Dictionary

A

=A 1=—(=1=) of first quality; (=2=) entitled to unlimited credit.

=A la mode=—in style; according to the vogue.

=Aba=—(=1=) a very primitiv garment worn in Northern Africa, consisting

of a square of heavy woolen cloth, folded, with openings for head and

arms and worn after the manner of a coat or tunic; (=2=) a sort of

overcoat of rough brown material open in front, with wide sleeves

terminating at the elbow, worn in Persia. (Also called Abayeh.)

=Abb=—see Wool.

=Abdominal band=—an elastic bandage of knit wool, or other material,

worn over the stomach for general protection in cold weather, or as a

supporter or reducer.

=Abdominal guard=—a sort of suspensory (qv) having a metal or sole

leather protectiv piece with elastic straps, worn by football players,

wrestlers, etc.

=Academic gowns=—the loose, flowing garments worn by students and

professors at certain universities on certain occasions.

=Acid tannage=—a quick process of preparing leather for use, by

immersion in acids instead of the slower salt and bark preparations, and

requiring but 4 to 7 days to put the leather on the market.

=Acid test=—a term generally employed to designate a means of

determining the quality of anything, fabrics, for instance; as testing

the color of indigo with a mixture of acetic and sulfuric acids; for

more exhaustiv explanation see any good encyclopedia. See also

Boiling-out t.

=Acorn=—(=1=) an ornamental end-tag for military hat cords, slings,

etc.; (=2=) an embroidered device representing rank, corps, etc.,

usually placed on caps, collars, etc., of military uniforms.

=Actual measures=—tailoring term meaning no allowances for extra

roominess or any deviation from the usual practise.

=Ad=—easiest spoken and written diminutiv of advertisement, but

senseless in the latter case, advt. being preferable.

=Adhesiv plaster=—see Sticking p.

=Admiral’s uniform=—see Special full dress, Full dress, Dress, Service

dress, Evening dress, Mess dress, Undress; see also variations.

=Adonis=—see Wig.

=Advertisement=—a statement of business fact, customarily with one or

more loop-holes.

=Advertisement writer=—a power in, for and against business in

proportion as he takes himself seriously or jocosely, appreciates or

undervalues his business status, and strives toward certain definit ends

or fritters time away; and yet, good or otherwise, one who seems to take

perpetual personal offense at the suggestions of “the old man”.

=Aesthetic=—(=1=) daintily nice; finical; affecting a love of the

beautiful; (=2=) the beautiful itself.

=After-pressing=—in clothing manufacture, the final pressing-off given

to finisht garments; a careful, painstaking operation during which the

niceties of shape omitted during first pressing (qv) are given to the

garment.

=Agraf=—an ornamental loop, clasp or lock. (=Agraffe.=)

=Aigret=—a tuft of feathers. (=Aigrette.=)

=Aiguilet=—an ornamental festoon or series of loopt gold cords, worn by

general officers of the army, marine corps, etc., with full dress and

special dress uniforms; attacht to right shoulder passing over the

shoulder, around and under the arm and across the right breast,

attaching to one of the top buttons of the coat as prescribed.

(=Aiguilette.=)

=Air-jacket=—a garment, usually of rubber, capable of being inflated and

used as a life preserver.

=Airs=—putting on; making believe; snobbery.

=Alamode=—a plain, soft, glossy silk of colonial days, somewhat like

surah-s, variously used, but especially for linings.

=Alapaca=—corruption of alpaca (qv).

=Alaska=—a cloth-topt rubber overshoe with a large tongue covering the

instep.

=Alaska seal=—the most uniformly good of the various fur seals; trade

term for “finest grade”.

=Alb=—a linen vestment, often richly trimmed, reaching to the ankles,

worn by priests over the cassock and amice, having close sleeves and

girded at the waist.

=Albert=—see Prince A.

=Albert cloth=—general term for reversible all-wool materials, each side

of different colors, and so finisht that no lining is required, used

chiefly for overcoats; better known as “golf cloth”, “plaid back

covert”, etc.

=Alexis=—a bag shaped cap, usually of fur, rounded at the top.

=Alforjas=—a sort of double wallet serving for saddlebags, but more

frequently carried slung across the shoulder; usually of canvas.

(Spanish.)

=Alizarin=—an absolutely fast-color dye substance, formerly obtained

from madder root, but now obtained in large quantities from anthracene,

a coal-tar product. (=Alizarine.=)

=All wool=—literally, fabrics composed entirely of wool—sheep’s wool;

but lately and not too honestly used in connection with fabrics having

an admixture of shoddy or garnetted yarns or having “decorations” of

silk or mercerized cotton, for which conditions the term “commercially

all-wool” has been suggested as less accusiv to sensitiv consciences and

as equally deceptiv to the buyer. Alackaday!

=All-wool-and-a-yard-wide=—a Yankee simile for thoro-going genuineness.

=All-wool-yard-wide-and-an-inch-thick=—familiar or jocular term for good

quality.

=Allapine=—a woolen fabric used for men’s wear in early part of the 18th

century.

=Alligator leather=—the tanned hide of the alligator, characterized by

its peculiar plate-like markings and its enormous durability; used to

some extent for shoe leather but more generally for traveling luggage,

pocket books, etc.

=Allonge=—see Wig.

=Alpaca=—(=1=) the wooly hair of a South American animal of the camel

family, first manufactured into fabrics by Sir Titus Salt, a worsted

spinner at Liverpool; (=2=) a thin, glistening, plain-woven, double-fold

fabric, usually with a fine cotton or linen warp, used for summer coats,

linings, etc.

=Alpargatas=—low, thick-soled sandals tied around the ankles with gay

ribbons, worn by Castalian peasants. Also called espardènas.

=Alpine hat=—see Fedora.

=Alteration hand=—in tailoring, a bushelman; one who alters garments to

make them agree with the pattern or to better fit the customer.

=Alterations=—(=1=) the sine qua non of a “perfect fit”, and eke items

of expense to the tailor; (=2=) makeshifts of the impecunious to force

garments into presentability for another season.

=Amana goods=—general term for flannels, calicos, jeans, stocking yarns,

etc., manufactured by the Amana Community or Society of True

Inspiration, a religious order centering principally at (and in other

towns about) Amana, Tabor Co., Iowa. Characteristics of these goods are

stoutness, simplicity and durability.

=Amber=—a fossilized resin of yellowish color, used for jewelry, cigar

holders, mouthpieces, etc.

=Ambergris=—a substance generated by the spermaceti whale and found

floating on the sea or washt ashore, used in the blending of certain

perfumes and valued for an ethereal fragrance imparted thereto.

=American shoulders=—“Epauls Americaine”, an appellation given to wadded

shoulders in France.

=Americans=—trade term for cloths produced by any of the many mills

comprising the great concern known as the American Woolen Company.

=Amice=—an embroidered ecclesiastical collar of fine white linen attacht

to a hood.

=Ammunition bag=—a b. or pouch of waterproof canvas or duck, carried

suspended by a strap from the shoulders; also used as lunch b., for

small luggage, etc.

=Ammunition belt=—see Cartridge b.

=Amulet=—a charm, often of precious metals and gems, worn around the

neck as a preventiv of ills, enchantments, accidents, etc.

=Anderson’s=—trade diminutiv for the fine ginghams manufactured by David

& John Anderson, Glasgow, Scotland.

=Anglesea=—trade name for a light, thinnish curl given to felt hat

brims; compare D’Orsay.

=Anglican cassock=—differing from Latin c. in that it is double-breasted

without buttons, the cincture or girdle being knotted behind the hip.

=Angola=—a thick, soft wooly overcoating.

=Angora=—(=1=) the hair or wool of the Angora goat of Asia Minor, from

which is woven the mohair fabrics of commerce. A. wool is classified as

combing, carding and coarse, and again subdivided into about ten other

grades. See Wool; (=2=) also, loosely, any fabric woven of A. wool.

=Anilin dye=—any dye stuff derived from coal tar; such dyes are

permanent on silk and wool, but are fugitiv on fabrics of vegetable

fiber. (=Aniline.=) See Alizarin dye.

=Ankle boot=—(=1=) a heavy rubber shoe reaching to the ankle for wear

over (lumbermen’s) heavy wool socks; (=2=) an old name for shoes.

=Ankle length=—trade term for undergarments reaching to the ankles.

=Ankle support=—a device of leather, metal or fiber for the support of

weak ankles, worn either inside or outside the stocking, but inside the

shoe, by athletes, children and people with weak ankles.

=Annapolis uniform=—see Cadet u.

=Anthropometry=—man-measurement; an essential tailoring study.

=Apple-pie-order=—in excellent condition; fine shape; neat and trim.

=Apprentice=—one who serves under another to learn a trade, art or

profession, especially when indentured; usually a minor.

=Apron=—(=1=) a sort of loose overgarment, variously made, of fabric,

leather, etc., worn to protect one’s clothes while at work; (=2=) the

curtain or inside waist lining of trousers; (=3=) a sort of light

drapery worn in hot countries around a hat or cap, covering the neck

(see Havelock); (=4=) part of the regalia of certain secret societies;

(=5=) a livery lap robe.

=Apron checks=—gingham woven in small, plain square checks.

=Apron overalls=—a style of o. made with a shield or apron covering

breast of wearer.

=Apron supporter=—a sort of belt or adjustable strap for holding aprons

(waiters, et al.) in place without slipping.

=Arch support=—a mechanical device made of metal or leather, or both,

worn inside the shoe, immediately under the arch of the foot and

conforming to the shape of the foot at this point, used as a support to

prevent the falling of the arch or support a flat foot.

=Arctics=—warm-lined waterproof overshoes, usually with rubber soles and

cloth tops, fastening with one or more buckles.

=Arkansaw toothpick=—see Bowie knife.

=Arm band=—an elastic band similar to a woman’s round garter, worn to

hold up shirt sleeves.

=Arm-head=—see Shoulder h.

=Arm-hole=—the opening in a coat or shirt to which the sleeve is joined;

the arm opening in a sleeveless waistcoat; the scye (qv).

=Arm-pit=—the axilla or cavity under the arm; compare Arm-hole and Scye.

=Arm-scye=—see Scye.

=Armenian cloak=—a fashionable overgarment of 1851, composed of one

piece of cloth (except for the sewed-on wide turnover collar) and with

no seams except the underarm seam of sleeve and the underarm body-join,

the collar and front edges trimmed with velvet or wide braid, and the

garment fastened at the neck with cord and tassels.

=Armistice cloth=—an effect in color combining; a sort of worsted cloth,

variant of Queen’s mourning c. and of Coronation c., exhibiting Boer

orange, royal blue and black with occasionally white or red; appeared

about the time of conclusion of Boer war and named in commemoration

thereof.

=Armlet=—(=1=) an ornamental band of classic times; (=2=) an elastic

used for holding up shirt sleeves; (=3=) a piece of ancient armor.

=Armor=—defensiv paraphernalia worn by the knights and soldiery of

medieval times and now manufactured for the benefit of those

manufacturing an ancestry. English a. since the Norman conquest may be

divided into 4 great groups: (=1=) mail a., worn until 1300; (=2=) mixt

mail and plate a., worn from say 1301 to say 1410; (=3=) plate a., worn

from about 1410 to almost 1600; (=4=) half a. (partial—these were the

days they were learning to do without it) worn until say 1700. If

interested further consult encyclopedia or other authoritativ work on

the subject.

=Armozine=—a strong corded silk once used for waistcoats.

=Armure=—any cloth woven in miniature imitation of feudal metal

armor-plates, heraldic devices, diamonds, birdseye and seeded effects;

specifically (1) a twilled or cross-twilled fabric of silk or wool; (2)

a manner of setting up loom harnesses to produce the wanted weave. The

principal “armures” are (a) taffeta or 2 harness, forming a single

interlacement; (b) serge or 3 harness; (c) twill or Batavia, 4 harness;

and (d) satteen, 5 or more harnesses.

=Army and navy brushes=—better known as military b. (qv).

=Army belt=—a waist b. of stuft russet leather or pigskin, with

detachable slings of same, worn by all officers (except chaplains) under

the dress coat and overcoat and outside the service coat. In the field,

cross belts over the shoulders for carrying saber and pistol are

authorized. A b. of black webbing with detachable slings of stuft russet

leather or pigskin may be worn under the dress coat. Full dress slings

worn with full dress uniform, and russet or pigskin with all others.

=Army brogan=—see Brogan.

=Army cap=—see Dress c., Service c., White c., Full dress c.

=Army facings=—see Officers’ f.

=Army hat=—see Service h.

=Army helmet=—for officers and enlisted men, of white and khaki-colored

materials; conforming to pattern in quartermaster’s dept.; worn in lieu

of service cap with the service uniform on garrison duty and as

otherwise prescribed; recently discontinued.

=Army leggings=—for officers, of stuft russet leather of strapputtee

pattern; for enlisted men, of cotton, duck or canvas, laced, of the

color of the service uniform.

=Army stripes=—see Trousers s.

=Army officers’ cape=—a circular c. of dark blue cloth reaching to the

tips of the fingers, with a rolling collar of black velvet and closing

at the throat with a long loop. Lined as follows: general officers and

officers of staff corps and departments, dark blue; infantry officers,

light blue; artillery officers, scarlet; cavalry officers, yellow. May

be worn by all officers when not on duty with troops under arms.

