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| Term | Definition | |
| Alpaca | Alpaca- al-pak-a - Cloth made from the long silken wool of the Peruvian llama. Its texture is fluffy, almost teddy bear like. Normally used to make coats. | |
| Angora | Angora - an-gora - Hair of the Angora rabbit. It is extremely soft and warm. Your mum probably had a jumper made from this in the eighties with cats or something just as tacky or grotesque on the front. | |
| Aran | A style of jumper that takes its name from the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland. It is has prominent cable patterns on the chest and is often cream-coloured. The sweaters are distinguished by their use of complex textured stitch patterns, several of which are combined in the creation of a single garment. It was primarily the wives of island fishermen who knitted the jumpers. Some stitch patterns have a traditional interpretation, often of religious significance. The honeycomb is a symbol of the hard-working bee. The cable, an integral part of the fisherman's daily life, is said to be a wish for safety and good luck when fishing. The diamond is a wish of success, wealth and treasure. The basket stitch represents the fisherman's basket, a hope for a plentiful catch. | |
| Astrakhan | Astrakhan - as-tra-kan - The pelts of very young or fetal lambs. The hair is very tight and curly. Often used in hats and collars on coats. Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan is always seen wearing a Karakul hat made from astrakhan or ‘Persian lamb’ as it is sometimes called. | |
| Barathea | Barathea - bara-thea - Worsted fabric with twill hopsack weave; silk or silk-and- worsted fabric with lightly ribbed or pebbled weave. Usually used for dress clothes, blazers and uniforms. | |
| Batik | The art of decorating cloth using wax and dye. It has been practised for centuries. In Java, Indonesia, batik is part of an ancient tradition. The word batik originates from the Javanese tik and means to dot. | |
| Beaver-Lamb Fur | Beaver-Lamb Fur - Lambskin sheared to look like beaver | |
| Beret | Beret - ber-ray - A round, flat cap usually made of wool and traditionally associated with French peasants or elite military units. | |
| Bespoke | Bespoke - Ber-spoke - Bespoke derives from the word ‘bespeak’, meaning \'to ask for\' some thing. The term comes from Savile Row, where a customer would bespeak a measure of cloth. The bespoke bolt of cloth was not available to any other client until the entire suit had been cut, assembled, and sewn. Bespoke is often confused with made to measure but is not simply a process of tailoring measurements, it allows the wearer to choose materials, colours and any details they specifically request and it is also entirely hand sewn. This is the ultimate in male dressing; the haute couture of menswear. | |
| Bias | Bias - Bye-ass - The fabric is cut diagonally across the grain of the weave. | |
| Binding | Binding - This is the tape sewn into the inside of the bottom of your trousers without which the constant rubbing on your shoes might cause unsightly fraying. | |
| Bird’s Eye | Bird’s Eye - A fabric woven with a pattern of small diamonds each having a dot in the centre. | |
| Black Tie | Black Tie - This term has changed somewhat, there was once a time when we were afraid to be under dressed; the reverse is now true. Generally ‘Black tie’ means a dinner jacket. Anything else you team with the jacket is up to your personality and individuality, but never trainers, please. | |
| Blazer | Blazer - It originated in the 1860’s as a short jacket with patch pockets worn for tennis and cricket. Usually brightly coloured and sporting metal buttons. It has had something of a bad image thanks to Alan Partridge and his ‘sports casual’ look. | |
| Boat Shoe | Boat Shoes - Boat shoes are sometimes called Deck shoes or Topsiders. Invented by Paul Sperry in 1935, the boat or deck shoe was inspired by Sperry's cocker spaniel, Prince, running across the ice on a winter's day in Connecticut. Noticing the tiny cracks and cuts going in all directions on Prince's paws, Sperry developed a patent called 'Razor-Siping' on the soles which provided a non-slip surface. | |
| Boater | Boater - bow-ter - A hard straw hat, usually seen on toffs when near water. | |
| Bouclé | Bouclé - boo- clay - A curled effect on the surface of a cloth producing small loops of thread. Think the material in your granny’s classic Chanel jacket. | |
| Bow Tie | Bow Tie - Bow Tie - The bow tie originated among Croatian mercenaries during the Prussian wars of the 17th century. It consists of a ribbon of fabric tied around the collar in a symmetrical manner such that the two opposite ends form loops. Today, there is something slightly eccentric (in a good way) associated with wearing bow ties away from the traditional realms of ‘black tie’. TheChicGeek calls it ‘Antique Roadshow chic’. | |
