FASHION

TERMINOLOGY
A to Z
 A-LINE
- Meaning: A dress or a skirt
silhouette that is narrower at the
top, flaring gently out to a make a
‘A’ Shape silhouette.Flattering on
most figures, particularly on pear
shaped.
 ANIMAL
PRINTS
- Animal print is a clothing and
fashion style in which the garment
is made to resemble the pattern of
the skin and fur of an animal such
as a leopard, cheetah, snow
leopard, jaguar, zebra, tiger, snake,
crocodile
BABY DOLL
DRESS
- Popularized by Carroll Baker 1956 film
of the same name -
- A Baby Doll dress is a short dress
typically worn as a night dress, that has
progressed into everyday wear.
- Often made of light chiffon fabrics and
decorated with lace, ribbon and bows. A
baby doll style consists of an empire
neckline and micro skirt.
 BERET
- Closely associated with French
culture, a beret is a soft round hat
traditionally made of felt or knitted
wool.
CHEVRON
- The general shape of a 'V' or a
triangular shape used in design.
CORSET
- Aundergarment
woman's tightly fitting
extending from
below the chest to the hips, worn
to shape the figure.
 DOUBLE
BREASTED
- With respect to jacket or coat:
having a substantial overlap of
material at the front and showing
two rows of buttons when
fastened.
 DISTRESSED

- Anartificially
area of fabric that has been
aged or worn.
Commonly used on denim.
ESPADRILLE

- Espadrille shoes have a fabric upper and

a plaited fiber sole, made popular
worldwide by Toms. Espadrille heels are
a take on this traditional flat, and can
have a heel or wedge base. The word
derives from the Catalan "espardenya",
making reference to esparto grass, a plant
indigenous to the south of Spain that is
used to make ropes and basketry.
EMBELLISHMENTS

- Superfluous ornament that adds

beauty or elegance.
- upon any given material.
It is typically sewn on or attached
 FANTASY
HEELS
- Here's the wildcard heel type to
cover all of the crazy designs out
there. There are so many types of
heels you could never think of in
your head, and yet they do exist.
We're not sure who wears them
other than maybe Lady Gaga, but
they do exist.
 FASCINATOR

- Aforfascinator is a formal headpiece

women, a style of millinery.
Since the 1990s the term has
referred to a type of formal
headwear worn as an alternative to
the hat; it is usually a large
decorative design attached to a
band or clip.
 GARTER
- Anconsisting
item of women's underwear
of a belt to which are
attached garters for holding up
stockings; suspender belt.
GODET
- Abetween
triangular shaped piece inset
two pieces of fabric or
into a slit in a piece of fabric to
add volume to the hem of the
garment. For instance the
triangular pieces sewn into a tunic
or gown to widen the hem.
 HAUTE
COUTURE
- Exclusive custom-fitted fashions
that are the pinnacle of the fashion
industry. French for high sewing or
dressmaking.
H-LINE
- H-Line was one of the silhouettes
introduced by Christian Dior. This
silhouette was introduced in 1954 and,
as the letter 'H' implies, was straight
with a slight accent on the waist (the
bar of the 'H'). It was popular for
emphasising length in the leg, making it
a feminine shape, rather than something
square and boxy.
 IKAT
- Acarefully
handicraft where the yarns are
tie-dyed in a particular
design before they are woven
together.
 INTERLINING

- Interlining is the layer between the

top, outer fabric and a garment's
lining, which again gives shape or
strength.
 JACQUARD
WEAVING
- Aallows
versatile weaving method that
a wrap thread to be raised
independently of the other wrap
threads.
 JODHPURS

- Tight-fitting trousers worn for

horse riding. Named after the city
in India where they were originally
made, they feature a tight fit on the
lower legs but are flared above the
knee.
KIMONO
- Japanese coat like garment, Obi
sash belted with long wide
rectangular sleeves. Fabrics used
are often luxurious and highly
decorated.
 KITTEN
HEEL
- Ahighshortwithheela distinctive
about 1 1⁄2 - 2 inches
curve.
Considered very feminine and
pretty.
 LITTLE BLACK
DRESS (LBD)

