peplum

From Latin peplum, from Ancient Greek πέπλον (péplon), neuter of πέπλος (péplos).

(fashion) A short overskirt cut in such a way that the sides form points. [from 20th century]

(fashion) A short overskirt attached to the waist of a garment; a basque.


NWT

N.W.T. (alternative)
N. W. T. (alternative)


princess cut

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(clothing) A garment style in which vertical panels of material are shaped to follow the outline of the figure.


cheval de frise

en-noun

cheval de frise (plural chevaux de frise)

chevaux de frise (plural)
cheval-de-frise (alternative)

/ʃəˈvɑːl də ˈfɹiːz/

/ʃəˈvɑːl də ˈfɹiːs/

Borrowed from French cheval de frise (“Frisian horse”), so named because it was employed by the Dutch (who lacked cavalry) against the Spanish cavalry in their war for independence.

bor

(archaic, fashion) The jagged edge of 18th-century women's clothing.


gigot

gigots (plural)
gigget (alternative)
giggot (alternative)
jigget (alternative)
jiggot (alternative)
jigot (alternative)

Borrowed from French gigot (“leg (of lamb)”), from gigue (“(colloquial) a long leg; haunch of some animals, especially venison”) + -ot (diminutive suffix). Gigue is derived from giguer (“to dance; to jump”), further etymology unknown.

refn

From the collection of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York City, New York, USA.

Of these circumambulatory ells of crape, the young artificer contrived to fabricate a dress that was anything but unbecoming. The enormous crape gigots (for those were the days of gigots), which made part of her black treasure, hung from her delicate fair arms like transparent clouds upon the silvery brightness of the moon ....

1839, Frances Trollope, “The Ball”, in The Widow Barnaby. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 29:

A coat and trousers of light lilac cloth, the former with an immense black velvet collar and sleeves so full at the shoulder that they resembled gigots, the latter made tight, fearfully tight, to the knees, but bagging gradually to the insteps, where they fell over patent leather boots;[…]

[1873, Amelia Perrier, “Judas Iscariot, the Feast of Purim, and the Passover”, in A Winter in Morocco, London: Henry S. King & Co., […], →OCLC, page 317:

(fashion) Ellipsis of gigot sleeve (“a type of sleeve shaped like a leg of mutton”).


lookbook

lookbooks (plural)
look book (alternative)

(fashion, colloquial) A comprehensive directory of fashion-related companies and people, such as fashion designers, industry figures, brands and retail stores.

A new line called Suno replicated the staging of Mr. Sidibé’s photographs for its lookbook, right down to the checkerboard marble floor.

2009 June 11, Eric Wilson, “Why Round Sunglasses? A Style Investigation”, in New York Times:

(fashion, colloquial) A contiguous showcase of still images of a fashion designer or fashion brand’s collection.


lookbook

en-verb

lookbook (third-person singular simple present lookbooks, present participle lookbooking, simple past and past participle lookbooked)

lookbooks (present singular third-person)
lookbooking (participle present)
lookbooked (participle past)
lookbooked (past)
look book (alternative)

She lookbooked little black dresses in order to locate the one she wanted.

(fashion, colloquial) To locate fashion-related information by means of a directory.


bulletproof vest

en-noun

bulletproof vest (plural bulletproof vests)

(clothing) A garment worn over the torso that protects against projectiles.


carmagnole

/ˌkɑːmənˈjəʊl/

18th-century, borrowed from French carmagnole, named after Carmagnole, the French name of the northwestern Italian town of Carmagnola.

(clothing, historical) A short jacket, fashionable during the French Revolution, with short skirts, a broad collar and lapels, and several rows of buttons.


boot cut

boot-cut (alternative)
bootcut (alternative)

(clothing) Of pants (trousers), cut as if to allow the legs of the pants to fit over boots.


longline

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Strapless longline bra, with wired underbust and flexible boning, smooths womanly curves.

In the dressing room, the smiling attendant helped her into the longline corset with its built-in bra.

2007, Solange Ayre, One Thousand Brides, page 5:

(clothing) longer than usual; especially reaching to the hips


zettai ryouiki

Borrowed from Japanese 絶(ぜっ)対(たい)領(りょう)域(いき) (zettai ryōiki, literally “absolute territory”).

ja-r

ぜっ%たい りょう%いき

(fashion, slang) The area of bare skin above the top of above-the-knee socks but below the hemline of a miniskirt or pair of shorts.


kigurumi

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-kigurumi.wav

(fashion) A themed onesie, typically in the style of a cartoon animal.


choli

from Hindi चोली (colī, “bodice, blouse”)

(fashion) A short-sleeved blouse worn under a sari; an Indian underbodice.


kinderwhore

en-noun

kinderwhore (countable and uncountable, plural kinderwhores)

It allows for baby-doll dresses and kinderwhore fashions, for chunky high-heeled Mary Janes from Prada and solid-silver pacifier pendants […]

1998, Elizabeth Wurtzel, Bitch: In Praise of Difficult Women:

(fashion, uncountable) A feminine fashion aesthetic that emerged with grunge rock in the early 1990s, contrasting the childlike quality of baby-doll dresses, Peter Pan collars, etc. with heavy (and possibly smudged) make-up characteristic of adult decadence.

In much the same way as that in which Punk disrupted conventional notions of female beauty the 'kinderwhore' disrupts traditional or ideological versions […]

2002, Malcolm Barnard, Fashion as Communication:

(possibly offensive, countable) A follower of this style.


garmento

Regardless of his nationality, Bidermann was nonetheless a garmento, akin to the Seventh Avenue variety

2003, Lisa Marsh, The House of Klein: Fashion, Controversy, and a Business Obsession, page 41:

(business, fashion) Someone active in the garment industry, especially in New York.


fascinator

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Westminster Abbey was peppered with everything from neat pillbox hats to netted fascinators.

2023 May 6, Chloe Mac Donnell, “Coronation fashion sprang few surprises – but all eyes were on Penny Mordaunt”, in The Guardian:

Why, for example, was Lady Gaga the first act? Surrounded by pink ostrich feathers and wearing a fascinator that looked like a feather quill atop her head, she put on her best French accent to sing Mon truc en plumes (originally by Zizi Jeanmaire) but it still looked like a scrappy, tacky, riverbank cabaret by an American pop star.

2024 July 26, Arifa Akbar, “Paris Olympics opening ceremony review – soaring ambition deflated by patchy delivery”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

(fashion) A delicate, often frivolous head decoration worn on the hair, primarily by women.


poufy

en-adj

poufy (comparative poufier, superlative poufiest)

poufier (comparative)
poufiest (superlative)

(No ’80s gowns with poufy sleeves or out-of-style silhouettes.) “

2009 February 1, Bethany Kandel, “With This Dress I Thee Wed and Wed and Wed”, in New York Times:

(fashion) Decorated with fabric, feathers or other material to create an impression of transparent volume and movement.


skimmy

skimmy (comparative more skimmy, superlative most skimmy)

more skimmy (comparative)
most skimmy (superlative)

You could see a similarity to the style of Rick Owens in the oversize sweaters and to the skimmy dresses of John Galliano .

2007 March 5, Cathy Horyn, “A New Look at Nina Ricci and a Puzzle at Chloé”, in New York Times:

(chiefly fashion) Tending or seeming to skim; loose


overtop

/ˌəʊvə(ɹ)ˈtɒp/

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-overtop.wav

Featured is the big plaid, streaked with white in a softly gathered skirt & an overtop of velveteen with a dacron polytester^([sic]) oliver bow blouse in white.