=Army overcoat=—for officers: a double-breasted ulster of olive-drab

woolen material, closing with 5 large horn buttons; deep standing

collar; a large vertical pocket, opening thru lining, with outer flap,

on each side; deep center vent; coat to reach 8 to 10 inches below knee,

with back belt let into side seams, buttoning behind; a detachable hood

of same material; bands of black braid on sleeves and other insignia

according to rank. For enlisted men: of olive-drab woolen material, the

general design and cut same as officers’ overcoats, bronze buttons.

=Army shoes=—for enlisted men: of black calfskin, blucher style for

dress; of stufft russet grain calf, for marching; of russet leather,

blucher style, for garrison; of brown cotton duck for barracks wear. For

officers, high shoes of black calf, black enamel or black patent leather

or of stuft russet leather.

=Army trunk=—any t. designed for army (or navy) officers’ use, commonly

provided with trays and compartments for saber, hats, shoes, in addition

to the usual provisions for suits of clothes, underwear, etc.

=Army uniforms=—see Full dress, Dress u., Service u., Fatigue u., et

var; also general orders No. 169, August 14, 1907, et seq.

=Arrowhead=—same as Crowsfoot (qv).

=Art fiber silk=—proprietary term for artificial or wood s. (also called

art s.), and articles made therefrom. See Artificial s.

=Art silk=—see Artificial s.

=Articles=—cant for a suit of clothes.

=Artificial silk=—a lustrous textil fabric, largely used for neckwear,

chemically produced from wood cellulose, and then dyed, spun, and woven

or knit; is easily injured by dampness or wet; its strength is said to

be about 68% of that of pure s. and of about the same elasticity. Also

called variously Art s., Textil(e) s., Wool s., etc.

=Artillery pocket=—the deadly hip p.

=Artillery uniform=—see Full dress, Dress u., Service u., Fatigue u., et

var.

=As had=—as before; up to quality of previous purchases.

=As is=—as it stands; not perfect; not guaranteed; without liability for

defects.

=Asbestos=—an excellent material for grave clothes.

=Ascot=—a cravat or neck dressing to be tied as a puff, once-over,

waterfall, etc.

=Assabet=—a well-known American make of flannel (qv).

=Astrakan=—a woolen or silk material with a long and closely curled pile

in imitation of the fur of that name. See below.

=Astrakhan fur=—the pelts of young lambs from the country of that name,

usually black and very curly; used for making collars, muffs, coats,

etc.

=Atef crown=—a high, conical headpiece or diadem of mythological

symbolism; also worn by certain kings on ceremonial occasions.

=Athletic pants=—loose cotton knee trousers or trunks, with a fly or

with elastic waistband.

=Athletic shirt=—a loose cotton s., cut low in the neck and either with

deep open armholes or with short loose shoulder sleeves.

=Athletic underwear=—general name for light, loose undergarments;

drawers usually cut knee length; shirts usually low neck and sleeveless,

sometimes with deep armholes.

=Atlas=—a light, half-silk fabric glost on one side, chiefly used for

linings.

=Attar of roses=—the fragrant, volatil, essential oil extracted from the

petals of roses; used pure and as a base for many other perfumes.

=Attleborough=—trade term meaning “cheap jewelry”, which is largely made

in Attleborough, Mass. See Brummagem.

=Au rigueur=—full ceremonious dress.

=Auction sale=—a merchandising fake, generally; if peripatetic an

invariable fraud.

=Aune=—the old French unit of cloth measure (1¼ yards), now superseded

by the metric system.

=Australian wool=—a term used commonly in the sense of exceptional

quality or excellence and to distinguish Australian w. from that

produced elsewhere. See Wool.

=Automatics=—trade term for worsted fabrics woven on automatic looms, in

contradistinction to those requiring much personal attendance.

=Automobile cap=—a rain, dust and windproof c. for motor wear, with and

without goggles.

=Automobile cape=—a leather or cloth c. for wear in automobiling.

=Automobile coat=—any c., especially an overcoat, designed for

automobile wear, of style varying according to taste or requirements,

but usually notable for amplitude of skirt, roominess, and the manner in

which it is made to protect against wind, rain, cold, dust, etc.

=Autumn weight=—see Fall w.

B

=Baboosh=—a sort of slipper made with sole and vamp only, worn chiefly

in Oriental countries.

=Baby flannel=—a light-weight all-wool fabric, usually plain woven,

carefully finisht and bleacht white.

=Baby lamb=—see Persian l. and Broadtail.

=Bachelor’s button=—(1) a trouser’s b. with a self-clamping or riveting

shank; (2) a flower of the centaurea or ranunculus family, worn in

lapels by some exquisites.

=Bachelor’s gown=—a loose, flowing g. of black stuff, with hood and long

pointed sleeves, having facings of colored material indicativ of the

branch of learning.

=Back=—(1) of a garment, the rear part; (2) of a fabric, the underside.

See Back part.

=Back-and-fore stitch=—a combination of back s. and running s., made by

making a regular back s., but before withdrawing needle, letting it go

thru again and repeat; usually employed when speed is desired, but

greater strength needed than is afforded by regular running s. (qv).

=Back fold=—the plaits in the back of a frock or skirted coat.

=Back order=—a memorandum of goods due purchaser on original order,

which was shipt in an incomplete state, owing to shortage of some of the

items, which are placed on “back order”, to go forward as soon as

received.

=Back part=—broadly, the behind part or rear of any garment; in coat

making that part which joins the sidebody, as in a frock coat, or the

forepart, as in a sack coat.

=Back pockets=—hip p., which garrisoned, are infinit sources of shock

and trouble.

=Back shop=—a tailor’s workshop, on the premises.

=Back stitch=—considered the most important s. a tailor employs, made by

taking a long s. forward and another of half the length back; a very

strong and flexible s., used for sewing waist seams, inseams, sleeves,

etc.

=Back strap=—see Heel s.

=Backing=—(1) the under-web of double or faced cloth; (2) the refuse

from wool or flax dressing.

=Backt cloth=—technically, a single fabric with a series of threads so

woven on the under surface as to form almost a distinct layer of c., yet

in close combination with the face fabric, the object being a gain in

weight or bulk, or the appearance of it; one series of warp and weft

only is employed. Usually worsteds and cheap overcoatings. Loosely

called Double c., French back, etc. (qv). Compare Thru-and-thru.

(=Backed c.=)

=Badge=—a mark, token or decoration.

=Badger=—an animal of the melinae sub-family, the hide of which is used

for robes, etc., the hair for shaving brushes and other brushes.

=Badger whiskers=—a form of facial artistry, prescribed by Hon. Geo. E.

Badger, Secretary of the Navy, in 1841, to the effect that no part of a

sailor’s beard should be worn long except the whiskers, and that they

should not descend more than an inch below the ears and then in a line

with the mouth.

=Bag-and-baggage=—all one’s movable Lares and Penates.

=Bag breeches=—knickerbockers (qv) are sometimes so called—tho

incorrectly.

=Bag gloves=—see Punching b. g.

=Bag tag=—a t. usually of leather and variously made, for attaching to

hand luggage, and which contains the owner’s name, address, etc.

=Bag wig=—a w. with a bag to hold the back hair.

=Baggage=—trunks, valises, bundles, and the like, taken on a journey and

containing one’s wardrobe, toilet conveniences, etc.; luggage.

=Baggage examiners’ uniform=—see Custom’s officers’ u.

=Bagged=—tailoring term indicating that the edges of a coat were sewed

by machine all around from the wrong side and then turned; also that the

lining of a coat was first fitted to the garment in its several parts,

then sewed up, after which it and the coat were sewed together inside

out, except at the neck, much like a turn-sole shoe, and turned and

presst, the neck being finisht by hand.

=Bagged=—distended, bulged, misshapen, thru wear or neglect, as knees of

trousers in need of pressing.

=Bags=—slang for trousers.

=Baize=—a plain-worn, plain colored, slightly napt woolen fabric,

formerly used for clothing, but now more coarsely woven and used for

draperies, etc.

=Balance=—the hang or drape of a coat. Compare Not balanced.

=Balance measure=—tailoring term for a m. taken from the collar seam at

back center, running in front of arm to back center at natural waist

point. Not much in use at present.

=Balbriggan=—trade term for unbleacht cotton underwear and hosiery; from

Balbriggan, Ireland, where first made.

=Baldrick=—a sash or belt, often richly ornamented, usually worn over

the shoulder and diagonally across the breast, to support sword, bugle,

powder flasks, etc.

=Baldy=—a colloquial vulgarism for a baldheaded man.

=Bale=—a bundle or package.

=Baleine=—whalebone.

=Ball=—the widest part of the foot, or of a shoe, or of the sole

thereof; the tread.

=Ballet shirt=—a plainly made, loose white cotton blouse, susceptible of

being worn with almost any costume; often made with a wide, turned down

collar; a distinctiv garment for members of the chorus, male and female;

also called “chorus shirt”.

=Balling=—top making; one of the processes of manufacturing worsted

yarn. See Tops.

=Balmoral=—(1) a striped woolen stuff, heavy and durable; (2) a kind of

Scotch cap; (3) a shoe lacing in front. See =Laced shoe=.

=Bals=—trade diminutiv for balmoral, or laced shoe.

=Bamboo=—a kind of reed-wood, hollow, and very light, but elastic and

tough; used for walking sticks, baskets, etc.

=Band=—a trimming or finishing part of a garment or other article of

dress, usually a strip of material sewed into place.

=Band bow=—a readymade bow tie with a band passing around the collar and

fastening at some point, usually at the back.

=Band box=—a light paper or wooden b., round, square or oval, used for

carrying or storing hats, millinery, etc.; so called because used for

bands and ruffs in 17th century.

=Band teck=—a readymade neck scarf for wear with lay-down collar. See

Band bow and Teck.

=Band top=—the welted wrist finish of a glove.

=Band uniforms=—(=army=) the general uniforms of their regiments or

corps, with allowable ornaments to the dress and full dress uniforms of

officers; black lynx-skin shakos with plume and tassel of color of corps

or arm of service, with leather chinstraps with brass scales and

side-buttons, for drum-majors on full dress occasions; those for cavalry

drum-majors being smaller than those for other arms; batons as per

pattern, with silk cords and tassels of color of corps or arms of

service for dismounted drum-majors only; those with mounted bands

carrying sabers; belts, chevrons, stripes, etc., as per regulations.

=Bandage=—a temporary article of attire locally bestowed; a surgical

dressing.

=Bandana=—a large, bright-colored handkerchief with spots or figures

kept free from dye by local pressure in the dying process, or as in

later use freed by chemical extraction or bleaching. Originally a

Hindustani mode of dyeing in which hard knots were tied in the cloth

before dipping. When opened the fabric has a speckled appearance, the

dye having left the tied parts free from color. See Extracted and Batik.

=Bandboxy=—neat, smart, newish.

=Banded turban=—a plain-sided, plain-topt cap with a

pull-down-and-roll-up band.

=Banding=—in shirt collar making the process of sewing the b., if there

is one, to the collar proper; also applied to sewing of cuffs.

=Bandmaster’s uniform=—(=navy=) see Dress, Undress, Working dress, and

variations.

=Bands=—(1) the collars or ruffs of 16th and 17th centuries; (2) the

linen strips or tabs pendant from the front of a clerical or academical

collar or neckdressing.

=Bandsmen’s full dress coat=—(=navy=) see Full dress c.

=Bandsmen’s helmet=—(=navy=) black, the same as for enlisted men of the

marine corps, including spike, spike base and chin strap, with device of

the service, etc.

=Bandsmen’s trousers=—(=navy=) for bandmaster, of sky-blue cloth, cut

with medium spring, side pockets, with a welted edge stripe of scarlet

cloth 1 in. wide down the outer seams; for musicians, the same except

with a 3–16 in. welt of scarlet cloth.

=Bandsmen’s uniform=—(=navy=) see Dress, Undress, Working dress;

(=marine corps=) Special full dress, Full dress, Undress; (=army=) Full

dress, Dress u., White u., Service u., Fatigue u. Also variants.

=Bang up=—first-rate.

=Bangs=—a fringy feminin way of dressing the front hair; Ann Arbor boys

once astonisht a respectable nation by their adoption. See also

portraits of William Walter Phelps and Elihu Root.

=Banian=—a sailor’s colored frock. Probably a similar garment as

described in banyan (qv).

=Bankrupt=—can’t pay.

=Bannockburn=—a sort of tweed (qv) from a town of that name near

Glasgow, Scotland; also variously applied to fancy suitings made

elsewhere in England and America.

=Banyan=—an oriental style of neglige gown, not unlike a kimono, much

affected in colonial days, often very elaborate in material, color and

trimmings; a dressing gown.

=Baptismal gown=—a plain g. without collar and with wideopen flowing

sleeves, of black serge or cord or waterproof stuff.

=Baptismal pants=—(ought to be called b. trousers) a variety of rubber

wading p., (ought to be called w. trousers) with attacht boots, worn

just once by those whose faith is in baptism by immersion—but of course

oftener by the officiating clerygyman.

=Baptismal sleeves=—of gossamer rubber, for covering and protecting the

coat sleeves under the gown.

=Bar end=—trade term for buttonholes finished with a straight tack or

bar at right angles to the opening; most used in the collar trade. See

below.

=Bar tack=—an ornamental strengthening finish at the ends of pockets,

vents, etc. See B. t. stitch and Crowsfoot.

