FINISHING terms

bias cut - Cut diagonally across the grain of a fabric; used to create body-conscious garments
blanket stitch - stitch that forms a line of closely spaced loops at edge
boning - sewn into a garment for stiffening and to provide shape
dart - a pointed tuck sewn to tailor the garment to the body
facing - a piece of fabric that is sewn to the collar, front opening, cuffs, or arms eye of a garment to create a finished look
fagotting - a peek-a-boo "ladder" embroidery produced by pulling out horizontal threads from a fabric and tying the remaining cross threads
french Seam - raw edges are totally covered by sewing them together to produce a finished seam
godet - triangular shape inserted into garment construction to give it fullness
gussets - triangular or diamond-shaped pieces at the underarm -- allowing freedom of arm movement in close fitting garments; popular during the 1950's.
piping - cord-like strip of fabric edging a garment
ruched - gathered material is sewn to create loose pleats
scalloped - edge of continuous curves, finished with bourdon stitching
smocking - fabric gathered by embroidery stitching; used commonly in sundresses & swimsuits, 1940s-1970s
top stitching - decorative row of stitching, often sewn in contrast thread
tucks - folds sewn and pressed down on fabric; popular in the early 20th c.

COLLAR & NECKLINE STYLES

ballerina neckline - a low neckline associated with strapless or spaghetti-strapped garments
bateau neck/boat-neck - high, wide neckline that cuts straight across the front and back, meeting at shoulders
chemisette/dickey - false front; giving the appearance of a top without adding bulk at the waist or upper arm
cowl neck - exaggerated tube at neck, can be used as a hood or draped as a swag
crew neck - round neck with ribbed banding
dropped shoulders - the shoulder/sleeve falls off the shoulder
jewel neck - high round neckline resting simply at the base of the neck; common to 1950's sweaters
keyhole neck - tear-shaped or round cutout fastening at front or back
mandarin collar - short, stand-up collar
notched collar - two-piece collar that must be worn open.
scoop neck - A low, U-shaped neckline at front or back
shawl collar - one-piece collar, turned down to form a continuous line around shoulder
spaghetti ties - thin fabric strings that bow at the shoulders
turtle neck - high, close-fitting, turnover collar
split neck - neckline has been opened at center to form a small "V"
sweetheart neckline shaped like the top half of a heart; common to strapless dresses & sundresses
V-neck - An open yoke coming to a "V" shape midway down the bodice.

POCKETS

besom pockets - a pocket sewn inside the garment -- accessed via welted slit-type opening.
cargo - large pocket -- usually with a flap and a pleat
hip pockets - sewn on the front of the garment at hip height
kangaroo pocket - formed by sewing a piece of cloth over the garment with access on either end; used in sports clothes & outdoor jackets
patch pockets - pockets attached to the outside of the garment

SLEEVES

balloon sleeve - shaped full over the upper arm and narrowed from the elbow to wrist
batwing sleeve - dolman sleeve which is cut wide at the armhole
bishop's sleeve - full below the elbow and gathered or left loose to drip at wrist
bracelet-length - commonly used in the 1950's
butterfly sleeve - wide flared long sleeve, which sometimes connects at the back
cap sleeve - extra-short sleeve which sits on the shoulder, forming a stiff cap
capelet sleeve - falls several inches below elbow in soft flare
dolman sleeve - cut as an extension of the bodice; common to the late 1940's illusion sleeve - a sleeve made of sheer material, giving the illusion of no sleeve
juliet sleeve - featuring a puff shoulder & often narrows to a fitted point.
kimono - rectangle sleeve, which may be cut in piece with whole garment
leg-of-mutton/gigot sleeve - loose, full sleeve nipped into a narrow tube at the elbow
puff sleeve/pouf sleeve - A full sleeve, generous gathered at armhole
raglan sleeve - extends in one piece to the neckline with seams from the armhole to the neck
tulip/petal sleeve - shorter sleeve, crisscrossing over shoulders & biceps; common in the 1970's

TOPs

"a" shirt/wife-beater - sleeveless t-shirt with large armholes and a large neck hole
bandeau/tube top/boob tube - tube-shaped covering
camisole/tank top/cami - short, sleeveless top
corset - lingerie-like, form-fitting bodice with boning/ laces/snaps
cropped top - hem is cut just above the waist; style had a resurgence in the 80's due in part to Madonna
double-breasted - one-half of the front overlaps the other; usually has a double row of buttons
draped bodice - extra material is draped over the bust line
empire bodice - waist is just below bust; popular in the Regency period
guayabera - an embroidered dress shirt with four pockets
halter - sleeveless bodice with a wrap neck
henley shirt - a collarless polo shirt
illusion bodice - sheer material is used to promote the illusion of no bodice; popular during the 1950s-1960s & famously worn by Grace Kelly & Elizabeth Taylor.
peasant top - characterized with a low, gathered neckline & ruffles
peplum - skirt added to hem of bodice; common to the 1940's & 1980's
ringer t-shirt - tee with a separate piece of fabric sewn on as the collar and sleeve hems
surplice/wrap top - diagonal cross-wrapped construction
trapeze top - sleeveless style with flared silhouette towards hem

