Menswear Glossary
This is a glossary of menswear terminology.
baby - stuffed cloth pad on which the tailor works his cloth
back body - the back panel of a shirt
balance - bespoke term used to refer to the length at the front and back of a jacket, a well made jacket should be parallel and harmonize with the wearer's posture and figure
banger - piece of wood with handle used to draw out steam and smooth cloth during ironing; possibly the same as a block
baste - garment roughly assembled for the first stage of fitting
hand basting - process by which fabric is attached to the interlining with temporary stitches
basting - tacking with long stitches to hold garments parts together
bemberg - trade name for cupramonium rayon developed by J. P. Bemberg; it has the hand of silk and is similar to viscose
bespoke - manner of making a product, signifies it is often made by hand and fitted to an individual customer and allows for customization.
blazer - casual jacket made of woolen cloth; can be single or double breasted, originally navy in colour it can now be brightly coloured or striped
block - heavy, dense block of wood used in pressing to set or seal the steam; may also refer to a base pattern used to develop other patterns; also known as: sloper or master pattern
break - the horizontal fold or bend above the cuff of the leg, which is created when the fabric of the leg is longer than the wearer's leg.
Full break - usually 2 inches or more of extra fabric that folds at the hem
Half break - 1-2 inches of fabric gathered at the bottom of the trouser
Quarter break - 1/2 - 1 inch of extra pant length
No break - the trouser grazes the shoes with no excess fabric at the hem
board - a tailor's workbench
body canvas - pure wool (and sometimes linen) canvas used in the structure inside a jacket, waistcoat, or overcoat to give substance and assist in shaping
bottom - the hem circumference
button gimp - used when making buttonholes for suits
button twist - yarn used to make buttonholes
cable knit - a pattern found in men's jumpers and knitted accessories in which cables appear to twist around one another; popular in fall/winter seasons.
canvas - a cloth usually made from cotton, flax, hemp, or jute and used for providing strength or firmness
full canvas - in jacket construction it is the interlining of wool and horsehair canvas between the inner lining and outer fabric; it runs the entire length of the jacket and adds structures and padding at the chest
half canvas - the canvas covers the chest and continues to the rib cage
cardigan - sweater with front fastening (e.g. buttons, ties, or zips)
cavalry twill - a firm warp faced twill, originally used for heavy weight fabrics such as raincoats
chalk stripe - vertical stripes on a suit which look like a tailor's chalk; lines are often subtle and hazy.
chambray - a plain weave lightweight cotton fabric primarily used for shirts
Chino - twill fabric cloth usually made of cotton or cotton blend; commonly used for trousers (and referred to as chinos or khakis).
collar - unlike lapels or revers, shirt collars are constructed from separate fabric.
points (of a collar) - the corners of a collar; can be point, round,
spread (of a collar) - refers to the distance between two points of a shirt collar.
stand (of a collar) - the band, often at the widest part, that supports the collar.
ascot collar - a very tall standing collar with the points turned toward the chin, to be worn with an ascot tie; also known as: stock collar
Albany collar - a standard turndown cutaway collar worn predominantly in the early 20th century
band collar - small standing band, usually buttoned, in the style worn with detachable collars; also known as: grandad collar
Barrymore collar - a turnover shirt collar with long points, as worn by actor John Barrymore and can accompany wide four-in-hand neckties on dress shirts; also known as: tapered collar
button-down collar - the points of a shirt's collar are fastened with small buttons; often considered a casual shirt and therefore technically should not be worn with a suit
convertible collar - designed to be worn with the neck button either fastened or unfastened
detachable collar - made as a separate accessory to be worn with a banded collared shirt; also known as: false-collar
double round collar - a turn down collar with rounded tips.
imperial collar - created by Charvet for Edward VII; also known as: poke collar
Johnny collar - an open, short V-neck and a flat, open knit collar
Lacoste collar - an un-starched, flat, protruding collar invented by Rene Lacoste.
