turned over, similar to that known as military c. (qv); on the
waistcoat, however, the clerical c. buttons behind and has a continuous
front; (2) a separable linen shirt c. closed in front and buttoning
behind, the Anglican c. being single and the Roman double or folded.
=Clerical frock coat=—a single-breasted frock c. with straight skirts
(not cutaway), buttoned from waist line to throat, usually with 7
buttons, with military collar.
=Clerical full dress=—as worn by Anglican clergymen, consists of a sort
of single-breasted cutaway frock coat without revers, buttoning to the
throat, with a military collar; a cassock waistcoat and plain trousers.
=Clerical girdle=—a sort of cincture of black or white worsted or silk
rope with tasseled ends.
=Clerical sack coat=—a square-cornered single-breasted s. c., without
revers, usually with 6 buttons, closing to the throat, with military
collar.
=Clerical shirt=—a plain white linen s. without a made bosom, but with a
simple placket.
=Clerical shirt collar=—see Clerical c. (2).
=Clericals=—short, close-cropt side whiskers.
=Clerk=—an absolutely impeccable individual.
=Cleveland hat=—a white or light-colored felt h., shaped like the silk
top h., popular during the first Cleveland administration.
=Clip=—a season’s “crop” of wool; a shearing. See Wool c.
=Clips=—waste bits of cloth and other materials, saved and sold to
converters.
=Cloak=—a loose outergarment without sleeves; a cape.
=Cloak room=—a shuffling place for umbrellas, hats, overcoats and
rubbers.
=Cloaking=—any fabric suitable for men’s or women’s cloaks or overcoats,
such as kersey, broadcloths, beaver, vicuna, chinchilla, etc.
=Clock=—narrow stem of silk embroidery on either side of a stocking,
extending beyond the ankle and ending in a spear or crowsfoot; also a
similar effect in drawn work.
=Clockmutch=—a night cap, from the Dutch clapmuts; a form of headdress
which, tho still worn in Holland, is rarely seen in America.
=Clodhopper=—an awkward, clumsy fellow.
=Clodhoppers=—(1)extra large, ill-fitting shoes; (2) big feet.
=Clog=—(1) a dancing shoe; (2) an overshoe.
=Clogs=—wooden soles, usually iron shod, with leather straps for
fastening.
=Close edge=—see Scotch e.
=Close-fitting=—said of a coat or other garment made tight or snug
fitting, or shaped closely to the body.
=Close-roll=—trade term for umbrellas constructed on metal rods and
covered with fine silk or other material that will roll closely into
small compass. See Tight r.
=Closed front=—see Meeting folder.
=Closed gauntlet=—a mailed protectiv covering for the hand and wrist
with immovable fingers, with the exception of one joint, so that in the
shock of meeting an adversary, the weapon of the wearer, held fast in
the fixt fingers, might not be dropt out of the hand—a device which, in
the tournaments of those days, was considered as giving an unfair
advantage over one’s adversary, and was usually proscribed.
=Closed shop=—a s. where a workman who refuses to join a labor union
cannot find employment.
=Closed trousers=—tailors’ term for t. made for customers who stand with
their legs close together, the inseam being shorter than is required for
open t., which see.
=Closers=—in ready-to-wear clothing manufacture, operators who put
together the sides, back and front seams of a coat, making the outer
shell only.
=Closing measure=—in tailoring a measure taken over the shoulder from
front to rear of sleeve head at under-level of arm scye. Compare Scye m.
=Cloth=—in the woolens trade, a word used generally, to distinguish
close-woven, fulled and milled or napt fabrics made of woolen yarn from
those made of worsted yarns in various fancy weaves and not compacted
but given various finishes, as “clear”, “unfinisht”, etc.
=Cloth beam=—in a loom a roller or b. on which the woven fabric is
wound.
=Cloth board=—a piece of wood on which bolts of woolens, linings,
shirtings, etc., are wound into bolts; also made of heavy paper pulp b.,
and wood-and-paper.
=Cloth brush=—name commonly given to a b. of bristles set in a wooden
back, to distinguish from whisk broom, altho the latter is often so
called.
=Cloth button=—a b. made on a mold and covered with cloth matching the
garment.
=Cloth fair=—an English custom of the 17th century, annual exhibits and
sales being held by the weavers and factors.
=Cloth knife=—a very long tapering blade for cutting many layers of
material at a time, working in a groove in the cutting table.
=Cloth-lapper=—one who folds cloth in the piece, generally by means of
machinery.
=Cloth of gold=—generally heavy brocaded silk textures, inwrought with
gold threads. More precise information can be had with research—you
might commence with Deuteronomy xxxix. 3, and work up to the present.
=Cloth of iron=—see Iron c.
=Cloth-stitch=—a close s., like the weave of cloth.
=Cloth tester=—a machine for testing, from a small sample, the tensil
strength of fabrics.
=Cloth (the)=—the clergy.
=Cloth-teazeler=—a machine for raising a nop on cloth by teazeling.
=Clothes=—consult Baker’s “Dictionary of Men’s Wear”.
=Clothes hamper=—a basket for soiled clothes.
=Clothes line=—a rope on which washing is hung out to dry.
=Clothes press=—a closet for clothes; a wardrobe.
=Clothes tongs=—an implement for grappling cloths or garments and
removing them from a dying vat.
=Clothier=—(1) one who sells ready-to-wear clothing—distinguisht from
the tailor in that he usually gets his money in advance; (2) a
manufacturer of clothes.
=Clothing=—garments and apparel, considered as a whole.
=Clothing wool=—fine fleece 2 to 4 inches long, intended for woolen or
carded yarn, usually graded as picklock, XXX, XX, X, No. 1 and No. 2,
the first being the finest, the last the coarsest; the name of locality
where obtained is also prefixt. See Wool. Compare Combing w.
=Clouded yarn=—weft y., characterized by alternate thick and thin places
thruout its length.
=Cloudy=—trade term for goods not perfectly dyed and uneven in color.
Compare “Off color” and “Shaded”.
=Club=—a place for the idle rich to sit in the windows for the
inspection of pretty girls passing by.
=Club=—see Wig.
=Club check=—small quiet checks.
=Club coat=—see Dinner jacket.
=Club tie=—see Graduated t.
=Coaching hat=—a felt h. similar to a derby, but with a flat or square
top.
=Coachman’s box overcoat=—a double-breasted top coat, of covert, kersey
or whipcord, for wear with stable suit or undress livery.
=Coachman’s collar=—a standing shirt c. usually on a band and having
well rounded corners.
=Coachman’s frock coat=—a single-breasted skirted c. closing with six
buttons, usually matching the metalwork of the harness, large pocket
flaps at waistline without pockets, four buttons on skirt.
=Coachman’s hat=—(1) a tall felt h. having a bell crown with a flat top;
(2) a variety of Derby h. with a flattish top.
=Coachman’s livery=—Dress: body coat, breeches and boots, silk hat,
greatcoat in winter. Undress: cutaway coat, breeches, square-crown derby
or bell-crown hat, leggins, selby or top coat in winter; jacket and
trousers often substituted for the skirted coat and breeches.
=Coachman’s overcoat=—a double-breasted frock o., buttoning close to the
neck with a double row of six buttons, Prussian collar, large pocket
flaps at waistline, the skirt folds showing turned back revers or side
edges (qv).
=Coachmen’s proof=—an extra heavy waterproofing process, as applied to
raincoatings, etc., intended for severe wear.
=Coat=—an outergarment for the upper part of the body as body c. (sack,
cutaway, frock, dress, etc.), and overcoat (top coat, Chesterfield,
Newmarket, paletot, raincoat, Inverness, ulster, etc.)
=Coat case=—see Portmanteau, Suit c., etc.
=Coat front=—trade term for a built-up stiffening or shape-retaining
interlining for the fronts of coats, made of stitcht layers of
haircloth, felt and canvas.
=Coat label=—(1) a l. of cotton or linen, usually sewed within the
inside breast pocket, containing besides the tailor’s name the name of
the customer, date and number of order; (2) a woven silk l. bearing the
name and address of the maker, usually sewed inside at back of neck.
=Coat link=—a pair of buttons linkt together, or a button and a loop,
used for closing or fastening a coat, as a dress coat.
=Coat maker=—a journeyman tailor who makes coats his specialty.
=Coat money=—a tax levied by Charles I. ostensibly for clothing the
army.
=Coat of mail=—defensiv armor worn by those afraid to die.
=Coat pad=—general term for any made-up padding or wadding, as
shoulder-pads, coat fronts, etc.
=Coat shirt=—a s. open all the way down the front and put on like a c.,
whence name.
=Coat sweater=—a knitted jacket or sweater (qv) opening all the way down
the front and closing with buttons; with sleeves, but usually without
collar, much like a cardigan jacket.
=Coat-tail pocket=—see Skirt p.
=Coat-tails=—the skirts of a frock c.
=Coatee=—(1) a very short coat of 1757; (2) a cadet’s uniform coat.
=Coating=—tailoring term for all fine woolen and worsted cloths
especially suitable for dress coats, such as broadcloth, crepe,
unfinisht worsted, vicuna, refines, etc.; also applied to overcoatings.
=Coatlet=—a dummy sample showing how a coat will look when made up; a
means of showing piece goods by swatches cut and finisht much like a
coat front, the effect being enhanced by displaying a number of such
dummies in an overlapping row. (Name and system proprietary.)
=Cobble=—to patch or repair boots or shoes; used in the sense of rough
or clumsy work.
=Cobbler=—(1) a mender of boots and shoes; (2) a clumsy or indifferent
workman.
=Cobweb=—unusually thin, sheer and transparent, as c. hosiery.
=Cochineal=—bug juice; a red dye.
=Cockade=—a roset or knot of ribbon, leather, bullion, etc., worn on the
hat as a badge of service, military, diplomatic or (improperly)
domestic, etc.
=Cocking=—tailor’s term for critical inspection of finisht garments for
discovery of mistakes—derived doubtless from an affected manner of
squinting or “cocking the eye” on the part of the zealous examiner.
=Cockle=—see below.
=Cockling=—trade term for a wrinkled, puckered or shriveled effect or
apparent defect in cloths, usually the result of lack of uniformity in
warp and filling yarns, or uneven twist of either or both, or imperfect
crabbing (qv), etc., chiefly encountered in light-weight fabrics and
especially in such styles as loom-checks, mixt warp suitings, etc.
=Cockt hat=—a h. of various shapes, sometimes turned up in front only,
with one button, and also with three laps, often richly trimmed with
metal cords, buttons, laces, ribbons, etc.; see Kevenhuller. See also
Chapeau. (=Cocked= h.)
=Cocoon=—the covering or chrysalis envelop spun by the silk worm, from
which the filaments entering into the manufacture of silk are obtained.
=C. O. D.=—collect on delivery—otherwise you could have a charge
account.
=Codfish=—the airs, frills and pretensions of the new rich; affected
stylishness.
=Codfish aristocracy=—the “smart set” that furnishes the market for
readymade ties, “pants,” “vests,” and outre “fashions” generally.
=Codpiece=—a medieval ornamental article of apparel. Consult Rabelais,
Boccaccio, et al.
=Coffin cloth=—see Casket c.
=Coif=—a close undercap—centuries out of date.
=Coin case=—a sort of purse for odd change.
=Coin purse=—a small p. for “loose change.”
=Coin toe=—one of many varieties of shoe toes, rounded, and according to
width, known as half dollar t., dime t., etc.
