Descriptionary

satin a glossy-faced fabric made of silk, cotton, rayon, or nylon.

satin, crepe-backed fabric having a satin face and a crepe back, used in jacket or coat linings.

satin, duchesse a rich, heavy satin used in formal wear.

scallops decorative edging composed of semicircu­lar curves.

seersucker a lightweight, puckered fabric that is often striped but may also be plain, plaid, or printed.

sequin a decorative, metallic spangle.

serge a smooth, twill-weave fabric used in suits.

sheer transparent or nearly transparent.

Shetland yarn very soft, fluffy, two-ply yarn, spun from the wool of sheep on the Shetland Islands off the coast of Scotland.

shirring gathers of fabric used to create fullness, used in women's apparel.

silk material produced by the silk worm, now largely replaced by human-made fibers.

smocking rows of shirring given to a fabric to pro­vide stretch and decoration.

spandex a synthetic elastic fiber used in stretch pants and other elastic clothing.

stripes, awning stripes at least 1% inches wide.

stripes, chalk narrow white stripes on a dark fabric.

stripes, pin very narrow stripes of any color.

stripes, Roman narrow, colored stripes that cover the entire surface of a fabric.

studs small, decorative, rivetlike ornaments attached to fabrics (especially denim jackets) when in style.

suede leather having a soft, napped surface.

taffeta a crisp, plain-weave fabric with a shiny sur­face, used in women's apparel and noted for its "rus­tling" noise.

taffeta, antique a stiff taffeta reminiscent of that made in the 18th century.

taffeta paper a very light, crisp taffeta for evening wear.

tartan a pattern of intersecting, colored stripes, asso­ciated with a specific Scottish family or clan. A plaid.

tartan, Barclay a yellow background crossed with wide black stripes and narrower white stripes.

tartan, Black Watch a light blue background crossed with green stripes, worn by the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment.

tartan, Campbell a blue background crossed with green stripes and dark blue stripes.

tartan, Cumming dark and light green stripes com­bined with red and blue stripes.

tartan, Ogilvie a complex pattern of red, yellow, greenish blue, and dark blue stripes.

tartan, Rob Roy red and black check pattern, as that used on hunting jackets.

tartan, Stewart a red or white background spaced widely with narrow stripes of blue, white, and yellow.

terry cloth soft, absorbent cotton or cotton-blend fabric having uncut loops on one or both sides, used in robes and towels.

textured yarn yarn that has been crimped, coiled, or curled.

tweed a rough, strong, nubby wool or human-made fabric, used primarily in suits and coats.

twill a fabric woven with diagonal ribs.

velour a soft fabric having a thick, short pile.

velvet rich, soft-textured warp (made from warp threads) pile fabric.

velveteen a soft, cotton fabric with a cut pile thicker than corduroy. Pile is made of filling threads, as dis­tinguished from the warp threads used in velvet.

vicuna expensive wool from the vicuna, a wild rela­tive of the South American llama.

virgin fibers fibers that have never been processed (as remnant fibers) in a fabric before.

virgin wool see virgin fibers of wool.

voile a crisp, lightweight, sheer fabric used in blouses and curtains.

wale the lengthwise ribs on corduroy or other fabric.

wale, pin narrow ribbing. wale, wide wide ribbing.

warp the yarns woven first on a loom when a fabric is made; it forms the length of a fabric, as distin­guished from the filling threads that are woven under and over the warp in a crosswise fashion.

wash-and-wear needing little or no ironing.

weft another name for the filling threads woven over and under the warp.

wool fleece of a sheep or other animal.

worsted fabric made of yarns that have been combed and carded; it is smoother and cleaner (less fuzzy) than ordinary wool.

Fashion Styles

Afro native African style characterized by Afro haircuts and such African garments as bubas, dashi- kis, and selosos, popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

American Indian style characterized by beads and fringed, deerskin dresses and pants.

androgynous a style combining male and female characteristics, for example, women wearing men's haircuts and suits and men wearing long hair and earrings.

Annie Hall a style characterized by baggy pants, challis skirts, and a general uncoordinated look, inspired by the movie of the same name in the 1970s.

baby doll a style characterized by childlike or doll­like attire, such as baby doll or Mary Jane shoes, gathered or pleated dresses.