Fashion Glossary Top 101: The Ultimate Guide to Terminology

A fashion glossary is an excellent tool that provides definitions and explanations for standard fashion terms and phrases. This article will explore the importance of a fashion glossary, its work, and some standard fashion terms you might encounter.

This article was last updated on 04/06/2024.

Fashion is an ever-evolving industry that can be hard to keep up with. It seems like every season, new trends, designers, and terms emerge. As a result, it can be challenging to understand the ins and outs of the fashion industry, especially for those not well-versed in fashion jargon.

Fortunately, a fashion glossary is an excellent tool that provides definitions and explanations for standard fashion terms and phrases. This article will explore the importance of a fashion glossary, its work, and some standard fashion terms you might encounter.

Importance of a Fashion Glossary

A fashion glossary is an essential tool for anyone interested in fashion, whether you’re a fashion student, blogger, or enthusiast. It provides a comprehensive list of fashion terms and definitions, making it easier for people to understand the industry’s language. Fashion is a multi-billion dollar industry that spans the globe, and a fashion glossary can help break down barriers to entry, making it easier for people to understand fashion jargon.

How a Fashion Glossary Works

A fashion glossary is a collection of fashion terms and phrases organized alphabetically. It provides definitions and explanations for each term, helping users understand its meaning and context. Fashion glossaries can be found online, in books, or even in some fashion magazines.

Common Fashion Terms

There are countless fashion terms and phrases, but here are some of the most common:

Haute Couture

Haute couture refers to high-end, custom-made clothing designed for specific clients. Haute couture is known for its quality, attention to detail, and exclusivity.

Ready-to-Wear

Ready-to-wear clothing is mass-produced and available for purchase in stores. It is less expensive than haute couture and more accessible to the general public.

Fast Fashion

Fast fashion is clothing produced quickly and inexpensively to meet the demand for the latest trends. It is often criticized for its environmental impact and unethical labor practices. Read more here.

Sustainable Fashion

Sustainable fashion (or eco-fashion) is an approach to fashion that considers the environmental, social, and economic impacts of clothing production. Sustainable fashion aims to minimize waste and reduce the industry’s carbon footprint.

Check out the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion,

Capsule Wardrobe

A capsule wardrobe is a collection of essential clothing items that can be mixed and matched to create a variety of outfits. The concept of a capsule wardrobe is to have a minimal number of versatile pieces that can be worn for multiple occasions.

Vintage

Vintage clothing refers to clothing that is at least 20 years old. It is often sought after for its uniqueness and historical significance.

Statement Piece

A statement piece is a bold, eye-catching piece of clothing or accessory intended to make a statement. It can add interest and personality to an outfit.

Alphabetical fashion Terms:

Activewear

Any clothes intended for use during an active sport, such as yoga pants, track pants, swim shorts, rugby shorts, etc., are called activewear.

Anorak

Anoraks are hooded sports jackets explicitly made for use in inclement weather. (Examples: windy, snowy, etc.) A parka, windbreaker, or windcheater are other names for an anorak.

Aviator Jacket

A leather jacket with a sheepskin collar, generally. They were modeled after the leather jackets that fighter pilots wore during World Wars I and II.

Aviator Sunglasses

They wanted to make sunglasses that shielded the light, with a teardrop shape that covered the entire eye so that pilots could see when flying in any weather. Later, these spectacles evolved into one of the most well-known sunglasses, still in style today. Read more in our articles about sunglasses for women and sunglasses for men.

Baby Doll

Popularized by the 1956 film of the same name starring Carroll Baker, A Baby Doll dress is a short dress that was once only worn at night but is now worn throughout the day. It is frequently crafted from light chiffon and adorned with bows, lace, and ribbon. Empire necklines and mini skirts are characteristics of baby doll fashion.

Bermuda Shorts

Bermuda Shorts are a style of knee-length, semi-casual shorts that can be worn with or without cuffs. The name is taken from Bermuda, where short trousers were once thought appropriate for business and military personnel owing to the heat.

Breton Stripe

On a white background, narrow blue horizontal stripes make up Breton stripes. Coco Chanel made this style famous in the 1930s, inspired by the conventional French sailor top. Read more about the Breton Stripe in our article about the 16 favorite accessories in the world.