1964 August 27, The Upland News, seventieth year, number 24, Upland, Calif., page 3:

A very obvious point, but one easily overlooked, is that children from 0–5 grow all the time, so a garment often only fits perfectly for a short time. So if, for instance, a long sleeved dress worn during the summer is visualized as being worn under an overtop in winter, you will have to allow for 6 months’ growth.

1969, Gillian Lockwood, Making Clothes for Young Children, London: Studio Vista; New York, N.Y.: Watson-Guptill Publications, →ISBN, pages 6–7:

Brown soft kid belt (dressier day): for trousers (especially when you belt an overtop), skirts, dresses.

1981, Frances Patiky Stein, Hot Tips: 1,000 Fashion & Beauty Tricks, New York, N.Y.: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, →ISBN, page 131:

And I bought that top in every colour they had, and if they’d had more I would have bought them too. I have, literally, lived in them all this summer and know that I will all next summer too. I may even wear the darker coloured ones in the winter with a turtle-neck sweater underneath. Janis and Ozzie are wearing them on p. 150. As you can see, you can either wear this as a dress or as an overtop.

1985, Nancy Roberts, Breaking All the Rules, Harmondsworth: Viking, →ISBN, page 154:

The use of the second contrast yarn (which is thick and braid like) gives the appearance of a ribbon threaded through. Not only is this a satisfying pattern to work but the sweater can be worn for day or evening; with skirt or trousers: as a sweater or an overtop—a sufficiently versatile garment for anyone.

1987, Pauline Turner, The WI Creative Guide to Crochet, London: Unwin Hyman, →ISBN, page 56:

Skirts can also be fitted with a hip yoke to replace darts or gores. This is effective styling for a skirt worn with an overtop.

1989, Sharon Lee Tate, Inside Fashion Design, 3rd edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Row, →ISBN, page 371:

(clothing) A garment designed to be worn over the top portion of other clothes, such as an overshirt, vest, or overtunic.


whiskering

Jeans come in various states of distress, but the best are deep indigo without washing, whiskering or ravaging of any kind ($165).

2007 October 25, Armand Limnander, “Tangled in Ivy, With a Twist”, in New York Times:

(fashion) The fading of creases in blue jeans, especially around the crotch; often added artificially in order to simulate a "worn" look.


streetwear

→ French: streetwear

→ Russian: стритви́р (stritvír)

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That's never going to turn into hot streetwear, is it?

2009 January 1, Zoe Williams, “Zoe Williams: Straw's vest is full of holes”, in The Guardian:

(fashion) urban fashion; clothing that can be worn on the street


shmatte

shmattes (plural)
schmatte (alternative)
schmata (alternative)
schmatta (alternative)
schmate (alternative)
schmutter (alternative)
shmatta (alternative)

Borrowed from Yiddish שמאַטע (shmate); originally from Polish szmata.

She skipped onto a minimally decorated stage in a pale salmon pink schmate covered in bows, loose-fitting and obviously filled with surprises.

1983 April 9, Walta Borawski, “Midler in Boston”, in Gay Community News, page 12:

I said, Why am I in the shmatte business? Mr. Kimmel said of his beginners luck.

2007 December 12, David M. Halbfinger, “A Film Producer Guided More by His Heart Than by His Calculator”, in New York Times:

In addition to having the barely perceptible but definitely present scummy vibe of an early 20th-century schmatte business, it was like the ultimate perversion of the male literary impulse.

2020, Emily Segal, Mercury Retrograde, New York: Deluge Books, →ISBN:

(fashion industry, clothing retail, slang) Any item of clothing.


ballgown

ballgowns (plural)
ball gown (alternative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-ballgown.wav

(clothing) A formal gown to be worn by women to balls and similar social events.


matchy-matchy

matchy-matchy (comparative more matchy-matchy, superlative most matchy-matchy)

more matchy-matchy (comparative)
most matchy-matchy (superlative)

We are dressing for a dinner party, I in a black skirt with a porthole over which I have dropped an empire-waisted blue schmatte. Schmatte, along with "merch" for merchandise and "matchy-matchy," as in "That sweater and skirt are too matchy-matchy," is among the words I have picked up at Mlle [Madamoiselle].

[1995, Mary Cantwell, chapter 4, in Manhattan, When I was Young, New York, N.Y.: Houghton Mifflin Company, →ISBN, page 139:

"Shall we do it matchy-matchy?" Laura asks, holding up a teal top with teal flowered Bermuda shorts. / "Sooner or later, matching is going to be the new non-matching," Rodney states proudly.

2006 February 6, Joanna Douglas, “Pronounced Ah-bye-ah-tay: Abaeté Designer Laura Poretzky Let Us Tag Along as She Prepared for Her First Fashion Show at New York’s Bryant Park”, in Christina Kelly, editor, Elle Girl, New York, N.Y.: Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 89:

Matchy-Matchy is no longer considered the height of chic. This was a throwback from the 1950's when women seemed to enjoy matching everything, shoes, bags, belts, lipstick, toilet paper, tissues, etc. Now it simply looks time consuming and complicated. Part of looking effortlessly chic is having the ability to look good but not matchy-matchy perfect. Matchy-matchy has been out for ages in the style world.

2008, Nancy Marie, “Chic and Stylish”, in Style, Beauty, Trimness, [s.l.]: Fabuleux Paris, →ISBN, page 25:

I used to really like matchy-matchy everything. If I liked he chair, then I wanted the sofa, end table, coffee table, and settee to match it. I remember hearing that matchy-matchy was bad because then your house would look like a catalog photo for a furniture store. […] Then as I got older, I finally agreed with that sentiment. Catalog rooms look nice, but they don't look like someone lives there. They don't have a soul.

2015, Anita Joyce, “Decorating Guidelines”, in French Accents: Farmhouse French Style for Today’s Home, Springville, Utah: Plain Sight Publishing, Cedar Fort, Inc., →ISBN:

(fashion) Of clothes or upholstery: excessively color-coordinated.


bounceless

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a bounceless sports bra

(chiefly clothing) Designed to reduce bouncing.


multiprint

(fashion) Any cotton dress, blouse etc. printed in multicoloured or bright patterns.


visual kei

From Japanese ヴィジュアル系(けい) (vijuaru-kei, literally “visual style”), composed of ヴィジュアル (vijuaru, “visual”), itself from English visual, and 系 (kei, “style”).

ja-r

Incidentally, I'm not sure you're bucking the trend so much as going along with it; FTM crossplay is getting pretty popular, although you see more women going for bishounen and visual-kei genderfucky stars than anything else.

2001 May 22, Wednesday, “Re: 'There are only 500 REAL anime fans in the UK'”, in uk.media.animation.anime (Usenet), message-ID <-6y*A5OWo@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>:

(music, fashion) A Japanese music and fashion movement that emerged in the 1980s, characterized by a bold, extravagent, androgynous style influenced by glam rock and goth culture.


seasonless

His designs were so ephemeral that some models appeared as if they had been preserved under an organdy version of Saran Wrap, and his pants were see-through — intriguing, if not exactly seasonless.

2009 June 11, Eric Wilson, “Resort Wear Never Rests”, in New York Times:

(fashion) Not restricted to a particular season, but suitable for any.


jeggings

/ˈd͡ʒɛɡ.ɪŋz/

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I remember first reading about jeggings (jeans+leggings) in 2009. How ridiculous it sounded then, a word that conjured up images of urinary infections and squished buttocks. Four years later, the M&S website devotes an entire section to this fashion hybrid.