=Cokers=—iron reinforcements for the sole and heels of the woodsoled
clogs worn by European peasants; also known as “irons”.
=Cold storage=—recommended for furs; for processes, etc., consult
scientific works.
=Coldwater shrinking=—a process of sponging or shrinking woolens by
dipping them in cold water and then suspending them on rods or lines in
the open air to dry; the London process; the opposite of steam shrunk
(qv).
=Colichemarde=—a peculiar duelling sword of the period of Louis XIV.
=Collar=—in tailoring that part of a coat or waistcoat that is folded
back around the neck. All collars are either straight (put on in a
straight line) or horseshoe (hollowed and curved), the former being the
better fitting but more difficult to make. As to shape collars are known
as notched c., shawl c., ulster c., clerical c., Prussian c., military
c., rolling c., etc., while as to material they are designated self c.,
velvet c., laid on velvet c., inlaid c., etc. All of which see
=Collar=—a detacht or attacht linen neckpiece. See Shirt c.
=Collar-ascot=—a neglige c. and cravat combined, but separable.
(Proprietary term.)
=Collar bag=—a b. of cloth or leather, with a draw-string, for carrying
collars when traveling.
=Collar box=—a container for collars, usually of leather.
=Collar break=—tailoring term for the creased line of a lapel.
=Collar button=—an indispensable instrument of iniquitous proclivities.
=Collar city (the)=—Troy, N. Y.
=Collar insignia=—(=army=) see Insignia of rank.
=Collar spring=—a steel s. device worn under coat collars for the
purpose of keeping the coat front together without buttoning and for the
further purposes of spoiling the coat and to display the wearer’s
vulgarity.
=Collar stand=—tailoring term for that part of a coat c. where sewed to
the coat proper and extending to the crease or turnover point; usually
1⅛ to 1¾ inches in height.
=Collar velvet=—a very fine and expensive grade of silk v. made
especially for the tailoring trade.
=Collarette=—see Vestlet.
=Collars-and-cuffs=—nickname for the late Duke of Clarence, son of King
Edward VII., arising from his penchant for extremely high collars and
protrusive cuffs.
=College cap=—an adhesive diminutive c. of about the size of a small
saucer.
=College colors=—flamboyance. See Appendix.
=College hat=—a flat topt soft felt h. of the telescope variety, usually
with band in college colors, commonly worn with brim blazed up or banged
down in front.
=Collet=—a shoulder cape or collar.
=Collet=—the neck or stem of a button.
=Collet point=—the sharp point or base of a brilliant cut diamond.
=Cologne=—see Eau de c.
=Colonel’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 variations.
=Color=—briefly, any hue, as distinguisht from white. See Encyclopedia.
=Color doctor=—in calico printing, a blade for wiping surplus ink from
the engraved roll.
=Color of the day=—in ecclesiastical usage the vestments worn on certain
days must be of certain colors, as: white, for the feasts of our Lord,
of virgins who were not martyrs, and of confessors; red for feasts of
Pentecost and of all martyrs; violet for advent and from Septuagesima
until Easter; green for ferial or ordinary days; black on Good Friday
and in services for the dead. Cloth of gold is supposed to take the
place of white, red or green.
=Color-test=—general term for the various means of determining the
purity or fastness of colors, which may be by means of exposure,
washing, chemical processes, etc. See Acid t., Exposure t., and an
encyclopedia.
=Comb=—a little rake of rubber, horn, celluloid or other substance used
in dressing the hair.
=Combination suit=—undershirt and drawers constructed as one piece or
garment; better known as union s.
=Combing=—the process of arranging the fibers of wool, mohair, silk,
cotton, etc., into a parallel condition and of equal length, preparatory
to spinning into smooth, even and regular yarn; the perfected
application of the carding principle.
=Combing wool=—fleece intended for worsted yarn, the staple ranging from
4 to 10 inches long; generally classed as fine, medium, coarse and low.
See Wool. Compare Carding w.
=Come again=—shopkeeper’s invitation to try it over again.
=Come-back=—a customer, not sold to the first time, who returns.
=Come-to-Jesus-collar=—irreverent term for a plain standing linen shirt
c. of the lap front variety; a “choker”; a clergyman’s c.
=Comforter=—a long woolen scarf or muffler.
=Comforter=—a quilt or counterpane, especially one of cotton or wool
filling between two sheets of cotton or silk, more or less fancifully
stitched.
=Comfortable=—a sort of shawl worn in the first half of the last
century.
=Commander’s coat=—(=masonic=) a double-breasted frock c. of black
cloth, having two rows of 11 buttons each and a standing military collar
and epaulets. Compare Sir Knights c. and Fatigue blouse.
=Commander’s uniform=—(=navy=) see Special full dress, Full dress,
Dress, Service dress, Evening dress, Mess dress, Undress. See also
variations.
=Comme il faut=—irreproachable.
=Commercially all-wool=—see All wool.
=Commodore’s uniform=—see Special full dress, Full dress, Dress, Service
dress, Evening dress, Mess dress, Undress. See also variations.
=Common=—see Wool.
=Commonsense=—a name sometimes applied to designate a certain style of
broad-toed footform shoe. See Orthopedic.
=Competition=—a good thing to take the conceit out of some merchants.
=Composition cloth=—a strong, heavy cotton duck or canvas, chemically
waterproofed, used for trunk covers, bags, etc.
=Compound spectacles=—(1) s. having lenses made of two different foci or
characters in one frame; (2) s. with supplementary (detachable) lenses
of colored glass. Compare Bifocal s.
=Concertina pocket=—a bellows (patch) p.
=Conchas=—Silver ornaments attached to the spurs worn by cowboys and
plainsmen on high days and holiday occasions.
=Conditioning=—a process in the manufacture of cotton yarns, restoring
thereto, immediately after spinning, the natural moisture that was
driven out. Originally the purpose was to add weight and deceive the
purchaser, but experience, in comparison with yarns “hot off the reel”,
has demonstrated that conditioned yarns are improved materially in
strength, elasticity and appearance, with freedom from kinks and curls.
=Conductors’ uniforms=—see Railroad c. u. and Street railway c. u.
=Coner=—a workman who attends to a cone on which hat bodies are formed.
=Coney=—a species of rabbit, the fur of which is largely used in the
manufacture of fur garments, and by hatters; properly the fur of the
conepatus, a genus of badger-like skunks; loosely applied to all cheap
furs, such as rabbit, cat, etc.
=Confessional cape=—a c. worn by Catholic priests in the confessional
box; not much in present use.
=Confirm=—to ratify an order given—a practice that seems to be growing
in usage.
=Conformateur=—a mechanical device for obtaining and recording or
holding the shape of the head or of other parts of the body that hats or
other articles of apparel may be conformed thereto.
=Congress shoe=—a s. without a buttoned or laced opening in the front of
top, but with elastic gores in the sides.
=Coning=—in hat making the process of shaping the flat felt into cones.
=Connaught=—an overcoat of the same class as the present day
Chesterfield, popular in England about 25 years ago.
=Continental hat=—the distinctiv h., so called, worn by the Continental
Army of old, but which dates back to the time of William III. See Three
cornered h.
=Contract=—(1) a binding legal agreement insisted upon by employes not
confident of holding their jobs otherwise, and proffered by employers
not confident of holding good men otherwise; (2) an agreement for
merchandise or other services.
=Contraptions=—vulgarism applied to any new-fangled, peculiar thing or
idea; e. g., an extravagant form of dress, a queer and unusual manner of
speech, or anything else that is new and to which the public taste is
not accustomed.
=Cope=—a long mantle of silk or brocade worn over the alb by priests or
bishops on solemn or ceremonial occasions; also a state or choral
vestment worn by laymen.
=Copper toed=—name given to the old-time schoolboy’s shoes with copper
toe protection against scuffing.
=Cops=—the conical rolls of thread formed on the spindle of a spinning
machine.
=Cor de soie=—a corded silk of the 18th century.
=Cord stitch=—a fancy s. of a chain-like nature.
=Corded edge=—in tailoring an edge finish obtained by laying a cord
along the joint and fastening it thereto so as to present a hard-wearing
e.; see piped e. Differing from corded welt in that the cord is not
concealed but is on the outer edge or surface.
=Corded goods=—trade term for such goods as Bedford cord, whipcord,
repps, ottoman, etc.
=Corded pocket=—same as jetted p. (qv), especially if the turned over
piece encloses a cord.
=Corded seam=—a plain s. (qv) is first made, then instead of being
presst open, the s. is turned to one side and stitcht thru again so that
the face of the cloth shows a row of stitching, corresponding, usually,
with the edge finish. The three thicknesses give a cord effect to the
s., hence the name, altho it is also called “single-stitch s.” Also sewn
with a cord or piping between so as to show same on the outside. See C.
edge.
=Corded wolf’s paw=—see Wig.
=Cordington=—a heavy, close-felted variety of “niggerhead”. See also
Petersham.
=Cordonnet=—inferior silk fibers used for manufacturing braids, binding,
twist, etc.
=Cordovan=—horsehide shoe leather.
=Corduroy=—a heavy, pile-woven cotton fabric largely used for hunting
garments, stable wear, laborer’s clothes, etc.; usually 27 inches wide.
In weaving one or two sets of weft may be used (the latter for the
better grades), the weft forming the pile which is thrown up in furrows
of loops which are afterward cut and singed, and the cloth then dyed.
=Cordwainer=—a shoemaker.
=Cork sole=—shoemaking term for an intermediate s. of cork for warmth
and protection against wet.
=Corkscrew worsted=—a twill woven suiting having a round, even twill,
supposed to, but not suggesting the twists of a corkscrew, formed by the
warp surrounding and imbedding the weft and appearing on both face and
back of the fabric.
=Corner pocket=—same as top p.
=Coronation cloth=—a black-and-red variation of Queen’s mourning c.,
(qv) appearing just previous to the first time set for coronation of
King Edward VII.
=Coronet=—an article of decorativ attire not popular in democratic
America, tho in activ demand by heiresses of peddlers, packers, etc.
=Corporal’s uniform=—see Full dress, Dress u., White u., Service u.,
Fatigue u. Also variants.
=Corpulent=—trade term for a man whose waist and breast are more than
normal measure; i. e., a man whose chest seems to have slipt down below
his belt. See Stout.
=Corselet=—medieval armor.
=Corset=—contraption of cloth, steel and whalebone for giving
shapeliness to a woman or effeminacy to a man.
=Corset vest=—a vest (waistcoat) cut snug and tight to compress the
waist and strongly constructed to withstand the strain.
=Cosmetique=—same as Pomatum.
=Cossacks=—a peculiar shapeless sort of trousers reaching about to the
ankle where they are drawn with a ribbon and tied, rather full below the
waist where they are gathered by plaits to shape; popular in first half
of 19th century. Also called Plaited trousers.
=Cost-mark=—the first thing, not comprehended in his duties, that the
new employe takes an activ interest in learning.
=Coster suit=—general term for anything garish and cockneyfied.
=Costume=—(1) dress and the science and history of dress; (2) the
garments one may be wearing.
=Costume de rigueur=—extreme formal or evening dress; prescribed
ceremonious attire.
=Costumer=—one who furnishes garments of any particular period or
fashion for theatrical use, masquerades, etc.
=Costumer=—a piece of furniture upon which clothes are hung at night.
=Costumic=—of or pertaining to costume (rare).
=Cotta=—a short surplice, with and without sleeves.