=Bar tack stitch=—in staying the ends of pockets, several long

perpendicular stitches are first taken at the ends to be protected; then

these are tackt down to the cloth at intervals by crosswise stitches and

finally smoothly covered on themselves, by closely laid over-and-under

stitches of the thread.

=Barathea=—general name for armure weave silk.

=Barber=—a human talking machine.

=Barber’s coat=—a short jacket worn by barbers while at work; usually of

white duck (tho sometimes black venetian or alpaca), commonly

single-breasted with gilt buttons.

=Bareface finish=—weaving term indicating that the nap is sheared off

completely. Compare dress faced, Scotch f., Velvet f.

=Barefoot sandals=—a name sometimes given to sole leather s. worn by

small children, sometimes with stockings, but more properly with

barefeet, heelless, fastened with straps and usually having cut-out

designs in front. Also called scrappers.

=Bargain=—“at a good bargain pause awhile”, especially in these latter

days.

=Bark=—see Tanbark.

=Barker=—a gent who stands outside of cheap clothing shops of the Baxter

street type to “persuade” (any way) passers-by to enter and purchase; a

type of worker higher toned merchants are endeavoring to suppress.

=Barlow=—the single-bladed jacknife we thought the world of when we were

kids.

=Barndoor trousers=—vernacular for front falls (qv).

=Baroque pearl=—an irregular shaped fresh water p.

=Barrackan=—in Mediterranean countries a camels-hair cloth for men’s

wear; in England a sort of moleskin; same as barragon (qv).

=Barracks shoes=—(=army=) for enlisted men; of brown cotton duck; worn

in barracks only.

=Barragon=—a light-weight corded woolen stuff (of about 1750) originally

of camels-hair. Probably same as barrackan (qv).

=Barrel=—the knot of a folded four-in-hand, teck or similar scarf.

=Barrel top=—trade term for trunks made with a convext top.

=Barring=—a method of re-enforcing or strengthening certain points in

the upper of a shoe by peculiar stitches inserted where desired by a b.

or stitching machine, the b. or re-enforcing stitches being located

mostly at the point in the upper where the vamp and top and tongue come

together at the so-called throat point of the shoe. The corners of a

blucher shoe where they lap onto the vamp are re-enforced by extra

stitching called b.; also Oxford shoes at the top of the heel seam are

usually re-enforced either by this method or an extra piece of leather.

=Barrow coat=—a garment made for us before we are born—a good example of

readymade guess-fits; specifically a square or oblong piece of flannel,

gathered at one end into a band, wrapped around an infant’s body below

the arms, the loose hanging part being turned up around the feet; also

called Pinning blanket.

=B’ar’s grease=—once a popular hair slickener.

=Barvell=—a coarse leather apron used by workmen and fishermen; name

practically obsolete.

=Baseball=—a periodical deterrent of attention to business; a summer

complaint afflicting the boss quite as seriously as the office boy, who

is especially subject to all influences of this sort.

=Baseball gloves=—stout g. of various shapes worn by baseball players.

=Baseball mask=—a sort of birdcage worn by catchers and umpires as a

protector of pulchritude.

=Baseball shoes=—soft leather or canvas s., three-quarters high, laced

well down to the toes, with low heels and with metal plates, spikes or

cleats on soles and heels for safety and surety in running.

=Baseman’s mitt=—a sort of cushioned leather mitten used in playing

baseball—of course!

=Basillard=—an old term for a poniard.

=Basket cloth=—c. woven in imitation of interlaced or plaited basket or

straw work; an effect produced solely by disposition of warp and weft

threads and not by colors of the yarn. See B. weave.

=Basket hilt=—a wide guard or cover continued up the hilt of a cutlas,

protecting nearly the whole hand from injury.

=Basket weave=—a plain w. in which two or more threads in both the

direction of warp and of filling are found together, giving a coarser

appearance of weave as if squared or plaited.

=Bastard=—any fabric woven in imitation of better and more expensiv

goods.

=Baste=—to sew loosely together or fasten temporarily in place with long

irregular stitches.

=Basting puller=—in clothing manufacture a workman (either gender) who

does nothing but draw out threads.

=Basting stitches=—temporary s. holding two or more pieces of material

together until the work is done. Usually a long running stitch or a

slight side stitch.

=Bastings=—left in a garment are said by the drivelly facetious to mean

that you have not paid the maker’s bill.

=Bat (to)=—a process of cleansing soiled linen by beating, and not by

rubbing as is usual with most laundresses.

=Bat bag=—a b. of canvas, leather or both, for carrying baseball bats.

=Batavia=—see Armure.

=Bath coating=—“like Mr. Brummel wears”; term not now in use and the

particular goods not identified.

=Bath mat=—a rug of heavy cotton terry or rag carpeting for the bather

to stand on after emerging from tub.

=Bath mitten=—a m. of knitted wool, terry toweling, etc., for bathing

purposes.

=Bath robe=—a long gown for wear between bath-room and dressing room,

also for bed-room lounging.

=Bath sheet=—an extra large bath towel used as a towel or as a

substitute for the bath robe.

=Bath slipper=—a s. with sole and vamp, but no counter or heel, the vamp

usually of material used for bath robes; a mule.

=Bath strap=—see Rubbing s.

=Bath towel=—a large t. of cotton or linen terry.

=Bathing belt=—a b. of canvas or other suitable material with which

modestly to sustain one’s bathing trunks.

=Bathing suit=—knee tights and a long sleeveless shirt; also a similar

one-piece garment; usually made of knitted cotton or worsted.

=Bathing trunks=—a tight-fitting knitted garment covering the person

from the waist to the upper part of the thighs.

=Batik=—name given to results in dyeing by which the pattern or design

is in black or of different color or colors than the ground color,

achieved in many ways, as (1) mordanting, (2) bleaching, (3) acid

treatment, (4) tying and drying, (5) wax overlays, etc. Name properly

designates only the primitiv East Indian processes. See Bandana,

Crossdye, Extracted, Resist dye, etc.

=Bating=—a process in the preparation of leather following upon that of

liming, for the purposes of reducing swellings or thickenings and for

cleansing of grease or other impurities, dog’s dung and warm water being

the agents mostly employed.

=Batiste=—a fine linen or cotton cloth similar to lawn or cambric.

=Batten=—in weaving the motion of pushing one weft thread up close to

that one previously thrown in.

=Batting=—cotton or wool prepared in sheets for quilting or interlining.

See Padding.

=Batts=—laced low shoes; term obsolete.

=Batwing=—a shaped tie for wear with high-banded folded collars.

=Baudekin=—a silk and gold fabric of the middle ages.

=Baum wolle=—German for “vegetable wool” or, in plain English, cotton.

Fonetically used by irreverent salesmen in cheap clothing establishments

and by knowing customers in the sense of “bum wool”.

=Baxter street=—a street in New York city once famous for its small

Hebrew clothing shops and their rather peremptory ways of inducing

customers to step inside and purchase; a synonym for cheap clothing and

disreputable methods.

=Bay rum=—an aromatic toilet water on which the barber makes a corking

profit.

=Bayadere=—weaving term for stripes running across the fabric from side

to side.

=Beach robe=—a sort of dressing gown for wear over bathing clothes,

constructed of light material, usually like an ulster overcoat in style.

=Beachman=—a person on the coast of Africa who acts as interpreter to

shipmasters and assists them in conducting trade.

=Beading=—see Heel seat wheeling; also Wheeling.

=Beam=—a horizontal cylindrical bar, in a loom, upon which warp or woven

goods are wound.

=Bear=—a large plantigrade ursoid carnivore, especially of the genus

Ursus, the pelts of which are used for driving coats, coat linings,

gloves, carriage robes, etc.

=Beard=—stubble, toughest in illness.

=Beards=—envied by men who can’t grow them; variously known as Vandyke

b., English b., hammer b., cathedral b., mouse eaten b., pique-divant

b., Methodist b., spike b., parted b.—but you’d better read Planche,

Earle, et al., or see a barber.

=Bearing cloth=—a christening robe, usually richly embroidered.

=Bear’s grease=—hair-slobber stuff.

=Bearskin=—(1) the fur headdress of the footguards of the British army;

(2) vernacular for the tall fur cap or shako worn by drum-majors for

feminin envy and conquest; (3) a shaggy woolen stuff for outer wear; (4)

a coat or robe made of the skin of a bear.

=Beating the booby=—(nautical) swinging the arms from side to side to

create a warmth by accelerating the circulation of the blood.

=Beatty cape=—a measuring and drafting device for tailors (from name of

inventor). See Measuring c.

=Beau=—a man devoted to the care and adornment of his person and to

matters of social etiquet; a dandy, a fop, a lady’s man.

=Beau monde=—the fashionable world.

=Beau peruke=—see Wig.

=Beauty sleep=—such sleep as one can get before midnight.

=Beaver=—a heavy, double-woven, smooth-faced woolen overcoating, woven

with two sets of wefts, face and back, the former of the finer wool,

fulled, napt and sheared to a high degree, producing a smooth, close,

dense surface; the back usually finisht with a loose, soft nap. The

range of quality from finest to coarsest is very great. In general,

resembling Kersey, tho less firm.

=Beaver=—a sort of flat-lying heavy silk plush used for a chapeaux and

formerly for those famous plug hats of “the good old days”.

=Beaver=—nowadays slang for any tall hat of silk or felt; less than 100

years ago a tall hat of heavy napt plush; originally any hat made of

beaver fur.

=Beaver=—a movable piece of armor, attacht to the helmet, covering the

lower part of the face.

=Beaver=—a casteroid rodent whose pelt is largely used in the

manufacture of fur garments, hats, etc.

=Beaverteen=—a heavy twilled solid color cotton fabric, a sort of

fustian, napt on the back, shorn after being dyed; used for hunting

garments.

=Bed canopy=—a drapery of mosquito netting.

=Bed pocket=—an ornamental bag or pouch for watch, handkerchief, dope,

etc., hung at the head of the bed; not in widespread use.

=Bed slippers=—ungainly things of very warm material worn by persons of

poor circulation.

=Bed socks=—for cold feet.

=Bedeck=—to cover with ornaments or adorn—oh, vanity!

=Bedford cord=—a worsted fabric with heavy rounded ribs or cords running

in the direction of the warp; a favorit cloth for riding trousers,

livery wear, etc.

=Beetling=—a mechanical process for soft-finishing certain kinds of

cotton and linen goods.

=Beige=—(1) the color of undyed, unbleacht wool; (2) a light-weight,

plain fabric of such wool; also called debeige.

=Bell=—see Flare, also Spring.

=Bell=—the side of a cap, especially of uniform style.

=Bell bottoms=—vernacular for sailor’s wide-mouthed trousers.

=Bell-mouth=—flared at the opening, as sailor’s trousers, bell-sleeves,

etc.

=Belled=—flared.

=Belled-skirt=—a flaring s.

=Bellows pocket=—an outside or patch p. made with an extension strip or

bellows-fold around sides and bottom, making such p. larger and more

capacious than the flat patch p., and especially adapted to shooting or

hunting jackets. A variety of bellows p. is made by means of an open box

plait in the center thereof, permitting stuffing.

=Bellows suit case=—a s. c. (qv) having one or both sides bellowed by

means of extendible folds for extra capacity.

=Bellows tongue=—a t. fastened to both sides of the opening in a laced

shoe and not left free as ordinary tongues.

=Belly button=—not an article of apparel.

=Belly doublet=—a d. covering the belly.

=Bellyband=—a band of woolen or silk material worn by babies.

=Belongings=—synonym for “property”, in which sense it is a survival of

old English usage; often employed as euphemism for “trousers” by the

prudishly inclined.

=Belt=—(1) a band or girdle of leather or other material, worn to

sustain trousers in place without the aid of suspenders; (2) a b. worn

with uniforms in army, navy, police and fire departments, and by various

societies, for dress, for carrying sword, club, etc.; (3) a sash or

band, more or less ornate, worn by pugilists to awe each other and mark

the line between fair and unfair punches. See Championship b.

=Belt loops=—l. or straps sewn at intervals around the waist band of

trousers, for the insertion and holding in place of a belt, the object

being to sustain the trousers without the use of suspenders.

=Bench=—(=1=) a table that journeymen tailors squat upon while working;

(=2=) a small table or stand holding a shoemaker’s tools.

=Bench-made=—a term used to describe “bespoken”, as the English call it,

or custom handmade shoes. Before the advent of machinery, when shoes

were all made by hand, the workmen sat along on benches and each workman

made a complete shoe, performing all the operations. They were,

therefore, called b-m. and the term today is used to designate handmade

or custom-made shoes as compared with factory or all-machine-made shoes.

=Bend=—leather trade term for the hinder-part of the hide, used

especially in connection with sole leather, this particular portion

being the firmest, toughest, closest-fibered part.

=Bengaline=—general term for silk and woolen fabrics with a repp or

corded effect produced by using a heavy, soft-spun woolen (or cotton)

weft closely covered in the weaving with the silk (or wool) warp threads

so as not to be exposed when finisht; also woven with wide, irregular or

knobby ribs (especially in silk).

=Benjamin=—an overcoat once fashionable in England, invented by a tailor

of that name.

=Benny=—slang for overcoat.

=Benzine=—good to eradicate grease spots. See Slob.

=Berretta=—see Biretta.

