Glossary of terms used on this site
Glossaries
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Mackintosh | A form of waterproof raincoat, first sold in 1823, made out of rubberised fabric. The Mackintosh is named after its Scottish inventor Charles Macintosh. The distinctive smell is like Marmite, you either love it or hate it. |
| Made-to-Measure | This is the construction of an item of clothing, usually to suit your exact measurements. Made-to-measure manufacturers use both machine- and hand-sewing. Made-to-measure also requires fewer fittings than bespoke, resulting in a shorter wait between customer measurement and garment delivery. |
| Madras Check | Madras check is a fabric made of patches of Madras plaid fabric. Madras plaid fabric is pure cotton fabric woven in the city of Madras, India, and is known for its bleeding qualities and softness making it ideal wear for summers. It is usually brightly coloured and is only worn in the summer months. |
| Maillot | My-yo - Close fitting knitted shirt. |
| Manscaping |
The male art of waxing, shaving and body hair removal. |
| Marl | A mottled yarn or fabric. Classically seen in grey. |
| Matelot | Mat-lo - A stripy, blue and white sailor’s jersey made famous by Jean Paul Gaultier. The bottle of his classic fragrance Le Male is wearing a matelot. |
| Melton | mel-ton - A strong cloth for overcoats. It takes its name from Melton Mowbray in Northamptonshire where it first came into general use. |
| Mercerize | Mur-cer-rise - To treat cotton as to make it appear like silk. The process was devised in 1844 by John Mercer of Great Harwood, Lancashire, England, who treated cotton fibres with sodium hydroxide to make them stronger and more absorbent for dyeing. |
| Merino Wool | Ma-re-no - Wool grown by the Spanish breed of Merino sheep. Super fine Merinos are regarded as having the finest and softest wool of any sheep. The majority of Merino wool comes from Australia. |
| Milan Collar | Rather than a single button at the top, the Milan collar has two smaller buttons to fasten the collar. |
| Miniver | min-i-ver - The soft underbelly of the common grey squirrel. |
| Mohair | The long, white, silken hair of the Angora goat. |
| Monk Strap |
The monk strap shoe is a style of leather shoe with no lacing and closed by a buckle and strap.It often has a cap toe, is occasionally brogued and is popular in suede. Popular with the city boys. |
| Morning Suit | It consists of a black or grey tail coat. Waistcoat often in a pale colour, striped or checked trousers with no turn-ups and a black or grey top hat. Despite its name, morning dress may be worn to afternoon social events before five o'clock, but not to events beginning after seven o'clock in the evening. This is a type of dress most associated with weddings and Royal Ascot. |