=Cottes noir=—“black coats”, the nickname of a corps of mercenary German
troops of the early 17th century, whose appointments were black thruout.
=Cotton=—the soft, wooly fleece or down from the seed boll of the
c.-plant. How interesting are the encyclopedias! Look it up.
=Cotton-bale=—a bundle of about 500 lbs., in dimension 54 × 27 × 27
inches.
=Cotton bengaline=—silk b. with cotton warp.
=Cotton cheat=—term used by righteous factors in denunciation of
mercerized woolen and worsted fabrics.
=Cotton classification=—the New York commercial classification is (1)
full grades: fair, middling fair, good middling, middling, low middling,
good ordinary, ordinary; (2) half grades are designated by the prefix
“strict”; (3) quarter grades by the prefix “barely”, meaning a point
above half grade and the next full grade above, and “fully”, meaning a
point between half grade and the next full grade below. Liverpool high
grades are higher and low grades lower than those of New York.
Classifications for length are short staple (under 25 mm.), medium (25
to 30 mm.), long (30 to 40 mm.), and extra (40 mm. or more).
=Cotton gin=—a machine for separating the seeds from the fiber of
cotton.
=Cotton test=—if silk or wool suspected of containing cotton, light a
specimen by match; if adulterated will burn until consumed; the more
common test for wool is by boiling in caustic soda. See Breaking t.,
Burning t., Oil t., Sulfuric acid t., Thru-lighting t., Untwisting t.,
Acid t. There are also microscopic and other tests. See an encyclopedia.
=Cotton velvet=—velveteen.
=Cotton warp=—trade term for suitings and other cloths woven with a warp
of cotton and with filling of woolen or worsted.
=Cotton worsted=—stout all-cotton or part-cotton worsted-wove suitings
for men’s wear in imitation of honester goods, usually of hard, slippery
feel and the despair of the workman who has to “chop” it with shears.
See Cottonade; also Manipulated.
=Cottonade=—stout cotton cloth woven in imitation of woolen or worsted
trouserings, produced of coarse yarns, the patterns executed in the
loom; usually narrow width.
=Cottonette=—an elastic knitted cotton fabric employed for bathing
suits.
=Cotts=—see Cotty wool.
=Cotty wool=—the poor fleece of sheep exposed to severe weather or
inadequately fed; generally hard, brittle, matted and of little value.
=Cotul=—a moss grown on the rocks in several British isles: basis of the
brown dye used in coloring Harris tweeds.
=Count=—in spinning, the number given to any thread or yard (except
silk) to indicate its relativ fineness, based on the number of threads
required to weigh one pound. See Spinning; also see an encyclopedia.
=Counter=—a peculiarly shaped piece of sole leather used for stiffening
or supporting that part of the upper of a shoe immediately around the
heel.
=Counterhopper=—a too familiar term for salesclerks in retail shops.
=Counter jumper=—same thing.
=Counterpane=—a coverlet or quilt.
=Counting glass=—a magnifying glass for counting threads, twills, etc.,
of a fixed focus with an aperture of definit dimensions to serve as a
multiple.
=Court coat=—(1) a formal dress c. in European use; resembles c. in
vogue in the days of the Georges; cut somewhat like a “cutaway”, with
standing collar, deep pocket flaps, braided frogs instead of buttons,
braided edges; (2) a house footman’s c.
=Court dress=—(England) velvet tailcoat with steel buttons, silk
waistcoat, velvet knee breeches, black silk stockings, buckled low shoes
and white gloves, a cockt hat carried under the arm and a small dress
sword worn at the side.
=Court livery=—c. coat, silk or satin knee breeches, plush waistcoat,
silk stockings, buckled low shoes.
=Court plaster=—silk or cotton gummed with an antiseptic or healing
compound, useful after a scrap; originally worn by court ladies in the
shape of beauty patches (and pimple hiders?).
=Court tie=—a low shoe with short vamp; a sort of pump.
=Coutil=—a closely woven cotton fabric with a fine herringbone twill,
slightly resembling jean, used for corsets. (Included herein because
some men wear ’em.) (=Coutille=).
=Cover coat=—a top c.; a covert c.
=Covered button=—general term for coat, waistcoat and overcoat buttons
made on a wooden or metal mold and covered with silk braid, mohair,
lasting, cloth, etc., which see under those names.
=Coverlet=—an outer covering for a bed; a quilt.
=Covert cloth=—a stout twill woven woolen coating, the warp of which is
of two twisted yarns of differing colors with a single weft of the same
color as the dark strand of warp, producing a pepper-and-salt or mixt
effect in the piece, well fulled and sheared according as a smooth or
twilled surface is to result. Low grade coverts are sometimes woven with
a cotton-and-wool or all-cotton warp.
=Covert coat=—a short top c., properly of covert cloth.
=Couverture pantaloons=—a cloth or rubber lap robe for motoring wear,
convertible into over trousers by means of bands, hooks and buttons.
=Cow seal=—trade term for leather made from cowhides stamped in
imitation of seal leather but with a large, coarse grain. Compare Pin s.
=Cow-tail=—see Tail.
=Cowboy boots=—b. of fine stout calfskin, the legs of which are
decorated with fancy lines and curves stitcht into the leather, and
having heels at least 2 inches high curving inwardly with a very small
bottom, not as a matter of vanity or daintiness, but as a check against
the foot slipping thru the stirrup and as a brace against
ground-slipping when roping an animal.
=Cowhide=—(1) thick, heavy boot leather; (2) sole leather; (3) rough
boots of ditto and of pleasant memory of boyhood country days; (4) a
heavy flexible tapering leather whip used by teamsters and sometimes of
unpleasant youthful memory.
=Cowes coat=—see Dinner jacket.
=Cowl=—(1) a monk’s hood; (2) the garment of which it is a part.
=Cowlick=—(1) a tuft of hair turned up over the forehead, as if licked
by a cow; (2) a tuft of hair sticking up out of the crown of the head
that can’t be brushed down.
=Coxcomb=—a pretentious, conceited dandy.
=Crabbing=—a process in cloth weaving by which yarn is uniformly
moistened and stretched. See Cockling.
=Craiganputtach=—a variety of Scotch tweed from the town of that name.
=Crammer=—mentioned by Capt. Gronow: probably a choking neck stock or
high cravat.
=Crank=—a fool customer who knows better than the salesman what he
wants.
=Crape=—see Crepe.
=Crape-cloth=—a fine quality, light-weight, stoutly woven worsted
fabric, with a surface in imitation of silk crepe, much used for dress
coats.
=Crash=—(1) coarse linen toweling or suiting; (2) a light-weight
“homespun” woolen suiting woven in imitation of linen toweling.
=Cravat=—a necktie or scarf, particularly of the larger, hand-tied
varieties.
=Cravat pin=—see Scarf p.
=Cravatings=—silk fabrics designed for neckdressings.
=Cravenette=—a process applied to yarns before weaving, rendering the
cloths made therefrom repellent to water and moisture; sometimes applied
also to the woven fabric with satisfactory results; a secret process
owned by The Cravenette Company and B. Priestley & Co., of Bradford,
England. Frequently, the word is most erroneously misused as a name for
an overcoat, tho the word strictly refers only to the proofing process,
and strictly represents, therefore, neither a garment nor a fabric.
=Crease=—a prest fold.
=Crease=—a large dagger used by the Malays. (Kris.)
=Crease line=—in tailoring (1) the line along which a coat collar is
folded; (2) where a lapel or rever is turned; (3) a horizontal line in
the center of trousers legs, front and back; (4) any other place where a
crease may be necessary or fashionable.
=Credit=—the precious privilege of obtaining goods one day and of paying
for them, if you can, some other day.
=Credit clothier=—term specially applied to retail tradesmen who sell
clothes on the installment plan, exacting a larger profit for their
“obliging” accommodation.
=Creedmore=—a sort of brogan or blucher shoe for farmers, railroaders,
etc., made of extra heavy leather, double stitcht and reinforced by
rivets, and having commonly an outside sole leather counter.
=Creepers=—a baggy sort of dress for children learning to move about;
usually bifurcated.
=Creole=—a stout shoe similar to a Congress gaiter, but with tops and
uppers cut in one piece and without caps.
=Crepe=—generic name for semi-transparent fabrics of silk, wool or
cotton, or combinations thereof, having a weave effect characterized by
a crinkly surface of minute irregular ridges or sometimes of small
twisted knots or puckers, usually produced by making the weft or warp
(or both) of hard twisted threads, each alternate group twisted
reversely, which by loom spacing and tension, relax and untwist when the
fabric is taken from the loom, resulting in the peculiarity described.
Black silk c. is used almost entirely for mourning.
=Crepe=—a species of thrown silk. See Throwing.
=Crepe cloth=—see Crape c.
=Crepe de Chine=—a fine, soft, thin silk fabric slightly crinkled; used
for neckwear, mufflers, etc.
=Crepe de sante=—a light-weight cotton or linen fabric, resembling momie
in weave, used for undergarments, pajamas, etc.
=Crepele=—French word meaning crepe-effect.
=Crib=—a small bed; a berth or bunk.
=Cricket=—a small footstool.
=Cricketing=—general name for fine twilled flannel suitings (from
popular British use).
=Crispin=—a shoemaker. See St. Crispin.
=Crispin cloak=—see Houppelande.
=Croat=—a cravat; such as was worn by the Croatians in the French army
in 1636.
=Crocheted tie=—a slimsy thing on a level with colored shoe laces;
usually a souvenir of a misguided sweetheart.
=Crock=—to blacken, or stain, or lose color, as a dye that is not fast.
=Crocus finish=—a superior glaze or polish given to knife blades, etc.
=Crofter=—a peasant worker in (British) woolen or linen mills; a linen
bleacher; a worker at crude hand looms.
=Crofting=—the bleaching of linen or cotton fabrics on grass or
bleaching grounds.
=Croise=—weaving term indicating that the warp threads cross each other
on the back of the fabric, as velvet, broadcloth, etc., forming a sort
of twill.
=Crop=—a short wooden riding or hunting whip with a leather loop instead
of a lash at one end and usually a handle at the other.
=Crop=—a growth of hair or beard; a wig.
=Cropping=—technical term for nap-shearing.
=Cross dyed=—trade term for fabrics in which, in weaving, a skein-dyed
decorativ thread of a dark color, usually black, is woven into the
fabric in the gray, and the whole piece afterward dyed a lighter color,
permitting the dark decoration to show thru. Also called resist dyed
(qv).
=Cross-gartered=—see Malvolio in “Twelfth Night”.
=Cross-legged=—the manner in which journeymen tailors work, whence their
inclination to parenthesis of the legs.
=Cross pockets=—regular p. (qv).
=Cross stitches=—threads crossing one another, either singly (in the
middle) or doubly (in the ends), something like a snake fence; used for
staying the edges of velvet on collars, but often used for ornament
only.
=Cross stripes=—in weaving, s. running across the width instead of along
the length; horizontally.
=Crossbred=—the best sheep for mutton tho producing coarse wool.
=Crossbreed=—wool classification term. See Wool.
=Crotch=—juncture of the two halves of a trouser.
=Crotch piece=—a triangular piece of goods sewed onto the inner legs of
trousers at the crotch when cut from goods not wide enough to permit of
unspliced chopping.
=Crotch seam=—the fork s. See Stride.
=Crown=—(1) the upper part of a hat, particularly the flat or table part
thereof; (2) the top piece of a flat crowned cap.