=Berlin=—trade term for fabric gloves of cotton in contradistinction to

gloves of silk, lisle or wool.

=Berlin toe=—in shoemaking one of the many names for a narrow toe.

=Bespoke=—“English” for clothes tailored to order.

=Best seller=—that which makes the most profit for the dealer and,

usually, shows the poor taste of his customers.

=Betrothal ring=—a r. that sometimes comes back.

=Betweens=—see Needle.

=Bezel=—a facet of a gem; a seal, as of a ring, fob, etc.; a flat

engraved gold seal.

=Bias=—diagonally.

=Bib=—a drizzle shield.

=Bib top=—trade term applied to overalls made with a sort of apron

partially covering the breast.

=Bicycle hose=—stout woolen or cotton stockings, knee length or longer.

=Bicycle shoe=—a high or low s., with front lacing nearly to the toe,

and with a low heel, the inner corner of which is beveled off to prevent

contact with pedaling gear.

=Bicycle stocking=—same as b. hose.

=Bicycle tights=—just t., but quite heavy.

=Bicycle trousers=—knickerbockers with re-enforced seats.

=Bifocal spectacles=—s. the lenses of which have a smaller lense

adhering to the larger, permitting different ranges of vision. Compare

Compound s.

=Bifurcated=—divided from a point into two divisions—trousers, for

instance.

=Bilbo=—an old term for a flexible kind of cutlas from Bilboa, where the

best Spanish sword blades were made.

=Bilboes=—bolts and shackles used by the Spanish to confine the legs of

prisoners.

=Biled rag=—see Boiled shirt.

=Bill=—generally an unwelcome reminder of a thoughtlessly incurred

obligation.

=Bill book=—a wallet for banknotes and papers.

=Billy=—a thug’s sleep producer.

=Billycock=—Briticism for a bowler or derby (hat), which see (corrupted

from William Coke, Earl of Norfolk, who introduced the hat to

popularity.) Also see Bowler.

=Billygoat whiskers=—long, spiky chinbeard.

=Binding=—any tape or braid used to secure or decorate the edges of a

garment or any article of apparel.

=Birdcage=—slang for umpire’s mask.

=Birdseye=—a small diamond-shaped pattern or effect; name given to

various clear-finisht fabrics so woven; armor.

=Biretta=—a square cap of silk or velvet with three ridges extending

outward from the center of the top or four in case of doctors of

divinity; also worn by the Anglican and Lutheran ministry, the latter

being much plainer. A smoking cap is also so-called.

=Birthday attire=—ideal for hot weather.

=Birthday suit=—public display punishable by fine.

=Bishop=—trade term for extra-length overcoats for tall men.

=Bishop’s lawn=—a variety of lawn (qv) originally made for clerical

vestments.

=Bit=—12½ cents; a shilling; two-bits, 25c.; six-bits, 75c., etc. These

expressions are still used in the southwest.

=B. L.=—overheard by bowlegged men on being measured for trousers.

=Black amber=—jet (qv).

=Black cap=—(=1=) a plain black silk cap assumed by judges of some

criminal courts when pronouncing sentence of death; (=2=) a sort of bag

covering the entire head of the condemned, rendering him semi-oblivious

of his surroundings immediately prior to strangulation.

=Blacking set=—a box or stand containing shoe polishing materials.

=Blacksnake=—a tapering, flexible whip of black leather, used by carters

and sometimes on unruly urchins; name from resemblance to a blacksnake.

=Blade=—the standing portion of a folded (shirt) collar; more

particularly the ends that meet in front.

=Blade=—the shoulder b. See B. measure.

=Blade measure=—in tailoring a measure taken from middle of back to

front of arm scye at level thereof under the arm.

=Blanket=—a sheet of loosely woven heavy woolen cloth, or

wool-and-cotton, usually with a nap, used for a bed covering, a garment,

or to cover a horse.

=Blanket=—in textil designing an experimental strip or length of fabric

(usually 1 to 2 yards), made up of anywhere from 2 to 100 or more

variations of a design or designs, ranging from dark to light color

effects, changes of color being accomplisht in the loom by changing the

shuttles after every few inches of each sample. These “blankets” are

passed upon by designers and stylists to determin the particular

patterns to be adopted; often not over 4 or 5 are chosen from a large b.

=Blanks=—in button making the discs of ivory or other material not

pierced or colored.

=Blarney=—idle discourse; obsequious flattery.

=Blarney tweed=—an unusually fine grade of tweed suitings manufactured

by Mahoney Bros., a famous mill in the north of Ireland. (Mahoney

pronounced Marney.)

=Blather=—idle nonsense.

=Blazer=—a light unlined summer coat, most frequently of flannel, and in

bright parti-colors.

=Bleach=—see Bleaching.

=Bleachery=—a place where textil fabrics are bleacht, whether by

chemical processes or by exposure on a lawn.

=Bleaching=—any process of freeing textil fabrics or fibers from their

natural color; or whitening.

=Bleaching powder=—usually or largely chlorin.

=Bleacht muslin=—whitened; usually of finer weave than unbleacht or

brown m. (=Bleached.=)

=Blended=—furrier’s term for furs so arranged as to form a sort of

shaded pattern.

=Bliaus=—early spelling of blouse.

=Blind edge=—see Plain e.

=Blind eye=—a strongly workt but nearly invisible silk loop or eye used

in connection with hooks for fastening garments, preferable to more

conspicuous metal eyes or catches.

=Blind fly=—a placket fastening, the outer edge of which is closed

instead of open as in the ordinary trousers f.; mostly used on overcoats

and also known as box f. and French f. See Fly.

=Blind pocket=—any concealed p.; oftenest a small p. on the inside of

the waistband of the trousers—perhaps less as a protection against

footpads than one’s wife.

=Blind stitch=—to s. in such a way that the stitches don’t show.

=Bliss tweeds=—peculiar sort of t., slightly resembling whipcord, made

by Wm. Bliss & Sons, Chipping Norton, Eng., rated the finest known and

extensivly employed for fine livery and stable wear.

=Block=—see Tailor’s b.

=Block=—the general style, lines, dimensions, etc., of a hat.

=Block patterns=—tailoring term for (1) conventionalized patterns used

by tailors as a working basis, individual differences being added or

subtracted as necessary; it is claimed that as perfect fitting garments

are produced this way as by drafting separately—and many more of them

per day; (2) similar patterns used by clothing manufacturers, from which

no variations are made, the style being as per pattern, and sizes being

conventionalized—necessarily. A method of garment drafting based on the

principle that like causes produce like effects, which is to say, a

pattern having fitted one man of a given size and attitude, it would fit

any other man of identical proportions and posture; and by proper

variation, as required, would fit a man differing in some respect, thus

saving a special drafting. Block p. are in wide use at the present day

as time savers, a complete range of sizes for each style of garment

usually being carried.

=Block toes=—in shoemaking, t. made with stiffened leather, so as not to

crease.

=Blocking=—a process in hat manufacture wherein the sized cones are

given shape, the crowns and brims being carefully stretched and blocked

out.

=Blood=—a gallant.

=Blood=—the finest wool is that of full-blooded merino sheep; the terms

½-b., ⅜-b., ¼-b., etc., refer to that standard and are coarser in a

descending scale. See Wool.

=Bloody shirt=—fortunately not a washable article, but a term of

reproach reminiscent of Civil War amenities.

=Bloom=—the lustrous effect given to broadcloth, alpaca and other

fabrics by pressing.

=Bloomers=—Zouave trousers appropriated by women during the late bicycle

craze.

=Blouse=—(1) a short, loose shirt or frock, usually of linen or cotton,

with or without belt; (2) a loose jacket or body coat, of military wear;

(3) the characteristic garment of Chinamen—need a description?

=Blouse collar=—same as Prussian c.

=Blow of cotton=—a Southern phrase, employed when the pods of the cotton

plant burst; from the old English “blowth”, a blossoming.

=Blucher=—a peculiar style or pattern used in cutting the upper of a

laced shoe—having tops lapping together at the throat and not joined

together as in plain lace shoes.

=Blue=—the color supposed to exercise a gracious influence over the

budding destinies of, and to be especially becoming and appropriate to,

boy babies as, conversely, pink is for girls.

=Blue=—see Wool.

=Blue book=—broadly, a directory of les noveaux riches.

=Blue dress coat=—(=navy=) for chief petty officers, except bandmasters,

a 4-button double-breasted sack coat of dark blue cloth with 3 outside

pockets (2 lower, 1 breast) with flaps, the coat worn buttoned; for

officers’ stewards and officers’ cooks, the same except with black

buttons instead of gilt.

=Blue jackets=—navy seamen as distinguisht from the marines.

=Blue pencil=—supposed to be specially efficacious in marking down

prices for a “sale”.

=Blue undress coat=—(=navy=) for chief petty officers except

bandmasters, same as blue dress c., but of flannel or serge.

=Blue working dress=—(=navy=) see Working d.

=Bluestocking=—not an article of attire, but a Bostonprig.

=Bluff edge=—in tailoring a variety of plain e. (qv) not made by hand,

but by first sewing the edges of garment together wrong side out, then

turning and pressing flat without other finish; a cheap substitute for

felled or prickt edges (qv).

=Bluff try-on=—not a real one, just a bluff. See Dummy t. (Tailoring

term.)

=Blunderbuss=—a short fire arm with a large bore and a wide mouth.

=Blunts=—see Needle.

=Boarded calf=—see below.

=Boarding=—a term used in the leather trade, denoting a process of

making leather supple and raising the grain after shaving, dyeing, etc.,

by doubling it with the flesh side in and working the folds back and

forth by a graining board.

=Boarding officer’s uniform=—see Custom officer’s u.

=Boardwalk=—the ocean promenade at Atlantic City, where, in season, and

on Easter Sunday particularly, those who have them proceed to strut up

and down showing off their new clothes.

=Boat cloak=—a cape or mantle for use of (naval) officers in a (small)

boat.

=Boater=—British for the stiff, straight-brimmed straw hat known here as

“yacht” shape. See Straw hat.

=Boatswain’s uniform=—(=navy=) see Special full dress, Full dress,

Dress, Undress, Service dress; (=revenue cutter service=) Full dress,

Service dress. See also variations.

=Bob=—see Bob-wig and Wig.

=Bobbin=—a slender spool or reel used in the shuttle of a loom,

conveying the weft or filling.

=Bob-jerom=—a bob wig.

=Bobtailed=—short tailed—give it any application you fancy.

=Bob-wig=—a small or medium size w. of the time of George II;

specifically, minor b.-w. and major b.-w., the latter with several rows

of curls.

=Bodkin=—a needle-like instrument for piercing holes in cloth, or for

drawing tape thru hems, etc.

=Body-coat=—a dress c.; an under-c.; a close-fitting c.; a livery c.

=Body-cover=—cant for coat.

=Bogus=—counterfeit or of inferior quality, as manipulated cloth.

=Boil out=—trade term indicating the quality of a piece of goods, as

“this will boil out”, meaning if woolen, the goods will in the boiling

potash test resolve into nothing without trace of cotton or similar

non-boilable adulterant. See Boiling-o. test.

=Boiled off=—commercial term for Shantung silk, to distinguish from silk

“in the gum”.

=Boiled shirt=—inelegant for a white shirt with stiff linen bosom.

=Boiling-out test=—a means employed to determin the quality of suspected

woolen or silk fabrics, a piece of the goods being boiled in a solution

of potash, in which the wool or silk is consumed, but any cotton therein

remains. See also Acid t. and Cotton cheat.

=Bolt=—a rolled or folded quantity of goods, of various yardage,

according to the fabric or material. Cloth usually runs 40 to 60 yards

to the b.

=Bombast=—cotton or other material of soft, loose texture, employed for

padding garments; wadding.

=Bombazine=—a light, plain woven fabric of silk warp and worsted weft,

used for mourning.

=Bonbon=—general trade term for fine lisle and balbriggan underwear and

hosiery manufactured by C. & G. Bonbon et Cie, Troyes, France; also C.

Bonbon et Cie, Paris.

=Bone=—journeyman tailors’ term for a peculiar hard feeling noticeable

in the handling of certain kinds of cloths, as heavy overcoatings and

experienct especially in working the needle thru; as, “it has a bone in

it”.

=Bonnet=—a Scotch cap.

=Book muslin=—a thin, glazed, starch-filled cotton fabric, often

mechanically crinkled, used for cheap cap linings, etc.

=Boon=—the woody core of flax.

=Boot=—a leather or other foot covering differing from a shoe (qv) in

that it reaches usually to the knee or above. In England the word boot

is synonymous with our word shoe.

=Boot=—a leather or rubber-cloth flap fastened to the front or dashboard

of a carriage or coach and drawn up over the lap of the rider as a

protection against rain, etc.

=Bootblack=—an irreverent urchin who “shines” the fronts of your shoes,

but forgets the heels.

=Boot-hook=—an implement to pull boots on with.

=Boot-hose=—spatterdashes; stirrup h.

=Boot-jack=—a wooden or metal contrivance for engaging the heel of a

boot while the wearer drags himself out therefrom.

=Boot-last=—same as b.-tree.

=Boot-lick=—a flunkey; a hanger-on; one who cringes and flatters to

obtain favors.

=Boot powder=—powdered soapstone to make tight boots go on easier.

=Boot slippers=—light, soft leather feet for wear inside of rubber

boots.

