A Line
A modern silhouette popular in women’s apparel in which the cut flares gently away from the body to resemble the shape of an A.

Anorak
A hip-length hooded sport jacket that is ideal for squally weather. The jacket was originally worn by Eskimos and later adapted for use in WWII before becoming a popular design for everyday wear.

Bandana
A scarf, usually in cotton, featuring a calico print of one colour with a bold contrasting background. Derived from bandhu, a Hindu method of tie-dyeing fabric, this is one of the most classic scarf designs. Cowboys and hippies popularized its look, but these days it is most fashionable.

Bermuda Shorts
Knee-length shorts originally made fashionable on the island of Bermuda, but now a staple of every casual summer wardrobe.

Bias Cut
A technique of cutting fabric at a diagonal angle to achieve the most give possible. This cut has many fine tailoring applications, but its reputation has been built in women’s apparel, where the flowing, clingy drape of the bias cut has been used for skirts, tops and dresses that follow the body’s curves.

Bikini
A two-piece women’s swimsuit. The origins of the bikini date back to 1946 when Jacques Heim sought to make the smallest swimsuit possible, naming it the “atome” after the most miniscule of scientific particles. Louis Reard went one step further and split the “atome” in two at about the same time the atomic bomb was tested on Bikini Island. This eye-popping style is still a seaside favourite.

Blazer
A single- or double-breasted sports jacket with a notched collar that has become a staple of every man’s wardrobe and a favourite dressing option for women as well. One story places the origin of this garment at Queen Victoria’s coronation. An English captain made a set of navy serge jackets with brass buttons on the sleeves for his crew. The queen was so taken with the jackets, she named them after the captain’s ship—the H.M.S. Blazer.

Bomber Jacket / Flying Jacket
A leather jacket with a zippered front, elasticized cuffs and waistband and sheepskin lining. Originally used by US Air Force pilots, this jacket became a popular choice to reflect rugged style

Bow Tie
A necktie worn around the collar of a shirt that is knotted like a bow. Bow ties date back to the 1800s when visiting Croatian cavalrymen introduced the look to the French regency. To tie a bow tie, follow these instructions:1. Wrap the bow tie about the neck so the end falling on your left side extends about 1 1/2” below the end falling on your right side.2. Pull the longer left end up and over the shorter right end.3. Double up the shorter hanging end so that it lies horizontally and is centered where the knot will be. Hold the loop formed with your left thumb and forefinger. Drop the long end over the front so that is hanging again. 4. Place your right forefinger, pointing up, on the bottom half of the hanging part and form a loop with the long end. Push this loop through the knot behind the front loop.5. Carefully even the ends and tighten.

Button-down Collar
A collar that is secured to the shirt by small buttons on both points. Button-down collars originated in the 1950s and have become a staple collar choice for classic shirts.

Capri Pants
A slim-fitting women’s pant that stops just above the ankle. Named after the Italian vacation island of Capri where the cut became popular in the 1950s, capris continue to offer resort style and relaxed elegance.

Cardigan
A long-sleeved, collarless sweater that buttons down the front. Originally designed by the seventh earl of Cardigan, as an extra layer of warmth for his 1854 Crimean War military uniform.

Cotton Face
A two layered material consisting of a layer of cotton on the outside with a secondary layer (normally polyester) closest to the skin. This is the reverse of the Polyester Face fabric.

Cowboy Shirt
A shirt style, usually with a V-shaped upper yoke in the front and back, snap closures, one or two breast pockets and contrast trimming or fabric accents. Originally worn by cowboys, the cowboy shirt is now a popular sportswear choice reflecting rugged style.

Cuff Link
Two linked buttons worn to close a shirt cuff. Coming in all shapes and sizes, from simple to extremely ornate, from knot-shaped to jewel-encrusted, cuff links have come to define sophisticated men’s dressing.

Drawstring
A cord laced through a hem and added to a waistline, cuff or hood, that tightens or loosens the opening when pulled or released. Now commonly used in all types of sportswear.

Duffle Coat
A knee-length wool coat with a hood, square shoulder yoke, large patch pockets, rope frogging and wooden toggle closures. Originally worn by Belgian fishermen, the duffle coat was adopted by the Royal Navy in WWI and WWII. Now days the duffle coat has become a classic overcoat, adopted for rainwear and cold-weather dressing.

Empire Waist
A waistline in which the natural one is pushed up to just below the bustline. First popularized by Napoleon’s wife, Empress Josephine in the 1800s, this waistline is still used in women’s dresses and shirts to reflect feminine charm.

Fisherman's Sweater
A heavy, hand-knit, patterned sweater often made in natural, water-repellent wool. Originally worn by Irish fishermen, elaborate stitches formed patterns that were unique to each village, acting as an identifier in case the fisherman was lost at sea. Legend also claimed that each intricate stitch held wishes for the fisherman’s safety and success at sea. Today, the fisherman’s sweater is a classic, mainly used to reflect country style.

Halter Neck
A woman’s top, characteristically held in place by a strap around the neck, that leaves the back, arms and sometimes midriff bare. Originally a popular style in beachwear and eveningwear in the 1930s, halters are now a warm-weather sportswear essential.