=Crown=—a decorativ circlet or covering for the head, worn, carried or
displayed as a mark of kingly or sovereign power; unknown in U. S.
=Crown=—the upper pyramid of a diamond. See Brilliant cutting.
=Crown-piece=—see Crown.
=Crow’s-foot tack stitch=—in tailoring, an ornamental tack for ends of
pockets, vents or inverted plaits. The tack is first laid out in a
triangle and the threads laid in from base to apex-sides, alternately
from one side and then the other, until the threads meet at the base.
This is the most common form; there are variations, not differing
greatly in effect or method.
=Crow’s-foot=—a three-pointed embroidery stitch sometimes used in
finishing pockets. See above.
=Crow’s-toe=—same as Crow’s-foot.
=Cruiser=—a waterproof moccasin boot with a sewed-on sole and a medium
heel, both studded with small hob nails.
=Crush hat=—the collapsible opera h.
=Crush opera=—same as O. hat.
=Crusher=—a soft felt hat, not hurt if stuft into a bag; much loved of
travelers.
=Crutch=—the crotch or fork; (properly crotch).
=Crutch=—a walking prop for cripples and invalids.
=Ct.=—abbreviation for carat.
=Cue=—see Queue.
=Cuff box=—a receptacle for cuffs; usually of leather.
=Cuff button=—wrist jewelry.
=Cuff links=—cuff buttons. See Links.
=Cuffs=—(=1=) ornamental finishing to coat sleeves; (=2=) separate or
attacht bands as a finishing for shirt sleeves.
=Cuirass=—defensiv armor covering the entire upper part of the body.
=Culet=—see Collet point.
=Cummerbund=—a broad, soft sash.
=Cup button=—bowl shape.
=Curl=—a cute little kink.
=Curled yarn=—weft y. commonly composed of two or three threads of
contrasting colors, characterized by loops or curls at intervals,
variously effected.
=Curling=—a process in hat manufacture whereby brims are shaped to
conform exactly to a model.
=Curling iron=—a machine that had better be left altogether to women,
who have hair to burn.
=Currier=—one who curries or dresses leather.
=Curtain=—the waist lining of trousers.
=Custom made=—made in the mode; to order and to measure.
=Custom tailor=—one who makes clothes to order only. Compare Merchant t.
=Customer=—an individual highly prized by the proprietor and patronized
by the salesperson; sometimes called an “Indian”.
=Customer’s labels=—in the readymade clothing trade (wholesale) a name
given to woven silk labels, bearing retailer’s names, sewed into neck of
coats.
=Customs inspector’s uniform=—coat, vest, trousers and cap of dark blue
cloth, the coat 4-button double-breasted in winter with 2 lower pockets
with flaps, 1 outside welted breast and 1 inside breast pocket; in
summer to be 4 buttons, single-breasted, square cut. Inspectors of
passenger’s baggage wear red cap instead of blue. Insignia indicating
rank worn on front of cap. All coat and vest buttons of flat bone, to be
covered with shells when on duty.
=Cut=—a coil of two hanks of yarn.
=Cut goods=—trade term for hosiery knitted on a round knitting machine,
the tubular, unshaped product being cut into required lengths, then
footed, shaped, etc., by cutting out and adding other pieces as needed;
the cheapest process of manufacture.
=Cut mark=—a mark fixt on the warp during dressing or beaming, to
indicate a certain length and serve as a point for separating two
adjoining pieces of cloth when woven.
=Cut-off cuff=—a sewed on or special c.
=Cut-off vamp=—same as Short v.
=Cut pile=—having a pile made by cutting the loops of the warp or floats
of the filling on certain fabrics, as velvet, plush, etc.
=Cut velvet=—see Velvet.
=Cut wig=—see Wig.
=Cutaway frock coat=—a single-breasted f. c. with the skirts cut in a
slanting line from a point near the waist. See Frock c. Occasionally—and
whimsically—this c. is made double-breasted, but such an order is the
despair of the tailor because of the difficulty of obtaining a smart
appearance.
=Cutlas=—a heavy, curved short sword with one cutting edge and a
bowl-shaped guard, used mostly in hand-to-hand naval engagements;
latterly being discontinued.
=Cutler=—a dealer in knives, scissors, razors, table cutlery, surgical
instruments, etc.; a manufacturer or repairer of same.
=Cutlery=—cutting instruments collectivly.
=Cuts=—trade term for less than a bolt or full piece of goods; short
lengths.
=Cutter=—(1) in tailoring, the man who takes the measurements and drafts
and cuts the paper patterns, which, in the larger establishment are
turned over to “choppers” (qv) who “make the lay” on the cloth and cut
the cloth; (2) in ready-to-wear clothing manufacturing the “cutter” is
the man who lays out the pattern on the cloth and cuts the cloth, either
by shears, electric cutting machine or long knife—corresponding to the
“chopper” of the merchant tailor; (3) in shoe manufacturing, one who
lays the patterns on the leather and cuts therefrom the vamps or other
parts of a shoe.
=Cutters-up=—manufacturers of various articles of apparel. See
Cutting-up trade.
=Cutting knife=—a long, tapering k. (24 to 30 in. blade) working in a
groove or slot, used for cutting cloth, linings, etc., in large shops.
As many as 75 layers of cloth may be cut at one stroke.
=Cutting machine=—an electrically operated m. for cutting several
thicknesses of cloth at one operation, moved about by hand and
controlled at will of the operator. There are two principal styles (1) a
straight knife 5 to 6 in. long, and (2) a circular or wheel knife 3½ to
4½ in. in diameter, which will cut thru about 30 layers of heavy cloth
and about 45 of light cloth; the straight knife will cut several more
layers.
=Cutting-up trade=—indicativ of the trades that buy yard goods for
purposes of manufacturing, as clothiers, tailors, shirt makers, etc., as
distinguished from the jobbing trade.
=Cutty=—a short-stemmed pipe.
D
=Dalmatic=—a wide sleeved tunic reaching to the knees, worn over the alb
or cassock at mass and communion by deacons; also a medieval state or
coronation robe. As an ecclesiastical vestment it was originally white
with wide perpendicular stripes of purple; as now worn it follows the
color of the day with stripes of embroidery.
=Damascened=—see Damascus blade and Jowhir.
=Damascus blade=—general term for swords famed for the quality and
temper of the metal as well as the beauty of the jowhir or watering of
the blades.
=Damask=—a twill woven fabric of linen, cotton, silk, etc., with
loom-figured all-over patterns.
=Damask=—steel workt in the Damascus style, showing the wavy lines of
the different metals; also called watered and twisted.
=Dame fashion=—a fetich.
=Damier=—large square checks.
=Dancing clog=—a laced leather low shoe with wooden sole (very noisy).
=Dancing pump=—a low-heeled, low shoe with short vamps, with or without
ornamental bow at instep.
=Dandified=—dandyish; foppish.
=Dandy=—a beau; not quite a dude.
=Dandy=—something out of the common; first-class.
=Dandy trap=—a loose stone, which slips when trodden on, and, in wet
weather, throws up the mud under it, to the great detriment of the
clothes of the victim.
=Darbies=—cant for irons or handcuffs.
=Darning stitch=—a s. peculiar to darning or embroidery.
=Dart=—a place in a garment from which a tapering piece or V has been
cut to make it fit the figure, as at the waist. Same as fish.
=Dauber=—a small brush or other arrangement for applying blacking or
polish to shoes, incidentally soiling the hands.
=Day dress=—generally, single and double-breasted frock coats, as
contrasted with swallowtails and Tuxedos for evening dress and sack
coats for day business and lounge wear.
=De Joinville=—a neck dressing, a plain, flat strip of satin or silk
which must be folded before it is put on, and is passed thru a flat
(gold) clasp or “scarf ring”, having a hinge at one side and a spike or
projection on the inner side of the rear part for engaging and keeping
in place the adjusted tie; sometimes this clasp is made with a hinged
pin; also the scarf is frequently tied as an ascot, puff, once-over,
waterfall, etc.
=Dead gold=—unburnisht.
=Dead hairs=—see Kemp.
=Dead horse=—(nautical commerce) wages paid before they are earned.
=Dead wool=—fleece taken from pelts of sheep that have died. Same as
Kemp.
=Debeige=—see Beige.
=Decoration=—trade term for the white or bright-colored threads used to
lighten up worsted and other otherwise plainish fabrics; usually
employed when the “decoration” is of silk or mercerized threads.
=De soy=—see Sergedusoy.
=Deep mourning=—lusterless black outer garments with crepe and no social
intercourse or amusements.
=Deep scye=—a variety of armhole not fitting up close under the arm, as
is usual, but where the front and back parts of the coat are cut away in
a descending curve to a point a little above the waist, affecting, of
course, the style of sleeve also.
=Degage=—easy; unconventional; neglige.
=Delaine=—a name given to combing wools. See Wool.
=Delivery=—getting goods to the purchaser; usually behind promised time.
=Delivery boy=—a pert young imp, hired, in the opinion of customers, to
talk back to them.
=Deltoid muscle=—the pons asinorum of tailoring.
=Demi-toilette=—day dress.
=Demi-vest=—see Vest-front.
=Denim=—a heavy, twilled cotton fabric, usually woven with plain colored
warp threads, as blue, gray, brown, etc., with white weft; used for
overalls, jumpers, etc. Dungaree.
=Denmark satin=—a coarse, worsted fabric, woven with smooth, satin
twilled surface; a variety of lasting cloth.
=Dent’s=—trade diminutiv for the general line of gloves made by Dent,
Allcroft & Co., London.
=Dental floss=—a lightly twisted antiseptic heavy silk yarn used for
cleansing between the teeth.
=Dental powder=—“tooth powder”. See Dentifrice.
=Dentifrice=—any substance or preparation used in cleansing the teeth.
=Dentist’s coat=—a short working jacket of heavy drill or duck, not
unlike barber’s c., barkeeper’s c., waiter’s c., etc.
=Department store=—the apotheosis of the junk shop.
=Depilatory=—a chemical preparation for removing hair from face or other
parts of the body.
=Deposit=—a tailor’s insurance against loss if you fail to call for your
suit.
=Derby jacket=—same as D. sack.
=Derby sack=—a single-breasted s. coat with the regular front, with a
short underarm cut terminating in a waistline extending back to the side
seam, meeting a body-shaped back part which has a center vent reaching
to the made waistline, and finisht with inverted (side) plaits also
reaching to the waistline.
=Deshabille=—undress.
=Designer=—one who originates and plans styles for manufacturing; in
wholesale clothing manufacturing one who also cuts the (first) paper
patterns, which are afterward turned over to an assistant to grade into
sizes.
=Detroit cap=—a c., usually of fur, having a round crown, a rolling band
highest at the back and sloping to the front, meeting a visor that may
be rolled up or down.
=Devil=—a machine employed in hat manufacturing for thoroly mixing furs
after carroting.
=Devil=—(woolen manufacture) see Willowing machine.
=Devil’s receptacles=—a nickname given to the wide, long, trailing,
slasht sleeves worn by the gay bucks of the 14th century.
=Devon=—a heavy, close-milled overcoat cloth, in character between
melton and kersey; one of the old names for a variety of kersey.
=Dew retting=—the decomposition of flax by dew. See Retting.
=Dhotee=—an East Indian concession to modesty. See Waistcloth.