=Boot-straps=—the loops sewed in the back part of boots for the purpose

of pulling them on.

=Boot stud=—a small, steel roset having prominent sharp points at right

angles to the back; used by golf players and others for surety of

footing; 8 to 12 are required for a pair of boots, affixt by screws or

cleats.

=Boot-tree=—a stretcher for shaping boots when not in use.

=Bootee=—an infant’s knit woolen foot covering.

=Bootmaker=—Briticism for what we call shoemaker.

=Boots=—a servant, usually a boy or young man, at an inn, hotel, club,

etc., who blacks boots and performs other small services for guests.

=Bosom=—the front or display part of a shirt, specifically known

according to style, shape, etc., as dress b., puff b., shield b.,

plaited b., etc.

=Botany=—trade diminutiv for the line of cloths made by the Botany

mills, Passaic, N. J. A peculiarity of these goods is that they closely

approximate fine imported goods, being woven by German workmen (mostly)

on imported German looms.

=Botch work=—bungled.

=Bottle coat=—a proprietary term for a certain style of form fitting

overcoat. (1907.)

=Bottle nest=—a leather case with 3 or 4 bottles snugly fitted; for the

spiritual refreshment of travelers.

=Bottom=—trousers seat.

=Bottom facing=—in tailoring the strip of goods turned up within or

sewed on along the inside of a garment, as of a vest or coat.

=Boucle=—an irregular curly-faced fabric, the effect being produced by

the use of a two-ply yarn in which one thread is wound around the other

and drawn to make curls or loops at uneven distances; properly a rough,

lobby, sort of “worsted cheviot”, tho frequently made with a jersey or

stockinet body.

=Boughten=—past participle of “to buy”, in which the archaic termination

is still preserved; like gotten, putten, etc., serving to distinguish

shop-bought goods from home manufactures.

=Bound-edge=—in tailoring, covered or bound with braid; for this purpose

edges of the garment itself are often left raw. See Flat b.,

Half-and-half-b., Narrow b.

=Bounder=—English slang for one who dresses in bad taste, or whose

manners, etc., are offensiv; a “cheap dude”.

=Bouquet hole=—the buttonhole in a coat lapel.

=Bourre=—a sort of silk shoddy.

=Bourette=—a woolen cloth with lumps or knobs at intervals over its

surface, an effect produced by manipulation of warp and weft yarns

before weaving.

=Bournous=—a long woolen cloak with hood, worn by men in the Orient.

=Boutonniere=—a little bunch of flowers; the principal excuse for the

lapel buttonhole.

=Bow=—that part of a pair of spectacles clasping the temple or engaging

behind the ear.

=Bow tie=—a t. tied in a bowknot.

=Bowback=—rather humped.

=Bowie knife=—a long, formidable weapon, sometimes over a foot in length

and two inches broad, worn by hunters and desperadoes in the wilder and

more unsettled parts of the Union. One kind is facetiously called

Arkansas toothpick. The term “bowie” was derived from a notorious

character, Colonel Jim Bowie.

=Bowk=—a step in the process of cotton bleaching, being boiling in weak

lye.

=Bowlegged=—parenthetical.

=Bowler=—the common English name for the derby hat, from the name of the

hatter who invented it. See also Billycock.

=Box calf=—a trademark or fancy name for boarded c. (qv).

=Box cloth=—a superior quality of thick, heavy beaver c. of close, hard

texture, fulled and milled until practically waterproof; similar to

pilot c. and in appearance midway between melton and beaver, and not

unlike kersey; also called livery c.

=Box coat=—(1) a short, loose fitting top c.; (2) a coachman’s driving

c., with or without cape.

=Box collar=—a high-banded Prussian or military (coat) c.

=Box fly=—see Blind f.

=Box-plait=—a plait flattened with the stitching midway underneath so

that there is a leaf or fold on each side of the stitching. Compare

One-way p.

=Box toe=—having a stiff piece of sole leather inserted under the upper

leather around the toe of a shoe to make it stand up as a solid

protection for the human toes.

=Box waterproof=—a coachman’s mackintosh.

=Boxing glove=—a padded leather mitten that can hurt.

=Boxy=—loose fitting.

=Boy=—the kid who is supposed to be everywhere and everything, and

generally is, except when wanted.

=Brab=—the sheaf of the young leaves of the Palmyra palm, from which

“sennit” for hats is made.

=Braces=—English for suspenders; American for suspender-harness for

correcting stoop-shoulders and other light deformities.

=Bradford system=—weaving term for worsted yarns spun by a method

carrying that name, (see textil encyclopedia) producing a harder yarn

than by the French system (qv) of spinning on mules.

=Bradford yarns=—see above. See also English y.

=Braid=—a narrow textil band or tape formed by plaiting together or

crossing diagonally and lengthwise several threads of silk, cotton,

mohair or other material, in a manner to achieve a certain width, style,

pattern or effect, known in trade as silk b., mohair b., hercules b.,

soutache b., flat b., half-and-half b., etc. Used for binding coat

edges, etc., and decorativly, as in uniforms.

=Braid combing=—wool classification term. See Wool.

=Braided edges=—see Bound e., Braiding, etc.

=Braided seam=—a s. covered with braid laid on and stitched.

=Braiding=—the process of forming tape or cord like fabrics in which

threads held longitudinally, are woven diagonally in and out of each

other.

=Braiding=—the act or operation of binding or decorating a garment with

braid.

=Brakeman’s uniform=—varies with different roads; usually a sack suit of

blue cloth, the coat being most frequently double-breasted with brass

buttons; blue cloth cap.

=Brandenburgs=—long, narrow, ornamental buttons of silk or wool on a

wooden mold, used chiefly for military overcoats; also known as olives.

=Brass=—impudent assurance.

=Brass buttons=—slang for over-gaudy uniforms, livery, etc.

=Brass knuckles=—see Knucks.

=Brassard=—(=army, navy, etc.=) (1) a band of white cloth usually about

4 in. wide, fastened around the upper part of the right sleeve, a red

Geneva cross, 3 in. in hight and width, having arms 1 in. wide, stitched

or painted upon it; (2) a similar band of black cloth or crepe worn for

mourning.

=Brave=—a swaggering fellow; a rowdyish gallant; a roystering fop.

=Bravery=—elegance of attire; finery.

=Brazilian linen=—a fiber obtained from a common South American weed,

possessing strength, fineness, flexibility and adaptability for

bleaching, dyeing, etc., expected soon to be a popular substitute for

flax in nearly all its uses.

=Breach=—see Wool.

=Break=—see Collar b.

=Break=—trade term for tender wool that breaks when stretched—a defectiv

condition caused by exposure, insufficient feeding, etc.

=Breakfast jacket=—(1) a house coat; (2) a butler’s morning coat.

=Breaking test=—in general, linen fabrics are more difficult to break

than those of cotton. The broken edge of linen shows threads that are

long and irregular, the projecting fibers being parallel and lustrous.

The broken edge of cotton cloth exhibits twisted threads, the fibers

being uniform in length and dull in appearance. Practise further enables

the operator to distinguish linen from cotton by the sound when the

fabric is torn, linen emitting a shrill, and cotton a dull, sound.

Furthermore, when a group of threads is quickly broken, the cotton

threads twist around each other, while the linen threads hang straight.

=Breast=—the front of the chest.

=Breast cord=—(=army=) a decorativ loop of cord and tassels of mohair,

of the color of the corps, department or arm of service, worn on the

front of the dress coat of enlisted men, from left shoulder to below

right arm; a variety of aigulet (qv).

=Breast of heel=—(shoemaking) the back of the heel.

=Breast pocket=—any p. inserted in or placed on the breast of a coat or

vest, whether outside or inside, tho the latter are generally so

specified.

=Breast protector=—a sort of inflated canvas-and-leather shield worn by

baseball and cricket players, fencers, etc.

=Breech=—see Wool.

=Breech cloth=—better than nothing.

=Breech clout=—same.

=Breeches=—a shaped leg-covering reaching to the knee, closing snugly at

that point with several buttons. Compare Knickerbockers. See also Riding

b.

=Breeches hooks=—used in 18th century to suspend the tight, fashionable

breeches of the times from the ceiling, the wearer mounting upon the

steps and letting himself down in the garments.

=Breeches tree=—a wooden form for keeping coachmen’s breeches in shape

while not in use.

=Breeks=—Scotch for breeches.

=Bretelles=—French for suspenders or braces.

=Bricklayer’s glove=—a sort of leather mitten to which separable heavy

leather tips are attacht by means of metal clips, the wrist having a

resilient metal clamp. More loosely, any heavy working glove.

=Bridgewater=—a variety of broadcloth once manufactured at Bridgewater,

England.

=Brigadier=—see Wig.

=Brigadier general’s uniform=—(=army=) see Full dress, Dress u., White

u., Service u.; (=marine corps=) Special full dress, Full dress, Mess

dress, Undress, Field dress. Also see variants.

=Bright=—tailor’s argot for any bright technical idea or suggestion.

=Brilliant=—jeweler’s term for a diamond of the finest cutting and

quality; general slang for all diamonds and sparkling gems.

=Brilliant cutting=—the most common style of diamond cutting, consisting

of two pyramids joined at their bases, the upper one or crown being

truncated to form the table, the lower or pavilion ending in a point

called the collet. Compare Twentieth century c.

=Brilliant lisle=—highly calendered. See Lisle.

=Brilliantine=—a light, thin, plain woven and very lustrous fabric,

similar to alpaca. See Mohair.

=Brim=—the piazza part of a hat.

=Briolette=—a diamond, generally pear or drop shaped, cut with angular

or long facets.

=Britch=—same as breach—a wool classification term. See Wool.

=British=—trade term for unbleacht cotton hose.

=Broad bound=—same as flat b. Compare Narrow b. and Half-and-half b.

=Broad goods=—cloth wider than 29 in.

=Broad silks=—trade term for woven silk fabrics for dress and lining

purposes.

=Broadcloth=—for men’s wear, a high grade woolen cloth woven of the

finest of felting wool, usually first dyed in the raw; the woven fabric

is fulled to a considerable degree and slightly napt and sheared, then

steamed, calendered and prest to add luster, the better grades being

made with a twilled back. Broadcloth for women’s wear is a lighter

fabric and not so costly. Name originally used in contradistinction to

Narrow cloth.

=Broadfalls=—trade name for front fall trousers in which the front flap

or fall extends from side to side or nearly to the pockets. See Fall

bearer. Compare Narrow f.

=Broadtail=—apologetic term for the fur of the unborn lamb of the black

Persian sheep of Russia; distinguisht from Persian lamb (qv) by the

degree of mottling or moire effect of the rich black surface; also

called baby lamb.

=Brocade=—a rich fabric of silk, cotton or wool (or combinations

thereof, sometimes intermixt with tinsel) having a pattern in slight

relief, produced by raising the threads of the warp or of the weft in

the loom; the patterns are mostly floral.

=Broche=—a term signifying stitcht or embroidered, applied to fabrics

worn with a raised design; having such appearance; a sort of brocade.

=Brodekin=—a buskin or high boot (obsolete).

=Brogan=—a coarse, heavy shoe fastened by side flaps buckled or laced

over a short tongue or instep-piece; forerunner of the modern Blucher

shoe (qv).

=Brogue=—(1) a rude shoe of untanned hide, (originally with the hair

outside) tied with thongs, worn formerly in Ireland and the Scotch

highlands. See Brogan. (2) Among seamen, coarse sandals made of green

hide.

=Brogues=—trousers (obsolete).

=Broken twill=—one of the technical names for herringbone weave.

=Brooch=—an ornamental article of jewelry fastened by means of a hinged

pin; a shawl-clasp.

=Broom brush=—upper class tradesmen’s term for whisk broom.

=Brotus=—the heaping up of a measure; what is thrown in to make sure of

good weight. Used in Charleston, South Carolina, and exactly equivalent

to the Gumbo-French word lagniappe of New Orleans.

=Brown=—unbleacht.

=Brown=—see Wool.

=Brown holland=—plain, wide linen cloth, but slightly thickened; used

for dusters, summer clothing, etc.

=Brown muslin=—just as it leaves the looms; not bleacht; usually woven

coarser than that intended to be bleacht.

=Brownies=—diminutiv apron overalls for little tads of 3 years up.

=Brummagem=—sham jewelry as originally made in Burmingham, Eng. See

Attleborough.

=Brunswick=—union or part wool cassimere.

=Brush length=—trade term for narrow width haircloth.

=Brushing=—a polishing or finishing process in shoemaking, rapidly

revolving brushes made of bristles or soft pieces of cloth being used to

polish and brush up the shoe as a final finishing operation.

=Brushing machine=—(1) an apparatus for laying the nap on cloths, hats,

etc.; (2) an apparatus for dusting hats, shoes, etc.

=Bryks=—breeches (obsolete).

=Buck=—a dandy.

=Buckeen=—Irish dude.

=Bucket tops=—top boots. See French falls.

=Buckle=—a fastening device, in clothing used specially for tightening

the waist of trousers, waistcoats, etc.

=Buckler=—cant term for collar.

=Bucko=—a dandy; corruption of “buck”.

=Buckram=—a coarse, heavy, plain-woven linen or cotton material sized

with glue, used for stiffening, as in coat fronts.

=Buckskin=—a sort of doeskin or kersey, but stouter and with bolder,

clearer twill, chiefly used for riding breeches, livery wear, etc.

