligee – informal dress of a female, usually night gown and matching robe (peignoir)
Organdy – sheer, stiff, very lightweight cotton, transparent and not durable
Pagoda sleeve – bell-shaped sleeve
Panniers – underskirts stretched over metal hoops; round at first then dome; appeared about 1718-20 and remained in fashion under various forms until French Revolution; middle of century the one-piece pannier was replaced by two pieces, one on each hip; by 1750 only half-panniers were worn
Panoply – complete suit of armor; comlete and magnificent ornamental dress
Percale – cotton fabric with a plain weave; firm construction, dull finish
Pinafore – female child’s apron covering most of the dress, sleeveless, and often with ruffles around armholes and a sash that ties at the back
Ramie – cloth similar to linen, made of ramie fiber; strong, fine and durable
Sackcloth – clothing worn in token penitence
Sari – chief outer garment of Hindu women; made of single long piece of material, usually silk or cotton and wound around the body with one end loose to cover the head.
Sateen – heavy mercerized cotton fabric; not as soft as silk
Swiss – a fine thin cotton fabric of loose weave; dotted swigs, Swiss muslin with dots of heavier yarn
Taffeta -mplain closely woen, rahter stiff silk fabric with dull luster
Tarlatan – cotton, loose construction; used for fancy dress costumes and decorative purposes and for petticoats
Toga – loose garment of ancient Romans’ material is clasped on one shoulder while the other goes bared; long and flowing
Toilette – female bathing and combing of hair (grooming); articles used for purposes of grooming
Trousseau – bride’s outfits of clothing and other personal possessions as jewelry, linens etc.
Vestment – cover the body as clothing
Vestry – room in a church where church garments are kept
Voile – cotton, silk and wool, a fabric made of fine, hard-twisted yarns with a plain weave and open mesh; sheer; used for summer clothing
Wardrobe – the sum of one’s clothing; a cabinet where clothing is kept (closet)
Weeds – mourning clothing
Wraps – out-door clothing; cold weathe