=Diagonal=—general term for worsted fabrics having a diagonal twill
produced by raising the warp threads progressivly, from left to right,
or right to left, usually at an angle of 45°, in groups of 2, 3, 4,
etc., and filling in the weft threads to make them stand out in ridges.
=Diapers=—our first garments.
=Dice=—a square, woven pattern.
=Dicer=—a silk hat.
=Dicky=—originally (about 1809) a stiff, standing collar; latterly a
separate shirt bosom, with collar band, worn in place of shirt by the
impecunious. (Also Dickey).
=Didies=—see Diapers.
=Digitalia=—the fingered glove of the ancient Romans. See Chirothecae.
=Dimity=—a fine cotton fabric having a stripe or figure raised on the
face and deprest on the back.
=Dining jacket=—see Dinner coat.
=Dink=—to dress or bedeck. (Scotch).
=Dinky=—absurdly small, skimpy or insufficient.
=Dinner jacket=—an informal dress coat without tails, somewhat like a
sack coat, for dinner wear, men’s evening parties, but not where ladies
are present, as at balls, operas, etc. Also called Cowes coat and Tuxedo
coat.
=Dip=—in tailoring, a downward inclination of the waist line of a frock
coat or the bottom line of a sack coat.
=Dip-front=—see Dip.
=Diplomatic uniform=—the court dress of American ministers abroad, while
officially “the ordinary dress of an American citizen” is, by official
approval, a plain dress coat and waistcoat, knee breeches, black silk
stockings and low shoes. This simplicity of attire, contrasted with
oriental sumptuousness and European splendor makes our ambassadors and
ministers peculiarly conspicuous.
=Dirk=—(1) a Scotch dagger generally without chape or guard; (2) a
midshipman’s side arm, either straight or curved. (British navy.)
=Dirk knife=—a clasp k. with a large dirk shaped blade.
=Discharge printing=—a method of producing patterns in textil fabrics by
dyeing in the piece of a solid color and printing the designs with a
bleaching agent. Compare Batik, Extracted, Resist dyeing,
Tied-and-dried, etc.
=Discount=—a rebate for prompt pay, or for imperfections, or out of
courtesy (as to clergymen), or delusivly as in most advertisements.
=Display=—(1) merchandise appropriately arranged for public view; (2)
personal ostentation.
=Distaff=—a rod or staff for holding a quantity of wool or flax in hand
spinning; usually held under the left arm.
=Distingue=—very smart; elegant.
=Dittis=—a fabric formerly made in Manchester, used for (and whence the
name of) Ditty bags (qv).
=Ditty bag=—(nautical) a small bag to hold sewing gear, shaving tackle,
etc.; a sailor’s “housewife”.
=Ditty box=—a small box for holding a sailor’s thread, needles, brushes,
combs, etc.
=Diver’s helmet=—see Diving dress.
=Diving dress=—a waterproof, air-tight garment, like a combined blouse
and trousers, with helmet, the whole hermetically sealed, heavily
weighted, and supplied thru pipes with air for the wearer to breathe.
=Diving suit=—see D. dress.
=Division list=—a proportionate scale of selling prices, used in the
clothing trade, showing the relativ prices of suits, coats, trousers,
vests and combinations thereof.
=Division square=—a tailor’s s. marked with the various fractional
computations commonly required in sub-dividing the taken measures when
drafting.
=Dobbie=—that part of a loom that raises and lowers the harness frames.
Also called Witch. (=Dobby=).
=Doctor’s cap=—(scholastic) usually of black velvet, with gold tassel.
See Mortarboard c.
=Doctor’s gown=—(scholastic) a loose flowing g., usually of silk, with
round, open sleeves barred with black velvet and faced down front with
same; or the velvet may correspond in color with the binding or edging
of hood.
=Doctored=—(1) manipulated; (2) adulterated.
=Doeskin=—a high grade woolen suiting, and trousering material, close
woven, fine twilled, fulled to a very considerable degree and finisht as
required, usually (1) dry, (2) doeskin, (3) melton or (4) worsted, being
respectivly (1) sheared of all nap, baring the weave, (2) smooth nap,
weave nearly concealed, (3) a close standing nap, (4) smooth, hard and
glossy; there are also other finishes.
=Doeskin=—a fine quality of jean (qv) closely twilled and with a wool
filling.
=Doeskin finish=—see Doeskin and Dress faced.
=Dog=—vernacular for affected or redundant finery or style; to put on
airs; vulgar ostentation.
=Dog-rabbitting=—see Piecing-out.
=Dogskin=—a stout, dry, inelastic glove leather made from kyudles or
sheep in imitation of it.
=Dolman=—a sort of cape or cloak with wide open sleeves; also the
uniform jacket of a hussar, worn like a cape, with the sleeves hanging
loose.
=Dom Pedro=—a heavy leather brogan.
=Domestic=—made here; not imported—for which thanks often should be
given.
=Domestic finish=—laundry term for linen finisht without gloss and with
but little bluing.
=Domestics=—cotton goods of American manufacture as distinguisht from
imported goods. Always used in the plural.
=Domet=—a loosely woven, napt, all-cotton, flannel, originally woven
with a woolen weft; largely used for neglige shirts, night robes,
children’s wear, etc. See Outing cloth.
=Domino=—(1) a mask or half mask worn at masquerades; (2) an adjustable
robe or hood worn at masquerades; (3) a loose flowing hooded garment of
ecclesiastical wear.
=Donegal tweed=—strictly that hand-scoured, homespun tweed made wholly
in the county of Donegal, Ireland, on the hand looms of the peasantry;
more loosely tweeds made of Yorkshire yarns woven, dyed and finisht in
Donegal; falsely, any fabric in imitation thereof.
=Doorman’s livery=—same as Footman’s dress 1.
=Dornex=—a heavy 17th century coarse linen, used for servants’ clothing.
=D’Orsay=—trade term for a certain well-rounded effect in the curl of a
hat brim. Compare Pencil curl and Anglesea.
=Double-and-twist=—(1) trade term for weaving yarns doubled and twisted
in combinations of two or more colors; (2) fabrics woven from such
yarns—Bannockburns and Drummond worsteds, being examples.
=Double-breasted=—loosely, any coat, waistcoat, undershirt or other
garment having a double thickness in the front with a double row of
buttons and buttonholes or other means of fastening.
=Double-breasted cutaway=—a variation of the single-breasted frock,
known about 1840, and but infrequently seen since, despite attempts to
revive it. See Cutaway frock coat.
=Double-breasted reefer=—same as D.-b. sack coat.
=Double-breasted sack coat=—see Sack c.
=Double cloth=—general term for any fabric composed of two single
textures woven and joined at one operation, the conjunction being
effected by interlacing part of the warp threads of one texture with
those of the opposit texture, as (1) a fabric with two warp surfaces and
one of weft in the center; (2) a fabric with two weft surfaces and one
of warp in the center; (3) a fabric with two distinct series of warps
and wefts, each woven separately, but united at regular intervals to
each other during the course of weaving. Unless the object is to produce
effects not possible with single cloths the doubling is usually for the
purpose of giving weight and body without the expense of weaving the
face pattern thru and thru. Also called Backt-c., Frenchback, etc.
=Double collar=—a folded c. (qv).
=Double corkscrew=—see Chain-weave serge.
=Double crepe=—a very crisp, crinkly black silk c. (qv) used for deep
mournings. Compare Single c.
=Double cuff=—a c. that is folded and turned back on itself or onto the
sleeve. Compare Single c., Fold-back c.
=Double dyed=—dyed twice over; thoroly impregnated; said also of mixt
goods dyed once in a cotton dye and once in a wool dye, or otherwise, as
the case may be.
=Double faced=—fabrics having a pattern on each side.
=Double knit=—knitted with a double stitch, giving a double thickness to
the fabric.
=Double milled=—sheared twice.
=Double pick=—two filling threads run together into the same shed of the
warp.
=Double pile=—any fabric with pile or heavy nap on two sides, as double
plush, double-faced canton flannel, etc.
=Double satin de Lyon=—a s. having both surfaces glossy.
=Double sole=—trade term for hosiery made with a s. much heavier than
the body of the stocking. See Spliced heel.
=Double soled=—term for shoes made with extra thick soles.
=Double-stitcht=—an edge or seam finish obtained by stitching twice in
parallel rows of stated width, as “¼ in. d. s.”. See “Single s.”.
=Double-stitcht seam=—same as cord s. (qv) but stitcht twice and with a
larger underlay or outlet for the second row of stitching. Also called
Lap s.
=Double-width=—generally, all fabrics ranging from 48 to 60 in. wide and
folded lengthwise before being rolled into bolts; originally goods were
“single width” (27 to 36 in.) and many are still so woven, fine
trousering and shirtings particularly; strictly, the proper term is
“quarter”, as four-quarter (⁴⁄₄) for 36 in.; six-quarter (⁶⁄₄) for 54
in., etc.
=Double work=—knitting term for the use of two threads together instead
of one, and for the fancy effects so produced.
=Doublet=—a close-fitting outer body garment with sleeves and sometimes
with short skirts and belted at the waist, worn from 15th to 17th
centuries, usually with hose.
=Doupe=—gauze weaving.
=Dowdy=—see Slob.
=Dowlas=—originally, a strong, plain woven linen fabric used for working
blouses, etc.; latterly, a sort of stout calico.
=Down at the heels=—poverty; destitution; general seediness; needing
clothes.
=Downright=—see Wool.
=Drafting cape=—see Measuring c. and Beatty c.
=Drap=—French word for cloth; seldom applied to cotton fabrics.
=Drap d’alma=—a fine, close, flat ribbed twilled fabric of wool or silk
and wool, finisht on but one side.
=Drap d’ete=—a fine double warp worsted fabric with fine lengthwise
cords or ridges on the face, and a smooth back, used for dress and
clerical wear, summer coats, etc.
=Drape=—loosely, any smooth-faced fine cloth for dress wear; crepe (qv).
=Draper=—a dealer in cloths; also a clothier, haberdasher or dry goods
merchant.
=Draw string=—a tightening tape or s. working thru a gathered hem, or
eyelets.
=Drawer supports=—any device attacht to trousers (or to suspenders) for
the purpose of holding up the nether undergarments.
=Drawers=—nether undergarments.
=Drawing=—a process of woolen manufacture by which the combed fleece
assumes a yarn or thread-like appearance; roving.
=Drawing stitch=—a method of making an edge-to-edge join or a seam
without a lap, a s. being taken up thru one side, then drawn over and
down under and up thru the other side, and so on; usually employed
joining collars to coats.
=Drawn in=—see Hold in.
=Dreadnought=—see Fearnought.
=Drech=—trash; trashy. (German.)
=Dress=—general term for garments and articles of apparel and the
science and manner of wearing them; more particularly one’s outer
attire.
=Dress=—tailor’s term, indicating the manner in which a man disposes
himself in his trousers, necessitating a certain difference in the
crotch-fulness of one trousers leg, as “right d.” or “left d.”
