|
attached collar |
 |
a shirt collar that is permanently attached to the shirt; can be turndown, wing or
band collar; compare with detachable collar |
|
band collar
|
 |
a fashion-forward shirt collar that stands upright and encircles the neck
in a band; a popular formal shirt alternative in the 1990s usually with a decorative
"button cover" over the top button; not proper black tie; compare with turndown collar
and wing collar |
|
barathea |
 |
a fine textured worsted fabric that has a broken rib weave and a pebbly texture; used
primarily in wool for evening clothes and silk for neckwear; pronounced bare-e-THEE-e |
barrel cuff
|
see "single cuff"
|
batwing
bow tie |
 |
a bow tie with cricket bat-shaped blades; wing ends can be straight or pointed;
straight-end version also known as a "club bow" in America; compare to butterfly bow tie |
|
besom pocket |
 |
an inset pocket with a narrow welted edge above the opening; known as a double besom when
there is also a welt below the opening; can either be jetted (as shown here) or have a
flap; pronounced BEE-zem |
bib
|
see "bosom"
|
|
bird's eye piqué |
 |
diamond pattern piqué |
|
black tie |
a dress code
consisting of
specifically defined attire
(note: written as "black-tie" when used as an adjective)
|
boiled shirt
|
see "stiff-front shirt"
|
|
box pleat
(vintage)
|
 |
a pleat style featuring two
straight fabric folds facing in opposite directions;
often featured on the bosom of classic turndown
collar shirts |
|
blade |
 |
the shaped ends of an untied bow tie; when the center of a blade is knotted
during the tying process two "wings" are created |
|
bosom |
 |
the reinforced front portion of a formal shirt that is visible when the shirt is worn with a jacket; usually starched material in either plain or textured finish (especially piqué)
or soft with pleats; also also known as a "bib" |
|
boutonniere |
 |
a flower or bouquet worn in a buttonhole; from French "boutonnière" ("buttonhole");
pronounced boo-ten-YARE (most correctly) or boo-ten-EAR;
known as a "buttonhole" in the UK |
|
braid |
 |
when used in the context of formal trousers, "braid" refers to a stripe of dressy
facing that covers the outside seam of the legs
and may or may not include actual braid |
|
broadcloth
|
 |
a fabric usually of cotton, silk, or
rayon made in plain and rib weaves with soft semi-gloss
finish |
|
brocade |
 |
a jacquard fabric characterized by raised figures or flowers; sometimes used for
formal silk waist coverings or facings |
|
buckskin
|
 |
the
skin of a buck
(male deer) or a soft
pliable leather
usually
with a suede finish; used for formal
outdoor gloves |
butterfly
bow tie |
 |
a bow tie with thistle-shaped blades that create flared,
slightly curved wings; wing ends can be straight or pointed; straight-end
version also known as a "thistle bow tie" (esp. in UK); compare to batwing bow tie |
|
button stance |
 |
the location of a coat's front buttons relative to its waist |
|
calfskin |
 |
a fine leather made from the skin of a young calf; alternative to patent leather in formal footwear |
|
cashmere
|
 |
a fine wool
from the undercoat of the Kashmir
goat woven or knitted into
soft fabrics that are luxurious to the touch |
|
clock |
 |
a knitted or embroidered vertical design on the outside of a sock |
club bow tie
|
see "batwing bow tie"
|
|
continental tie |
 |
a bow tie alternative consisting of a strip of black fabric
that overlaps under the throat where it
is is fastened by a tie tack or snap button;
the term is also applied to a V-shaped
neckband fastened behind the neck;
neither are considered proper black tie |
|
cufflinks |
 |
a usually ornamental device consisting of two parts joined by a shank, chain, or bar for passing through buttonholes to fasten shirt cuffs;
required for formal shirts |
|
cummerbund
|
 |
a broad pleated waistband or sash usually worn with a tuxedo
in place of a waistcoat; became popular in the 1930s; from
Hindi & Urdu kamarband in turn from Persian, from
kamar waist + band band |
cutaway (coat)
|
see "morning coat" |
|
cutaway collar |
 |
a spread collar with an extremely wide spread between the collar points |
|
detachable collar |
 |
a collar attached to a collarless shirt by means of studs;
usually made of highly starched cotton; in formal wear usually a
wing collar attached to a stiff-front shirt; compare to
attached collar |
|
dinner jacket |