Capri Pants

Capri trousers are slender pants for women that end just below the knee. Emilio Pucci first produced them in 1949 and sold them at his store on the island of Capri.

Coat

Overgarments are worn as outerwear to defend against the weather. Coats come in numerous lengths and types. Duffel coats, trench coats, and great coats are popular coat designs.

Cocktail Dress

A more compact evening gown worn to cocktails, formal, and formal events. Cocktail dresses typically end at the knee or mid-thigh.

Fashionista

A phrase used to identify someone who works in the fashion industry or follows fashion. An enthusiastic fashion leader and follower.

Fedora

Soft felt 1950s hat form that stands out thanks to its prominent center crease on the head. Both the front and brim are pinched. Read more about it in our article Hats for Women. And hats for men.

Flannel

Similar to toweling, short-pile sportswear fabrics, especially shorts, were standard in the 1970s.

Footwear

Shoes that reach the ankle are worn to protect the feet, come in various styles, and are made of multiple materials. We have separate articles about footwear for women and footwear for men.

Fragrance

The perfume is made from aromatic compounds, essential oils, and other ingredients, providing a palatable and alluring scent. We have a specific category for bouquets.

Garment

A piece of clothing composed of several fabrics and fasteners. Variations in these elements’ styles define different fashions.

Gingham

A thin cotton material that is typically checked Usually blends red, blue, or green with white.

Jodhpurs

Tight-fitting pants for use for riding horses. They have a tight fit on the lower legs but are flared above the knee, and they are named after the Indian city where they were first produced.

Kimono

Japanese coat-like garment with long, wide, rectangular sleeves and an Obi sash belt. The fabrics chosen are frequently opulent and elaborate.

Lingerie

A wide range of clothing items, including undergarments, are created for ladies, from silk, cotton, satin, polyester, and nylon. Read also our article about Victoria’s Secrets.

Macrame

Knotting is frequently used in home furniture. It reemerged in the 1990s, mainly in handbags, after becoming linked with apparel in the 1960s.

Mini skirt

The hemline of a short skirt is typically at least 20 cm above the knee.

Pret-a-Porter

Designer clothing is offered in normal sizes as opposed to custom sizes.

Quilted

Wadding is sandwiched between two pieces of fabric using the padding technique, which is secured by sewing over the textiles in a diamond pattern. Today, there are many different patterns. Check some at mooreandgiles.com

Spaghetti Strap

A tiny shoulder strap can be found on clothing items like camisoles, cocktail dresses, and evening gowns.

Tailoring

When suits and other clothing are produced, they are unique and customized to the individual customer’s specifications.

Thong

A small strip of fabric attaches to the hip band via a gap between the buttocks. Using a thong, it can also describe sandals fastened to the wearer’s foot inside the big toe.

Trench Coat

A waterproof, heavy-duty cotton drill or poplin knee-length raincoat with two breasts and a loose belt.

Underwires

Address the strong U-shaped rods that arch beneath the base of some bra cups. Underwires are utilized for structure and support, giving the wearer’s bust an appearance of being more pushed up, highlighting their cleavage.

Vogue

The prevailing fashion or style at a particular time. Also, the famous Vogue magazine and website.

Waistcoat

A three-piece suit’s dress shirt is worn over a sleeveless, upper-body component cut at the waist and has a vertical, buttoned front opening.

Zeitgeist

The intellectual and moral trends of a particular age. The phrase translates to “the spirit of the age” and comes from the German words zeit, which means “time,” and geist, which means “spirit.” In fashion, Zeitgeist is a tendency characterized by the presentation of traces of the past or the spirit or mood that defines a particular historical period as evidenced by the views and beliefs of the time.

Conclusion

Fashion is a complex and ever-changing industry that can be difficult to navigate. A fashion glossary is an excellent tool that provides definitions and explanations for standard fashion terms and phrases. Understanding fashion jargon and industry terminology is crucial for anyone interested in fashion, and a fashion glossary can help break down barriers to entry. By providing clear and concise definitions for fashion terms, a fashion glossary can help people better understand the language of the industry.

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Pashalis Laoutaris

I am a professional writer, fashion blogger, and owner of the site https://laoutaris.com. I have more than 20 years of experience as a salesperson in the fashion industry and 10 years of experience as a fashionista. I consider myself a true fashionista. I write daily blog articles about fashion, tools and converters, and everything you need to know about current fashion trends.

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