=Dress=—(=navy=) the uniform to be worn upon the reception of various
prescribed officers of the government, governors of states and
territories, American ambassadors, ministers, etc.; on visits in part to
commanding officers; on Sunday morning inspections. Consists of—for all
commissioned officers, except chaplains, chief boatswains, chief
gunners, chief carpenters and chief sailmakers—frock coat, undress
trousers, (white may be prescribed) cockt hat, epaulets, sword and
undress belt, scarf, white gloves, medals and badges; for officers
excepted above and for warrant officers, mates and clerks, the same as
“undress A”; for midshipmen, the same as prescribed for commissioned
officers, substituting blue cap for cockt hat and shoulder knots for
epaulets; for chief petty officers, except bandmasters, and for stewards
and officers’ cooks; blue dress: blue cloth coat and blue cloth
trousers, blue cap, white shirt, white collar and cuffs, black cravat;
white dress: white coat, white trousers, white cap, white shirt, white
collar, black cravat. For bandsmen; blue dress: full dress coat, blue
trousers, helmet, white standing collar, belt, gloves (and for
bandmaster, a sword); white dress: same as blue dress but with white
trousers. For all other enlisted men; blue dress: blue overshirt, blue
cloth trousers, blue cap, neckerchief, knife lanyard (seaman branch
only); white dress: dress jumper, white dress trousers, white hat,
neckerchief, knife lanyard (seaman branch only); (=Revenue cutter
service=) worn by officers performing any special duty with enlisted men
under arms away from the vessel, and when calling officially upon
officers other than commanders of vessels of war or military posts;
consists of frock coat, white or blue trousers, cap, shoulder straps,
sword and black leather belt over the coat which is worn buttoned.
=Dress belt=—(=army=) see Army b.
=Dress board=—(=navy=) a bulletin b. on which the prescribed dress or
uniform of the day to be worn by the crew is described by executiv
officer’s orders.
=Dress breeches=—(=army=) for all officers, of same material and with
same stripes as d. trousers, cut in the prescribed pattern and fastened
from the knee down with dark bone buttons or with lacings. See also
Service b.
=Dress cap=—(=army=) for all officers, same as Full dress c. (qv) except
with certain differences of trimming and insignia. For enlisted men: of
dark blue cloth of same style as prescribed for officers, bearing a
stripe of cloth of the color of the corps, department or arm of service,
with appropriate rating insignia.
=Dress coat=—see Evening dress.
=Dress coat=—(=army=) a sack c. of dark blue cloth or serge. For general
officers: double-breasted with high rolling collar and 2 rows of gilt
buttons groupt according to rank, 3 buttons on cuff; skirt to extend
one-third of distance to knee, with 4 inch slit at hip for saber; all
pockets inside. For all other officers: single-breasted with standing
collar, c. closing with flap containing concealed fastenings, c. cut
form fitting with saber slit and side vents and trimmed around bottom,
front edges, collar and vents with 1¼ in. flat black mohair braid;
shoulder and collar ornaments per regulations. For enlisted men: a
single-breasted sack c. of dark blue cloth, cut with a straight front,
fastened with 6 buttons down the front; standing collar; shoulder loops
of same goods let in at shoulder seam and fastened to collar with small
button; 3 buttons on cuffs; collar, shoulder loops and cuffs piped with
cord-edge braid of the color of corps, department or arm of service.
=Dress derby=—a d.-shaped hat, covered with gros-grain or other plain
silk; for wear with dinner jacket. Also called Tuxedo hat.
=Dress faced=—a term sometimes given to woolen cloths, such as doeskin,
broadcloth, beaver, etc., having a slight nap. Compare Bareface finish,
Scotch finish, Velvet finish.
=Dress frock coat=—(=Revenue cutter service=) same as Full dress f. c.,
but worn without epaulets.
=Dress gloves=—(1) generally, g. of fine kid; (2) specifically, g. of
white kid or fabric for evening dress.
=Dress jumper—(navy)= worn by all enlisted men, except chief petty
officers, officers’ stewards, officers’ cooks and bandsmen; made of
bleacht cotton drill, of pattern similar to the blue overshirt (see
naval overshirt) except that the body hangs straight and loose to 2 to 3
inches below the hips; trimmings same as for blue overshirt (but all of
white), the collar and cuffs being of dark blue flannel.
=Dress refines=—see Refine cloth.
=Dress reform=—an ever-recurring evanescent dream.
=Dress reformer=—a human by-product of civilization subject to cerebral
coruscations, occasionally menacing to the peace of his fellow men.
=Dress shield=—a light rubber or other perspiration-proof device
sometimes used in the armholes of coats.
=Dress shirt=—a (loose) trade term for a white or colored s. with a full
set-in stiff bosom. Compare Evening d. s.
=Dress shirt protector=—see Shirt p.
=Dress suit=—see Evening dress.
=Dress suit case=—see Suit c.
=Dress tie=—a folded strip of white linen, lawn or dimity to be tied in
a bow, worn only with full evening dress.
=Dress trousers=—see Evening dress.
=Dress trousers—(army)= for all general officers, including staff corps
and departments but not engineers—of dark blue cloth without stripe,
welt or cord; for chief of artillery, of light blue cloth with 1½ in.
stripe of scarlet cloth; for all other officers, the same as for full
dress. For enlisted men: of sky-blue kersey, of regulation cut.
=Dress uniform—(army)= the prescribed u. worn by officers at reviews,
inspections, parades and other ceremonies when the troops are in d. u.;
at such other duties under arms as may be prescribed; on courtsmartial,
courts of inquiry, and boards of officers when prescribed; also
authorized as a mess dress, and for social occasions when full dress is
not worn. For all officers, dismounted: dress coat and trousers, dress
cap, black shoes; under arms add dress belt (worn under coat) saber and
white gloves; same, mounted: dress coat, dress breeches, dress cap, drab
leather gloves, black boots, spurs; under arms, add dress belt (under
the coat) and saber; for chaplains, dismounted: dress coat and trousers,
chaplain’s hat, black shoes, white gloves (when occasions require
gloves); same, mounted: dress coat and breeches, chaplain’s hat, black
boots, spurs; for enlisted men: worn when prescribed by commanding
officer; dismounted: dress coat and trousers, dress cap, black shoes
and, when under arms, white gloves, russet leather belt, and cartridge
box; mounted: dress coat, service breeches, dress cap, russet leather
shoes, leggings, spurs, drab leather gloves and, if under arms, saber
belt and cartridge box.
=Dress waistcoat=—see Evening d. w.
=Dress worsted=—general term for fine grades of unfinisht and
face-finisht worsteds, used for dress wear. See Unfinisht worsted.
Whipcord, etc.
=Dressed leather=—any l. that has been curried or stuft with oils to
increase its flexibility, its resistance to water, etc.
=Dressing=—(1) a process in weaving by which every thread of the warp is
uniformly set in its proper position in the loom; (2) last process in
shoemaking consisting of final applications of dressing or polish, the
treatment of dull or bright spots, stains, etc.
=Dressing bag=—a fashion-writer’s affectation. See Suit case, Kit b.,
Traveling b., etc.
=Dressing gown=—a loose g. or robe worn while dressing or in undress.
=Dressy=—fond of dress; supposedly elegant or stylish.
=Drill=—trade abbreviation for drilling (qv).
=Drilling=—general term for stout twilled cotton and linen fabrics used
for pockets, interlinings, summer trousers, etc.
=Driving coat=—(1) a c. designed for protection or style when driving;
(2) a duster (qv).
=Driving gloves=—g. with re-enforced palms and under-fingers, often with
gauntlet tops.
=Driving hood=—a knitted covering for the head that may be worn
variously, as a h. over a cap or without a cap, or as a throat muffler,
etc., according to adjustment.
=Driving rug=—a carriage robe.
=Drop stitch=—knitting term for a skipt or slipt s., done to effect a
lacy or other pattern.
=Drum-major’s shako—(marine corps)= see Full dress cap.
=Drummer=—usually the whole band, judging by his noise.
=Drummond worsted=—in general, any plain Oxford w., twill woven, one
warp of black and one of one or two shades of gray (or white), both
twisted, and then alternated, the filling yarn being of the same
colorings and arrangement. Strictly the term belongs to worsteds
manufactured by a firm of English weavers of that name and with whom
this peculiar plainish effect seems to have originated.
=Dry cleaning=—a naptha or other chemical process; meaning not washed in
water.
=Dry finish=—trade term for woolen fabrics (as doeskins) sheared of all
nap, baring the weave.
=Drying frame=—any contrivance for drying underwear, hosiery, etc., in
shape and without loss of size, the garment being pulled over same and
adjusted; some of these frames are made of wood, others of spring wire,
etc.
=Dubbing=—a preparation for softening and waterproofing leather.
=Dub=—(1) in weaving, to dress with teazels for raising a nap (see
Teazeling); (2) in leather making, the act or process of rubbing in a
softening or waterproof mixture or dressing.
=Duck=—a heavy, strong, plain woven linen or cotton fabric similar to,
but of lighter weight than, canvas, used for summer clothing, hospital,
army and navy uniforms, and as vestings, etc. In weaving, two threads of
warp are laid side by side and treated as one.
=Dude=—not worth description.
=Duds=—clothes.
=Duffels=—an old-time heavy woolen cloaking with a thick tufted or
knotted nap, originally made in Duffel, Flanders; match cloth.
=Duffle bag=—about the same as Wangan b (qv).
=Dull=—in the shoe trade, a general term indicating a distinction
between bright or patent (or enamel leathers) and calf, kid and other
mat or dull finisht leathers.
=Dumbbells=—link cuff buttons with rigid bars; name from having
originally been made with plain balls at either end, resembling
dumbbells.
=Dummy=—a figure on which clothes are displayed; a “form” (qv).
=Dummy box coat=—not a real c.; an unusable c., carried by coachmen for
show; an illustration of the economics of snobbery.
=Dummy buttonhole=—not cut thru but stitcht on the surface only, for
purposes of ornament.
=Dummy try-on=—a basted-together fictitious “try-on” of linings and
interlinings “fitted” to the customer while the actual coat is being
made up without t.-o. or fitting; a device of “cheap tailors” to save
the expense of try-ons. Compare Bluff try-on.
=Dumps=—skates. See “High dutchers”.
=Dun=—a result of not paying your bills.
=Dunce cap=—a tall, conical paper c. awarded to some luckless scholar in
the old days for lack of brilliancy and worn, for the weal of the class,
in some prominent corner of the room, or on a seat by the teacher.
“Those were happy days”. Also called Fool’s c.
=Dundee=—a twill-finisht thibet, made to imitate unfinisht worsted.
=Dundrearys=—long, flowing side whiskers.
=Dungaree=—in the British navy a fine quality of blue jeans used for
sailors’ shirt collars, watch-marks on sleeves, etc.; also in a coarse
grade for working clothes; in the American navy a coarse cotton stuff
similar to denim; a term commonly used in reference to navy working
clothes.
=Dungaree junipers=—(=navy=) a blouse of blue denim, single-breasted
sack pattern, buttoned to the neck and loosely fitting; worn by enlisted
men on working duty.
=Dungaree trousers=—(=navy=) working t. of blue denim, made with a fly
instead of with front falls, worn by enlisted men.
=Dunnage bag=—a large, long b., commonly of canvas, for laundry, etc.
=Dunrobin=—a fine Scotch plaid.
=Durance=—lasting (qv). (Same as below?)
=Durant=—a strong, close-grained woolen stuff of Revolutionary times.
=Dust=—an article kept in stock in large quantities in all mercantil
establishments and usually hard to move save by continued exertion.
=Dust coat=—same as Duster.
=Dust shield=—see Wind s.
=Duster=—a light overcoat of linen, mohair or other thin fabric, once
extensivly used for traveling or driving.
=Dutch metal=—an alloy from which much of the “gold” lace of commerce is
manufactured.
=Duttees=—the coarse brown calicoes of India.