 |
a usually black formal suit jacket with dressy lapel facings for evening wear;
also known as a tuxedo jacket
– see
Comparative Terminology |
|
double-breasted |
 |
having one half of the front lapped over the other and usually a double vertical row
of buttons and a single row of buttonholes; found in
jackets, coats, overcoats and
waistcoats; compare with single-breasted |
double cuff
|
see "French cuff"
|
dress coat
|
chiefly British term for evening tailcoat |
|
dress suit |
chiefly British term for evening tailcoat and
matching trousers aka "full-dress suit"; compare
with "dinner suit" which refers to dinner jacket
and matching trousers |
duck
(vintage) |
 |
a heavy, plain woven cotton fabric commonly referred
to as "canvas"; also known as "cotton duck", "duck cloth" or
"duck canvas"; from Dutch "doek" ("linen canvas") |
embroidery
(vintage) |
 |
ornamented with needlework; sometimes found on formal soft shirts and
facings in the '50s and
'60s |
|
evening
tailcoat |
 |
a tailcoat that is double-breasted
(although designed not to close) with skirt sharply cut away
at the front |
evening wear
|
see
Dress Codes
|
|
eyelet |
 |
in regards to formal wear, a button hole intended to take a stud;
also known as a "stud hole" |
|
facing |
 |
a layer of decorative fabric used to dress formal accents such as dinner jacket lapels, buttons and
welts, as well as to cover
trouser seams |
|
faille |
 |
a somewhat shiny, closely woven silk, rayon, or cotton fabric with a ribbed weave;
used in formal wear facings and bow ties; pronounced FILE
(note: term is often used interchangeably with grosgrain
although it is actually finer finish) |
false cuff
(vintage) |
 |
tailoring embellishment that creates the impression of a
finished sleeve cuff; popular on formal coats in the
Victorian era |
|
finished waistband |
 |
a formal trouser waistband dressed with decorative facing and uninterrupted by
belt loops; designed to be worn without a waist covering; became popular in the 1990s
|
|
flap pocket |
 |
an inset pocket with a covering
(flap) over the mouth;
considered less formal than a jetted pocket which does not have a flap |
|
fly front |
 |
a closure in which a placket or piece of fabric
covers buttons or a zipper; used on a shirt, coat or trouser |
formal
|
see
Dress Codes
|
|
|
four-in-hand |
 |
the knot most commonly used to tie a long necktie; also
refers to the long tie itself; black silk four-in-hand ties
are sometimes used as a fashion-forward alternative to the
bow tie |
|
frock coat
|
 |
historically a man's knee-length
double-breasted day coat (often known as
a Prince Albert coat);
since the 1990s, a fashion-forward alternative
to the dinner jacket not considered correct black tie |
|
French cuff |
 |
a soft double cuff that is made by turning back half of a wide cuff band and fastening
it with cuff links;
found on soft-front formal shirts; also known as a "double cuff" (esp. in UK); compare with single cuff
|
|
full dress |
original
term for what is now known as white tie; originally
distinguished from "half dress" (semi-formal day and evening
wear) and "undress" (lounge suit)
(note: written as "full-dress" when used as an adjective) |
|
grosgrain |
 |
a strong close-woven corded fabric usually of silk or rayon; used as a more understated
alternative to satin facing in formal wear; pronounced GROW-grain
|
|
homburg |
 |
a man's felt hat with a stiff curled brim and a high crown creased
lengthwise; appropriate in black for black-tie attire since the 1920s |
|
jacquard |
 |
a fabric of intricate variegated
weave or pattern; named for the Frenchman who invented the loom; sometimes used for formal
facings and waist coverings; pronounced JA-kard |
jetted pocket
|
see "besom pocket" |
lawn
(vintage) |
 |
a fine sheer linen or cotton fabric of
plain weave; originally used for
full-dress bow ties |
laydown collar
|
see "turndown collar" |
|
link front |
 |
method of fastening a single-button jacket with two buttons connected to
each other cufflink-style; a very traditional style
for morning coats but also sometimes seen on dinner
jackets both past and present |
|
lisle |
 |
a smooth, sleek, tightly twisted thread usually made of long-staple cotton;
used as an alternative to silk for formal socks
|
|
lounge suit |
British term for the business suit;
named after its original role as Victorian resort or
casual wear
|
continued . . .