2013 May 10, Rachel Braier, “The trouser is so now in the singular world of fashion”, in The Guardian:

(fashion, neologism) Denim leggings, or very skinny jeans.


AW

AW23 collection

(fashion) Initialism of autumn/winter; often followed by a year.


pocket square

(clothing, fashion) A handkerchief worn in a breast pocket as an accessory to a suit.


O-ring

(fashion) A small metal ring used to connect two straps.


ombré

en-noun

ombré (countable and uncountable, plural ombrés)

PrettyLittleThing had hundreds of leggings listed on its website, and I looked at all of them: white faux leather, flame-print mesh, seamless gray ombré.

2021 February 6, Rachel Monroe, “Ultra-fast Fashion Is Eating the World”, in The Atlantic:

(fashion, design) A gradual blending of one color hue to another, usually moving tints and shades from light to dark.


business casual

(clothing) Any standard of dress used in many business environments that is casual overall; it thus excludes most formal clothes (such as a business suit and tie) but also excludes certain overly casual clothes (such as short shorts).


business casual

en-adj

business casual (comparative more business casual, superlative most business casual)

more business casual (comparative)
most business casual (superlative)
business-casual (alternative)

(clothing) Designating such a style of dress.


deadstock

en-verb

deadstock (third-person singular simple present deadstocks, present participle deadstocking, simple past and past participle deadstocked)

deadstocks (present singular third-person)
deadstocking (participle present)
deadstocked (participle past)
deadstocked (past)
dead-stock (alternative)
dead stock (alternative)

(transitive, fashion slang) To store in appropriate packaging for later.


bellyband

bellybands (plural)
belly band (alternative)
belly-band (alternative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-bellyband.wav

From belly + band. As a Japanese article of clothing, a calque of Japanese 腹巻き (haramaki).

(fashion, medicine) Various constrictive bands worn around the belly, particularly:

A band worn by expectant mothers to constrict and support the fetus.

A band worn by babies to protect the navel.

A haramaki: a band of cloth worn around the abdomen to preserve stomach qi and boost circulation.


underdrawing

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You can use a croquis as an underdrawing for fashion drawing

2016, Irina V Ivanova, Haute Couture Fashion Illustration Resource Book, page 11:

Used as a base or underdrawing, it can be slipped under a page in the sketchbook and worked off of from there.

2022, Linda Tain, Portfolio Presentation for Fashion Designers, page 75:

To ensure that their focus is on the design of the garment, not the proportions of the figure, they may rely on an underdrawing or lay figure—a well-proportioned pose that can be slid under a page and used as a template to help control proportions and the location of garment details.

2022, Sandra Keiser, Deborah Vandermar, Myrna B. Garner, Beyond Design: The Synergy of Apparel Product Development:

(fashion design) An image of a figure that is slid under the page on which a designer draws a garment, so that the result conforms to the figure's proportions.


color coordinate

color coordinate (third-person singular simple present color coordinates, present participle color coordinating, simple past and past participle color coordinated)

color coordinates (present singular third-person)
color coordinating (participle present)
color coordinated (participle past)
color coordinated (past)
color-coordinate (alternative)
colour coordinate (alternative)

(transitive, fashion) To coordinate the colors of.


hyperphysical

en-adj

hyperphysical (comparative more hyperphysical, superlative most hyperphysical)

more hyperphysical (comparative)
most hyperphysical (superlative)

In the post-pandemic present, the key to success is undoubtedly the "hyperphysical" shops, the macro trend, identified by The Future Laboratory and reported by Vogue Business, which describes retail spaces so spectacular that visiting them is an emotional experience. From Balenciaga's pink fur-clad pop-ups to Jacquemus' bag vending machines: at a time when many consumers have yet to abandon e-commerce as their preferred mode of purchase, hyperphysical retailing is catalysing the attention of younger consumers.

2022 May 5, Lucy Shaw, “The future of retail is "hyperphysical"”, in Nss magazine:

Additionally, the store can lead to an immersive brand activation environment, with the digital and physical environment converging more and more. Some of this discussion involves concepts such as hyperphysical stores (where the tangible aspects are highly visible and sensorial) and other leans more toward the ‘store of the future’, with increased technology integration.

2024, Ana Roncha, “Fashion brand management”, in Rosemary Varley, Ana Roncha, Natascha Radclyffe-Thomas, Liz Gee, editors, Fashion Management: A Strategic Approach, London: Bloomsbury, →ISBN, page 104:

(business, marketing, retail, often fashion) Highly stimulating, offering intense or abundant visual, tactile, or other physical stimulation.


underbust

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underbust

You can measure your underbust and overbust to get an idea of bra size, but it's still just a guideline.

2015 April 14, Alison Freer, How to Get Dressed: A Costume Designer's Secrets for Making Your Clothes Look, Fit, and Feel Amazing, Ten Speed Press, →ISBN:

(clothing) The circumference of a woman's chest, measured under the breasts.


overbust

An overbust corset encloses the torso, extending from just under the arms to the hips.


overbust

(clothing) The circumference of a woman's chest, measured over the breasts.


high/low

Model Michaela Bercu was photographed on the street, smiling and natural, her eyes half-closed, dressed in a Christian Lacroix top and her own jeans in a mix that would come to be known as “high/low”.

[2023 September 23, Lauren Indvik, “God is in the details”, in FT Weekend, Life & Arts, page 3:

(fashion) Mixing high fashion and low fashion.


high-low

en-noun

high-low (countable and uncountable, plural high-lows)

(fashion) Alternative form of highlow (“type of shoe”).


doudou

From the pinyin romanization of Mandarin 兜兜 (dōudōu, “diminutive form of dudou”).


French dip

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(fashion, historical) A fashion trend originating in France in the late 19th century, where women let the front of their belts dip below the waist.


bodycon

en-adj

bodycon (comparative more bodycon, superlative most bodycon)

more bodycon (comparative)
most bodycon (superlative)
body-con (alternative)
body con (alternative)

From Japanese ボディコン (bodikon) (clipping of English body conscious), name of a fashion subculture among young Japanese women in the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s.

She has, of late, tried to tone down her usual fembot style – all bodycon dresses and pointed shoulders – with more interesting looks: a jumpsuit here, a pussybow there, a fluted sleeve there.

2016 November 28, Hadley Freeman, “Melania Trump wants to be a ‘traditional’ first lady like Betty Ford. Good luck with that”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 2016-11-29:

(fashion, of women's clothing) Figure-hugging, skintight, form-fitting.


angiya

Borrowed from Hindustani انگیا / अंगिया (aṅgiyā), from Sanskrit अङ्गिका (aṅgikā).

(fashion) A bodice traditionally worn by Muslim women in India.


on trend

on trend (comparative more on trend, superlative most on trend)

more on trend (comparative)
most on trend (superlative)

His fashion designs are very on trend.

(colloquial, fashion) Having characteristics which conform to current fashion trends.

流行

having characteristics which conform to current fashion trends


empire waist

empire waists (plural)
empire-waist (alternative)

(fashion) A waistline on a woman's dress that is located immediately below the bust.


ankle boot

(clothing) A boot that rises up to the ankle.


HSP

en-noun

HSP (countable and uncountable, plural HSPs)

(clothing) Initialism of highest shoulder point.