=Duxbak=—proprietary name for a semi-waterproof canvas used for sporting
and rough weather clothing.
=Dye bath=—a solution of coloring matter for dyeing purposes.
=Dyebeck=—same as Dye bath.
=Dyeing=—the art and operation of coloring textil fabrics by immersion
in a properly prepared bath; dyes are chiefly vegetable or anilin, and a
source of anguish if they fade unduly. See an encyclopedia.
=Dyer=—one who dyes fabrics.
=Dyer’s weed=—see Woad.
=Dye-stuff=—any material used for dyeing.
E
=Ear caps=—see E. muffs.
=Ear flaps=—those parts of a cap that may be turned down to cover and
protect the ears from cold.
=Ear guards=—padded leather protectors worn by footballers.
=Ear lock=—the lock of hair curling over or near the ear; any lock of
hair on the side of the head; a love lock.
=Ear muffs=—pads or m. for wear over the ears in cold weather, usually
of velvet, held in place by an elastic cord or metal spring. Popular in
St. Louis with the first touch of frost.
=Ear rings=—jewelry worn in the ears, the lobs of which are pierced for
the purpose; once upon a time gentlemen wore them; nowadays noticed
mostly on foreign laborers.
=Ear tabs=—see E. flaps and E. muffs.
=Ear whiskers=—short tufts of scrub reaching to the depth of the ears.
=Easter=—tailor’s harvest time.
=Eating apron=—a garment for young children, having a bib and sleeves
made of one piece; also an a. without sleeves.
=Eau de Cologne=—a strongly perfumed toilet water; properly, that for
which the city of Cologne is celebrated. In this city the industry was
establisht in the beginning of the 17th century by Paul Feminis and
Maria Clementine, a nun, jointly possessing the secret and conducting
the business; at his death Feminis bequeathed the formula to the Farina
family, while the nun left it to Peter Schaeben; both families still
carry on the business and are the leading manufacturers.
=Ecru=—raw color, as of silk, linen, etc.; unbleacht.
=Edge baster=—in ready-to-wear clothing manufacture, a workman who
finishes the work begun by the straighteners, underbasters and edge
operators, by turning in the outer part and facing (of a coat) and
basting the edges preparatory to final felling and stitching.
=Edge operator=—in ready-to-wear clothing manufacture, a workman who
does only the first seaming of coat edges.
=Edge setting=—the process of burnishing the edges of shoe soles on a
lathe-like machine called an e. setter.
=Edge trimming=—see foregoing.
=Edges=—the e. of coats, waistcoats, etc., are variously denominated,
according to manner of making and finish, blind e., bluff e., braided
e., bound e., corded e., double-stitcht e., felled e., piped e., plain
e., prickt e., raw e., single-stitcht e., etc., which see.
=Effect threads=—weaving term for decorativ threads of different colors
added to worsted and woolen fabrics, usually of mercerized cotton or
silk, or resist-dyed wool or worsted.
=Effigeen=—an old-time lining fabric.
=Egyptian=—trade term for cotton grown in the Nile districts of Africa;
very silky, smooth and strong; more commonly known as Maco.
=Eiderdown=—a thick woolen-pile fabric, woven on a cotton stockinet
body.
=Elastic canvas=—a plain-woven fabric of linen or cotton, unbleacht or
bleacht, of various weights, used for stiffening garments.
=Elastic gore=—a woven tape-like fabric, made in such a manner with
rubber threads that it forms an elastic tape or goring which is inserted
in the sides of a shoe immediately over the ankles, made so that the
shoe may be stretcht and drawn on and held on the foot by this elastic
goring, no lacing being used in this style of shoe which is commonly
known as Congress shoe or gaiter.
=Elastic seam=—proprietary term for a make of undergarments of jeans,
nainsook, etc., having strips of elastic knitted material let in between
seams, or in places of strain, etc.
=Elastic stocking=—a s. of silk and rubber threads for reducing
swelling, aiding the muscles, etc.
=Elastic twill=—a fine flexible cloth used for dress wear.
=Elastic webbing=—any garter or suspender w. of silk, cotton or other
material having interwoven threads of pure rubber.
=Elasticity test=—to determin the quality and e. of silk thread, take a
yard of thread and hold it firmly in each hand on some set table or
object, and keeping one hand stationary, start to stretch it. If it
breaks off short there is either cotton or other adulterant.
=Elbow sleeves=—term for undershirts with sleeves reaching to the
elbows.
=Electric seal=—imitation sealskin, usually muskrat or cat.
=Electric tanning=—treatment by electric current in connection with the
astringent liquor, to hasten conversion into leather.
=Elegant=—a French dude.
=Elevator-boy’s suit=—same as Hall-boy’s s.
=Elk skin=—a soft, pliable, oilless leather, usually made of calf s. and
tanned by a chemical process; used chiefly for athletic and sporting
shoes.
=Ell=—a measure of length as for cloth, having different values in
different places, and now rarely used; in England an ell is 45 inches,
in Scotland 37 inches.
=Elysian=—a fine grade of overcoating cloth, having the nap laid in
diagonal lines or ripples, something like, but rougher than Chinchilla,
and with straighter hair.
=Embroidered=—ornamented with fancifully workt designs in stitches.
=Emerald=—a green precious stone anciently considered an enemy of
impurity and that would break if it but toucht the skin of an adulterer.
=En regle=—in high ceremonious attire.
=Enameled collar=—a shirt c. made of a material composed of two sheets
of white paper between which was a connecting layer of thin muslin
showing thru the paper sides, after pressure, with a cloth-like effect;
invented in 1857. Since made entirely of paper, the surfaces stampt to
imitate cloth.
=Enameled leather=—a heavy kind of upper leather finisht with a shiny
surface like patent leather, but in which a figure or pebble has been
workt into the surface of the enamel.
=End=—technical term for a thread of warp or weft.
=Ends=—remnants.
=Engagement ring=—something you work hard to save up for so she can
“show off” among her friends until she finds someone else to buy her a
more gorgeous one, when you may, if lucky, get it back.
=Engineer’s cap=—a flat crowned, nearly straight c., made on a band,
with a large visor.
=Engineer’s uniform=—(=army=) see Full dress, Dress u., White u.,
Service u., Fatigue u., et var.
=English foot=—trade term for hosiery made with a seam at either side of
the sole. See French f.
=English mourning crepe=—see Crepe.
=English square=—imposing name for a readymade scarf with flaring ends
(about 1900).
=English waist=—trade term for trousers made very high in the back.
=English walking coat=—a single-breasted cutaway frock c. with hip
pockets, usually made of fabrics less sedate than the formal black goods
used for the cutaway frock or morning c. (qv).
=English yarns=—worsted y. that have been well oiled before combing,
resulting in a smooth level yarn in which the fibers lie nearly parallel
to each other. Compare French y.
=Enlisted men’s uniform=—(=navy=) see Dress, Undress, Working dress;
(=army=) Full dress, Dress u., White u., Service u., Fatigue u.;
(=marine corps=) Full dress, Undress, Field u.; (=revenue cutter
service=) Full dress, Service dress. See also variations.
=Ensanguined undergarment=—a variant of “bloody shirt”.
=Ensign’s uniform=—see Special full dress, Full dress, Dress, Service
dress, Evening dress, Mess dress, Undress. Also variations.
=Enweave=—to intertwine or intermix by weaving; another form of inweave.
=Epaulet=—an ornamental badge of rank worn by certain officers of army,
navy, etc., on the shoulders of the coat, usually a sort of plastron of
gold bullion with gold fringe, and bearing insignia of rank. Now largely
supplanted by shoulder knots, shoulder straps, etc. (=Epaulette.=)
=Epauls Americaines=—French poking fun (?) at our wadded shoulders. See
American shoulders.
=Epigonation=—a lozenge-shaped ornament of stiffened silk bearing a
cross or picture, worn hanging from the girdle by the Greek and Russian
ministry.
=Epiminikia=—bands resembling the Latin maniple (qv) worn by bishops,
priests and deacons in the Greek and Russian churches, those for bishops
being richly ornamented.
=Episcopal ring=—a gold r., usually set with a large amethyst,
symbolizing that the wearer (a bishop) is wedded to his diocese.
=Epitrachelion=—a long, narrow stole worn by priests of the Greek and
Russian churches, resembling the Latin pallium (qv).
=Equi-pede=—a horseman’s coat, ample skirted and long enough to cover
the mounted rider (saddle and all) from neck to boots, a coat and apron
in one, quickly and easily contracted to the size of a sack covert coat
for walking and dismounted work generally.
=Erect=—not stooping.
=Erkens’ worsted=—a fine, close twilled worsted dress or coating cloth
resembling Venetian, the twills apparently crossing each other. (From
name of German manufacturer.)
=Espardènas=—see Alpargatas.
=Estamene=—similar to serge, but having a rough, nappy face resembling
cheviot.
=Etamine=—a light woolen cloth similar to batiste and nun’s cloth.
=Etiquette=—the formalities or usages of social or professional
intercourse.
=Etoffe=—French for cloth.
=Eton collar=—a folded shirt c., usually of white linen of medium hight
stand, but with a broad turnover of nearly uniform width all around,
folded at an angle; worn by boys.
=Eton jacket=—a short j. without collar or lapels, reaching only to the
waist line, first worn by the boys of Eton College.
=Etruscan gold=—luster removed by acid, leaving it satiny yellow.
=Eugenie’s wigs=—knitted montero caps (qv) presented by Empress Eugenie
to the Arctic exploration of 1875, and so dubbed by the jackies.
=Even exchange=—retail trade term, meaning the exchange of purchases for
something else without there being any difference in price.
=Evening dress=—the swallowtail and Tuxedo as opposed to frock coats for
day dress and sack coats for business and lounge wear; vulgarly “full
dress”.
=Evening dress A=—(=navy=) a uniform to be worn on occasions of ceremony
in the evening, to which officers are invited in their official
capacity, such as public balls, dinners and evening receptions. Consists
of—for all commissioned officers except chaplains, chief boatswains,
chief gunners, chief carpenters and chief sailmakers—evening dress coat,
evening dress waistcoat (blue), full dress trousers, cockt hat,
epaulets, sword and full dress belt, black tie, white gloves; for
chaplains the same as “Evening Dress B”; for midshipmen, the same as
prescribed for commissioned officers, substituting the blue cap for the
cockt hat and shoulder knots for epaulets. On occasions where the full
uniform would not be appropriate “Evening dress A” may be prescribed
without swords and belts and with blue caps instead of cockt hats; or in
hot weather, or in appropriate circumstances, mess dress with full dress
trousers may be ordered.
=Evening dress B=—(=navy=) a uniform to be worn at social evening
occasions where officers are invited in their official capacity, and at
dinner on board vessels other than those of the fourth rate by officers
for whom the evening dress coat has been prescribed (except when the
uniform of the day has been white). Consists of—for all commissioned
officers (except chief boatswains, chief gunners, chief carpenters and
chief sailmakers) and for midshipmen: evening dress coat, evening dress
waistcoat, blue (unless white is ordered), undress trousers (unless full
dress trousers are ordered), blue cap, black tie. In hot weather or
under other appropriate circumstances mess dress may be substituted.
=Evening dress coat=—a skirted c. with the foreparts cut off at the
waistline, the skirts commencing at the hips and gradually narrowing
downward, the front made with long-roll lapels, not to button, tho
furnished with buttons and buttonholes on each side, the lapels usually
faced with silk; invariably made of fine black cloth and properly lined
with black silk.