WAISTLINES

basque waist/V-waist - dropped waist starts several inches below the natural waist and often dips at center, making a "V" shape
cinch belt - wide elastic belt worn with skirts; popular in the 50's
dropped waist - waistline sewn below the natural waist.
double-girdled waist – (Classical style) double-tied cord
empire waist - begins below bust
shirred waist - fabric is gathered to make a horizontal panel at waist

SKIRT STYLES

a-Line - shaped like a capital "A"
ballet-length - ending mid-calf
broomstick - characterized by numerous crumpled pleats; think "Fortuny"
bubble skirt/pouf - short-skirted bubble-shaped skirt
circle - full,round skirt; a true circle can lay flat in a ring
column/straight skirt - straight line with no flare at the hem
dirndl skirt - full skirt, pleated or gathered at waist
gored skirt - made from tapered strips of fabric that widen towards the the hem
hobble skirt - narrow and tight-fitting; popular in the 1910's
kilt - tartan cloth skirt, pleated & fastened by buckles or a large pin
maxi - ankle-length
mermaid - tight-fitting through the knees & then flared
micro - super-short length
mini - above-the-knee length
midi - knee-length
overskirt - skirt worn over another skirt
pencil skirt - narrow, tailored skirt
prairie skirt - slightly flared to very full, with one or more flounces; traditionally often worn over a ruffled eyelet or lace petticoat; famously reintroduced by Ralph Lauren in the 1970's
sarong - long cloth, wrapped around the body and tucked
t-skirt - contemporary style; made from a modified T-shirt, the T-skirt is generally modified to result in a pencil skirt, with invisible zippers, full length 2-way separating side zippers and artful fabric overlays and yokes
tea-length - ending at the shins
tulle/bouffant SKIRT - sheer, puffed-out skirt often made of stiffened silk or nylon net; common in 1950's prom dresses
rah-rah skirt - short, tiered, and often colorful skirt; fashionable in the early-mid 1980s
tiered - made of several horizontal layers, each wider than the one above.
trouser skirt - straight skirt tailored like menswear with belt loops, pockets, and fly front
yoke skirt - wide waist-band stretching to hips, joined to flaring skirt; common in the 1980's

the DRESS

chemise - straight unbelted dress
jumper/pinafore - sleeveless dress worn layered over a top
caftan - ankle-length garment with long, wide sleeves
granny Gown - ankle-length, sometimes ruffled, day dress of printed calico, cut like a Edwardian nightgown; think 1970's Laura Ashley
polonaise/milkmaid dress - gown with a fitted top and cut-front, draped and poufed overskirt, worn over underskirt.
sack dress - loosely shaped dress that tapers in at knees
sheath - a straight, fitted dress with waistline
shirtwaist - a tailored dress with a collar, defined waistline, full skirt and usually a belt. Common 1940's-1960's
shift - straight unstructured dress, usually darted at bust
tea gown - a frothy, feminine semi-formal dress
tent - a dress flared from above the bust
trapeze - tent-shaped dress cut -wide and extra-full
wiggle - fitted dress characterized by a hem measurement narrower than at the hips
wrap dress - style that overlaps at waist

TROUSER TERMS

bloomers - full, loose pant gathered at thigh, ankle or knee
capris/CLAMDIGGERS - straight-cut, mid-calf-length pants
chaps - front/back leg coverings, usually leather
flat-front - straight pants, often seamless and pocketless
gaucho/culottes - wide-legged, mid-calf-length pants
hakama - traditionally Japanese; resembles a wide, pleated SPLIT-skirt.
harem pants - full, ankle-length divided skirt or pants, cinched at ankles
jodhpurs - wide-hipped pants of heavy cloth, fitting tightly from knee to ankle
knickerbockers - baggy knee trousers; particularly popular in the early twentieth century
leggings - tight, form-fitting trousers that extend from the waist to ankles
palazzo pants - wide-legged pants, traditionally of a fluid fabric; first came on the scene in the 30’S
pantalettes/pantaloons/knickers - traditionally three-quarter length undergarments, covering the legs
toreador pants - tight pants laced at the knee