| Bowler Hat | Bowler Hat - A stiff felted hat with a roundish brim. Named after the London hat makers Thomas and William Bowler who first made it in 1849. Called a ‘Derby’ in America. | |
| Breeches | Breeches - Trousers that come to the knee. The eighteenth century equivalent of cycling shorts. They are also called ‘Breeks’ or ‘Knickerbockers’. You can still pick up a pair in James Purdey and Sons in Mayfair for those days spent on the grouse moor. | |
| Brim | Brim - The rim of a hat. | |
| Brocade | Brocade - Brok - caid - This is a richly decorated fabric, usually silk woven with gold or silver thread. Comes from the Italian broccato meaning \"embossed cloth\". | |
| Brogue | Brogue - B- rogue - A stout shoe with a form of decorative punching of the upper leather of shoes. The word comes from the Scottish or Irish Gaelic word ‘brog’, meaning shoe. They are known as ‘Wingtips’ in America as the design on the upper toe looks like a bird’s spread wings. | |
| Camelhair | Camelhair - The soft hair from the underside of the camel. Usually comes in a biscuity brown colour. | |
| Cardigan | Cardigan - A knitted woollen jacket fastened with buttons or a zip. The cardigan was named after James Thomas Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, a British military commander, following his service in the Crimean War (1797-1868). | |
| Cashmere | Cashmere- Kash-mer - The soft downy undercoat of the cashmere goat. The word \"cashmere\" derives from an archaic spelling of Kashmir which borders India and Pakistan. The majority of today’s cashmere wool comes from China. | |
| Centre Vent | Centre Vent - This is the slit in the middle of a jacket designed to allow the jacket to sit easily when sitting astride a horse. | |
| Chambray | a linen-finished gingham cloth with a white weft and a coloured warp. | |
| Chamois | Chamois - Sham-wa - A soft leather made from the goat-like antelope inhabiting mountains in southern and central Europe. Used to make gloves. | |
| Chelsea Boot | Chelsea Boot - An ankle-high, leather boot with an elasticated side insert which allows the boot to be easily taken on and off. Associated with the sixties and those groovy males strutting down Carnaby Street. Also know as ‘Dealer Boots’. | |
| Chesterfield | Chesterfield - The Chesterfield coat is a long, tailored overcoat. It can be single- or double- breasted, and has been popular in a wide variety of fabrics, typically heavier weight tweeds, or charcoal and navy. It often has a velvet collar. It is named after the style of coat worn by the Earl of Chesterfield during the 18th century. It is often confused with a Crombie. | |
| Cheviot Tweed | Cheviot Tweed - Che-vi-ot - A tweed made from the hardy breed of short-woolled sheep reared on the range of rolling hills straddling the England/Scotland border between Northumberland and the Scottish Borders called the Cheviot Hills. It has become a general title covering many kinds of rough tweed. | |
| Co-respondents | Usually a two tone brogue in black and white or brown and white. The story goes that an unusually patterned or coloured pair of men's shoes were left outside the hotel room in which adultery was taking place, ostensibly to be cleaned, but in fact as a signal that adultery was taking place within. The name is derived from legal parlance wherein the co-respondent is the third party or lover in the ensuing divorce case. | |
| Cod Piece | A codpiece - from Middle English cod, 'scrotum'- is a covering flap or pouch that attaches to the front of the crotch of men's trousers and usually accentuates the genital area. | |
| Cordovan leather | Cordovan leather - Fine leather from horses named after Cordoba, Spain. | |
| Corduroy | Corduroy - Kor-do-roy - Corduroy is a ribbed cotton velvet which forms distinctive cord like shapes in the fabric . The word comes from “Corde du Roi” which is roughly translated from the french as the “cloth/cord of the king”. It is had to imagine a French king wearing anything as hard wearing and outdoorsy as corduroy but it is said that his servants wore it while out hunting. It is believed to have been first produced in Manchester. Some Germans still call it ‘Manchester’. The width of the cord is commonly referred to as the size of the \"wale\". The lower the \"wale\" number, the thicker the width of the cord. | |
| Cossack Hat | Cossack Hat - Kos-ak - A brimless hat of fur or similar material. This is the typical fur hat seen on Soviet soldiers. | |