Hawaiian Shirt
A button-down shirt with a generous, boxy fit that features a brightly coloured pattern of fruit, flowers, exotic birds or hula dancers. The first Hawaiian shirt was designed in 1931 by Ellery J. Chun, who was inspired by plantation workers and the silk shirts of high-school classmates sewn by their Japanese housekeepers from leftover kimono material. He called his original creation the “Aloha Shirt,” and within a few years, surfers, beach boys and celebrities visiting the islands had made the style an overnight sensation. Today, the Hawaiian shirt still evokes island culture and remains a fun staple for casual wear.

Hook and Eye
A clothes fastener consisting of a small blunt metal hook that is inserted into a corresponding embroidered eye loop or a small metal loop on the other side.

Hunting Shirt
A bright red or red-and-black dense woollen button-down shirt. Most often worn by hunters so they can be spotted at a distance, hunting shirts have also made their way into men’s casual weekend wardrobes.

Jacket
A garment that usually falls to the waist or hip that closes in front and is meant to be worn over clothing either indoors or outdoors.

Jodhpurs
A style of trouser that fits loosely about the hips and tightly about the calves. Taking their name from a former Indian city, jodhpurs became popular riding breeches after WWI and continue to reflect the ultimate in equestrian style.

Jumpsuit
A one-piece article of clothing that combines a shirt and trousers and usually closes up the front. Originally worn by aviators and parachute troopers during WWI and WWII, jumpsuits became popular during the 1960s, especially for use while skiing.

Mackintosh
A raincoat, specifically designed in a waterproof rubberized cotton developed in the 1820s by Scottish inventor Charles Macintosh. Nowadays, the mackintosh is a more general term for any waterproof jacket. Which can also be called a mac.

Mandarin Collar
A collar consisting of a standing band that wraps about the neck and is slightly open in the front. Now used to finish women's and men's garments for an Asian look.

Mod
A term used to describe any clothing style influenced by the early-1960s British movement of working-class youth who took to imitating the rich by donning immaculate, pressed, sleek, proper—or modern—looks. The Beatles became poster boys for the mod look.

Monogram
A person's initials embroidered on or otherwise worked into the surface of a personal item. With its origins in the family crest, monograms have always been used to evoke aristocratic style, today they appear on towels, sheets, sweaters or jeweler.

Nautical
A term used to describe any look inspired by traditional clothes worn by those who spend a lot of time at sea, specifically navy-and-white styles embellished with gold accents.

Ottoman
A fabric with a pronounced rib or corded effect. The ribs in the material are finer than cord.

Parka
A winter jacket with a fur or faux fur–lined hood. Originally worn by Eskimos, this warm outer wear article of clothing has become a classic choice for cold-weather protection. .

Pedal Pushers
A women's pant with a straight leg that is cuffed and falls below the knee. So called because women wore these pants in the 1950s for bicycling, pedal pushers continue to reflect a sporty, casual, summertime appeal.

Pencil Skirts
A women's skirt that is cut in a straight line from the hips to the hem. So called because the silhouette is as straight as a pencil, this classic skirt was created in response to 1940s fabric shortages that forced designers to slim down women's garments. The pencil skirt continues to be a popular silhouette, especially for daytime office dressing.

Poncho
A garment that is basically a square or rectangular blanket with a center hole for sliding over the head. From the Chilean word pontho, or “wool cloth,” ponchos have their origins in South America, where workers wear the brightly patterned covering in chilly mountainous regions.

Polo Shirt
A knit pullover with a turned-over knit collar and placket at the neck. Originally worn by polo players because the collar stayed down during play, polo shirts became popular leisurewear in the 1930s, being worn by both men and women in fashionable summer resorts. Today, the polo is an icon of classic dressing that is continually evolving to fit the contemporary wardrobe.

Ribbon or Lanyard
A flat, long, narrow strip of fabric made in a variety of weaves, including grosgrain, satin and velvet. Dating back to the 1300s, ribbons were originally hand woven items of luxury. The British Parliament was so protective of these items of adornment that they issued a decree stating that ribbons could be worn only by nobility. Ribbons continued to have symbolic currency, whether being attached to a special package, being wrapped about the waist in the rich colours of the wearer’s private school or being pinned to a uniform to reveal military rank. Today, ribbons are often merely decorative, but their ability to evoke membership in a special club is still an attraction of this truly unique fabric.

Rugby
A long-sleeved knit shirt, often with bold horizontal stripes in two alternating colours, that has a white knit collar and a button-down placket neckline. The sport of rugby was founded in the 1820s at Rugby High School, in England. Some fifty years later, the sport became so popular in private academies and universities that leagues formed, and the development of the shirt with distinctive school colours began to unfold. Today, the rugby is a casual wear staple, offering both men and women this athletic classic for everyday use.

Tank Top
A sleeveless knit shirt with a deep, U-shaped neckline and deep armholes.

Trench Coat
A three-quarter-length sport coat that was popularized by the suburban station wagon owner in the 1950s.

Wind Breaker or Spray Jacket
A lightweight jacket, usually with a hood and a close-fitting waistband and cuffs, that is made of a fabric, like nylon, that resists the wind.

Wrap Around
A word used to describe a garment that wraps about the body to fit its shape. Wraparound can also describe eyewear that follows the round contours of the head.

Zipper
A fastener consisting of parallel rows of metal or plastic teeth that close by pulling a sliding tab. Zippers date back to the 1890s when this new invention was called a slide fastener. The name zipper wasn’t coined until the 1920s when this closure became more widely used in everyday sportswear.