Long point collar - with long pointy edges, usually worn with a suit and tie; considered a conservative collar; also known as: straight point collar, forward point collar, narrows point collar
mandarin collar - small standing collar, open at the front based on the traditional Manchu or Mongol-influenced Asian garments; also known as: cadet collar, Chinese collar
mock collar - knitted collar similar to a turtleneck without the turnover; mockneck
Nehru collar - small standing collar, meeting at the front, based on traditional Indian garments.
Peter Pan collar - flat, round-cornered collar, named for the costume worn by the character Peter Pan
poet collar - soft shirt collar, often with long points
Popped collar - style of wearing a collar unfolded and high against the neck; popular in the 1980s and early 2000s
rolled collar - any collar that is softly rolled where it folds down from the neck at the stand, as opposed to a collar with a pressed crease at the fold.
round collar - any collar with rounded points; also known as club collar or penny collar
shawl collar - a round collar for a V-neckline that is extended to form lapels, often sued on cardigan sweaters or dinner jackets
spread collar - made with a wide spread between the points, which can accommodate a bulky necktie; often the spread is between 3 and 6 inches; also known as: cut away collar
straight collar - a generic collar, measuring 2 to 3 inches between the points; when the collar is tabbed or requires a barbell, the points often measure as a straight collar
tab collar - shirt collar with a small tab that fastens the points together underneath the knot of the necktie
Windsor collar - a dress shirt collar that is slightly stiff, wit a wide spread to accommodate a Windsor knot tie; also known as: cut away collar
wing collar - a small standing collar with the points pressed to stick out horizontally, resembling wings; worn with men's evening dress (black tie and white tie); also known as wingtip collar
zero collar - neckline of shirt without band and collar
corduroy - a cotton fabric composed of twisted fibers that lie parallel to each other, forming a distinct cord pattern that runs either vertically or horizontally.
wale - the width of the cord; the lower the count (e.g. 5 or 6-wale) has thicker individual cords and typically used for upholstery
needlecord - high wale corduroy (16+); often used for clothing; has a softer, more velvety appearance
crew neck - a round, no collar neckline; close-fitting, hemmed neckline, which sits symmetrically at the base of the neck
cuff - a turned up hem, as found at the bottom of the leg of the trousers or at the end of a shirtsleeve; can be a separate piece of material; also known as: permanent turn ups (P.T.U.)
barrel cuff - rectangular piece of fabric with square corners closed with a button
convertible cuff - can be worn either buttoned (like a barrel cuff) or with cufflinks
French cuff - style of cuff on a dress or formal shirt, which is folded back and then closed with cufflinks; also known as double cuff; can also have a rounded corner at the back edge nearest the wrist (known as a rounded French cuff)
mitered cuff - features edges that are mitered or cut at an angle
one button - cuff with one button closure; normally found on business and long sleeve casual shirts
round(ed) cuff - barrel cuff with rounded instead of square edges
two button - cuff with two button closure
cummerbund - a component of black tie dress; a broad waist sash, pleated waistband worn with single-breasted dinner jackets.