| Cotton | Cotton - The long, soft hairs covering the seed of the cotton plant (Gossypium). The English name began to be used in the 13th and 14th centuries and derives from the Arabic qutn. Cotton is a pesticide-intensive crop using approximately 25% of the world's insecticides and 10% of the world's pesticides so it is important to purchase organic cotton when it is available. | |
| Cravat | Cravat - Krav-at - A neck cloth chiefly worn by men. It was introduced in 1636 from the Cravates or Croatians. In the reign of France\'s Louis XIII, Croatian mercenaries were enlisted into a regiment supporting the King and Cardinal Richelieu. The traditional Croat military kit aroused Parisian curiosity about the unusual scarves distinctively knotted around the Croatians’ necks. It was the forerunner of today’s neck tie and bow tie. | |
| Crease | Crease - Smartens a pair of trousers and emphasises the line of the trousers. Never let your mum iron them into your jeans. | |
| Crew-neck | Crew-neck - The round, close-fitting, high neck jersey worn by crews on rowing teams. | |
| Crombie | Crombie - Krom-bee - A Crombie is a man's long, woollen overcoat, usually made in a dark colour with a contrasting brightly coloured lining with a concealed packet button fastening. The name of J&J Crombie Limited, a Scottish firm of clothmakers, used to designate a type of overcoat, jacket, etc. made by them. | |
| Crown | Crown - The top part of a hat. | |
| Cuff-link | Cuff-link - A pair of decorative fasteners or one button like object attached to a pivoting bar used for fastening a double cuff shirt. Cuff-links come in many guises, the best is to keep it simple. No clever slogans or joke cuff-links, the classic gold ovals are the best. Cuff-links haven’t been fashionable for a while and are usually only worn by men in the city. At the moment in men’s fashion they don’t feel right, a little too old fashioned so avoid double cuff shirts. | |
| Cummerbund | Cummerbund - Kum-ar-bund - A waist-belt or a sash. The name comes from the Urdu and Persian kamar-band, from kamar ‘waist, loins’ and bandi ‘band’ in the 17th century. | |
| Dart | Dart - A tapering fold sown on the reverse of material in order to shape it. | |
| Dealer Boot | Dealer Boot - See ‘Chelsea Boot’. | |
| Deerstalker | Deerstalker - A cap with side flaps that can be tied onto the top. It is the type of hat that Sherlock Holmes is usually depicted wearing | |
| Denim | Denim - The twilled cotton fabric used for overalls and jeans. The word comes from the name of a sturdy fabric called serge, originally made in Nîmes, France. It was originally called ‘serge de Nîmes’ the name was quickly shortened to denim. | |
| Derby | Derby - The American term for a ‘Bowler hat’. | |
| Desert Boot | The original desert boot was invented 60 years ago by Nathan Clark. The inspiration for the shoe came from a crepe-soled boot made out of rough suede popular in Cairo's fabled Old Bazaar. The desert boot became the footwear of choice for off-duty Eighth Army officers, In 1950, the shoe was exhibited to the world for the first time at the Chicago Shoe Fair. Worn by Steve McQueen, Bob Dylan, Paul Weller and the Beatles. The desert boot continues to look great 60 years on. | |
| Doeskin | Doeskin - A woollen cloth made to look like a doe’s skin by felting. It has a smooth, velvety finish. | |
| Dogtooth Check | Dogtooth Check - See ‘Houndstooth Check’ | |
| Donegal Tweed | Donegal Tweed - Doni-gal - An Irish tweed originally woven in County Donegal, that has a rough, knobbly surface. It is often woven with dark and light flecks and the pattern is generally called ‘pepper and salt’. This is a very stylish tweed to have a single breasted suit made from and to wear during the autumn and winter months. | |
| Drill | Drill - A stout twilled linen or cotton cloth used for shirts and shorts. | |
| Duffel Coat | A coat made from duffel, a coarse, thick, woollen material. The name derives from Duffel, a town in the province of Antwerp in Belgium where the material originates. Duffle coats are a traditional British garment, dating from 1890 when John Partridge, a manufacturer of outdoor clothing, started to market coats made from duffel fabric. The wooden toggle-fastenings were made to be easily fastened and unfastened while wearing gloves in cold weather at sea. Paddington Bear is always pictured wearing one. | |
| Epaulettes | Originally a type of ornamental shoulder piece used as a sign of rank in the military, today it usually seen as a feature on shirts as a buttoned flap on the shoulder. | |
| Ermine | Ermine - Ur-min - The stoat’s winter coat; white fur dotted with black tail tips used on ceremonial robes worn by kings and queens. | |
| Fairisle | Fairisle - A type of design used in knitwear named after a Shetland island. History has it that a 16th century Spanish Armada galleon was wrecked and the sailors rescued from the vessel wore garments bearing Moorish designs which the Shetland islanders copied. Fairisle knitwear is hand knitted wool with horizontal, coloured bands with naive or folky patterns and designs. | |
