A -line gown - Form fitting bodices that flare out from the
waistline to a full skirt. These gowns have a seamless waist.
A -line skirt/fit and flare skirt - A skirt that is fitted at
the waist and flares out in an A -line or tulip shape at the hem.
back drape - A length of material attached either at the
shoulder or the waist that flows over the back to floor length. In some cases
it is removable.
back yoke - A fitted or shaped piece at the top of a skirt
or at the shoulder of various garments.
ball gown - Characterized by a very full skirt that begins
at the waist and continues to a formal length. The skirt waist is seamed and
can be of various styles.
ballerina neckline - This is a low neckline that usually
occurs with strapless or spaghetti strapped dresses.
bandeau/tube top - A band -shaped covering for the breasts.
Basque waist/V -waist - This dropped waist starts at or just
below the natural waistline, and dips in the center creating a "V"
shape.
bateau neck/boat neck - A high, wide, straight neckline that
runs straight across the front and back, meeting at the shoulders; the same
depth in the front and back.
besom pockets - A pocket sewn inside the garment with access
through a welted slit -type opening.
bias cut - Cut diagonally across the grain of a fabric. Used
to create garments that follow the body curves closely.
bike tards - A close -fitting, one -piece garment from the top
of the torso to the hem of the shorts.
blazer - A long -sleeved sports jacket with lapels.
bolero jacket - A loose, waist -length jacket open at the
front.
boot -cut - Cut below the belly button and slightly flares
from the knee to the ankle.
box -pleated - Two folds of fabric brought together to form a
pleat.
boy -leg - Shorts, undergarments, or swimwear that has a
close fitting leg that reaches half way down the thigh.
broomstick - A skirt or dress that is characterized by
numerous pleats and crinkled material.
camisole - A short, sleeveless garment for women.
camp pockets - Pockets that are sewn to the outside of the
garment, usually squared off and characterized by seaming.
cap sleeve - A small, short sleeve which sits on the
shoulder, either forming a stiff cap or falling on to the arm to provide
minimal coverage.
capri pants - Fairly straight -cut pants, tapered to the
mid -calf.
cardigan jacket - A usually collarless sweater or jacket
that opens the full length of the center front.
cargo - Characterized by sporting a large pocket usually
with a flap and a pleat.
carpenter pants/shorts - Five -pocket pants characterized by
a "hammer holder," a stretch of material connecting the outside seam
to the back pocket.
cathedral train - (Also known as a monarch train); a
cascading train extending six to eight feet behind the gown, for the most
formal weddings.
chapel train - The most popular of all train lengths, it
flows from three to four feet behind the gown.
chemise/skimmer - Simply a straight unbelted dress with
varying sleeves and length.
column skirt/straight skirt - Also referred to as a pencil
skirt, this skirt is a straight line with no flare or fullness at the hem or
waistline.
concealed snap/velcro/button placket - A slit in a garment
where closures are hidden.
convertible collar - A rolled collar that can be worn open
or closed. Sewn directly to the neckline.
corset top/boned bodice - A form -fitting, usually strapless
bodice with boning and either laces or snap closures, styled in the fashion of
the ladies undergarment of the same name.
cowl neck - A neckline featuring a piece of material attached
to a garment at the neck, which may be used as a hood or draped loosely in a
swag from shoulder to shoulder at the front neckline or back.
crew neck - A round neck with ribbed banding that fits close
to the base of the neck.
crinoline - Petticoats stiffened with horse -hair to enable
the bell -like skirts of the early nineteenth century, that was eventually
replaced with the bustle.
cropped top/jacket - Hem is cut just above the waist.
diamond neck - A diamond -shaped cutout that fastens at the
front or back neckline.
dolman sleeve - Cut as an extension of the bodice, the
dolman sleeve is designed without a socket for the shoulder, creating a deep,
wide armhole that reaches from the waist to a narrowed wrist. Also called a
batwing sleeve.
double -breasted - Having one -half of the front lapped over
the other, and usually has a double row of buttons and a single row of
buttonholes.
double -tee top - A layered look with one T -shirt over
another.
draped bodice - An extra piece of material is draped over
the bustline.
dropped waist/low waist - A waistline that is sewn below the
body's natural waistline.
dropped shoulders - Characterized by the shoulder/sleeve
seam falling off the shoulder.
empire bodice - A bodice that ends just below the bust, sometimes
low -cut and gathered.
empire seams - A seam that is sewn directly below the
bustline.
empire waist - This waistline begins just below the bust.
fishtail train - Fitted around the hips and flares out from
the knee to the hemline.
fitted point sleeve - A long, narrow sleeve that tapers to a
point which rests against the back of the hand.
flat -front pants - Straight pants, often seamless and
pocketless.
form -fitting/slim -fit - Straight from waist to ankle except
for a slight curve around the hip.
frog closure - Chinese closing of decorative cording or
braid. A soft ball of cording or a button is used to complete the closure.
gauntlets -Dress gloves extending above the wrist.
gaucho - Wide -legged pants or divided skirt reaching
mid -calf and worn with boots.
halter top - A sleeveless bodice with a high choke or wrap
neck that may be backless.
hankerchief style - The hem of a blouse or skirt that is
gently jagged to form flowing points.
hip pockets - Pockets which are sewn on the front of the
garment at hip height.
