the Fashion Spot - View Single Post - Fashion Terms/Terminology and Abbreviations

Ceptuouse · 01-07-2006

Garment shapes and lines
princess line
A garment style in which the sections of the garment are cut in one from shoulder to hem, with no waistline seam. Close body fit is achieved by cutting the pieces so that the seams create the shape and by adding darts where necessary. The origin of the style is attributed to Charles Worth, the fashion designer who made clothing for the Empress (princess) Eugenie of France in the mid-1800s.

empire waist
Location of the waistline just under the bustline. The name of this style comes from the high-waisted styles popular during the reign of the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (1804-1814).

shift
A basic dress style that has simple, straight lines and does not fit close to the body. Very popular in the 1960s and in other periods when unfitted styles are popular. One innovation in this style in the 1960s was the incorporation of a diagonal dart running from the side seam to the bustline. In comparison, a sheath is a simple, straight, but fitted dress in which vertical darts, bust darts, and shaping from side seams provide the fit.

A-line
Style line for apparel in which the dress fits at the shoulder or the skirt at the waist and gradually flares out to a wider hemline, causing it to resemble the letter A. The earliest A-line designs were created by Christian Dior in the 1950s.

polonaise
Skirt style in which an overskirt is pulled to the side, looped up, puffed out, and draped over an underskirt. Now used largely for evening and bridal gowns.

panniers/panniers
Hoops that perch on the hips and hold skirts out at the sides. Now used for evening and wedding gowns, the original paniers used in the 18th century were named after under supports made of basket-like materials (French paniers means basket). In England the word was spelled panniers, but the devices were more likely to be called hoops.

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

basque
The extension below the waistline of a fitted bodice or jacket. Unlike a peplum, which flares out below the waist and is relatively short, basques may be of any length, may be fitted or full, and may be placed in a limited area, such as the back or front, or all around. They are an integral part of the construction of the garment top.

Watteau back
The back of a garment in which box pleats are placed at the center back and the fabric released by these pleats falls loosely to the bottom of the garment. The name of this style derives from Jean Antoine Watteau, a French artist of the 18th century, in whose paintings women wore dresses with this design feature. The name was not applied to these designs until the 19th century. Today the style continues to be popular, especially in nightgowns and robes.

Sleeves and Shoulder lines
armscye/armseye
Word used in sewing and in design to refer to the armhole of a garment.

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. This style tends to be popular when revivals of the styles of the 1890s are fashionable. It is also sometimes called by the French name for a leg of lamb, a gigot sleeve.

raglan
Widely used sleeve construction in which the underarm seam of the sleeve is extended to the neckline at the front and the back. This construction is said to have originated when a British General in the Crimean War, Lord Raglan, had coats with this sleeve constructed for himself after he lost an arm in the charge of the Light Brigade in 1854.

batwing/dolman sleeve
Sleeve that fits closely at the wrist but widens to be very full under the arm. From the back, the sleeve resembles a cape. Its name comes from its resemblance to the wing of a bat or its similarity to a type of coat worn in the late 1800s that had a cape-like sleeve.

pagoda sleeve
A sleeve that is shaped much like an Asian building called a pagoda. Like 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.

bishop sleeve
A basic sleeve style cut with minimal fullness where it is set into the armhole then widens gradually to the wrist where it is gathered into a tightly fitting cuff. Some versions have the fullness at the wrist concentrated in such a way that much of it hangs down under the wrist.

[wwd]

01-07-2006	223
Ceptuouse V.I.P. Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Gender: homme Posts: 15,925	Garment shapes and lines princess line A garment style in which the sections of the garment are cut in one from shoulder to hem, with no waistline seam. Close body fit is achieved by cutting the pieces so that the seams create the shape and by adding darts where necessary. The origin of the style is attributed to Charles Worth, the fashion designer who made clothing for the Empress (princess) Eugenie of France in the mid-1800s. empire waist Location of the waistline just under the bustline. The name of this style comes from the high-waisted styles popular during the reign of the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (1804-1814). shift A basic dress style that has simple, straight lines and does not fit close to the body. Very popular in the 1960s and in other periods when unfitted styles are popular. One innovation in this style in the 1960s was the incorporation of a diagonal dart running from the side seam to the bustline. In comparison, a sheath is a simple, straight, but fitted dress in which vertical darts, bust darts, and shaping from side seams provide the fit. A-line Style line for apparel in which the dress fits at the shoulder or the skirt at the waist and gradually flares out to a wider hemline, causing it to resemble the letter A. The earliest A-line designs were created by Christian Dior in the 1950s. polonaise Skirt style in which an overskirt is pulled to the side, looped up, puffed out, and draped over an underskirt. Now used largely for evening and bridal gowns. panniers/panniers Hoops that perch on the hips and hold skirts out at the sides. Now used for evening and wedding gowns, the original paniers used in the 18th century were named after under supports made of basket-like materials (French paniers means basket). In England the word was spelled panniers, but the devices were more likely to be called hoops. peplum A ruffle or flared section in the construction of a jacket or blouse that extends a short distance below the waistline. Peplums may be sewn to the bodice, cut in one with the bodice, or may be a separate section attached to a belt. basque The extension below the waistline of a fitted bodice or jacket. Unlike a peplum, which flares out below the waist and is relatively short, basques may be of any length, may be fitted or full, and may be placed in a limited area, such as the back or front, or all around. They are an integral part of the construction of the garment top. Watteau back The back of a garment in which box pleats are placed at the center back and the fabric released by these pleats falls loosely to the bottom of the garment. The name of this style derives from Jean Antoine Watteau, a French artist of the 18th century, in whose paintings women wore dresses with this design feature. The name was not applied to these designs until the 19th century. Today the style continues to be popular, especially in nightgowns and robes. Sleeves and Shoulder lines armscye/armseye Word used in sewing and in design to refer to the armhole of a garment. 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. This style tends to be popular when revivals of the styles of the 1890s are fashionable. It is also sometimes called by the French name for a leg of lamb, a gigot sleeve. raglan Widely used sleeve construction in which the underarm seam of the sleeve is extended to the neckline at the front and the back. This construction is said to have originated when a British General in the Crimean War, Lord Raglan, had coats with this sleeve constructed for himself after he lost an arm in the charge of the Light Brigade in 1854. batwing/dolman sleeve Sleeve that fits closely at the wrist but widens to be very full under the arm. From the back, the sleeve resembles a cape. Its name comes from its resemblance to the wing of a bat or its similarity to a type of coat worn in the late 1800s that had a cape-like sleeve. pagoda sleeve A sleeve that is shaped much like an Asian building called a pagoda. Like 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. bishop sleeve A basic sleeve style cut with minimal fullness where it is set into the armhole then widens gradually to the wrist where it is gathered into a tightly fitting cuff. Some versions have the fullness at the wrist concentrated in such a way that much of it hangs down under the wrist. [wwd]