| Felt | Felt - A fabric formed without weaving, using the natural tendency of the fibres of wool or rabbit fur to interface and cling together into a mat-like texture. Felt is the oldest fabric known to humankind. | |
| Fitch | Fitch - The fur of the european polecat. | |
| Foulard | Foulard - Foo-lard - The first meaning is a thin, flexible silk or silk and cotton material used for ties and handkerchiefs. It also can mean the actual scarves or handkerchiefs made from this fabric. The word foulard comes from the French word for a silk handkerchief | |
| Frog pocket | Frog pocket - A form of cross pocket in the trousers with the seam end opened vertically a few inches so it is easier to get your hand in. | |
| Gaberdine | Gaberdine - Gab-bar-dean - A closely woven twill fabric made from cotton or wool. The fabric is smooth on one side and has a diagonally ribbed surface on the other. Gaberdine, the breathable, weatherproof and tearproof fabric was developed by Thomas Burberry and was first introduced in 1880 and patented in 1888. | |
| Galoshes | (from French: galoches), are a type of rubber shoe or boot that is slipped over shoes to keep them from getting muddy or wet. | |
| Gauntlet | Gauntlet - Gaunt-lit - A long glove covering the wrist, typically worn when driving. | |
| Ghillie (or Gillie) Collar | Ghillie (or Gillie) Collar - Gil-i - Named after a Highland Chief’s attendant. This is when a jacket can be done up at the neck, like a coat , keeping the Scottish weather out and giving the jacket its name. | |
| Guernsey | Guernsey - Gurn-zi - A close fitting knitted upper garment, worn by sailors or fishermen. | |
| Harris Tweed | Harris Tweed - A hefty tweed hand-woven by the islanders on the Isles of Harris, Lewis, Uist and Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, using local wool. As the Industrial Revolution reached Scotland, the mainland turned to mechanisation but the Outer Islands retained their traditional processes. Every length of cloth produced is stamped with the official Orb symbol, trademarked by the Harris Tweed Association in 1909, when Harris Tweed was defined as \"hand-spun, hand-woven and dyed by the crofters and cottars in the Outer Hebrides\". The Harris Tweed Authority took over from the Harris Tweed Association in 1993 by Act of Parliament. Thus the definition of Harris Tweed became statutory and forever tied the cloth to the Islands: “Harris Tweed means a tweed which has been hand woven by the islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides, finished in the islands of Harris, Lewis, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Barra and their several purtenances (The Outer Hebrides) and made from pure virgin wool dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides. Vivienne Westwood stole her orb from Harris Tweed. | |
| Henley | A collarless men's casual wear pullover shirt, characterized by a 10 cm to 15 cm (4-6") long placket beneath the round neckline, usually having 2-5 buttons. It resembles a collarless polo shirt. Named because this particular style of shirt was the traditional uniform of rowers in the English town of Henley-on-Thames. See the great tie-dye versions from Bottega Veneta this season. | |
| High Rise | High Rise - Trousers that come over your stomach, think early days Simon Cowell. | |
| Hopsack | Hopsack - A weave giving the cloth an appearance of minute squares. | |
| Houndstooth Check | Houndstooth Check - A textile pattern of broken checks, often seen in black and white. | |
| Hulden Check | This is Aquascutum's signature check of beige and navy squares. | |
| Intarsiaed | Term used for a pattern inlayed into another. | |
| Jersey | Jur-zi - Has two meanings: The Channel Island Jersey was famous for its knitting trade in medieval times and the name refers to what today we would also call a sweater; a close fitting, wool or cotton pullover. Jersey is also a soft, slightly elastic knit cloth made from wool, cotton or silk. The name derives from Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands, where the material was first produced. | |
| Kaftan | Traditionally a man's cotton or silk cloak buttoned down the front, with full sleeves, reaching to the ankles and worn with a sash. Today, has come to mean a long, loose shirt type garment with loose sleeves that is worn in the summer months. | |
| Karakul | Karakul - Kar-a-kool - A hat named after an asiatic breed of sheep using the fur of very young lambs, this is also called astrakhan or persian lamb. The hat is peaked with a rounded or flattened crown that lies flat when taken off. | |
