Argyle-Multicolored diamond pattern most often seen in socks and sweaters.

Ascot–Men’s tie associated with formal dress, also known as a Cravat, tied with one loop or double knot, held in place with a tie pin.

B
Bengaline–Fabric having a crosswise ribbed effect made of silk, wool, or synthetic fibers, has a lustrous finish.

Bloomers-Named after Amelia Jenks Bloomer known to be one of the first adopters of the wide leg full trousers gathered below the knee. Bloomers were popularly worn by women in the 1890’s with the advent of the bicycle.

Bodice-Portion of a dress between the shoulders and the waist. Bodices have varied in length depending on location of the waistline in any era of history pertaining to style of the period.

Bolero-An open front, sleeved or sleeveless jacket, almost reaching the waist. Often with braid or trim embellishments.

Bouclé-Bouclé fabric is woven or knitted from looped yarn which gives it a highly textured surface.

Braces-Also known as suspenders.

Broadcloth-Closely woven plain weave combed cotton or cotton blend fabric with a smooth surface used primarily for blouses.

Brocade-Jacquard weave fabric with a raised design usually floral or paisley designs woven into the fabric. Often woven with gold or silver threads primarily associated with eveningwear.

Bustle-A general term referring to back fullness in a skirt. Bustles were an important element of style in women's skirts from about 1870 to 1890.

C
Cameo-Sculptural relief design cut into a hard stone used as jewelry. Most popular relief is of a women’s silhouette, found on pins and worn on women’s blouses and dresses or on a band around the neck.

Challis-Lightweight plain woven fabric mainly used for blouses.

Chenille-Fabric or trim woven with a dense hair-like texture.

D
Dart-A pointed tuck sewn on the inside of the garment to shape it to the lines of the body.

Devoré Velvet-Also known as cut velvet or burn out velvet. Fabric in which the looped pile velvet has been cut into a figured pattern with a backing of chiffon.

Dobby Weave-Dobby weaves produce allover figured fabrics. They are made on looms having a dobby attachment. Dobby weaves are simple, small geometric figures, with the design repeated frequently.

Drawers-Long loose fitting knickers worn to the ankle made to be viewed below skirts, usually made of cotton.

Duster-Long lightweight coat introduced during the late 19th century with the advent of the automobile. Worn while motoring to protect clothing from the dusty roads at the time. Dusters had long sleeves, high collar, and cut in full length.

E
Edwardian-A style of dress associated with the period between the 1900 to 1910. Showcased with clothing lines including high collars and long sleeved, voluminous bustline, fitted waistline and curved full hips. Skirts had majority of the fabric gathered at the back waistline and length reaches to the ankles. This era followed the Victorian period.

Embroidered-Ornamental needlework of designs used to decorate fabric.

Eton Jacket-Originally a boy's short waist-length jacket worn by students at Eton College in England from the mid 19th until the early 20th century. Similar short jacket styles became popular in the late 1900’s which became popular for women.

Eyelet Fabric-Fabric with small holes edged with embroidered stitches as part of a design. Mainly seen in lightweight cotton and voile fabrics.

F
Flounce-A fabric piece of a design which can be decorative, or gives volume to a the piece. Usually gathered or pleated material attached by one edge sewn to a garment

Frog-Decorative braid closure which loops over a braid toggle or button.

G
Gabardine-Twill woven fabric with a smooth diagonal weave. Produced in a variety of weights in natural and man-made fibers.

Garibaldi-Shirt or blouse worn by women in the 1860’s. A loose high-necked blouse with long sleeves styled after the red flannel shirts worn by Garibaldi's soldiers)

Gathers-Design element of fabric drawn together with thread to create volume. A means of distributing fullness in some part of a garment to make soft folds in order to decrease the width of the fabric.

Gore-Fabric panels sewn into skirts that are intended to add gradual fullness to a garment. Skirts often consist of three or more gores. They allow a closer fit over the hips and then gradually flare out at the lower part of the garment to increase the fullness at the hemline.