=Buckskin=—(1) soft sheepskin; (2 pl) breeches or trousers made of b.

=Buckskin=—proprietary name for an improved sort of gum tissue for hems,

seams, etc.

=Bucktails=—a name given to the 13th Pennsylvania Reserves (also known

as 1st Pennsylvania Rifles and Kane Rifles, from one of the commanders)

famous thruout the Civil War for their rare fighting qualities and from

the habit of the men of wearing a bucktail in their hats, which a Grand

Army post of the survivors perpetuates.

=Buff clothes=—none at all.

=Buff coat=—a jerkin or doublet of leather (?) worn by certain colonial

troopers of 17th century.

=Buffalo=—see B. robe.

=Buffalo cloth=—a shaggy fabric woven in imitation of b. fur.

=Buffalo horn=—trade term for buttons made of horn, bone, etc., in

contradistinction to imitations thereof, distinguished by greater

clearness and irregular markings of color.

=Buffalo robe=—a rug or covering made of the hide with the hair on. More

commonly called “buffalo”.

=Bugazeen=—an old term for calico.

=Bugs of Egypt=—a style of waistcoat buttons popular in the early part

of the last century; probably in imitation of scarabeii.

=Bull muck=—in yarn spinning an expression meaning careless, slovenly

making of unclean, tangled and otherwise imperfect “tops”. (British.)

=Bulldog golf cap=—a large g. c., setting well back on the head, with a

visor dependent almost vertically.

=Bulldog toe=—a very heavy broad toe; a shoe style that was very popular

some years ago and still obtains.

=Bullet-proof cloth=—a fabric (recently invented by a German priest) of

mysterious composition, quite thick and heavy, having the property of

stopping shot and bullets fired at it; various other similar fabrics

have since been invented.

=Bull’s-wool-and-oakum=—salesmen’s slang term for very coarse clothing

fabrics of inferior quality.

=Bullion=—a slender barrel-shaped ornament of gold or silver wire or

thread in coils, groupt to form tassels, as for chapeaux, etc.

=Bullion fringe=—an ornamental fringe of heavy twisted cords covered

with gold or silver threads, used for uniforms, regalia, etc.

=Bumbershoot=—vulgar for umbrella.

=Bumpers=—metal corners used on trunks; sole leather corners on hand

luggage.

=Bumpkin=—an awkward, provincial dude.

=Bunching=—Briticism expressing a uniformity of appearance permitting

two or more pieces of the same fabric to be sold as same shade or

effect. Handspun and hand woven homespuns, for instance, cannot be

buncht because of unevenness, but by the use of mill-spun yarn b.

becomes possible.

=Bung=—cant term for a purse or pocket.

=Bunion=—in shoemaking, a specially comfortable shape of shoe, usually

quite plain without tips, for tender feet with enlarged joints, etc.

=Bunk=—a sleeping berth.

=Bunting=—a light-weight, plain woven woolen fabric of loose

construction; used for flags, and in a limited manner in men’s wear.

=Burberry cheviot=—a variety of wool c., twill woven in fancy patterns,

used as a suiting.

=Burberry cloth=—a medium to light-weight waterproof fabric, of

mercerized cotton warp and weft, with a fine round cord like repps,

employed for automobile garments, raincoats, etc. A lighter weight

fabric of the same class is known as Roseberry c.

=Bureau trunk=—a t. opening on a diagonal line, setting flat against the

wall, and composed of tray-compartments in tiers, suggesting a bureau

when opened.

=Burgonette=—an iron helmet or cap with neckpieces worn by French

pikemen of 16th century.

=Burlaps=—a sort of gunny sacking.

=Burning test=—burnt ends of linen threads after the flame is

extinguisht appear smooth and compact, while the fibers of cotton

threads treated in the same way are spread out more or less in brush

form. Wool and silk exhibit charred knobs.

=Burnishing=—a finishing or polishing operation for completing the

heels, bottoms and edges of a shoe.

=Burnt cork=—used by minstrels to blacken the skin.

=Burring=—in wool-cleansing the mechanical process of removing burs and

other foreign substances from the fleece before the initial spinning

process. Compare Carbonizing.

=Busby=—a tall fur cap, with or without a plume, and with a bag hanging

from the top over the right side, worn by British hussars, artillerymen

and engineers.

=Bushel=—to alter, repair or remedy the fit of a garment.

=Bushel=—a tailor’s thimble.

=Bushelman=—a tailor or workman who does alteration or repair work.

=Business coat=—usually meaning a sack c.

=Business cutaway=—see Morning frock c.; English walking coat.

=Buskin=—a sort of knee length boot with leather sole and cloth leg;

worn 17th and 18th centuries.

=Bust=—properly, a glorious feminin physical development, but also used

in a limited way as expressiv of a man’s chest.

=Buster Brown=—almost as distressing as Little Lord Fauntleroyism.

=Butcher’s coat=—a long frock worn by butchers and drivers of meat

wagons; usually of stout gingham, duck, etc.

=Butcher’s linen=—a stout, coarse, white l. used for backing shirt

bosoms, etc.

=Butler’s livery=—(morning) Tuxedo or breakfast jacket, low-cut

waistcoat and trousers, white shirt, black tie, black shoes; (evening)

dress coat, low-cut waistcoat, trousers, white shirt and white tie,

black shoes. A fancy waistcoat is permissible with evening suit in clubs

and hotels.

=Butt rest=—a leather thingummy strapped across the body by lazy and

weak salmon and tarpon fishers.

=Butteker=—cant term for shop.

=Butterfly=—a shaped tie for wear with folded collars.

=Butternut=—the coarse brown homespun cloths and jeans woven prior to

and during the Civil War, colored brown with a dye from the butternut

tree.

=Button=—a device for fastening or ornamenting articles of apparel,

usually round, and designated in the trade according to composition,

shape, style, purpose, etc., as silk braid b., mohair b., lasting b.,

cloth b., hard rim b., ivory b., rubber b., composition b., bone b.,

pearl b., horn b., gilt b., etc.; flat b., cup b., ¼ round b., ½ round

b., shank b., 2 hole b., 4 hole b., uniform b., pants b., vest b., coat

b., overcoat b., etc.; all of which see.

=Button board=—a heavy brown paper or pulp b., used in filling the

shells of covered buttons.

=Button flaps=—trade term for buttoned f. over hip pockets in trousers.

=Button fly=—tailoring term meaning a placket which conceals the buttons

of the opposit side or part of the garment.

=Button machine=—a machine for making cloth covered buttons, operated by

hand power.

=Button mold=—a wooden shape to be covered with braid, cloth, etc.; also

often of metal.

=Button stand=—an allowance or addition to the right forepart of a coat

or vest for the sewing on of buttons, usually 1½ inches on

single-breasted coats and ¾ of an inch on vests.

=Button-stay=—a strip of linen canvas interplaced between cloth and

lining for the purpose of giving strength for button stress.

=Button strap=—a strip of thin leather or cloth stitcht to the inside of

shoe tops thru which, for greater strength, the buttons are sewed or

attacht by patent fasteners.

=Button thru=—said when a coat or other garment or part thereof is made

without a fly and with buttonholes cut thru from face to back, the

buttons, of course, showing—a labored explanation, but plain?

=Buttonhole=—(1) a workt aperture to receive a button and fasten a

garment; (2) a fingering place for politicians and borrowers.

=Buttonhole chisel=—a straight, thin steel tool with a wood handle, used

for punching buttonholes thru many thicknesses of material.

=Buttonhole cutter=—a device like a pair of pliers with a cutting blade

for uniformly cutting buttonholes.

=Buttonhole making=—the cut edges of the b. are first roughly overcast

by plain or loopt stitch, fastening in place at the same time a cord or

thread all around the cut opening, which is then finisht by close, even

loopt stitches. On cotton and linen goods the cording is omitted. Of

handmade buttonholes in tailoring there are several varieties, chief of

which are the flat or satin stitcht b. and the gimp or coarse b.

=Buttonhole stitch=—a regular close loopt s. used in garment making. See

B. making.

=Buttonhole twist=—a loose 8 strand, 3 cord silk thread that in working

tightens up, making a firm, solid, durable buttonhole. See also Machine

t. and Sewing silk.

=Buttonhook=—a metal device for buttoning shoes without injury to

fingernails and temper.

=Buttons=—(1) a page’s coat single-breasted, short, close fitting, with

standing collar, closing with 19 buttons, whence name; (2) the lad

himself.

=Butts=—cleaned and prepared hides, ready for tanning.

=Buyer=—the head of a department in a large store who, of course, never

knows as much as his clerks.

=Buzz-saw test=—name given to a demonstration of the comparativ

composition of various makes of shoes, including their own, by the Regal

Shoe Co., in which, usually in a show window, numbers of shoes were

sawed thru on a circular saw and the edges exposed and otherwise

explained to the spectators. The demonstration is understood to be

protected under trade mark laws.

=Byron collar=—name given to a lay-down shirt c., the fronts of which

are not creased, but broadly and softly rolled; much affected by artists

and the Bohemian gentry.

=Byron roll=—see above.

=By the candle=—in old England a mode of auction by which people were

allowed to bid during the burning of an inch of candle, the goods being

knockt down after the light had gone out to the highest bidder.

C

=Caba=—a small traveling bag or valise; nearly obsolete.

=Cabasset=—a light morion or iron cap with a wide drooping brim, worn by

French infantry of 16th century.

=Cabin bag=—a hand b. or valise with straight boxy sides, opening not

from a center point, but from the sides at the roof angles, the two top

parts coming together and clamping to form a cover.

=Cable seam=—see Round s.

=Cable silk webbing=—trade term for elastic w. woven with a roundish

twill, an effect helpt by a twisted instead of flat silk thread.

=Cable yarn=—y. twisted coarsely, like a rope.

=Cachemire=—in textil designing, signifying Persian or other Oriental

patterns.

=Cachi=—a small, felt cap, in red, brown or white, surmounted with a

tassel in a contrasting color, worn by Arabs—sometimes one on top of

another or several others. See also Haik.

=Cacks=—our first baby shoes.

=Cadet=—(1) glove trade term for long fingers; (2) a shade of gray; (3)

a student at a military school; (4) something worse.

=Cadet cloth=—the standard blue-gray woolen uniform c. prescribed by the

U. S. Military and Naval Academies and by various schools and

institutions of similar character for cadet dress; the color effect is

usually a combination of indigo blue and white yarns.

=Cadet collar=—a highhanded Prussian c.: also called stand-and-fall c.

=Cadet overcoat=—an outercoat that appeared during the winter of

1907–08; both single and double-breasted, buttoning to the throat, with

a high Prussian collar. Also known as West Point o., army o., automobile

o.

=Cadet uniforms=—(=Annapolis=) for Dress—a jacket resembling that of

Special full dress (qv) of commissioned officers of the navy, except

that it is cut Eton shape, without tails, with narrow braid on collar;

dress trousers, dress cap and white gloves. Service dress—blouse

resembling that of commissioned officers, waistcoat (optional), service

trousers and dress cap. The trousers, both dress and undress, in general

the same as for commissioned officers, but cut higher in the waist and

without pockets. Working dress for drill—canvas jumper and trousers,

white hat or knit cap, as ordered, black silk neckerchief, jersey or

sweater, all, in general, corresponding to similar articles worn by

enlisted men.

=Cadet uniforms=—(=revenue cutter service=) for Full dress—a

single-breasted fly-front sack coat of dark blue cloth reaching to top

of inseam of trousers, having a standing collar, the collar edges and

side seams in back trimmed with lustrous black mohair braid, and with

grade marks, devices, etc., as prescribed. For Service dress—a similar

coat, omitting the sleeve ornaments and some of the braiding. Trousers

of dark blue cloth, cut full in the legs without bottom spring, two hip

pockets only; blue cloth waistcoat; blue cloth cap; blue cloth overcoat,

with hood; also the white u. and other garments as prescribed.

=Cadet uniforms=—(=West Point=) for Dress—a gray cloth coatee,

conforming closely to the shape of the wearer, single-breasted, with

three rows of 8 gilt ball buttons in front and 12 on the skirts in rows

of 3; standing collar with a ball button on each side, ball buttons on

cuffs, the garment trimmed and decorated with black braid. For Undress

or Fatigue—a single-breasted blouse with standing collar, fly front,

trimmed with black braid; insignia, etc., as per regulations. Trousers,

in winter, gray cloth with a black stripe 1 in. wide down the sides; in

summer, white duck; for riding, gray kersey riding trousers with brown

canvas leggings. Overcoat, gray kersey, double-breasted, with

stand-and-fall collar, 6 gilt buttons down each breast, 2 at hips and 1

on back plaits; cape of same material. Badges, stripes, insignia, etc.,

as per regulations.

=Cady=—a hat.

=Caftan=—(1) a black garment almost identical with the Anglican cassock,

worn by the Mohammedan priesthood; (2) an undercoat having long sleeves

and girdled with a sash, worn in Turkey, Arabia, Egypt, etc.

=Calendering=—a mechanical process in cotton and linen finishing,

imparting a smooth, even surface or gloss.

=Calfskin=—a fine, durable shoe leather; often shortened to calf.

=Calico=—a coarse printed cotton cloth; used in the cheapest grade of

shirts, etc.

=Callimanco=—a glossy, woolen stuff, both plain and ribbed, very

fashionable and much used up to Revolutionary times.