| Knickerbockers | Short, loose trousers gathered in at or just below the knees, as those worn by Dutch settlers of New York. | |
| Lapel | Lapel - la-pel - A part of the coat folded back which continues on from the collar. There are three basic forms of lapels: notched, peaked and shawl. Notched are your common everyday lapels found on suits. Peaked lapels are more formal, and nearly always used on double breasted jackets or coats, the point at the shoulders. Shawl is usually found on dinner jackets and is rounded with no points or strong angles. | |
| Lawn | Lawn - Lawn was originally a linen material made in Laon, France. Today it is mostly cotton and is known for its semi-transparency. | |
| Linen | Linen - lin-in- Linen is a textile made from the fibres of the flax plant. It is valued for its coolness during warmer months. | |
| Long Johns | Underpants with long legs. The name is derived from the old boxing gear worn by John L. Sullivan, who was a boxer in the late 1880s. They were sent out to soldiers during the first world war. | |
| Lovat | Lovat - Luv-at - Lovat is a heather mixture colour made of of a blend of soft blues, greens, and a little brown usually found in tweed or woollen cloth. | |
| Lurex | Lurex is the brand name for a type of yarn with a metallic appearance. The twine is most commonly a synthetic fibre, onto which an aluminium layer has been vaporised. "Lurex" may also refer to cloth created with the yarn. | |
| Mackintosh | 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 | 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 - 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 | Maillot- My-yo - Close fitting knitted shirt. | |
| Marl | a mottled yarn or fabric. Classically seen in grey. | |
| Matelot | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | Miniver - min-i-ver - The soft underbelly of the common grey squirrel. | |
| Mohair | Mohair - The long, white, silken hair of the Angora goat. | |
| Morning Suit | 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. | |
| Nehru Jacket | Nehru Jacket - Ner-ru - Is a hip-length tailored coat with a stand-up or \"mandarin\" collar, no lapels and modelled on the South Asian achkan or sherwani, an apparel worn by Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India from 1947 to 1964. | |
| Notch | Notch - Noch - The cut out where your lapel meets the collar on your suit jacket. | |
| Nylon | Nylon - It describes the generic family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides and first produced on February 28, 1935 by Wallace Carothers at DuPont. It was one of the first man-made fibres. How nylon got its name is unclear, but one version from Dupont suggests they wanted to name it \"No-Run,\" as it didn\'t unravel easily, but modified it to avoid making such an unjustified claim and to make the word sound better. Others say the name comes from the amalgamation of New York (NY) and London (LON) , the places where it was first developed and launched. | |
| Organza | a thin, stiff, transparent dress fabric made of silk or a synthetic yarn. | |
| Oxford Bags | Oxford Bags - Loose-fitting, very wide and baggy trousers favoured by members of the University of Oxford during the beginning of the twentieth century, always synonymous with the roaring twenties and thirties. | |
| P.O.A. | Price On Application - This is usually for a special piece that has to be ordered as a one-off from the designer or brand at the beginning of the season. | |
| Paisley | Vibrant pattern typified by a comma or tear drop shape. Persian in origin, Paisley print derives its name from the town of Paisley in central Scotland. The brightly coloured, almost psychedelic patterning often makes Paisley associated with the 1960’s and the hippy generation. Christopher Bailey likes to experiment with Paisley at Burberry and Liberty has some great paisley style prints called Mark and Bourton in its archives. | |
| Parka | A warm hip-length weatherproof coat with a fur trimmed hood, originally worn by Eskimos or Inuits. Originally made from caribou or seal, it was invented by the Caribou Inuit of the Arctic region, who needed clothing that would protect them from wind chill and wet while hunting and kayaking. The word parka is of Aleut origin. | |
| Patent leather | Patent leather - Leather with a very shiny and glossy finish. Modern patent leather usually has a plastic finish. Good black patent should resemble crude oil. Once only for worn with evening dress, patent shoes have proved very popular with any kind of trouser, day or night. | |