Mother Hubbard

From "Old Mother Hubbard", a nursery rhyme.

Her arms were like legs of mutton, her breasts like giant cabbages; her face, broad and fleshy, gave you an impression of almost indecent nakedness, and vast chin succeeded to vast chin. I do not know how many of them there were. They fell away voluminously into the capaciousness of her bosom. She was dressed usually in a pink Mother Hubbard, and she wore all day long a large straw hat.

1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “chapter 49”, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC:

(fashion) A long, wide, loose gown with long sleeves and a high neck originally introduced by Christian missionaries as an adaptation of 19th-century European fashion to Polynesia but subsequently inclusive of lighter and more colorful variations.


caubeen

From Irish cáibín, from cába (“cape”), from cappa (“cape”)

[…] a bare-legged Celtic brother of the gentle craft, somewhat at the wrong side of forty, with a turf-coloured caubeen, patched frieze, a clear brown complexion, dark-grey eyes, and a right pleasant dash of roguery in his features […]

1850, Le Fanu, Billy Maloney's Taste of Love and Glory:

(fashion) An Irish beret, formerly worn by peasants, later also adopted for army use.


wig block

Next morning, Monday, after disposing of the embalmed head to a barber, for a block, I settled my own and comrade’s bill; using, however, my comrade’s money.

1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “chapter 13”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:

When the wig or other hairpiece has been made, it is pinned onto a malleable wig block and the hair is cut and styled in the required shape.

2003, Penny Delamar, The Complete Make-Up Artist: Working in Film, Fashion, Television and Theatre, page 165:

(fashion) A simplified head model used to display wigs.


conehead

(fashion) A foam rubber rounded cone hat to be worn atop the head as a costume to appear to have a conical bald skull.


Armani

en-proper-noun

Armani (countable and uncountable, plural Armanis or Armanies)

(fashion) Armani, an Italian fashion house


shoulder-length

With her shoulder-length platinum blonde hair, she was easy to spot from afar.

(of hair, clothing, jewellery, or similar) Reaching the shoulders.


Malacca cane

en-noun

Malacca cane (countable and uncountable, plural Malacca canes)

Malacca canes (plural)
malacca cane (alternative)

From the former importance of Malacca as a port for the rattan trade and cane in its senses both as a reed-like plant and as a walking stick.

The well-known ‘Malacca Canes’... do not occur about Malacca itself, but are imported from Siak, on the opposite coast of Sumatra.

1856, Berthold Carl Seemann, A Popular History of the Palms and Their Allies, page 131:

Malacca canes have frequently to be colored in parts.

1874, Edward H. Knight, The Practical Dictionary of Mechanics, volume I, page 443:

Adrian checked the orchid at his buttonhole, inspected the spats at his feet, gave the lavender gloves a twitch, smoothed down his waistcoat, tucked the ebony Malacca-cane under his arm, swallowed twice and pushed wide the changing-room door.

1991 September, Stephen Fry, chapter 1, in The Liar, London: Heinemann, →ISBN, section I, page 5:

(countable, fashion) A walking stick made of C. scipionum or similar material with a rich but mottled brown color.


riding hood

riding hoods (plural)
riding-hood (alternative)

From Middle English rydyng hoode, rydynghoode. By surface analysis, riding + hood.

He... violently pull'd off her Riding-Hood, and tore it at the Arm Holes in pulling it off.

1731 January 15, Proceedings of the Old Bailey, page 13:

(historical fashion) A hood intended for use by women while horseriding.


empire-waist

All those empire-waist gowns and tops that looked so stylish not so long ago suddenly have turned into the fashion equivalent of pumpkins, morphing from au courant to out-of-date as quickly as the New Year's clocks chimed 12.

2008 January 8, “Sun sets on the empire line”, in Brisbane Times:


suit of dittoes

suit of dittoes (plural suits of dittoes)

(archaic, clothing) A suit consisting of matching trousers, coat, and waistcoat.


wizard's hat

wizards' hats (plural)
wizard hat (alternative)


normcore

American Dialect Society
American Speech
Duke University Press
K-HOLE (trend forecasting group)
Templar, Arizona
The Eyeopener
Toronto Metropolitan University

From norm(al) (“according to norms or rules or to a regular pattern”) + -core (suffix denoting genres of music and subcultures (often specialized and underground)), coined by the cartoonist Ryan Estrada in a guest comic strip for the webcomic Templar, Arizona on 17 September 2008: see the quotation.
It was popularized in a stylized, tongue-in-cheek trend report produced by the collective K-HOLE in 2013.

suffix

That means he's normcore. Dangerously regular. Dresses only in T-shirts an' jeans, uses slang appropriated from other sub cultures, but only 3 years after it's^([sic – meaning its]) first use, an' only after it's been used in a sitcom.

[2008 September 17, Ryan Estrada, “Ryan Estrada Day: Templar, Arizona”, in Templar, Arizona, archived from the original on 2015-09-05:

Clémence would say that his style was normcore before normcore became a thing. She had to admit that she still found him attractive.

2014, Harper Lin, chapter 3, in Croissant Murder (A Patisserie Mystery with Recipes; book 5), Kingston, Ont.: Harper Lin Books, →ISBN:

Normcore is gray sweatpants pretending to be trousers. Normcore is a seen-better-days faun-colored golf knit. Normcore is an unlogo'd sneaker. Normcore is the opposite of wearing a pair of white patent-leather bejeweled Versace assless chaps. Normcore is oblivious to Givenchy shaved-beaver man purses. Normcore knows nothing of fluorescent-studded Louboutin sneakers.

2014 April 7, Simon Doonan, “Beware of Normcore”, in Slate, New York, N.Y.: The Slate Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2022-08-12:

Another part of her gift is that she's damn funny. Even if she'd come from the heart of normcore, her tale would be worth telling and well told. But she was raised in Crazytown, and the more foreign her territory, the more delightful—and somehow more relatable—her tale becomes.

2015 August, Joss Whedon, “Foreword”, in Felicia Day, You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost): A Memoir, New York, N.Y.: Touchstone, Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, page x:

(fashion) A unisex fashion trend characterized by average-looking, unpretentious clothing.


skinny jeans

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-skinny jeans.wav

She ordered a pair of plus-size skinny jeans online.

Got your tongue pierced anyway / You in your high-tops any day / You in your skinny jeans anyway

(clothing) A style of form-fitting jeans with very narrow, straight legs, which often taper inward at the ankles.


Big Four

the Big Four (canonical plural)
Big 4 (alternative)

Any group of four major or largest corporations in a given industry, especially when such a small group has oligopoly or near-oligopoly.

(fashion) The clothing trade shows (“fashion week”) in Paris, London, New York, and Milan.


keikogi

(clothing, martial arts) A set of uniform worn while training in some Japanese martial arts


temple garment

(religion, clothing) A form of underwear worn by Latter-day Saints after taking part in the endowment ceremony; they are a symbolic reminder of the covenants made in temple ceremonies.


kisbet

From Turkish kispet, from Arabic كِسْوَة (kiswa).

(fashion, wrestling) A pair of loose-fitting leather trousers worn by wrestlers in Turkish oil wrestling competitions.


cinchable

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-cinchable.wav

I made him try on a white military-style jacket with breast pockets and a cinchable waist ($228).

2009 May 28, Mike Albo, “Spend Some Time, if Nothing Else”, in New York Times:

(clothing) Capable of being cinched, or tightened.


dudou

dudou (plural)
dudous (plural)
doudou (alternative)
doudu (alternative)
tu-tou (alternative)

From the pinyin romanization of Mandarin 肚兜 (dùdōu, “literally belly cover”).