Grosgrain-Closely woven heavily ribbed ribbon. Popular trim used on hats.

H
Herringbone-Also known as chevron weave. Fabric pattern consisting of adjoining vertical rows of slanting lines, any two contiguous lines forming either a V or an inverted V.

Hoop-Also known as crinoline. An undergarment used to hold out a full skirt. Its structure varies. It can be a series of gradually larger diameter hoops starting below the waist and reaching to the hem. These hoops are held together by vertical tapes or sewn into a petticoat. Alternatively, the garment may be a petticoat made from a stiff fabric. Crinoline, now used as a synonym for a such a petticoat, was a firm fabric originally made with horsehair. An important part of a woman's wardrobe in the 1860s, today hoops are worn under evening gowns and wedding dresses.

Hourglass-Also known as ‘S’ curve silhouette. Shape exemplified with the Victorian and Edwardian period when women wore corsets to pull in the waist and push out the bust and hips. See Pigeon Front.

I

Inseam-The seam in a trouser that runs from the crotch to the hem. Leg length is measured based on the inseam and the finished hem length of trousers.

Iridescent-A fabric in which two colors reflect in the light, sometimes to a shimmery effect. Iridescent fabric can be produced either when a yarn in one color is woven with a yarn in a different color, or when one type of yarn is woven with another type of yarn.

J
Jacquard-A fabric with an intricately woven pattern mainly a decorative weave created by a jacquard loom and used for brocades.

Jet-A dense black coal that takes a high polish and is used for jewelry. Fashionable in the Victorian era and used for lockets, pendants, brooches and bracelets.

Jodhpurs-Very full wide-hipped riding pants of heavy cloth, fitting tightly from knee to ankle, also known as riding breeches. Worn by motorcycle riders and aviators in the 1920’ to the 1950’s.

K
Khaki-A common slang term in the United States Navy that refers to chief petty officers and officers (who wear a khaki-colored uniform). Today, civilian "khakis" come in all ranges of colors and the term refers more to the particular design or cut of twill weave pants/trousers. The most popular and well known is Levi’s Dockers brand of khaki. Also referred to as a color, ‘dust-colored’, a brownish-yellow color.

L
Leg-of Mutton Sleeve-A sleeve that is cut with a very full top that is gathered or pleated into the armhole, then tapers gradually to fit closely at the wrist. Popular style of the 1890s. It is also sometimes called by the French name for a leg of lamb, a gigot sleeve.

M
Mandarin Collar-Stand up collar on jackets, dresses and blouses, adapted from a close fitting Asian collar.

Mantle-Hooded cloak/cape worn by women as an outer garment in the mid to late 19th century, can be waist or hip-length.

Mobcap-Large full simply decorated gathered cap worn indoors during the 19th century to protect the hair.

Motor Duster-see Dusters.

O
Oxford-A woven fabric, employed to make the fabric in oxford shirts. The warp has two fine yarns paired together. The weft has one heavier, a softly spun fill yarn. A soft, basket-weave cotton used as one of the most popular fabrics for a dress shirt.

P
Pagoda Sleeve-A sleeve that is shaped much like an Asian building called a pagoda. The sleeve is narrow at the top where it fits the upper arm closely, then gradually flares out to become wide at the bottom. The shape is similar to a funnel, and so this sleeve style may also be called a funnel sleeve.

Paisley-Fabric design with a colorful woven or printed and swirled pattern of abstract curved shapes. Most popular garment with paisley design is a type of woolen shawl popular in the 19th century, made of a soft wool fabric. Also used in cottons for overall paisley patterned dresses.

Pantalettes, Pantaloons-Also known as pantalet, long drawers extending below the skirt, with a frill or other finish at the bottom of the leg, commonly worn by women and girls in the 19th century.

Peplum-A ruffle or flared section in the construction of a jacket, blouse or skirt that extends a short distance below the waistline or in attached to the hemline. Peplums may be sewn to the bodice or skirt, cut in one with the bodice or skirt.