dart - folds in the suit fabric which are sewn into the jacket, shirt, or trousers to control and manipulate its shape and fit; a common technique used for shaping garments
darning - a technique for repairing holes or worn areas in fabric or knitting using needle and thread; also refers to any of several needlework techniques that use darning stitches
denim - a rugged cotton twill; often used for pants; also known as: jeans or raw denim
dinner jacket/suit - defined by the satin facings on the lapels mirrored on the outer seam of the dinner suit trousers; closely associated with black-tie attire
dolly - fabric covered wooden structure used in tailoring as base for pressing
donegal - an Irish tweed hallmarked by brightly colored slubs
double-breasted - a suit or blazer jacket with wide, overlapping front flaps and two parallel columns of buttons; often the first column is ornamental and the second is functional; the fastening method is acknowledged using a number-on-number terminology with the first number being the total number of front buttons and the second number is the number of fastening buttons below the lapels (e.g. 6-on-1 or 6-on-2); always have peak or shawl lapels
jiggers - the hidden buttons on a double-breasted jacket
double twist - intertwining 2 years, which doubles its density; also known as two-ply
draft - sketch or measure plan of a garment
drape - the way a fabric hangs in folds
dress - on the pattern it is an allowance for extras room in the crotch for male genitalia
drop crotch - an exaggerated low rise applied to pants (often denim)
duffle coat - a hooded, knee-length coat made from duffle; a coarse, thick woolen material; often featuring four front wooden or horn toggle fastening (which are known as walrus teeth)
face - the front of a piece of fabric having a distinct front and back; also known as: right side
Fair Isle - intricate, highly colored knits, often stitched by hand; seen on jumpers, cardigans, and accessories
fusing - use of chemicals and heat to weld the interlinings to the outer fabric of a garment, as distinct from the superior method of stitching used by bespoke tailors
gabardine - a woven twill fabric, originally made from wool
gauntlet - located above the cuffs, they create openings at the sleeve ends for ease of wear.
Gingham check - plain-woven fabric featuring alternating checks, typically white and colored.
goose iron - hand iron hearted on a naked flame
gorge - the point where the collar is attached to the lapel forming the notch
grain - the lengthwise and crosswise grain of fabric refer to the directions parallel to the warp and weft, respectively
grenadine - a type of Italian silk weave constructed on jacquard looms and characterized by an open weave
gusset - in shirting: an additional piece of cloth joining the font and back panels at the bottom hem of the shirt to provide reinforcement
haircloth - cloth made from horsehair; used as an inner material to give shape the chest of jackets, waistcoats, and overcoats
hand - a person's estimation when feeling fabrics between rings and thumb; the sum total of sensations expressed when a textile fabric is handled by touching; also known as: fabric hand or handle
hem - the edge of cloth; the act of securing a cut edge by enclosing in cloth to prevent unraveling
herringbone - a chevron pattern often two-tone and found in a wool twill fabric
hopsack - form of weaving often lightweight fabric into a basketweave texture
Houndstooth - distinctive broken checks (often black and white) resembling a dog's incisor
inlay - extra piece of fabric in a bespoke garment's seams to allow for future alteration
interfacing - a textile used on the unseen (or wrong) side of fabrics to make an area of a garment more rigid; can be used to stiffen or add body to a fabric (e.g. shirt collars); also known as interlinings
knee - the measurement of the desired trouser size at the knee
lapel - describes the folded flaps of cloth on the front of a jacket or coat; the cloth is an extension of the collar and folds back against the breast and cut to create a step (notch), peak, or shawl finish.
notch lapel - distinguishable by a triangle cut where it meets the collar, often worn on two button jackets; least formal lapel
peak lapel - features upwards points towards the shoulder to emphasize a V silhouette; elongates the frame; creates an aggressive, yet rakish look
shawl lapel - runs continuously from the back of the neck down to the buttons on the front of the torso without breaks or points
lining - an inner layer of fabric, fur, or other material inserted into clothing or other items; provide a neat inside finish and conceal interfacing, padding, raw edges of seams, and other construction details
linen - a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant; stronger and sturdier than cotton, but does not hold dye as well
loom - machine used to produce cloth by weaving
luster - the intensity with which light shines on a piece of fiber
Macintosh - a form of waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric. Named after its inventor Charles Macintosh; also known as: Mac or Mackintosh.