(fashion) A traditional Chinese female undergarment, usually made of silk, covering the breasts and belly, and tied at the neck and waist; a Chinese underbodice.

肚兜

a traditional Chinese form of the bodice — see also yem

(fashion) Its equivalents in Vietnam and other East Asian countries.


tu-tou

From the Wade-Giles romanization of Mandarin 肚兜 (dùdōu, “lit. belly cover”).

(fashion, obsolete) Alternative form of dudou: a traditional Chinese bodice or bib.


doudu

From the pinyin romanization of Mandarin 兜肚 (dōudù, “literally [item] covering the belly”).


tou-tu

From the Wade-Giles romanization of Mandarin 兜肚 (dōudù, literally “[item] covering the belly”).


tou-tou

From the Wade-Giles romanization of Mandarin 兜兜 (dōudōu, diminutive form of dudou).

diminutive form of <i class="Latn mention" lang="en">dudou</i>


haramaki

Borrowed from Japanese 腹巻 and 腹巻き (haramaki).

(fashion) A bellyband: a band of cloth worn around the abdomen to preserve stomach qi and boost circulation.


Canadian tuxedo

en-noun

Canadian tuxedo (plural Canadian tuxedos or Canadian tuxedoes)

Canadian tuxedos (plural)
Canadian tuxedoes (plural)

From Canadian + tuxedo from the stereotypical occurrence of a Prairies-dwelling Canadian wearing such attire (jean jacket and jeans).

(US, fashion, derogatory) An outfit consisting of denimwear for tops and bottoms, such as a jean jacket and jeans (pants)


locker loop

(clothing) A small band on the back of a shirt, by which it can be hung up.


swimcap

(clothing) A waterproof cap worn on the head while swimming.


wetlook

wet-look (alternative)
wet look (alternative)

wetlook satin; wetlook jeans; a wetlook jacket

(chiefly attributive, of fabrics, clothing) A glossy or shiny finish, giving an appearance of being wet.


Savile Row

→? Japanese: 背広 (sebiro)

Burlington Estate
Dorothy Boyle, Countess of Burlington

Originally named Savile Street, it was built between 1731 and 1735 as part of the development of the Burlington Estate and named after Dorothy Boyle, Countess of Burlington (née Savile; 1699–1758).

a Savile Row suit

And, thus, this phenomenally successful company can just possibly get by without worrying about my taste, or whether I actually like it; or, quite probably, if they win the planning decision, what Savile Row thinks of them.

2012 March 11, Euan Ferguson, “Abercrombie & Fitch with its 'crappy clothes' threatens staid Savile Row”, in The Observer:

(metonymic, fashion) The tailoring companies located on Savile Row and neighbouring streets.


grape smugglers

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-grape smugglers.wav

Humorously suggesting that the bulges are the result of grapes hidden inside the clothing.

(clothing, slang, humorous) Tight or skimpy swimwear worn by men revealing details of the genitalia.


XXXL

XXXL (countable and uncountable, plural XXXLs)

extra extra extra large
extra extra extra large#English

(chiefly clothing) Initialism of extra extra extra large (the manufactured size or an item of that size).


XXXL

(chiefly clothing) Initialism of extra extra extra large (of the manufactured size).


Empire

However, the first style of this century was known as Empire furniture. It was a derivative of the French Empire furniture, popular at that time.

1997, Mark McGrail, Furniture Brasses: A Short History of English Furniture Fittings, Armac Brassworks, →ISBN, page 21:

(fashion, furniture, art) Following or imitating a style popular during the First French Empire (1804–1814).

...and for a moment he could not identify the lady in the Empire dress, nor imagine why her presence created such excitement among the initiated.

1920, Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence, New York: Random House, →OCLC, page 17:

(of a woman's dress) Having the waistline just below the bust; featuring an empire waist.


V-line

v-line (alternative)
V line (alternative)

As the courses continued appearances at a level below her breasts tucked into her V-line black dress she wondered at the similarity and change of this present against its past.

Shah Rukh's costumes, apart from the ethnic ones, have an engaging V-line that shows off his collarbone (his favourite area, incidentally) with a tantalising glimpse of his torso, especially in romantic/erotic scenes.

2009, Mushtaq Shiekh, Shah Rukh Can: The Story of the Man and Star Called Shah Rukh Khan, →ISBN:

Vicki smoothed her V-line shirt a little nervously.

(fashion) Cut in the shape of a "V", producing a flared effect.


extra large

(especially clothing) That is extra large (the manufactured size).


bikini jeans

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-bikini jeans.wav

(fashion) jeans that incorporate the appearance of bikini bottoms

jean bikini

a bikini made from denim, or a pattern resembling blue denim jeans


feetsy

feetsy pajamas

(clothing) Having a section that covers the feet.


hug-me-tight

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-hug-me-tight.wav

(clothing) A woman's short sleeveless close-fitting jacket, usually knitted or crocheted.


open-neck

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-open-neck.wav

an open-neck shirt


empire line

(fashion) A style of women's clothing characterised by a fitted bodice that ended just below the bust


boat neckline

(fashion) A nautically-inspired wide neckline that runs horizontally, front and back across the collarbone


heart neckline

(fashion) A heart-shaped style of neckline that accentuates décolletage


bateau neckline

bateau neckline (plural bateau necklines)


rerock

en-verb

rerock (third-person singular simple present rerocks, present participle rerocking, simple past and past participle rerocked)

rerocks (present singular third-person)
rerocking (participle present)
rerocked (participle past)
rerocked (past)
re-rock (alternative)

From re- + rock, the fashion sense from the fashion sense of rock (“to wear on stage, to wear successfully”): “He was rocking these designer shoes”.

First of all before i talk about rerocking of shoes, i'll give a brief definition using a lay man's english. rerocking means to repeat or rewearing a shoe more than one time with different outfits. […]

2014 August 16, “There is nothing wrong in rerocking your shoe”, in Glowy Shoes, archived from the original on 2019-08-24:

If u spend a whole amount of money and decide to buy an outfit and wear it once afterwards hang in your closet forever without rerocking, that is your own headache!

2016 November 27, “Re-rocking outfits isn’t a crime ladies”, in Akosua Vee, archived from the original on 2018-03-10:

2018 October 4, “Veronica Odeka Is The Queen Of Re-rocking As She Styles Her Pleat Skirt Seven Times! [PHOTOS]”, in Ma Daily Gist, archived from the original on 2019-06-24:

(Nigeria, fashion slang, transitive) Said about a garment, to rewear it with a different outfit, to rock it again.


compression sock

en-noun

compression sock (plural compression socks)

(clothing) An elasticated sock worn to help prevent the occurrence of venous disorders such as edema, phlebitis, and thrombosis.


shark bite

From the resemblance of the hemline to an object which has had a large chunk bitten off by a shark.

shark-bite (alternative)
sharkbite (alternative)

She'd changed her long-sleeved shirt three times before settling on a paisley print one with a shark bite hem.

2018, Sonya Weiss, The Firefighter's Perfect Plan, unnumbered page:

She didn't look like the other nurses, with her red shark-bite top, impractical heels, and frosted Bardot bun.

2018, Lina Chern, "Filigree", Black Fox Literary Magazine, Winter 2018, pages 96-97

Patti was tall and slender with a halo of shiny curls, and today she was wearing red glasses, little round ones that reminded me of John Lennon and matched her shark-bite tunic.