Petticoat-An under skirt which fits around the waist with ties or elastic. Worn as a separate garment from the fashion skirt or dress. Gives the skirt or dress the desired fashionable shape and polishes the outer attire. Throughout the 19th century, petticoats were generally made of linen, cotton, muslin, or wool.

Pigeon Front-Also known as pouter pigeon front and hourglass silhouette. The design of a pigeon front has extra material gathered or pleated on the front of the blouse or dress which forms a pouch in the front. This pouching in front, combined with fullness in the rear of the skirt, produced the fashionable ‘S' curve silhouette of the early twentieth century. Blouses and dresses were full in front and puffed into a "pigeon breast" also known as monobosom shape of the early 20th century that looked over the narrow waist, which sloped from back to front and was often accented with a sash or belt. Necklines were supported by very high boned collars and skirts brushed the floor, often with a train, even for day dresses, in mid-decade.

Pinafore-An apron with a bib front, halter neck and long skirt, that ties behind the waist.

Pin tucks-Narrow sewn rows of fabric that form very small pleats on the exterior of the design. Edwardian blouses were heavily pin tucked throughout to give a highly adorned look. Also used to fitting purposes to help tailor a garment.

Plus Two’s Knickers-See Knickerbockers. English terminology for knickers. Plus Two's have a Two inch folds over below the knee.

Plus Four Knickers-See Knickerbockers. English terminology for knickers. Plus Fours are longer and wider trousers with a baggy effect, They are called plus fours because there is an extra four inches of material which folds over below the knee.

Shirtwaist-Originally the word for a ladies blouse, the feminine version of a man’s shirt. Crisp tailored design with little lace and trimmings adorning this style of blouse.

Silhouette-A representation of all parts in proportion to the whole. In fashion, the proportion of each element of the design, when added to the whole, equating a familiar overall appearance. For example in Victorian silhouettes, the hourglass of ’S’ curve, wide shoulders, usually large puffed sleeves, small waist emphasized with a belt or contrasting color, finishing with a full broad hemline.

Suspenders-Designed to hold up men’s trousers and knickers, consisting of two bands joined in the back and attached to trousers or knickers with buttons. Later designs attach with metal clips. Usually made of elastic, and known in UK as ‘braces’.

T
Taffeta-A crisp, smooth, plain-woven fabric with a glossy lustrous sheen. Made of various fibers, such as silk, rayon, or acetate, and used especially for women's eveningwear garments.

Tea Gown-A long loose-fitting gown formerly popular for wear at afternoon tea. This allowed corsets to be loosened or removed underneath. Characterized by unstructured lines, light fabrics, lace trim, and frothy or feminine detail.

Tweed-Fabric with a rugged, nub surface, in any of various weaves of two or more colors or shades. Often with multi colored nubs interwoven throughout the weave. A soft, open, flexible texture resembling cheviot or homespun, but more closely woven. It is made in either plain or twill weave and may have a check, twill, or herringbone pattern. Subdued, interesting color effects (heather mixtures) are obtained by twisting together different-colored woolen strands into a two- or three-ply yarn. Tweeds are desirable for outer wear, being moisture resistant and very durable, used chiefly for casual suits, hats, and coats.

Twill-A weave used to produce fabric which is a woven pattern of diagonal or twill lines that run upward to the right or left on the fabric face. A hard-wearing fabric used for making sporting jackets and pants. Weave used primarily for denim jeans and Levi’s Dockers.

W
Walking Suit- A women’s suit very popular in the 1890’s consisting of a braid trimmed jacket with front closure and an ankle length skirt which flares at the back to permit easy walking.

Waistcoat- A men’s waist length, sleeveless garment worn under a jacket and over a shirt. Can be made of plain or embroidered fabrics, buttons up the front and usually had two small pockets. Today known as a vest.

Z
Zouave Jacket- A collarless, waist length jacket, bolero style jacket with three quarter length sleeves. Worn as indoor and outdoor wear. Often with braid or trim embellishments.