FASHION TERMS & BENEFITS GLOSSARY

Transcription

1 FASHION TERMS & BENEFITS GLOSSARY A-Line: A skirt that is fitted at the waist and flares out in an A-line or tulip shape at the hem. Benefit: Camouflages and balances wide hips and thighs. Acrylic: A synthetic fabric. Benefit: Contributes softness, wool-like qualities, and affordability. Bias: Cut diagonally across the grain of a fabric. Used to create garments that follow the body curves closely. Benefit: Shows off curves. Blouson: A garment, such as a dress or shirt, with a fitted waistband over which material blouses. Benefit: The popularity of blousons can be attributed to the way the blousing material drapes to hide or camouflage problem areas on a woman s body. Boiled Wool: Knit wool, which has been exposed to heat and water and shrunk to become felted. Benefit: Not scratchy. Keeps you warm without being too bulky. Excellent shape retention and longevity. Capri Pants: Pant that ends 3 or 4 inches above the ankle. Benefit: Shows off slim ankles. Cashmere: From the Kashmir goat, a hair fiber found in Kashmir, India, Tibet, Iran, Iraq, and southwest China. Has a very soft silky finish; very light in weight. Benefit: In addition to warmth, absorbency, good shape retention, and wrinkle recovery, it contributes luxury, drapability, and softness. Challis: A lightweight plain-weave fabric, usually with a printed design. Benefit: Offers a beautiful drape and hangs with a subtle texture. Cotton: A plant which yields fiber for the manufacture of durable fabrics. Benefit: Contributes absorbency, coolness, and comfort. Washable. Crew Neck: A round neck with ribbed banding that fits close to the base of the neck. Benefit: Wears well on a long, thin neck and offers modesty. Darts: Tapered tucks sewn to adjust the fit of a garment Benefit: Adds shape and improves fit. Fashion Terms and Benefits Glossary - 1

2 Destruction: Beat-up denim Benefit: Cool, modern look Dirndl: A full skirt with a gathered waistband. Benefit: Shows off a small waist. 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. Benefit: The dramatic sleeve hides problematic or unshapely arms. 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. Benefit: Can be a nice camouflage for extra weight and is a beautiful adaptation of borrowed from the boys tailoring. Elasterell-P: A technical innovation in yarn utilized in premium denim. Benefit: Provides stretch and comfort, shape retention, durability, and a soft-hand feel. Empire Seam/Empire Waist: A seam that is sewn directly below the bust line. A waistline that begins just below the bust. Benefit: Elongates torso. Faux: Fake Benefit: No animals are harmed in the making of faux fur garments. Gathers: Small folds or puckers made by gathering cloth. Benefit: Adds dimension and softens overall appearance. Georgette: A thin, strong crepe of fibers woven from tightly-twisted yarn to produce a dull, pebbly surface. Benefit: Contributes drapability, semi-sheerness, and comfort. Godet: A triangular piece of fabric usually set into the hem of a garment to add swing and fullness. Benefit: Creates a shape that flares at the hem and flatters every body type. Gusset: Small piece of fabric, which is diamond-shaped, that is often sewn into the underarm of a sleeve and into the crotch of pants. These areas often fit tightly and are subject to stress. The gusset provides additional width and stretch. A gusset can also add shape to a garment when strategically placed. Benefit: Creates shape for a gentle fit. Seams in these areas are less likely to tear. Halter Top: A sleeveless bodice with a high choke or wrap neck that may be backless. Benefit: Great way to highlight shoulders and neck. Jacquard: Woven-in pattern created by a special loom. A raised design or pattern woven into the fabric as opposed to being printed on the fabric. Benefit: Adds interest and texture. Fashion Terms and Benefits Glossary - 2

3 Kick Pleat: An inverted pleat often used at the bottom of a skirt to give it more breadth. Benefit: Provides both style and ease of movement. Knife Pleat: A type of sharply pressed pleating, especially in a skirt or kilt, in which all of the folds are turned in one direction. Benefit: Provides detail to a garment along with shape and ease. Lenzing: A brand of rayon fibers produced by the Lenzing AG Corporation, based in northern Austria, and considered to be the finest in the world. Benefit: Lenzing is a brand name of rayon that is highly treated to be super soft, yet strong. Linen: A cloth made from flax and noted for its strength, coolness, and luster. Benefit: Contributes absorbency, coolness, and comfort. Usually washable. Madras: A cotton cloth of fine texture, usually with a plaid, striped, or checked pattern. Benefit: Adds color and interest. A quintessential summer fabric that breathes and keeps you cool. Mandarin Collar: A short, stand-up collar adopted from the close-fitting Asian collar. Benefit: Keeps front of jacket or shirt simple. Good for those with a long neck. Marled Yarn: Marled yarn is made from strands of different-colored yarn twisted together, sometimes in closely related hues. Benefit: Creates a two-toned, blended appearance. Merino Wool: From a specific breed of sheep. Benefit: Contributes warmth, absorbency, good shape retention, and wrinkle recovery. Considered the finest, softest wool. Modal (viscose): A variety of rayon; fabric made from rayon, namely any of a group of smooth textile fibers made from regenerated cellulose. Benefit: Contributes softness, luster, good drape, and comfort. Also has good moisture regain and air permeability. Is considered the premier rayon. Mohair: Wool of the Angora goat. Benefit: In addition to warmth, absorbency, good shape retention, and wrinkle recovery, it also contributes strength, luster, and interesting texture. Nylon: A high-strength resilient, synthetic fabric. Benefit: Contributes strength, wrinkle resistance, and affordability. Slimming to waist and/or hips. Provides extra coverage and protection from the elements. A classic design element that adds sophistication. Ombre: A color effect woven into the fabric that has a gradual change in shade from light to dark. Benefit: Adds definition and interest to a garment and can be strategically placed to create a slimming effect. Fashion Terms and Benefits Glossary - 3