2019, G. P. Gardener, Murder at Royale Court, unnumbered page:

(fashion) Having a hemline that curves inward in a deep, symmetrical vee.


fashion design

(fashion, art) The art of applying design, aesthetics and natural beauty to clothing and its accessories.

時裝設計 /时装设计

the art of applying design, aesthetics and natural beauty to clothing and its accessories


calceology

A classical compound (modern coinage), with components derived from Latin calcei ("shoes") + Ancient Greek -λογία (-logía, "-logy, branch of study, to speak").

Such is the gist of the laborious Benedict's researches in Calceology, which are valuable in so far as they are based on passages from writers contemporary, or nearly so, with the shoes and shoe-customs which they describe.

1888 September, “Calceolaria Quædam”, in The Antiquary, volume 18, page 96:

Having introduced myself, and having learned that Lyubomir's name was Lyubomir and that his shoes and his good self were Bulgarian (as a science, calceology is still in its infancy), I ascertained that he was a twenty-four-year-old film student from Sofia.

1999, Philippe Meyer, A Parisian's Paris: Chronicle for the Millennium, page 159:

(fashion, anthropology) The study of footwear, especially historical footwear.

Ancient Greek
Latin
calceology
classical compound


OOTD

Word began to circulate: If you wanted your #ootd to be colorful and weird and stand out on social media, Dolls Kill was a good place to shop.

2021 February 6, Rachel Monroe, “Ultra-fast Fashion Is Eating the World”, in The Atlantic:

[…]daily “OOTDs” (outfits of the day), rush recap videos from freshly tanned and coiffed prospective new members (PNMs), and reactions to 18-year-old girls either elated or devastated by the high-stakes game of likability that is rush.

2023 May 24, Adrian Horton, “‘Competitive femininity’: inside the wild and secretive world of sororities”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

(fashion, Internet slang) Initialism of outfit of the day.


New Look

Dufresne has also included sketches that changed the history of fashion, such as the fitted, hip-padded "Bar" jacket and full skirt from the famous 1947 "New Look."

2005 May 17, Suzy Menkes, “A time to explore the roots of Dior”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

(fashion, historical) An influential fashion collection launched by designer Christian Dior in 1947.


Lolita fashion

(fashion) A fashion style originating in Japan, based on Victorian and Edwardian clothing styles, and having a cute aesthetic.


hanfu

(fashion) traditional Han Chinese clothing

漢服

かんふく, kanfuku, かんぷく, kanpuku, ハンフー, hanfū


color story

(fashion) A limited palette of colors chosen for an outfit or a wardrobe.


Manolos

Named after Spanish fashion designer Manolo Blahnik (1942–), from Spanish Manolo.

named-after

For many wearers and fans, Manolos are the sexiest of shoes. Joan Rivers is said to have noted, “You just put on your Manolos, and you automatically find yourself saying ‘Hi, sailor’ to every man that walks by.”

2009, Margo DeMello, Feet and Footwear: A Cultural Encyclopedia, ABC-CLIO, →ISBN, page 41:

She clipped away on a pair of Manolos.

2020, Emily Segal, Mercury Retrograde, New York: Deluge Books, →ISBN:

(fashion) A pair of shoes designed by Manolo Blahnik.


YSL

(fashion) Initialism of Yves Saint Laurent.

Yves Saint-Laurent a French fashion designer

Yves Saint Laurent, a French fashion house.


un-deadstock

en-verb

un-deadstock (third-person singular simple present un-deadstocks, present participle un-deadstocking, simple past and past participle un-deadstocked)

un-deadstocks (present singular third-person)
un-deadstocking (participle present)
un-deadstocked (participle past)
un-deadstocked (past)

So whether you’re un-deadstocking an old pair or busting out your freshest kicks, know that the rest of your outfit is just as important.

2014 February 21, David Bazner, “Last Night's Must-See Menswear: Sneakerhead Style Tips From Kanye West and Michael B. Jordan”, in GQ:

Last time Fat Joe made sneaker headlines, it was because his fresh out the box "DMP" Air Jordan VIs had fallen apart after getting un-deadstocked.

2015 August 28, Rajah Allarey, “Fat Joe Stunted on the ’Gram With Terror Squad x Air Jordan IV “Eminems””, in Complex Magazine, archived from the original on 2022-05-25:

(transitive, fashion slang) To override the deadstock quality of.


tight-assed

en-adj

tight-assed (comparative more tight-assed, superlative most tight-assed)

more tight-assed (comparative)
most tight-assed (superlative)
tight-arsed (alternative UK)

1967, Wright Morris, In Orbit, Chapter 6, in Two for the Road, Santa Rosa: Black Sparrow Press, 1994, p. 264,
There is no room in his tight-assed pants for his dangling hands.

[…] the women wore hot pants and halter tops and tight-assed skirts.

1994, George Pelecanos, chapter 7, in Shoedog,, New York: St. Martin’s Press, page 56:

The waiters were all beautiful Portuguese Nancy boys dressed in tight French sailor suits—striped shirts, tight-assed bell bottoms, a blue cap with a red pompadour—and reeking of delectably cheap perfume.

2012, Robert Littell, chapter 8, in Young Philby,, New York: Thomas Dunne Books, page 164:

(informal, of an article of, clothing) Fitting tightly in the area covering the buttocks.


tea-length

(clothing, of a dress) Having a hemline that is below the knees and above the ankle.


XXXS

extra extra extra small
extra extra extra small#English

(chiefly clothing) Initialism of extra extra extra small (the manufactured size or an item of that size).


XXXS

(chiefly clothing) Initialism of extra extra extra small (of the manufactured size).


XXXXL

extra extra extra extra large
extra extra extra extra large#English

(chiefly clothing) Initialism of extra extra extra extra large (the manufactured size or an item of that size).


XXXXL

(chiefly clothing) Initialism of extra extra extra extra large (of the manufactured size).


extra small

(especially clothing) That is extra small (the manufactured size).


extra extra small

(especially clothing) That is extra extra small (the manufactured size).


extra extra extra small

extra extra extra small (not comparable)

(especially clothing) That is extra extra extra small (the manufactured size).


extra extra large

(especially clothing) That is extra extra large (the manufactured size).


extra extra extra large

extra extra extra large (not comparable)

(especially clothing) That is extra extra extra large (the manufactured size).


Prussian collar

en-noun

Prussian collar (plural Prussian collars)


sportsluxe

sports-luxe (alternative)
sports luxe (alternative)

(also attributive, fashion) sporty luxury apparel or accessory, activewear designer.


mi-parti

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-mi-parti.wav

Learned borrowing from French mi-parti (literally “divided down the middle”), from Middle French mi-parti, from Old French miparti, past participle of mipartir (“to split in half”), from mi (“middle”) + partir (“to split”); compare medial and party (“divided”). Though the term is mentioned beginning in the 17th century, actual use is apparently only recorded from the 19th century onwards.

lbor

They are all parted per pale, or (to vſe Scohier's word, mi-partie, that is, parted longwiſe in the midſt, or perpendicularly parted, but yet ſeuerally affected in the partings […]

[1610, Edmund Bolton, Edm: Bolton his Elements of Armories, London: George Eld, page 95:

The extreme uncertainty of engraving the horizontal line of division in shields makes it quite reasonable to suppose the division which we see in Panwitz to have been made to look mi-parti in error.

