Fashion Terminology

Here are a few examples of words that you will see everyday in the fashion industry:

Seams:

Open seam – This is a seam which is only stitched once and the raw edges are pressed apart. This is used in medium and heavy weight materials where a flat finish is desired, like the seams of skirts or the underarm and shoulder.

Closed seam – This is where a second row of stitching is placed just behind the joining. Coat and skirt seams are often stitched like this.

French seam – A French seam has the edges doubled in so that no raw or frayed edges show. This type of seam is used on thin material for garments like blouses.

Machine run and fell seam – This is where both edges of the seam are tucked under each other and then stitched flat. Men’s shirts and underwear and women’s tailored blouses and shirts are often made this way.

Pockets:

Patch pocket – An unfitted flat pocket on the outside of a garment. Most often used as a pocket on the back of jeans or on the front of shirts.

Box pleat patch pocket – A pocket based on the foundations of the ‘Patch Pocket’ but with an added design feature of the front part of the pocket folded over onto itself.

Welt pocket – An inset pocket which can have one or two lips finishing the opening edges. Used mostly in classic wear. Usually found as the chest pocket of a jacket or a coat. In traditional men’s wear tailoring, the welt pocket is used only as a breast pocket, but in women’s wear it may be used anywhere and inserted at any angle.

General Fashion Terminology:

Armhole - An opening in a garment for an arm.

Binding - Provides a garment, hem, etc. with a border or edging, for decoration or to prevent fraying.

Button hole - A method of fastening where a small knob or disk is secured to a garment and passed through a buttonhole or loop.

Button loops – A loop through which a button is passed.

Button loop bracket – A panel on a garment that secures and holds the button loops.

Coat breast – The front top panel of a coat or jacket.

Coat hook loop – A small loop of material usually attached to the back neckline of a garment used to allow coats or jackets to hang on hooks.

Dart - folds sewn into fabric to help provide a three-dimensional shape to a garment. They are frequently used in women's clothing to tailor the garment to the wearer's shape.

De-construct - To break down into components, to dismantle.

Drawstring - A cord or ribbon run through a hem or casing and pulled to tighten or close an opening.

Edge stitched – A single line stitch close to the border  of the fabric.

Eyelet - A small hole or perforation, usually rimmed with metal, cord, fabric, or leather, used for fastening with a cord or hook.

Fastener - Something that you use to join something together, such as a button on a piece of clothing.

Hood - Part of a piece of clothing that can be pulled up to cover the top and back of the head.

Interfacing - A piece of firm fabric or other material inserted and usually sewn between the layers of a garment to thicken or stiffen it.

Lining - Material used to line a garment, curtain, etc. Hides raw edges and seams inside garment and gives a smooth, professional finish.

Neckline - The line formed by the edge of a garment at or near the neck.

Over locked – A certain stitch method created by an over locking machine to overcast the raw edges of a fabric to prevent unravelling.

Panels - Any distinct section or component of a garment from a sheet of material.

Parallel double top stitches – Stitching on a garment consisting of 2 parallel lines visible as a design detail on a garment.

Pressed – Pressed down using an iron producing a smooth, flat finish on a piece of material.

Reverse stitched – Once stitched, sewn over again in reverse to reinforce the strength of the stitch.

Seam allowance - The area between the edge and the stitching line on two (or more) pieces of material being stitched together. Normally 1.5cm

Seamstress - A woman who sews, especially one who makes her living by sewing.

Top stitched – A stitch used as a decorative detail on top of the garment. Just for show, or to reinforce the stitching.

Unpicking - To undo sewing by removing stitches.

Zip - A fastening device operating by means of two parallel rows of metal or plastic teeth on either side of a closure that are interlocked by a sliding tab.