made-to-measure - garment made from pre-existing stock pattern that is altered (usually by machine) to fit the customer's measurements
Melton - felt like cloth used to complete the under collar on a jacket or coat
merino wool - fine, silky, and soft; it is the finest grade of commercial sheep wool available
mohair - lustrous and durable fiber produced by angora goats
morning dress - a type of formal daytime ensemble; typically found at weddings (morning grey) and races; a dress code
nap - the raised surfaces found projecting from a fabric; produced intentionally (by brushing) or naturally (during weaving); flannel and saxony are often napped to provide extra warmth and comfort
necktie - a decorative long piece of cloth worn around the neck and knotted at the throat. Similar to an ascot, bow tie, zipper tie, cravat, knit tie, and clip-on tie
off-the-rack - finished clothing item sold in standard sizes
optima - fabric, usually cotton, used in tailoring for pocketing, banding, and inside cuffs; sometimes used in making of chest on jacket together with haircloth and body canvas
oxford - in textiles: cloth combining dyed and un-dyed yarns; they have durable yet soft hand; often used for weekend or button cuff shirts with a button down collar and is popular with American markets
padding - a thin cushioned material added to clothes to soften impacts on certain zones of the body or improve a physical feature; also known as: batting
pattern: template used for cutting out pieces of fabric for a garment
pick stitching - visible stitching along the lapels it is an indication of craftsmanship and tailoring
pinstripe - narrow, crisp lines running parallel; evenly woven into fabric and often spaced one half to one inch apart
pique - a type of cotton used on dress shirts and waistcoats; featuring a double twill, it is more dense than a single twill and has a distinct woven pattern similar to that of a honeycomb; also known as Marcella
placket - an opening in the upper part of trousers or at the neck or sleeve of a garments; allow garments to be put on and removed more easily
pleat - a type of fold formed by doubling fabric back upon itself and securing it in place to allow extra room for movement
accordion pleat - a form of tight pleating which allows the garment to expand its shape when moving; also known as: knife pleat
box pleat - back-to-back knife pleases; can also be formed to create stacked or double-box pleats
cartridge pleat - used to gather large amounts of fabrics into a small waistband or arms he without adding bulk to the seam
fluted pleat - small, rounded, or pressed pleats used as trimmings
kick pleat - short pleats leading upwards from the bottom hem of a garment such as a coat, usually at the back; allow the garment to drape straight down when stationary while also allowing freedom of movement.
organ pleat - parallel rows of softly rounded pleats resembling the pipes of an organ
rolled pleat - create tubular pleats which run the length of the fabric from top to bottom; also known as: stacked pleat
pocket - a bag or envelope like receptacle either fastened to or inserted in an article of clothing
barchetta - an Italian style of pocket that curves upward, like a boat, rather than straight across
beer pocket - small pocket within a jacket or vest sized specifically for carrying a bottle of beer
besom pocket - cut into a garment instead of being sewn on; often have reinforced piping along the slit of the pocket appearing as an extra piece of fabric or stitching; clarification: a type of welt and can also be corded; also known as slip pockets
camp pocket - sewn to the outside of the garment and usually squared off and characterized by seaming
flap pocket - a pocket of any construction having a piece of fabric sewn above the pocket opening for moderate protection
patch pocket - made of a separate piece of cloth sewn on to the outside of a garment
ticket pocket - a narrow pocket positioned above a flap pocket
watch pocket - small pocket designed to hold a pocket watch; sometimes found in men's trousers, waistcoats, and jeans
welt pocket - a set-in pocket that is finished and strengthened with piping along its length
pocket square - a small piece of textile work in the jacket pocket
pocketing - fabric used to make pockets for suits and coats
poplin - consists of a fine warp yarn and thick filling; popular choice for shirts
puckering - tendency of cloth to gather in runs, often apparent on the lapel and trouser spasms and most common in fused apparel
rayon - textile fiber or fabric made from regenerate cellulose
raw denim - unwashed, untreated denim after the dyeing process
raw edge - the unfinished edge of a piece of fabric; produces an unstructured look
rise - the distance from the crotch to the top of the waistband on trousers and denim; the difference between the inseam and outseam; can be a measurement or a proportional calculation; common options: high, medium, and low rise