1871 April 15, D. P., “New German flag”, in Notes and Queries, volume 7, number 172, Oxford: Oxford University Press, →DOI, page 323:

Almost all the indoor servants were given three ells of coloured shortcloth, together with three ells of striped cloth for their suits, which must have been, therefore, mi-parti.

1980, Stella Mary Newton, “VIII: Livery and the Dress of the Poor”, in Fashion in the Age of the Black Prince: A Study of the Years 1340-1365, Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell Press, published 1999, →ISBN, page 67:

(heraldry, clothing, chiefly historical) Vertically divided into distinctly-coloured or patterned halves; party per pale.


BeVo

From German BeVo, from Beteiligung (“partnership”)+Vorsteher (“surname”). From the company that popularized the weave, Beteiligung Vorsteher.

(fashion) A style of fabric weave originally produced by punchcard Jacquard looms from the companies of Lucas Vorsteher and Ewald Vorsteher in Wuppertal-Barmen (later merging to become the Beteiligung Vorsteher company)


pie crust

en-noun

pie crust (countable and uncountable, plural pie crusts)

pie crusts (plural)
piecrust (alternative)

A new generation is already taking to the silk scarf in hair and around necks, velvet headbands as well as pearls and pie crusts.

2020 November 26, Lauren Cochrane, “Pie crusts and pearls: the unexpected return of the Sloane Ranger”, in The Guardian:

pie crust collar
pie crust collar#English


mock turtleneck

mock turtleneck (plural mock turtlenecks)

(clothing) A neck collar for a knit garment that is shorter and typically not as loose as a regular turtleneck.


pearlcore

Up first? Pearlcore, the lovechild of our obsession with all things Regency, Baroque and Rococo this year. Keep your grandma’s pearls on hand to clutch alongside your three-strand Vivienne Westwood choker because it seems like our love of this iridescent gem isn’t dying down just yet.

2021 December 7, Gladys Lai, “5 fashion trends that will define 2022, according to Pinterest”, in Vogue Australia:

No longer relegated to buttons, pearls are as chic as when Coco Chanel made them trendy in the 1930s. From pearl-themed bridal showers to pearl-detailed wedding receptions, the “pearlcore” trend is currently big in bridal.

2022 October 20, Ivy Manners, “What We Saw at New York Bridal Fashion Week”, in The New York Times:

The pearl anklet
For #pearlcore enthusiasts, here's a modern take on a strand of pearls, featuring glass pearls set between long gold beads.

2023 June 3, “Accessories”, in Toronto Star, page L 12:

(fashion, neologism) A fashion trend and aesthetic, popular in the 2020s, characterized by the use of pearl jewelry and similar iridescent items.


daily beater

(fashion slang, chiefly watch collecting) An item suitable to be worn on many types of occasion.


standaway

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-standaway.wav

(clothing) Denoting a kind of rolled collar that stands away from the neck.


LPU

(fashion slang) Abbreviation of latest pick-up.


selendang

selendangs (plural)
slendang (alternative)

(clothing, Indonesia) a multipurpose sash tied around the shoulders to carry infants and groceries, or draped over the head.


subversive basics

(fashion) Closet essentials that are worn in unusual ways.


nap dress

(clothing) A type of women's dress having heavy smocking, overexaggerated puff sleeves and a typically long, slightly pleated skirt.


empire-waisted

en-adj

empire-waisted (comparative more empire-waisted, superlative most empire-waisted)

more empire-waisted (comparative)
most empire-waisted (superlative)

Mom gave me money to buy these paisley, empire-waisted, one-piece satin lounge pajamas I'd seen at Lerner's Department Store.

2021, Rickie Lee Jones, Last Chance Texaco, Grove Press, published 2022, page 116:


pie crust collar

en-noun

pie crust collar (countable and uncountable, plural pie crust collars)

(clothing) A high collar which has an even ruffle in the shape of a fluted pie crust.


pocket-hole

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-pocket-hole.wav

(clothing) An opening in an article of clothing that gives access to a pocket.


sunfrock

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-sunfrock.wav

(clothing) A type of women's outdoor summer dress.


XLT

XLT (countable and uncountable, plural XLTs)

(chiefly clothing) Initialism of extra large tall (the manufactured size or an item of that size).


Hessian boot

(fashion) A boot with a low heel and semi-pointed toe, which became popular, initially among the military, in the 18th century.


man-tailored

[…] man-tailored skirt, which we made to her measure. We are fast acquiring the merited reputation of producing the best fitting and finest finished man-tailored garments in America.

1904, Good Housekeeping Magazine, volume 39:

(clothing) Of clothing, made in a masculine style, without feminine details such as frills.


Pamela hat

(clothing, fashion, historical) A straw hat or bonnet popular from the 1790s to the 1870s.


waterfall skirt

waterfall skirt (plural waterfall skirts)

(clothing) A skirt that is longer on one side than the other.


unexpected red theory

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-unexpected red theory.wav

First gained popularity on the social media platform TikTok in January 2024. Coined by Taylor Migliazzo Simon in early 2024.

Of course, the other essential part of the “unexpected red theory” is the unexpected — the element of surprise.

2024 February 24, Ingrid Fetell Lee, “The science behind the “unexpected red theory””, in The Aesthetics of Joy:

“The ‘unexpected red’ theory is real! These red-and-white-striped tissue box covers from Alice Palmer truly bring such an element of fun to my home.”

2024 September, Julia Rabinowitsch, quotee, “Q: What was your last great purchase?”, in House Beautiful, page 12:

"Everyone talks about the Unexpected Red Theory, but have you tried adding a punch of yellow?" Janak says.

2025 February 20, Kathryn O'Shea Evans, quoting Emily Janak, “'Dopamine decor' is the anti-trend trend that can boost your mood”, in Washington Post, page H.5:

(social media, design, fashion, neologism) A trend in interior design based on the idea that any room will appear more attractive if one adds a red item or feature to it, especially if the red item appears unusual or mismatches the other colors in the room.


circular fashion

Coined in 2014 by Anna Brismar, the owner of Green Strategy, and another expert in Sweden.

Circular fashion is the intersection of the circular economy (a model that exchanges the typical cycle of take-make-waste in favour of reusing and recycling as much as possible) and sustainable and ethical fashion.

2022 September 19, Madeleine Hill, “What Is Circular Fashion?”, in Good On You:

(fashion, ecology, neologism) Clothes that are designed and made in such a way that they will last for a long time, can eventually be repaired or redesigned instead of being thrown away, and cause little or no damage to the environment.


glunge

Blend of glamour + grunge. Coined by American fashion designer Rick Owens.

coin

They have categorized his style as "Glunge," a mix between grunge and glamour.

2003 December 16, Katie Hicks, “Porterville's Owens making a name for himself in Paris”, in Porterville Recorder, archived from the original on 2024-04-29:

Grunge is set for a revival, though with a twist: glamorous grunge (or "glunge", inevitably). Think spiky ankle boots rather than DMs, black sweaters laddered to expose an expertly judged glimpse of décolletage instead of cardigans with frayed cuffs. Some blasts from the past don't lend themselves to revival. Glunge we can do; I don't think anyone's ready for the return of heroin chic.

2009 August 1, Jess Cartner-Morley, “How to dress: The grunge revival”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 2024-04-29:

Remember "glunge"? The hot fall trend that combines glamour with grunge for a twisted take on traditional chicness? Lily Allen took the look one step further yesterday in an outfit I'm calling "dressy messy." Check it out--and tell us what you think about it!--after the jump.