=Camblet=—see Camlet.

=Cambric=—(1) a fine, white linen fabric used for handkerchiefs, etc.;

(2) a fine cotton fabric in imitation of linen; (3) also a heavier

glazed cotton lining material.

=Cambric=—see Ramie.

=Camelshair=—the fine, wooly hair from the neck and back of the camel.

=Camelshair cloth=—a thick, soft, shaggy material, usually woven like

cheviot, having long hairs intersperst over its surface.

=Camisol=—(1) a kind of jacket or under-waistcoat without sleeves; (2) a

kind of straight-jacket (qv) with long sleeves which may be tied behind

the sufferer’s back.

=Camlet=—a stiff, closely woven fabric having a wavy surface, nearly

waterproof, originally worn of camels-hair (whence name) but now mostly

of Angora wool, silk and wool, or wool-and-cotton or linen; once largely

used for cloaks; best known in 17th and 18th centuries.

=Camlet yarn=—a y. made in Turkey from the long, silky hair of the

Angora goat; also called Turkish y.

=Camleteen=—a worsted camlet; an imitation camlet.

=Camletto=—see Camleteen.

=Campaign wig=—supposed to be a simplification of the pompous peruke

(which had become exceedingly arrogant in the time of William and Mary)

yet really quite a pretentious affair, tho worn for traveling and for

undress.

=Campbell stitcht=—refers to one of many processes in modern mechanical

shoemaking.

=Camphor=—bad for moths.

=Camping shoe=—see Moccasin s.

=Cancellations=—the negativing or voiding of orders given; a matter of

diplomatic difference between mills and manufacturers, et al.

=Cane=—a walking stick.

=Cannon pocket=—oh, murderous hip p.!

=Canoe carrier=—a pneumatic cushion somewhat like a life preserver to

prevent canoes shifting and chafing whilst en portage.

=Canonical inch=—the inch or so of hair, continuing down in front of the

ears, affected as whiskers by Anglican clergymen.

=Canonicals=—clergymen’s officiating clothing as prescribed by canon.

=Cantab=—a variety of thin leather used for suspender ends.

=Canteen=—a drinking flask, usually worn slung by a strap from a

shoulder.

=Canton flannel=—a stout twilled cotton cloth with a dense nap on one

side, largely used for underwear. Also made with a nap on both sides.

=Cantsloper=—a sort of mackintosh or weather-coat of Colonial days.

=Canvas=—(1) a coarse, plain-woven fabric of linen or cotton, used both

bleacht and unbleacht, for tropical clothing, yachting wear, shoes,

etc., etc.; (2) also a stiffening material, usually unbleacht, used in

tailoring. See Elastic c.

=Canvasers=—in ready-to-wear clothing manufacture workmen who baste

canvas interlinings, padding, etc., into place in the shells (of coats)

as received from the closers (qv).

=Cap=—a covering for the head, of various shapes and materials, less

formal than a hat.

=Cap=—in shoemaking, the same as tip (qv).

=Cap-a-pie=—thoroly equipt from head to foot.

=Cap device=—an insignia of rank, etc., worn in uniform caps.

=Cap-of-maintenance=—an ornamental and ceremonial c. of scarlet velvet

and ermine borne before kings of England at their coronation; also

before the mayors of some British cities on similar occasions.

=Cape=—(1) a circular covering for the shoulders; (2) the inside yoke of

a coat, formed of the lining.

=Cape Ann hat=—same as Squam h., except the crown is soft instead of

stiff.

=Cape Ann suit=—a s. of oiled or painted waterproof material worn by

fishermen, sailors, et al., consisting of a coat buttoning or clasping

close to the throat with a laid over fly, overalls and a sou’wester hat

of same material.

=Cape cap=—a c. commonly of rubber, with visor and deep apron covering

head, neck and shoulders.

=Cape coat=—an overcoat with a cape and with or without sleeves. See

also Inverness.

=Capeskin=—trade name for cape goatskin, used for gloves.

=Capote=—a hooded coat or cloak; a military overcoat.

=Captain’s uniform=—(=army=) see Special full dress, Full dress, Dress,

Service Dress, Evening dress, Mess dress, Undress; (=marine corps=)

Special full dress, Full dress, Mess dress, Undress, Field dress;

(=revenue cutter service=) Full dress, Dress, Service dress, Social full

dress. See also variations thereof.

=Capuchin=—see next.

=Capuchon=—a hood attacht to an overcoat or ulster.

=Caracul=—Astrakhan fur (qv).

=Carat=—(1) a twenty-fourth part, used to express the fineness of

alloyed gold, as 18 c. is ¹⁸⁄₂₄ (or ¾) pure gold; 24 c. pure or

unalloyed; (2) a unit of weight for precious stones; the international

c. is 3.168 grains or 205 milligrams.

=Carbonized wool=—see below.

=Carbonizing=—a chemical process of removing (by charring) all foreign

vegetable substances, as burs, from wool fleece, preparatory to the

initial spinning processes. Compare Burring.

=Card=—short for loom-c.

=Card case=—a small leather wallet or metal c. for visiting cards.

=Card-clothing=—sheets of rubber or leather with wire bristles or teeth

used for covering the cylinders in wool-carding machinery.

=Cardigan jacket=—a close-fitting, knit ribbed woolen or worsted

body-j., with or without sleeves; a sort of collarless sweater with a

buttoned front.

=Carding=—the process of opening up the fibers of wool, flax, hemp,

silk, etc., for the purpose of cleaning them of foreign matter and

rendering the material fine and soft, preparatory to spinning into yarn.

=Carding wool=—fine fleece 2 to 4 inches long. See Clothing w.

=Carmelite=—a fine woolen stuff, usually undyed or natural color, used

mostly for women’s wear.

=Carpet bag=—an old-fashioned hand b. or valise for traveling;

reminiscent of Lincoln’s time.

=Carpet slippers=—Christmas gifts.

=Carr’s=—trade diminutiv for the fine melton cloths made by Carr, Son &

Co., London.

=Carreau=—in weaving, a small check, square or diamond-shaped effect.

=Carrot-top=—red haired.

=Carroting=—one of the initial processes in preparing hat furs for

felting—a treatment of nitric acid and quicksilver while the fur is

still on the skin.

=Carry-all=—a hunter’s pack bag.

=Carsey=—old name for kersey.

=Carton=—a pasteboard box.

=Caruso pocket=—see Raincoat p.

=Cash=—an imperativ diminutive for cash-boy or cash-girl.

=Cash=—an alleged vulgar and disreputable word for money.

=Cash-boy=—a young imp who feels that you would rather flirt with the

saleslady than catch the 5:14 train and so delays bringing back your

parcel and change.

=Cashier=—a dispenser of pay envelopes and receiver of customer’s cash.

=Cashmere=—a fine grade of wool; properly from the c. goat; used largely

for underwear.

=Cashmere=—(1) a fine twilled, soft finisht woolen fabric; used for

vestings and suitings; (2) a knitted underwear fabric, properly of c.

wool, tho as often (or oftener) of other similar wools.

=Cashmere glove=—a fabric g. of fine worsted yarn with a nap inside.

=Cashmerette=—an old-time material for fancy waistcoats.

=Casket cloth=—a light-weight c. resembling cheap grades of melton, of

wool, wool waste, cotton, etc., and used for our final overcoating.

=Casque=—a sort of helmet.

=Cassimere=—general term for a large class of woolen cloths for men’s

wear, coarse and fine, both plain and twill woven, having the pattern

produced in the loom, and usually appearing in distinct checks, plaids

and stripes; the cloth is never napt; sometimes made with worsted warp

and woolen weft. Name a variant of Cashmere.

=Cassinette=—an inferior coarse fabric, similar to union cassimere (qv),

used in the cheaper grades of men’s clothing.

=Cassock=—(1) a plain, close-fitting garment, reaching to the feet, the

distinctiv dress of clerics indoors and out, worn with and without

vestments, often with a sash; the color is black for priests, purple for

bishops, red for cardinals, the pope alone wears white; (2) a similar

garment worn by Anglican clergy when officiating; (3) a short, loose

jacket worn under the Geneva gown by Presbyterian ministers; (4) a

military cloak; (5) a name some times given to the single-breasted

clerical frock coat with closed-throat military collar.

=Cassock bands=—see Bands (2).

=Cassock vest=—a clerical waistcoat without opening in front, closing on

the side, and with a short military collar.

=Cast knitting=—a variety of k. in which the needles are thrust from the

inside while the yarn is held on the outside of the fabric or article

that is being made.

=Cast-off=—wornout or discarded clothes we don’t want.

=Cast-off buckle=—a suspender b. that permits a separation of the end

strap from the webbing as a toilet convenience for lazy persons.

=Castor=—see C. beaver.

=Castor=—a shade of gray.

=Castor=—(1) a general term for light-weight gloves of any leather from

which the grain is removed, commonly gray or drab in color; (2) one of

several terms for ooze kid.

=Castor beaver=—a heavy milled, face finisht, all-wool cloth, a little

lighter in weight than ordinary beaver (qv); used for overcoats, etc.

=Castor Francaise=—a long-haired felt used by hatters; and hats of same.

=Cat=—a night prowling animal whose hide, after its ninth death, becomes

sealskin, etc.

=Cat o’ nine tails=—a multi-thonged whip or scourge sometimes worn out

on bad boys, et al.

=Catalog=—a book or pamphlet listing wares of sale; in widest use as a

publication for the special benefit of mail order customers.

=Catcher’s mask=—a guard for the face; constructed of wire and leather,

worn as a protection against pitched and foul balls, the batter’s bat,

etc.

=Catcher’s mitten=—a very large, heavily padded leather glove or pillow

on which the pitcht balls are received by the catcher, so contrived as

to hold the ball and save a home run.

=Catching mitt=—see Catcher’s gloves and C. mitten.

=Cats-and-dogs=—trade term for a miscellaneous collection of merchandise

of more or less doubtful value.

=Cathedral beard=—a broad, spreading, square cut b., “so called because

men of the church did wear it”.

=Cavalier cape=—familiar term for evening dress cloak and by extension

for the Inverness overcoat.

=Cavalry uniform=—see Full dress, Dress u., Service u., Fatigue u., et

var.

=Cellular cloth=—broadly, any c. more or less loosely woven,

characterized by cell-like meshes or openness.

=Celluloid=—a chemical substance consisting largely of cellulose and

camphor, manufactured in imitation of linen, amber, shell, ivory, etc.

=Celluloid collars=—c. that need never go to a laundry and should never

go near to a fire; c. cuffs ditto; worn largely by workingmen who could

just as well do without them.

=Cemented seam=—trade term used in reference to s. fastened together by

a strip of rubber tissue or cement or other adhesiv, usually lapt, and

commonly stitcht, tho the stitching is sometimes omitted. Mostly used on

old-style mackintoshes.

=Cerement=—a garment, covering or wrapping for the dead; grave clothes.

=Ceremonial=—formal (as dress).

=Cerevis=—a small cylindrical cap, usually with a society, or corps

monogram, worn by students in German universities.

=C. G.=—trade diminutiv for the balbriggan and lisle thread hosiery and

underwear manufactured by C. & G. Bonbon et Cie., Troyes, France.

=Chain=—warp.

=Chain hole=—a vertical buttonhole in a waistcoat, from which the

watchchain is suspended.

=Chain stitch=—an ornamental s. formed by carrying the thread thru

repeated slip loops, easily pulled out by pulling the underthread;

sometimes used for basting.

=Chain-weave serge=—trade term for s., so woven as to resemble chains

laying close together diagonally, clear finisht and piece dyed (qv);

also called double corkscrew.

=Chain-weave worsted=—see C.-w. serge.

=Chalk=—loosely, any substance used by tailors for drafting patterns and

marking cloth.

=Chalk stripes=—trade term for fabrics having white stripes on a dark

ground, as serges, unfinishts, etc.

=Chambray=—a fine quality of gingham, plain colored, woven of very fine

count cotton yarns, the warp and weft usually of different colors, with

a linen finish.

=Chamois=—a soft, pliable leather, originally prepared from the skin of

the c. goat, used for gloves, garment interlining, chest protectors,

pockets, window cleaning, etc.

=Chamois fiber=—name given to a stout crinkled paper fabric used as an

interlining, for chest protectors, etc.

=Chamois pocket=—a p. in trousers, waistcoat or other garment, chamois

lined.

=Championship belt=—usually a most gorgeous affair competed for by

pugilists.

=Change pocket=—a small p. for small change, usually placed on the right

side of coats, either above or within the regular p. on that side, and

occasionally, in overcoats, on the inside facing of the left side; also

called ticket p.

=Changeant=—changeable; an effect in weaving obtained by employing both

warp and weft, composed of two strands of different colors, the

changeable colors being an effect of light-play, according as viewed.

=Changey-for-changey=—(nautical) an expression used in relation to a

“swap”, denoting that each party is satisfied with his bargain.

=Channel=—in shoemaking, the groove or gutter along the edges of the

sole wherein are the stitches holding sole and other parts together.

=Chap money=—English provincialism for a rebate allowed by a dealer for

spot cash payment.

=Chaparejos=—strong leather breeches or overalls to protect the legs

from trees and brush while riding; worn by cowboys on the plains and by

them commonly abbreviated to “chaps”.

=Chaparro=—see Chaparejos.

