Glossary of terms used on this site

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 - 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.

Karung - Another word for snakeskin.

Khakis - In 1848, Sir Harry Lumsden, commanding officer of a British regiment in India had an idea to die his men's white uniform with a mixture of coffee, curry powder and mulberry juice to disguise the inevitable dirt. The indians called this new colour 'Khaki'. The name chino comes from the fact these trousers were originally made in China. 'Chino' is the Spanish term for Chinese.

Kipper Tie - An extra wide neck-tie popularised by Michael Fish aka retailer Mr Fish during the 1960s. The name is a cheeky reference to his name.

Knickerbockers - Short, loose trousers gathered in at or just below the knees, as those worn by Dutch settlers of New York.