Hollywood waistband - Characterized by a full elasticized
back and a side zipper/button closure.
hook & eye closure - A 2 -part fastening device (as on a
garment or a door) consisting of a metal hook that catches over a bar or into a
loop.
illusion bodice - A bodice made of sheer material giving the
illusion of no bodice.
illusion sleeve - A sleeve made of sheer material giving the
illusion of no sleeve.
intermission length/Hi -Lo - An intermission -length gown
features a hem falling between the knees and ankle; the Hi -Lo variation is a
gown of intermission length on the front and floor length or longer in the
back.
jewel neck - A high round neckline resting simply at the
base of the neck.
kangaroo pocket - A pocket formed by sewing a piece of cloth
over the garment leaving two open ends.
keyhole neck - A tear shaped or round cutout that fastens at
the front or back neckline.
kimono - A long robe with wide sleeves traditionally worn
with a broad sash.
leg -of -mutton sleeve - (Also known as a gigot sleeve) a
loose, full sleeve, rounded from the shoulder to just below the elbow, then
shaped to the arm, often ending in a point at the wrist.
maillot - A woman's one -piece bathing suit.
mandarin collar - A short, stand -up collar, adopted from the
close -fitting Asian collar.
mermaid - This skirt hugs the body until it reaches the
knees or just below and then ends in a dramatic flare.
natural waist - A seam or waistband that secures or falls at
the natural curve of the body, which is the indentation between the hips and
the ribcage.
notched collar - A two -piece collar that can be only worn
open.
off -the -shoulder neck - A neckline that lies gently hovering
across the top of the bustline with the shoulders uncovered or able to be seen
through the sheer yoke of net or organza attached to a high collar.
overskirt - A skirt worn over another skirt.
peasant top - Romantic style often characterized with a low
neckline, ruffles, or free flowing material.
peek -a -boo - Any part of the garment which has been cut out
to reveal skin.
petticoat - An underskirt usually a little shorter than
outer clothing and often made with a ruffled, pleated, or lace edge.
pieced - A look created by sewing several pieces of material
together to form the garment, much like a quilt.
pinafore - Originally used to protect dresses from dirt, it
was adopted as a fashion piece and worn as a sleeveless dress or over a blouse.
placket - The piece of cloth that reinforces a split or
opening in a garment; that usually also serves as the closure.
point collar - A collar with ties used to attach women's
sleeves to their gowns.
princess seams - Seams that can be found in the front or the
back of a garment that create a form -fitting shape.
puckered bodice - Usually associated with tube tops, it provides
a scrunchy look.
puff sleeve/pouf sleeve - A full sleeve of varying lengths,
created by generous gathering around the armhole.
push -up jeans - Spandex in the jeans helps to lift and shape
your rear.
romper - A one -piece garment with the lower part shaped like
bloomers.
sarong skirt - Long cloth which is wrapped around the entire
body.
scoop neck/round neck - A low, U -shaped or round neckline.
shawl collar - A one -piece collar which is turned down to
form a continuous line around the back of the neck to the front.
sheaths - Usually have straight or close fitting skirts,
accompanied by a form fitting bodice. The skirt is often ankle length and
sometimes has a slit in either the front, side, or back to make walking easier.
shelf bra - A bra that is built right into the garment.
shirred waist - A decorative gathering (as of cloth) made by
drawing up the material along two or more parallel lines of stitching.
shrug - A woman's small, waist -length or shorter jacket.
skant - Pants that have a sweater -like attachment around the
waist.
skort - Shorts that have a front covering to resemble a
skirt.
spaghetti strap - A thin tubular strap that attaches to the
bodice, named for its likeness to a strand of spaghetti.
split neck - A round neckline that looks like it has been
cut in the center to form a small "V".
square neck - An open -yoke neckline shaped in the form of a
half square.
straight legs - Pant legs are cut an equal width from waist
to ankle.
sweep train - The shortest train, barely sweeping the floor.
sweetheart neck - A graceful, open yoke, shaped like the top
half of a heart.
tank top - A short, sleeveless top with wide armholes.
tankini - A two piece bathing suit with the upper portion
resembling a tank top.
tapered legs - Pant legs become progressively narrower
toward the ankle.
tea length - A gown hemmed to end at the shin.
tear -away shorts - Features versatile side snaps that allow
you to remove a top layer fast.
tie -cinched waist - The waist is pulled tight around the
body with a tie.
trapeze top - Tank top style with flared bottom.
tulle skirt/bouffant gown - A sheer, puffed -out skirt often
made of stiffened silk, rayon, or nylon net.
tunic style - A simple slip -on garment made with or without
sleeves and usually knee -length or longer, belted at the waist, and worn as an
under or outer garment.
turtle neck - A high, close -fitting, turnover collar used
especially for sweaters.
unitards - A close -fitting, one -piece garment for the torso,
legs, and feet, and often for the arms.
V -neck/V -back - An open yoke coming to a "V" shape
midway down the bodice.
variegated - Having streaks, marks, or patches of different
colors; distinguished or characterized by a variety of different colors.
wedding -band collar - A collar featuring a yoke that is
either open or of sheer net with an ornate band fitting snugly on the neck,
creating a choker effect.
wide legs - Pants or jeans that are cut extra full through
the legs.
wing collar - A collar with projections which cover shoulder
seams of bodices and doublets.
wrap top/surplice top - A bodice created by the
cross -wrapping of fabric; may be in front or back, and associated with a high
or low neckline.