=Chape=—(1) the metal tip of a scabbard; (2) a catch or loop.

=Chapeau=—a hat; especially, a plumed or military hat.

=Chapeau=—(=navy=) a rigid cockt hat of black silk beaver, 16 to 18 in.

from peak to peak, 5–5½ in. high on left fan, 4–4½ in. high on right

fan. For the admiral of the navy, to have in the fold at each end a

tassel of 5 gold bullions underlaid by 5 blue bullions; a strip of 2 in.

gold lace laid on flat around the outer rims of the fans, passing under

the peaks; on the right fan a 3¾ in. black silk cockade with a loop of

1½ in. gold lace over it, fastened with a large size navy button, the

ends of the loop being carried over the rim; for rear admirals, the same

but with a 1½ in. strip of gold lace around the outer rims; for other

commissioned officers except chaplains, chief boatswains, chief gunners,

chief carpenters and chief sailmakers, the same, but with a strip of

black silk 2½ in. wide around the rims, in lieu of gold lace, laid on

half-and-half; (=Army=) similar, according to pattern in offices of

quartermaster general; to be worn with the peak front turned slightly to

the left, showing the gilt ornaments upon the right side; (=Marine

corps=) of black silk plush, curved pattern, same as prescribed for

general officers of the army, except that both sides shall be 5 in.

high, with an embroidered gold lace ornament on the right side

surmounted with a marine corps cap ornament and a large marine corps

button, a gold wire tassel in front and rear peak, and a plume of canary

colored cock feathers for major general commandant; for all staff

officers (optional) the same, except that the plume is of red cock

feathers. This chapeau may be worn with special full dress and full

dress in place of cap for indoor occasions when desired; never to be

worn when mounted. (=Revenue cutter service=) a rigid or folding chapeau

of black silk beaver, of same dimensions as prescribed for the navy, the

rims bound with black silk lace 2½ in. wide, showing half-and-half; on

the right fan a black silk cockade 3¾ in., over which is a strip of gold

lace fastened with a revenue service button, a tassel of 3 gold and 3

blue bullions in each peak.

=Chapeau bras=—a soft, three-cornered dress hat that can be folded and

carried under the arm, worn commonly in the 18th century and still by

officers in the U. S. navy.

=Chapeau de poil=—a beaver or felt hat.

=Chapka=—(Bohemian) a sort of mortarboard hat, part of the Lanciers

uniform.

=Chaplain’s evening dress coat=—(=navy=) see Evening d. c.

=Chaplain’s evening dress waistcoat=—(=navy=) see Evening d. w.

=Chaplain’s full dress coat=—(=army=) a single-breasted frock c. of

black cloth with standing collar, fastening with 9 black silk buttons;

no ornaments.

=Chaplain’s frock coat=—(=navy=) a single-breasted f. c. of dark blue

cloth, buttoning to the neck, with one row of 7 flat black silk buttons

and plain standing collar on which is embroidered in silver a Latin

cross, and on the sleeves rows of black braid according to rank.

=Chaplain’s hat=—(=army=) with full dress and dress uniforms, a black

felt h., similar to the service h. (qv) with a cord of gold bullion and

black silk intermixt.

=Chaplain’s mess jacket=—(=navy=) see Mess j.

=Chaplain’s undress waistcoat=—(=navy=) see Undress w.

=Chaplain’s vestments=—(=army and navy=) while conducting services the

chaplain may wear the v. of the church to which he belongs.

=Chaplain’s white service coat=—(=navy=) same as w. s. c. (qv), but with

white buttons.

=Chaplet=—a wreath or garland for the head—worn only in pictures from

mythology; perhaps, by certain of the illuminati of the very ancient

past; and by the near-actors in certain frivolous and unclassifiable

theatrical productions of latter times.

=Chapman=—a peddler of trifles or cheap small wares.

=Chappau=—a sort of coat or tunic of silk or woolen cloth worn by the

Uzbek Tartars, beneath an overgarment of woolen cloth.

=Chaps=—see Chaparejos.

=Character wig=—(theatrical) any w. designed to help delinat the

character portrayed.

=Charge account=—a soft snap for papa’s boy.

=Charges prepaid=—supposed to be an inducement for orders; but analysis

of inventory statements shows that the buyer always stands it.

=Chasuble=—a sleeveless mantle falling low in front and behind, with a

cross on the back; worn by Latin, Greek and Anglican priests; the

principal vestment regarded as strictly sacerdotal or sacrificial.

=Chauffeur’s livery=—see Appendix.

=Chauffeur’s sack coat=—same as Norfolk jacket, but with turned down

collar and military closed neck.

=Chauffeur’s suit=—any s. designed for service wear of the automobile

operator.

=Chausse=—the early name for drawers.

=Cheap tailor=—one who makes, or claims to make, clothes to order at

prices as low as and often much lower than readymade garments may be

obtained for. Garments made by such tailors are usually made under

practically the same conditions as readymade—by machinery and by

operators instead of by journeymen tailors and hand work; the main

difference being that each order is cut separately instead of several

garments being cut at one time as in readymade. Unless the “cheap

tailor” has facilities for obtaining his cloths and other materials

direct from the mills, as have readymaders, and has a large business to

take care of such necessarily large purchases, there are no other

advantages, as he must then buy thru jobbers, in small lots at higher

prices. Because of much fraud and deceit in connection with cheap

tailoring in the past, the “cheap tailor” is not always highly regarded,

tho there are many inexpensiv tailors enjoying the requisit facilities,

who have built-up large businesses by fair and square dealing.

=Check—in= weaving a design produced by different colors crossing at

right angles forming small squares.

=Check kersey=—one of the old names for k.

=Cheeks=—an old sobriquet for a marine, derived from a rough pun on his

uniform in the olden days.

=Cheese=—familiar term for c. press block (qv).

=Cheese cloth=—a thin, sleezy, loosely woven, unbleacht or bleacht

cotton fabric, used chiefly (in men’s wear) as a covering for padding

and garment interlining; also, shellackt, to give body to silk hats and

the like.

=Cheese press block=—a half circular segment of seasoned hardwood, about

3 × 12 × 18 inches, used by tailors for pressing seams, lapels, edges,

etc.

=Chest=—the part of the body enclosed by the ribs and the breastbone.

=Chest=—a wooden box for holding clothes and other personal property.

=Chest measure=—a standard of sizing by which readymade clothes, shirts,

etc., are bought and sold.

=Chest protector=—an undergarment of felt, wool, chamois or paper fiber,

worn under the dress shirt for extra protection in cold weather;

vulgarly “liver pad”.

=Chester=—colloquial English for top coat; abbreviation of Chesterfield

(?).

=Chester jacket=—a single-breasted sack coat similar to a Norfolk.

=Chesterfield=—(1) a single-breasted, fly-front overcoat, of medium

length, having a plain back with or without a center seam; (2) also a

single-breasted cutaway frock coat for stout men, usually made with 4

buttons, the top one only used.

=Chesty=—full chested; pigeon breasted.

=Cheval glass=—a long mirror, revealing the entire person, much employed

by those who think themselves good to look upon.

=Cheviot=—originally a rough, twill woven, slightly fulled fabric, with

shaggy nap, woven from the coarse strong wool of the c. sheep, whence

name; more generally any rough-finisht, twill woven fabric of strong,

coarse wool, thoroly fulled, either with rough (or open) or close finish

(long or short nap), used as suiting and overcoating.

=Cheviot shirting=—a heavy, plain or twilled, soft finisht cotton

fabric, woven of single-thread warp and weft sufficiently coarse to

produce weight, usually with loom-produced patterns such as small checks

and stripes.

=Chevreau=—(glove term) real kid, fed only by the mother, never having

browsed. Compare Chevrette.

=Chevrette=—(glove term) kid older than chevreau (qv), having eaten

other foods, as grass, etc., the skins being consequently harder and

tougher.

=Chevron=—in weaving, a pattern characterized by zigzag lines or

stripes; herringbone.

=Chevron=—(1) a device, consisting of two or more bars meeting at an

angle, worn on the sleeve by non-commissioned officers to indicate rank;

(2) an heraldic device.

=Chicken skin=—a material once actually used for gloves and fans, but

now quite unused for such purposes—not, indeed, that the creatures have

been cultivated into any greater tenderness nowadays.

=Chimere=—a gown worn by Anglican bishops.

=Chimneypot=—a tall or top hat, usually applied to those of felt.

=Chin clout=—a muffler.

=Chin latch=—a small cloth strap to fasten together the turned-up collar

of an overcoat or ulster; fastened by means of buttons and buttonholes.

=Chin lines=—whiskers.

=Chin stay=—see C. strap.

=Chin strap=—a band passing under the chin for holding on a cap or hat;

an extendible s. attacht to uniform caps, usually worn closed on the

upper side of visor, or in the case of shakos, falling loosely in front

of, but not under the chin.

=Chin tuft=—a wee beard; a goatee or imperial.

=China silk=—a light, thin, plain woven silk fabric; pongee.

=Chinchilla=—general term for heavy, double-woven woolen fabrics, having

a long-napt surface of wooly lobs (or tufted nap) of various forms and

effects, but not in imitation of chinchilla fur, as is generally

supposed. See Petersham.

=Chinchilla=—an animal of the weazel family, found in Peru and Bolivia,

prized for its soft, gray, silky fur.

=Chinchilla machine=—a machine for forming the peculiar knobby nap of

chinchilla cloth.

=Chine=—an effect in weaving produced by employing warp threads that

have been printed and groupt in such manner as to form more or less

distinct patterns when woven; most frequently seen in silks, such as

taffetas.

=Chinese grass=—see Ramie.

=Chink=—the slant-eyed dopefiend who declares your shirts are not ready

because you didn’t call for them yesterday.

=Chinkers=—cant for handcuffs united by a chain.

=Chip=—trade term for tiny diamond specks used in cheap jewelry. See

Rose cutting.

=Chipping Norton=—see Bliss tweeds.

=Chirothecae=—a form of glove worn by the ancient Romans, fingerless and

resembling the modern mitten. See Digitalia.

=Chiton=—a sort of short, sleeveless tunic, worn by the ancient Greeks.

=Chlamys=—a variety of himation (qv).

=Chlorine=—Cl_{2}; one of the most activ bleaching agents.

=Chloroform=—CHCl_(3); a good agent for the removal of grease spots from

clothing.

=Choice=—see Wool.

=Choiling=—cutlery term for the operation of filing the little nick in a

blade just between the cutting edge and the tang.

=Choir vestments=—see Cassock, Cotta, Surplice, etc.

=Choked bellows=—an underlaying accordion plait around a pocket (usually

of the patcht variety) for purposes of increast capacity. See Bellows

pocket.

=Choker=—any tall (and uncomfortable) shirt collar, especially a plain

standing collar.

=Chopper=—in tailoring establishments a man who lays the paper patterns

made by the “cutter” on to the cloth, marks same, and “chops” or cuts

the cloth. Compare Cutter.

=Chopper=—a heavy leather working glove or mitten.

=Chorus shirt=—see Ballet s.

=Chrome kid=—goat skins tanned and finisht by the salts of aluminum or

chromic acid method. See Vici k.

=Chuddah=—(1) a fine wool shawl made in India; (2) also the wool of

which it is made.

=Church-of-England hat=—a low, round-crowned, felt h. with plain, flat

brim, sometimes (erroneously) called shovel h. (qv).

=Cigar case=—a leather or metal pocket c. for cigars.

=Cigar magazine=—(1) same as c. case; also (2) a humidor.

=Cigaret case=—a metal pocket c. for coffin nails.

=Cimeter=—see Scimitar.

=Cinch=—a belt.

=Cincture=—a clerical girdle of serge or other stuff with silk fringed

ends.

=Circular cape=—any c. the outer edges of which, spread flat, conform to

the shape of a circle, and generally understood to mean without shaping

at the shoulders.

=Civet=—the glandular secretion of the civet cat, most repulsiv and

disgusting in its original state, but, properly compounded, practically

indispensable in the imitation of certain floral perfumes.

=Civilian dress=—distinguishes our everydayness from army and navy

magnificence.

=Clad=—clothed.

=Clan tartan=—any and all of the plaids of the various highland clans of

Scotland.

=Claque=—a sort of semi-circle of felt, which it was the fashion in

France, in the early part of the last century, to carry under the arm

instead of wearing it on the head.

=Clasp=—a ball-and-socket glove fastener. See Snaps.

=Class chevron=—(=navy=) angled stripes of scarlet cloth forming part of

the rating badge (qv) indicating rank of the wearer.

=Classy=—a term often used by misfit shops and cheap “gents’ furnishers”

as implying some aristocratic distinction.

=Clatty=—dishevelled; untidy.

=Claudent=—a readymade scarf or plastron tied like an ascot or puff, but

without fullness and flat as a pancake.

=Clawhammer=—see Evening dress.

=Clay=—a name given to serges, worsteds and diagonals woven after the

process of J. & B. Clay, of Huddersfield, England.

=Clay worsted=—see above and Worsted.

=Clean=—well made; of good quality, texture, lines, styles, workmanship,

etc.

=Clear finish=—trade term for worsted cloths from which all nap or fuzz

has been removed, as serge, “hard finish” worsteds, etc.

=Clearing sale=—the effort made by one merchant to show how much cheaper

he is than the other fellow.

=Clerical cape overcoat=—similar to an Inverness o., the cape buttoning

in front.