- Abecome
black cocktail dress that has
a fashion staple after being
first introduced by Coco Chanel.
Reinvented every season.
 LOGO
- Arepresent
graphic symbol designed to
the character of a
company, product, service, or other
industry.
 MARY JANE

- Aclosed
flat female shoe with rounded,
toes and a buckled strap
across the instep.
 MAXI
SKIRT/DRESS
- The name given to a long, full
length skirt. A Maxi Dress is a
floor- or ankle-length informal
dress, formfitting at the top and
loose flowing at the bottom, cut to
flow over the body.
 NATURAL
FIBRES
- Fibres from plants and animals that
can be spun into thread such as
wool, silk, linen, cotton and hemp.
 NEOPRENE

- Awetsuits
man made fabric, used for
and other water sports
attire. Has a stiff, body hugging
quality that seals body heat In
OMBRÉ
- Adescribing
French word meaning shaded
the appearance of
related colors shading from light to
dark or vice versa within one
garment. A popular all-season
pattern for accessories and
clothing.
ORGANZA
- Asilk,stiffrayon,
see-through fabric - usually
or nylon.
 PAILLETTE

- Small glittering disk, similar to a

sequin, sewn together with others
on fabric to create a fishscale
effect.
 PATCHWORK

- Pieces of cloth of various colors

and shapes sewn together to form a
garment or accessory.
QUILTING
- Quilting is a technique where two or more
layers of fabric, usually with light padding
in between, are sewn together with lines
of stitching. The stitches are often worked
in parallel lines, forming squares or
diamonds in a geometric pattern. The
fabric created appears padded in
appearance and is popular for jackets,
coats and footwear, as well as the classic
patchwork quilt.
 RUCHING
- Ruching is a gathered overlay of
fabric strips that are pleated, fluted,
or gathered together to create a
ripple-like effect.
 RUFFLE
- Ruffle is a decorative frill of lace or
gathered ornamentation of fabric, often
used to trim or embellish the wrist or
neck. A strip of fabric, when gathered or
pleated, will create a frill that adds a
ruffled line to a garment’s straight edge.
Think of the lace ruffles worn by Henry
VIII or the Victorians. Today, you’ll find
them in high fashion and haute couture.
SARONG
- ofA printed
garment consisting of a length
cloth wrapped about the
waist that is worn by men or
women. Originated from Malaysia,
Indonesia, and the Pacific islands.
 SHEER
- Afabric
semi-transparent and flimsy
with a very fine knit, often
used to produce tights, leggings
and stockings in addition to
lingerie and blouses.
 TANKINI
- Aupper
two-piece bathing suit with the
portion resembling a tank
top, a tankini provides the
coverage of a maillot and the
freedom of a bikini.
TRÈS CHIC

- Very fashionable or very stylish.

 UNDERSKIRT

- Ausually
skirt places under a dress or skirt
to create volume.
 UNDERWIRES

- Refer to rigid U-shaped rods

arcing underneath the base of some
bra cups. Underwires are used for
support and structure and give the
wearer a more pushed-up bust
appearance, hence enhances the
cleavage.
 VARIEGATED

- Acoloured
fabric produced with different
yarns or threads to
provide streaks, marks, or patches
of different colours.
VINTAGE
- Pre-owned
decades.
clothes from previous
WINDOWPANE

- Awindowpane,
design that looks like a
with narrow bands of
one color forming an over-check
that encloses rectangles of another
ground color.
 WRAP
- Wraparound tops,dresses and skirts
involve overlapping fabric around
the waist, either in the front or the
back to create a fitted waistline.
 YARN
- Any long, continuous piece of
entwined fibre that is used for the
production of textiles or knits.
 YOKE
- Athefabric cut that is seamed across
top of a shirt, trouser, or skirt.
 ZEITGEIST

- The moral and intellectual trends

of a given era. Taken from the
German zeit meaning time and
geist meaning spirit, the term’s
literal translation is ‘the spirit of
the age’.
 ZIPPER
- astrips
device consisting of two flexible
of metal or plastic with
interlocking projections closed or
opened by pulling a slide along
them, used to fasten garments,
bags, and other items.