| Pea coat | A pea coat is an outer coat, generally of a navy-coloured heavy wool originally worn by sailors of European navies. Pea coats are characterized by broad lapels, double-breasted fronts, often large wooden or metal buttons, and vertical or slash pockets. A "bridge coat" is a pea coat that extends to the thighs, and is a uniform exclusively for officers and Chief Petty Officers. The "reefer" is for officers only, and is identical to the basic design but usually has gold buttons and epaulettes. The pea coat was named after the warm woollen fabric called "pij" that the Dutch used to make their sailor's jackets.The pea coat is the coat shape of the season. | |
| Penny Loafer | A traditional slip on with a strip of leather covering the top of the tongue with a ‘Penny slot’ design in the centre. | |
| Pepper and salt | Pepper and salt - See Donegal Tweed. | |
| Piqué | Piqué - pe-kay - A stiff corded cotton fabric mostly seen on the collars of polo shirts. | |
| Placket | Placket - Most common term in men’s wear is the strip of material at the centre-front of a button-front shirt, if something is described as having a concealed placket, this means the buttons are covered by material so you don’t see them. | |
| Plaid | Plaid - plad - Americans tend to call check patterns plaids and this is becoming more common here. It also means the long piece of cloth worn over the shoulder , usually in tartan as part of Highland dress. | |
| Pleats | Pleats - A fold or crease sewn or pressed into cloth that gathers a wider piece of fabric into a narrower area. Mostly seen on the front of old men’s trousers, can look very chic when exaggerated. | |
| Plus-fours | Plus-fours - Very Bertie Woorster on the golf course. Derived from knickerbockers but are four inches longer, hence the + four so they over hang the fastening. | |
| Pony-skin | Pony-skin - This actually cowhide with the hair left on one side and is not made from ponies or horses. | |
| Poplin | Poplin - A plain weave cotton fabric with slightly pronounced ribs running across it. A fabric consisting of a silk warp with a weft of worsted yarn. Shirts made from this are easier to iron. | |
| Pork pie hat | Pork pie hat - This hat gets its name from a resemblance to a pork pie. The crown is flat with a rim like the crust found on the pie. Typically they are made of felt. | |
| Prince of Wales check | Prince of Wales check - The term is commonly applied to almost any Glen Urquhart check particularly in black and white as often favoured by the Duke of Windsor. The understanding is that the original Prince of Wales check was designed by Edward VII for country and shooting use in Scotland and is a very large check with a repeat of nine inches in bold red or brown on a cream ground with a grey overcheck. Commonly seen in a light suit fabric, it is a fine check overlaid with a colour check and where the fine checks cross over each they bleed into a houndstooth-type patterned square. Had a moment in the late eighties when ever window cleaner done good was seen sporting a double breasted Prince of Wales grey suit, but this is such a beautiful check it is returning in a big way. | |
| PTU | Permanent Turn-Up. | |
| Pull Over | Pull Over - Pretty much is what it says it is, a knitted garment pulled over the head with no opening at the front. | |
| Pyjama | The word ‘pyjama’ traces its etymological origin to the Persian word ‘payjama’, meaning ‘leg garment’. However, it was first incorporated into English from the Hindustani language. During the seventeenth century, British men wore pyjamas as casual attires while relaxing, until they became outmoded. They soon gained ground in the west during the colonial era, and became popular as sleepwear, with designs inspired from similar traditional Indian and Persian garments. In India, pyjamas comprised of important clothing items of women and Sikh men. In addition, with the adoption of pyjamas by Englishmen, their popularity soon perforated all across the globe. It's about the piping and the pockets and the relaxed neck. | |
| Raglan sleeve | Raglan sleeve - A raglan sleeve runs all the way up the collar of a coat, rather than attaching to the body at the shoulder, as is normal in shirts or suit jackets. It allows more movement, and is therefore more sporting. Named after Lord Raglan because of the coat he wore while commanding his troops in the Crimea in the 1850’s. | |
| Rand | a leather strip attached to the back of a shoe sole to level it before the heel is put on. | |
| Romper | An all in one shirt and short combination. Brings to mind people in skates but has found prominence in London's more trendier circles. | |
| RTW | Ready To Wear. Also known as Off-The-Peg'. Meaning clothes that are completely finished when you buy them. | |
| Sack Suit | The Sack suit is an American term for a business suit and is defined as being a 3-to-2 blazer without darts and a single vent. Pioneered by classic American brand Brooks Brothers and seen on every young exec. on Mad Men. | |
