Fashion terms explained in simple English

Fashion terms are usually normal words in English (or French) but sort of taken out of context to fit the fashion language.

 

Result? Being a fashion person is hard when you have to discuss with mere mortals, with them asking what you mean in every other sentence. But then again, you don’t need to be into fashion to wear clothes. It’s a necessity and unavoidable and it costs money too. Which brings us to the next issue of importance, money. If you’re going to spend money on clothes, you should care about how you look and pay a little attention to what happens in the industry. Fortunately,  Damilola Animashaun of Konbini has put together the commonest term used in the industry to help both experts and amateur navigate the fashionable world of fashion. Happy reading!

 

ABCD

Aso Ebi: Clothes worn at ceremonies by friends and family of the celebrants to show solidarity
Aso Oke: Intricately woven fabric used for ceremonial garments.
Androgynous: A look that is neither strongly feminine or masculine, usually used interchangeably with ‘unisex’ but that is incorrect.
Bespoke: A made-to-order garment, tailored specifically to the customer’s measurements and specifications.
Colour-blocking: Originally a technique where blocks of fabric are sewn together in one garment to create clothing with a few different solid colours.
Diffusion line: A modestly-priced line of merchandise created by a high-end designer that retails at more affordable prices for a different audience.

 

EFGH

Espadrille: Casual shoes normally made of cotton or canvas. Toms are a popular example.
Eyelet: Eyelets are a small hole or perforation that is used as a fastening, with a cord or hook. Usually the eyelet is set with a metal, cord or fabric ring.
Fabric: Fabric is the canvas on which fashion creates. Fabric is the base of any outfit and ranges from cotton to organdie, silk to georgette, pannier to jersey, tweed, velvet and more.
Fashionista: Used to describe a person in the fashion industry with a lot of personality and sometimes celebrity status.
Faux: A counterfeit of the original product.
Faux pas: Something you should never do, also meaning major no-no. Wearing crocs out of your house is considered a faux pas.
Front row: Where all the fashion higher ups sit to judge the looks from a new fashion collection.
Gele: Traditional Yoruba head gear for women that has become a modern fashion statement. Your gele will take your outfit from a 7 to a 10!
Haute couture: Exclusive, custom-fitted high fashion clothing made for individual customers from high quality, expensive fabrics.

 

 

IJKL

Iridescent: The property of a fabric that appears to change colour as it catches the light.
Kitten heel: A short slender heel, usually just 1.5 or 2 inches high that should never be worn or seen. The definition of a faux pas.
Lamé: A type of fabric woven or knit with thin ribbons of metallic yarns.
Lapel: The part on each side of a coat or jacket immediately below the collar which is folded back on either side of the front opening.
Lookbook: A collection of photographs compiled by a designer to present their complete collection for buyers and the press.

 

MNOP

Ombre: Describes when a colour fades in stages from deeply saturated to nearly white.
OOTD: Often used as a hashtag (#OOTD) an acronym that stands for ‘outfit of the day’.
Peplum: A short flared, gathered, or pleated strip of fabric attached at the waist of a woman’s clothing to create a hanging frill.
Pop-up shop: A temporary store, either stand-alone or within another store; could be hosted by a boutique, a brand, a gallery or an online store.

 

QRST

Quilt: When two or more layers of material are sewn together to make a thicker padded material, often creating a diamond pattern of seams throughout the fabric; for example, the classic Chanel quilted handbag.
Resort collections: Shown in late spring, these collections show clothes appropriate for holidays in warm climates.
Ruche: Gathers created in clothing by pulling fabric between 2 or more lines of stitching.
Runway: The fashion stage where new collections are showcased.
Sample size: Clothing items made for the models on the runway. Usually varies from UK sizes 6-8, and US 0-4.
September: The beginning of a new fashion season, and the new year. It is the biggest and most important month in fashion’s calendar.
Tapered: When the shape diminishes or reduces in thickness at one end of the piece of clothing.

 

UVW

Unitard: A skin-tight garment that covers the body from the neck to the wrists and ankles.
Velveteen: Velveteen is essentially ‘faux velvet’ usually made from cotton.
Wife beater: This doesn’t mean anything violent, it is the slang phrase for a vest or tank top, typically white in colour.

 

XYZ

You get a break here because there are actually no fashion terms under these alphabets!

This article originally appeared on the Konbini website.

 

 

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