2009 September 9, Tracey Lomrantz Lester, “Lily Allen's "Dressy Messy" Look: A Do Or A Don't?”, in Glamour, archived from the original on 2024-04-29:

Inspired by the glunge trend (glam-grunge!) this perfect party look is all about stand-out metallic smoky eyes and hair that's sleek at the sides and full-bodied from the front.

2015 November 25, Bridget March, “Tutorial: How to nail glam-grunge party beauty”, in Cosmopolitan, archived from the original on 2024-04-29:

(fashion, neologism) A glamorous fashion that incorporates grunge-inspired elements.


workleisure

From work + leisure. Likely modeled after athleisure. Coined by Katie Maguire in an article published on November 30, 2016.

Workleisure, office-appropriate outfits with a sportif twist, is easier to pull off. You can skip the yoga pants and instead opt for a fluid track pant paired with more sophisticated pieces like mules, a blouse, and a classic leather jacket.

2017 February 22, Annie Gabillet, “Athleisure Evolution of the Year: Workleisure”, in PopSugar, archived from the original on 2024-04-29:

Innovative fabrics are the basis for the “workleisure” trend, which merges a professional look with a relaxed fit to provide a work-from-home feel at the office, according to style experts and trend forecasters.

2023 August 31, Mia Gindis, “Workout Gear Is the New Office Wear”, in Bloomberg News, archived from the original on 2023-09-01:

Free of the saccharine preachiness of “athleisure,” but with the same implications of comfort, workleisure (a reward to whomever can come up with a better term) is more creative than “business casual,” which was really just a suit with a mismatched jacket and pants.

2020 August 20, Vanessa Friedman, “Behold, ‘Workleisure’: What Should You Wear When You Work From Home?”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 2020-08-20:

(fashion) A style of clothing that is appropriate for both work and leisure pursuits.


Cossack hat

(clothing) A warm, brimless hat that is wider at the top than at the headband, and made of either sheepskin or Persian lamb.


peekaboo dress

en-noun

peekaboo dress (plural peekaboo dresses)

(clothing) A dress that is made partially or completely of fabric that is sheer or transparent and that reveals small portions of skin.


peekaboo blouse

peekaboo blouse (plural peekaboo blouses)

(clothing) A blouse that is made partially or completely of fabric that is sheer or transparent and usually reveals portions of the breasts.


baby-doll dress

baby-doll dress (plural baby-doll dresses)

baby-doll dresses (plural)
baby doll dress (alternative)
babydoll dress (alternative)

Like Kat, one of the women had bleached-blond hair and was wearing a baby-doll dress.

1995, Neal Karlen, Babes in Toyland: The Making and Selling of a Rock and Roll Band, page 6:

With her very girl style of short skirts, baby-doll dresses, and hair either pulled crammed into pigtails or combed with straight bangs, she certainly looked the part of "Baby Spice."

1997, Anna Louise Golden, The Spice Girls: The Uncensored Story Behind Pop's Biggest Phenomenon, page 120:

You'll never catch thirtysomething Jennifer Garner in a baby-doll dress that would flatter only a baby or a doll.

2005, Dale Hrabi, Secrets of Celebrity Style: A Crash Course in Dressing Like the Stars, page 178 (approx.):

Sabrina [Carpenter], certified arbiter of the coquette aesthetic, has made babydoll dresses and platform heels so much her signature silhouette that you may not even immediately notice it.

2024 September 21, Heath Owens, “What to Wear to Sabrina Carpenter's 'Short N' Sweet' Tour”, in Cosmopolitan:

(fashion) A style of short, A-line dress with a low or absent waist, characteristic of those worn by young girls or dolls.


scoop bonnet

(clothing) A bonnet with a long narrow front in the shape of a scoop, formerly worn by women.


disco-style

(music, fashion) Of or pertaining to a style in music or fashion reminiscent of the 1970s disco period.


bubble romper

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-bubble romper.wav

(clothing) A one-piece outfit for babies and toddlers consisting of a loose and baggy fit around the lower body, creating a bubblelike shape.


drop waist

But nothing beats the drama of a ravaged drop-waist dress from the 1920s – one that leaves a trail of sequins in your wake.

2024 May 12, Tish Weinstock, “This Vintage Lover Is Calling Time On The ’90s Fashion Obsession”, in British Vogue:

(fashion, often attributive) A waistline (on a dress etc.) that is positioned around the hips, below the natural waist.


dropped waist

(fashion, often attributive) Synonym of drop waist.


Russian blouse

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Russian blouse.wav

(clothing) A kind of loose-fitting blouse having wide sleeves, and which opens at the side, and which hangs down over the trousers.


flower crown

(clothing, monarchy) A crown made of brightly colored flowers.


tie belt

(clothing) A type of belt that is fastened around the waist with a knot.


tie-belted

(clothing) Designed or adorned with a tie belt.


carriage gown

(clothing, historical) A fashionable dress and outerwear ensemble that is worn for riding in a carriage, walking in a garden, etc.


leakguard

(clothing) On a diaper or menstrual pad, a tight barrier around the legs, usually a gusset made from firm waterproof or stay-dry materials, that prevents liquid from leaking through; a leg cuff.


after-five

[…] the women wearing after-five dresses, the men in stiff shirts, dark blue suits. It looked more like one of Reagan's state dinners, and I had no place to hide.

1986, Flying Magazine, volume 113, number 4, page 102:

(clothing) Of or pertaining to clothing that is worn for semiformal events and activities.


after-five

(clothing) Any attire or clothing that is semiformal.


business formal

(clothing) A style of professional dress that is the most formal level of business attire.


business formal

en-adj

business formal (comparative more business formal, superlative most business formal)

more business formal (comparative)
most business formal (superlative)


Cleopatra wig

For starters; she forgot she was wearing the Cleopatra wig and for some reason had wound strands of it around her finger.

2014, Sandra Knight, Fringe Benefits, page 86:

(fashion) A costume wig styled to evoke the look of Queen Cleopatra VII, usually a long, dark wig with braids and a full fringe.


playshorts

(clothing) A style of clothing that combines elements of both playwear and shorts.

(clothing) Shorts meant for casual or leisure activities, particularly for younger people.


sleep shorts

(clothing) A type of lightweight shorts designed for sleeping or lounging.


church crown

Southern United States
Southern United States

(clothing, fashion, Christianity) A decorative hat worn by women in the Southern United States as a headcovering during church services.


belt buckle

(clothing) A fastening device used to secure the two ends of a belt, ensures it remains in place around the waist.


matchbox skirt

(clothing, fashion, dated) A type of skirt consisting of a boxy and rectangular shape.


macaroni dress

en-noun

macaroni dress (countable and uncountable, plural macaroni dresses)

(UK, historical, clothing) A type of extravagant and flamboyant clothing worn by a subculture of young English men in the late 18th century.


ouji

(fashion) A masculine fashion style originating in Japan, based on Victorian and Edwardian clothing styles.


baller band

From baller + band. Popularized by sports brands like Nike, Inc., particularly initially for basketball.

Maximo had supported the Duterte candidacy. He still wore the red-and-blue baller band with the president's name stamped in white. Maxio had voted for Duterte because Duterte was a strong man. […]

2023, Patricia Evangelista, Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in My Country, New York: Penguin Random House LLC, →ISBN:

(fashion) a silicone rubber wristband (originating as a basketball sports wristband)