| Saffiano leather | This is the heavily grained or cross-hatched, waterproof and durable leather used by the Italian luxury goods houses of Prada and Salvatore Ferragamo. | |
| Satin | Satin - A closely woven, smooth, light-reflecting silk fabric of fairly heavy weight. | |
| Savile Row | Savile Row - Named after Lady Dorothy Savile, wife of the 3rd Earl of Burlington, Savile Row is a street in Mayfair, London synonymous with bespoke men’s tailoring. The term Savile Row describes any clothing made on or around the street by the multitude of tailoring houses. This is men’s clothing at its finest, in both quality and history. | |
| Scyes | Armholes are also known as 'Scyes'. Most ready-made suits have large scyes, primarily to ensure the jacket will fit most people | |
| Sea Island Cotton | Sea Island Cotton - This is cotton from the Caribbean, the favourable conditions make the cotton’s fibre longer and thus super fine and of very quality. | |
| Seersucker | Seersucker - Seersucker is a cotton fabric woven in such a way that some threads bunch together, giving the fabric a wrinkled appearance in places. Traditionally associated with the Summer months, the word came into English from Hindi, which originates from the Persian words ‘shir o shakar’, meaning ‘milk and sugar’, probably from the resemblance of its smooth and rough stripes to the smooth surface of milk and bumpy texture of sugar. The wrinkled appearance actually causes the fabric to be held away from the skin when worn, facilitating improved heat dissipation and air circulation. | |
| Serge | Serge - A heavy, twill cotton with a fairly rough texture. | |
| Shagreen | Shagreen - This is leather commonly made from the skins of sharks and rays. The word derives from the French ‘chagrin’ meaning anxiety, annoyance – a reference to the rasping surface of the leather. It is extremely hard wearing and usually comes in an eau de nil green colour with lighter, almost white circular markings. It is associated with the Art Deco era of the 1930’s, even the wallpaper in the rooms in Claridge’s hotel are in the shagreen colour and pattern. This season Kim Jones has designed some amazing new belts for Alfred Dunhill in coloured shagreen. | |
| Shawl Collar | Shawl Collar - A shawl collar is a type of lapel usually found on dinner jackets and is rounded with no points or strong angles. | |
| Silk | Silk - The best-known type of silk is obtained from cocoons made by the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori. A fibre formed by the hardening of a liquid emitted from spinning-glands. | |
| Snood | A tubular neck protector or scarf. The garment can be worn either pulled down around the neck like a scarf, or pulled up over the hair and lower face, like a hood. The word is first recorded in Old English from around 725. | |
| Storm collar | Storm collar - A deep collar that when turned up covers your neck fully. | |
| Suéde | Suéde - Suéde is the inside or flesh side of leather that has been brushed or buffed into a velvety finish. | |
| Tam o'Shanter | A Scottish beret named after a character in a poem written by Robert Burns in 1790, now traditionally worn by Rastafarians to hold their dreadslocks. | |
| Tana lawn | Liberty of London made famous their Tana lawn which began manufacture in the 1920s. It is named after Lake Tana in Sudan where the raw cotton was grown. | |
| Tartan | Tartan - Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven cloth, but are now used in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns. | |
| Tattersal | Tattersal - Tat-ter-sol - A window pane type check mostly commonly found on shirts worn by farmers. Having a pattern of dark lines forming squares on a light background | |
| Terry Towelling | Terrycloth, terry cloth, terry towelling, terry, or simply towelling is a fabric with loops that can absorb large amounts of water. Was popular in the 1970s and is very Riviera chic! | |
| Tonic | Tonic - A fabric that changes colour as it moves, very popular with suiting in the sixties and seventies. | |
| Toscana Shearling | Toscana shearling is a variety of lambskin usually characterized by a suede finish on the exterior and long fur (about 1”) on the interior of the pelt. | |
| Trilby | Trilby - A soft felt hat with a deeply creased crown and snap brim. Named after the George du Maurier novel ‘Trilby’ (1894) because one was worn in the original London production. | |
| Trouser Break | Break is where the trouser meets the shoe. The proper length for trousers is a full break or slight break in the crease. A full break means trousers are hemmed to reach the top of the heel of a standard dress shoe, naturally breaking over the front of the shoe. | |