4 Peasant Top: Romantic style often characterized by a low neckline, ruffles, or free-flowing material. Benefit: Covers midsection. Very comfortable style. Pencil Skirt/Column Skirt: This skirt has a straight line with no flare or fullness at the hem or waistline. Often tapers in at hem. Benefit: Creates a vertical line that lengthens. Placement Print: Images within a print are placed at an exact place. Benefit: Ensures that the print will show at its best, and to the design intent, for every garment. Placket: The piece of cloth that reinforces a split or opening in a garment that usually also serves as the closure. Benefit: Also provides coverage and finished details. Polyester: A complex ester used for making synthetic fibers. Benefit: Contributes wash-and-wear qualities, wrinkle resistance, shape retention, and affordability. Poplin: A sturdy fabric of cotton, silk, rayon, etc., in plain weave with fine cross ribbing, used for raincoats, sportswear blouses, etc. Benefit: Provides a crisp finish, washes and wears well, and is ready to iron, while not wrinkling easily. Princess Seams: Seams that can be found in the front or the back of a garment that creates a form-fitting shape. Benefit: Improves fit and provides shape. Rayon (viscose): A fabric produced from naturally occurring polymers and therefore it is not a synthetic fiber, but a manufactured regenerated cellulosic fiber. Benefit: A very versatile fiber that has the same comfort properties as other natural fibers and can imitate the feel and texture of silk, wool, cotton, or linen. Ruching: Fabric that s been gathered and stitched at a center point to maintain a rippled appearance. Benefit: Ripples in fabric camouflage bumps and bulges. Scoop Neck: A low, U-shaped or round neckline. Benefit: Provides soft curves at neckline that accentuate nice upper torso and bust line. Seed Stitch: A fun and simple stitch pattern that makes raised stitch areas that look like seeds. Benefit: Adds texture and interest. Silk: A fine lustrous fiber composed mainly of fibroin and produced by silk worms. Benefit: Contributes luster, luxury, and comfort. Skort: Shorts that have a front and/or back covering to resemble a skirt. Benefit: Provides more coverage and looks more finished than a short but with the same sporty comfort. Fashion Terms and Benefits Glossary - 4

5 Spandex: A synthetic fiber or fabric made from a polymer containing polyurethane. Benefit: Contributes elasticity and comfort. Square Neck: An open-yoke neckline shaped in the form of a half-square. Benefit: Widens shoulder line. Ticking Stripe: Ticking fabric is a heavy cotton fabric, similar in weight to denim. Originally used for mattress covers because of its durability, it is now used in home furnishings and clothing alike. Usually with a variegated stripe pattern, ticking stripe is loved for its Old World charm and comfort. Benefit: Washes and wears well. Tulip Skirt: Skirt that is fitted and flares at the hem. Benefit: a fun and flattering silhouette. V-Neck: An open yoke coming to a "V" shape midway down the bodice. Benefit: Elongates upper torso. Vertical Seams/Lines: Lines that fall inside the garment that are created by seams, pleats, topstitching, trims, plackets, etc. Benefit: Lengthening and slimming. Welt Pocket: A welt is a pocket opening treatment. The welt is a cut and sewn piece of fabric that is used to slim and finish the pocket opening. Benefit: Provides a fine tailoring finish and definition without bulk. Wool: The term 'wool' refers to the fibers from the fleece of lambs, sheep, Kashmir goats, Angora goats, camels, llamas, alpacas, and vicunas. Wool from sheep is the most common. Benefit: Contributes warmth, absorbency, good shape retention, and wrinkle recovery. 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. Benefit: Lines can lengthen and slim. Drape of fabric adds interest and camouflages. Yarn Dye: A fabric such as plaid, check, or stripe where the color is in the dyed threads or yarns before weaving or knitting the cloth, as opposed to the color bring printed on the fabric after being woven. Benefit: This gives a more consistent and richer look. Fashion Terms and Benefits Glossary - 5