Royal oxford - similar construction to oxford, however it si comprised of finer yarns contributing to a more sophisticated aesthetic
S number - for wool: indicates the fineness of the wool fiber; measured in micrometers; the higher the number the finer the wool
satin - silk fabric with glossy surface on one side
Savile Row - street in the West End of London that is regarded as the home of bespoke tailoring
scye - the armhole
sea island cotton - its weave construction consists of a high thread count; considered one of the best shirting fabrics; also known as: south sea island cotton
seam - a line where tow pieces of fabric are held together by thread
forearm seam - runs down the front of the arm; joins with the hindarm seam; allows for adjustment of the sleeve
hindarm seam - runs down the back of the arm; joins with the forearm seam
inseam - leg measurement
sideseam - also known as the outseam
seat - the hip measurement given
seersucker - a mid to lightweight fabric, often striped, used to make clothes for spring and summer wear; the puckered or crinkled effect is created by releasing the tensions at intervals during weaving, which holds the cloth away from the body allowing it to cool
sharkskin - a two-tone woven worsted fabric often used for suiting; smooth hand with a soft texture
shirting - fabric from which shirts are made; can include cotton, twill, flannel, voile, silk, chambray, and linen
silk - fabric spun from silk thread, which in turn comes from silk worms
silhouette - the overall look of the suit; describes the shape and fit of the jacket by the impression it gives in its outline
single-breasted - characterized by a narrow overlap fastened with a single row of buttons; always left over right; the narrow line features one to four buttons
slanted pockets - decorative buttons that do not work; also known as hacking in England
skirt - the area of material which makes up the bottom edge of the jacket and overlaps the trouser
sleeve pitch - angle at which the sleeve is pitched to the sleeve head; in a bespoke suit the sleeve is pitched to match the angle at which the arm hangs naturally from the shoulder
slub - knots or knobbles on a textile that appears thicker and raised
spalla camicia - Italian shoulder with no padding
spinning - process of making fibers into yarns
stitch - a single turn or loop of the thread or yarn in sewing, knitting, and embroidery
suit - a set of garments made from the same cloth and usually consisting of at least a jacket and trousers
tactile property - how a garment fits
taper - to become more narrow (as in a trouser leg that is more narrow at the ankle than the knee)
third hand - a sewing clamp that holds the fabric to be sewn
thread - a fine type of yarn
tie pin - an ornamental pin designed to hold the position of the necktie or cravat
texture - the feel, appearance, or consistency of a surface or substance
tuxedo - American term for a single or double-breasted jacket for formal or semi formal evening occasions.
trimmings - the raw materials that in addition to cloth make up the suit
tweed - rough twilled woolen eaves and clothes used for suits, jackets, and overcoats originally produced in Scotland and also associated with Ireland.
twill - such fabrics have a distinct diagonal surface pattern and weave enabling reinforced durability
vent - a cut/slit in the bottom (tail) of a coat, allowing the material to move more easily when being worn; examples: center vent, side/double vent, and ventless
vicuña - fiber sourced from the animal of the same name; the most expensive fiber in the world, it is lighter, softer, warmer, and finer than any other wool
voile - thin semi transparent cotton, woolen, or silken material in a twisted yarn construction used for making shirts
waist - the waist measurement given
warp - the (vertical) threads of a loom over and under which other threads (weft) are passed to make the cloth
weave - formation of fabric by interlacing long threads passing in one direction with others at a right angle to form them
weft - the crosswise (horizontal) threads on a loom that are passed over and under the warp threads to make cloth
white tie - the most formal men's dress code; comprised of a single-breasted tailcoat, black trousers (both with two silk grosgrain or satin facings running parallel), a white pique waistcoat, white stiff-front shirt, white bow tie, black patent shoes, and silk socks
working cuffs - functional buttonholes on a suit; also known as surgeon’s cuffs
worsted - lightweight cloth made of long staple combed woolen yarn, originally named after the village of Worsted near Norwich
yarn - length of fibers and/or filaments with or without twist
yarn count - denotes the size/weight of yarn; measured in terms of denier or tex
yoke - the upper back panel of the shirt covering the shoulders
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