| Trouser Rise | How much the trousers will rise up your legs when you sit down, generally anything from 5-10cm. | |
| Tuxedo | Tuxedo - American term for a dinner jacket named after the Tuxedo Park Club in New York in 1886 after one of the members was seen wearing a short smoking jacket he’d had made for him by Henry Poole & Co in London and soon the informal dinner jacket caught on. | |
| Tweed | Tweed - The name comes from a mistake. According to the Duke of Windsor, a clerk in around 1830 wrote “tweed” instead of “tweels” which meant twills to the Scots. “Scottish tweeds” were ordered and the name stuck. | |
| Twill | Twill - A weave which forms diagonal lines running to right or left across the fabric. | |
| Ulster | Ulster - A long, loose overcoat made of rough material invented in the 1870’s with a cape covering the shoulders. | |
| Velour | Velour - Velour is the french for velvet. It is a woollen or cotton fabric with a velvet like pile. | |
| Velvet | Velvet - True velvet is make of silk. Velvet is a tufted fabric with a soft texture. Some people are known to have a phobia about velvet. Looks great on a evening jacket as it reflects the light. Nothing has the colour density of velvet, the blues and blacks are as intense as any Anish Kapoor sculpture. | |
| Velveteen | Velveteen - This is poor man’s velvet made of cotton. | |
| Vicuna | Vicuna - Ver-cuna - The vicuna is one of two wild South American camelids, a relative of the llama along which live in the high alpineous areas of the Andes. Vicunas produce small amounts of extremely fine wool because the animal can only be shorn every 3 years. This is one of the most expensive fabrics that exist. | |
| Voile | A thin, light weight woven fabric, usually made of cotton or cotton blends including linen or polyester. The term comes from French and means veil. | |
| Warp | Warp - The warp is the vertical, north/south yarn of the weave in fabric. Warp means \"that which is thrown across\" | |
| Weave | Weave - The in and out interlacing of yarns to produce a piece of fabric. | |
| Weft | Weft - The weft is the horizontal, east/west yarn of the weave of fabric. The weft is threaded through the warp using a shuttle. | |
| Wellington | Wellington - It was worn and popularised by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. Originally it was made in calf skin, but today is traditionally made in waterproof rubber. Hunter make the best classic British Wellington boots. | |
| Welt | Welt - The bordering of an edge or pocket, which shapes and strengthens it. Can also mean the strip of leather, rubber or plastic which attaches the sole to the upper in shoe making. | |
| Window pane check | Window pane check - A check formed by coloured lines crossing each other causing square, window-shaped patterning. | |
| Windsor Knot | Windsor Knot - A method of tying a neck tie which results in a thick, wider knot. The tie is double tied make it bulkier. There is also a half-windsor knot which is not as wide. | |
| Winklepicker | Winklepicker - A type of shoe with an exaggerated pointed toe. | |
| Woad | Woad - A plant that when used in dyeing gives a deep blue pigment. The first century queen of Britain’s Iceni tribe, Boudicca, used woad as a war paint. | |
| Worsted | Worsted - Worsted means the yarn has been combed making it smoother , drawing the fibres into parallel positions. The name derives from the village of Worstead in the Norfolk. This village became, along with North Walsham and Aylsham, a centre for the manufacture of yarn and cloth after weavers from Flanders arrived in Norfolk in the 12th century. | |
| Wyncol | Wyncol - Wyncol D711 is a virtually wind and water proof fabric exclusive to the British luxury brand Aquascutum. It was chosen by Edmund Hillary and his team during their first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953. The densely woven cotton and nylon poplin is incredibly light weight and is virtually tear proof. This season Aquascutum have relaunched Wyncol D711 in various men’s waterproof coats ranging from a classic trench to a coat that can be zipped to form a rucksack. | |
| Yarn | Yarn - The strand of spun fibres that is used to weave or knit fabric. | |
| Zipper | Zipper - A device that temporarily joins two pieces of fabrics. The B. F. Goodrich Company coined the name Zipper in 1923 for the line of rubber overshoes that it made using the fastener. The name slowly came to be associated with the fastener itself, and eventually acquired generic status. | |
| Zoot suit | A zoot suit is an exaggerated suit with high-waisted, wide-legged, tight-cuffed, pegged trousers, and a long coat with wide lapels and wide padded shoulders. This style of clothing was popularized by African American and West Indian men during the late 1930s and 1940s. | |
| Definition | ||
