Sharla Rae Writes

Terms and Phrases for Men’s Fashion

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 19^th 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; 19^th 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 16^th 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 19^th 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; 19^th 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 19^th 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 19^th century; merely a length of cloth, usually tulle, that covered the hair

Panama – man’s hat fashionable at end of 19^th century and beginning ot the 20^th; 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 (19^th 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 19^th 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 19^th 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