=Evening dress coat=—(=navy=) a uniform c. similar to a civilian’s e. d.
c., of dark blue cloth with 3 large navy buttons on each breast, well
spaced, two at the waist behind and one at the bottom of each fold, with
sleeve marks and epaulets as prescribed for frock c.; always worn open.
For chaplains the same with black silk buttons.
=Evening dress shield=—see Shirt protector.
=Evening dress shirt=—trade term for fine quality white d. s. with extra
large bosoms.
=Evening dress trousers=—plain t. of same goods as the coat, but
slightly shaped, and sometimes with a stripe of fancy braid down the
outside seams; in trousers for wear with the dinner jacket (Tuxedo) the
braid is omitted.
=Evening dress trousers=—(=marine corps=) for major general commandant
and all other officers, of dark blue cloth, cut after the prevailing
style of civilian’s evening dress, but with long snug fitting waist,
without pockets or buckle straps, suspender buttons inside the band,
outseams trimmed with 1¼ inch stripe of gold lace. Also white t. for
wear with white mess jacket, of same cut but without stripe on outseams.
=Evening dress uniform=—(=army=) a special full d. u. authorized for
wear on occasions of ceremony to which officers are invited in their
official capacity, such as balls, official dinners and receptions, etc.:
an evening dress coat of dark blue cloth cut on the lines of the
civilian dress coat, with regulation gilt buttons, of same number and
placed as prescribed, the sleeves ornamented in same manner as full
dress uniform coats; an evening waistcoat of dark blue or white with
three small regulation buttons; also full dress trousers for all
officers except those of engineers, cavalry, artillery and infantry, who
wear dark blue trousers without stripes; patent leather shoes and full
dress cap; shoulder ornaments, etc., per regulations. For occasions of
special formality the u. for evening functions is the same as full dress
dismounted u.; and this may be worn at above described occasions at
discretion. On proper occasions, which are not official in character,
officers are permitted to wear civilian evening dress.
=Evening dress waistcoat=—a w. cut low to expose the shirt bosom, the
garment being most properly single-breasted, 3 or 4 buttons and 2
pockets, and the opening either V or U shape, with a shawl collar, which
is sometimes trimmed with a row of fancy braid. May be of black cloth to
match coat and trousers or of white wash fabrics or silk, which latter
may be plain or have a small figured pattern.
=Evening dress waistcoat=—(=navy=) similar to a civilian’s e. d. w., of
dark blue cloth with four small gilt navy buttons (or black silk buttons
for chaplains). The “white evening dress” w. to be of same style but of
duck or similar material (if for chaplains with white buttons). (=Marine
corps=) for all officers; of same material as corresponding mess jacket,
single-breasted with four small marine corps buttons, rolling collar.
=Evening jacket=—see Dinner j.
=Everlasting=—a cloth used for breeches during the latter part of the
18th century, mostly for servants’ wear.
=Examiner=—in the apparel trades one who closely scrutinizes finisht
garments for detection and correction of errors, flaws, etc. His
criticism, which is final, sometimes results in further changes.
=Exchange=—to receive back goods bought and give the purchaser something
else in the place thereof.
=Expenses=—the one thing that makes the boss sit up nights.
=Exposure test=—generally, exposing a piece of cloth or other material,
article or substance, to the weather, continuously for a number of days
(usually on a roof or in some place where it is not likely to be meddled
with) for determination of color, quality, etc.
=Express paid=—sent, not (?) at the receiver’s expense.
=Exquisite=—an ineffable clothes-wearing nuisance.
=Extension shoulders=—deceptivly broad.
=Extension tree=—a shoe t. having a spring, ratchet or other device for
stretching the shoe longitudinally.
=Extra=—a substitute or temporary clerk.
=Extra stout=—trade term for readymade garments designed to fit extra
corpulent or very fat persons.
=Extras=—anything or lots of things not contemplated in the price; the
“nigger-in-the-woodpile” reason for many low prices.
=Extract wool=—wool produced from waste or clips which are of mixt
wool-and-cotton, the wool being extracted by a process of carbonization.
=Extracted=—dyeing term indicating that patterns or designs in colors
differing from the general ground color, or in white, have been achieved
by (1) acid treatment, (2) bleaching, (3) tying and dyeing, (4)
mordanting, etc. See Batik, Bandanna, etc.
=Eye shield=—a silk or papier mache s. worn to protect weak eyes against
light; also to hide the effects of “somebody bumping into it the night
before.”
=Eyeglasses=—lenses suitably mounted for attachment to the bridge of the
nose, differing from spectacles in needing no bows across the temples or
behind the ears; pince nez.
=Eyeglass chain=—a safety device of gold or other metal.
=Eyeglass cord=—a light silk c. for attaching eye-glasses to the clothes
or person to prevent loss.
=Eyeglass holder=—a case for holding eye-glasses when not in use; of
various styles, as hinged, open-end, etc., usually of leather or
leather-covered metal.
=Eyelet=—a small hole, workt around with buttonhole stitching.
=Eyeshade=—a sort of visor for protecting the eyes from the glare of
strong light.
F
=Face=—the right side or outer surface of a fabric or material.
=Face=—the table or (exposed) upper part of a brilliant cut diamond or
other precious stone.
=Face cloth=—a c. laid on the face of a dead person.
=Face cloth=—a wash c.
=Face finish=—meaning, in the textil trades, the manner in which the
face or outerside of a fabric is finisht; as clear f., doeskin f.,
unfinisht, etc., which see.
=Face guard=—a mask or covering worn by workers in chemical
laboratories; or by fencers, or baseball players, etc.
=Faced=—having an over or underlying strip of same or different material
for purposes of appearance or re-enforcement. See Facing.
=Faced cloth=—fabrics having a finisht face, as worsteds, in opposition
to fabrics such as tweeds, cheviots, etc.
=Facet=—one of the small triangular plane surfaces of a diamond or other
gem.
=Facing=—tailoring term for an underlying or overlying strip or
re-enforcement of material, the same as or different from that of the
garment, as (1) the strip along the inside of coat openings which also
form the face of the lapels or revers; (2) the strips of goods inside
the openings of pockets so that the eyes shall not be offended with
lining showing thru; (3) the covering of silk laid on lapels or revers,
to the edge or to the buttonholes; (4) the contra-colored cloth, showing
on the turned back skirts or revers of old-time military coats; (5) the
strip of cloth extending all around the inside edges of a waistcoat from
neck to bottom side seam, which is sometimes of undercollar cloth for
the sake of a thinner edge; and so forth.
=Faconne=—figured; usually employed in connection with fancy silks.
=Factory cotton=—unbleacht domestic cotton goods in contrast to those
which are imported.
=Factory yarn=—coarse, unscoured woolen y., used for knitting hose,
mittens, etc.
=Fad=—the current vogue; transient popularity.
=Fad=—a hobby.
=Faga=—a narrow strip or sash of silk wound several times around the
waist. (Spain).
=Faille Francaise=—a soft, lustrous silk fabric of wider cord than
gros-grain, but narrower than ottoman.
=Fair=—see Cotton classification.
=Fair shake=—a fair bargain.
=Fal lal=—any gaudy or trifling ornament or trinket; foppish frippery.
=Falding=—a kind of frieze, mentioned by Chaucer, approximating the
coarse red woolen stuff still worn by Irish peasant women for petticoats
and jackets.
=Fall bearer=—that part of broadfall trousers forming the front waist
band, and to which the fall or flap is buttoned; the b. also contains
the pockets. See Broadfalls. Compare Narrow falls.
=Fall down=—one of the old names for broadfalls (qv).
=Fall weight=—in the cloth trade suitings of 12 to 16 ounces and
overcoatings of 16 to 24 ounces are so known. Compare Winter w., Spring
w., Summer w., Tropical w.
=Falling band=—(1) a sort of wide turned down collar, usually of linen,
plain or ornamented, sometimes with floating ends or tabs; worn over the
neck of the doublet or jerkin of old days; (2) an ecclesiastical
neckdressing.
=Falling collar=—see Prussian c.
=False face=—what we begged pennies for when young.
=False hair=—someone else’s tho it covers your own bald spots.
=False teeth=—of great utilitarian value but, alack! also signs of
immoderate vanity.
=Family umbrella=—facetious term for old-fashioned extra large u.
=Fan=—once fops carried them; nowadays women.
=Fan=—the side of a cockt hat.
=Fancies=—any merchandise not classed as staples or regulars; novelties.
=Fancy back=—general term for fabrics having a pattern on the back or
underside differing from that on the face, as certain fancy
overcoatings, raincoatings, etc.
=Fancy dress ball=—an occasion where one can spend a good deal of money
on a costume that may never be worn again—unless he rents some trumpery
from a costumer, which nice folk are squeamish about doing.
=Fang=—a broken or protuberant tooth.
=Farmer’s satin=—properly a satin wove fabric having a cotton warp and
worsted filling, finisht with a high luster, used for coat linings,
etc.; also called Italian cloth.
=Fashion=—the prevailing mode.
=Fashion artist=—a perverse individual who has trances twice a year or
oftener for the benefit of clothing manufacturers and fashion journals.
=Fashion doll=—a device once extensivly used to display fashions in
miniature.
=Fashion monger=—one who affects scrupulous attention to fashion; a
dandy.
=Fashion-plate=—an engraving or other pictorial representation of the
prevailing fashions of any period.
=Fashion writer=—a has-been or going-to-be literary hack who need never
be taken seriously.
=Fashionable=—conforming to the prevailing mode; approved.
=Fashionable back width=—tailoring term indicating a change in
measurement of the back to correspond fashionably with width of
shoulder.
=Fashionable tailor=—one who gets the highest prices and who
consequently caters only to the wealthy classes; one to whom every
manufacturer of readymade clothing goes for his own clothes and for
ideas for his business.
=Fashionable waist=—tailoring term. See Waist.
=Fast color=—applied to colors supposed not to fade in washing or thru
exposure.
=Fast dye=—fast color; unfading.
=Fat man’s frock=—a cutaway frock coat, only the top button of which is
intended for use; also called “one button cutaway”.
=Fat man’s sack=—a sack coat made to be buttoned only at the top button,
and cut away slightly from that point downward.
=Fatigue blouse=—(=masonic=) a 5 button, single-breasted, straight front
sack coat, without pockets and with Prussian collar. Compare Commander’s
coat and Sir Knight’s coat.
=Fatigue coat=—(=army=) for enlisted men: a single-breasted sack c. of
brown cotton duck, of prescribed pattern.
=Fatigue trousers=—(=army=) for enlisted men: of brown cotton duck,
without stripes.
=Fatigue uniform=—(=army=) for enlisted men dismounted: worn on fatigue
or stable duty: f. coat, and trousers, service hat, russet leather
shoes.
=Favors=—more or less costly trivialities distributed at cotillons.
=Fay, to=—to fit. “Your coat fays well”. This obsolete form, a
curtailment of “fadge”, and in use during the Augustan age of English
literature, is occasionally encountered in New England.
=F. B. Q.=—proprietary name for a well-known make of ready-to-wear
clothing, meaning “finest beyond question”.
=Fearnought=—a heavy fulled woolen fabric used for sailors’ overcoats
and clothing; sometimes called Dreadnought.
Fearnought—(weaving term). See Mixing picker.
=Feather=—a channel about ⅛ inch deep, extending around the edges of a
shoe sole, along and into which holes for the stitches are pierced
obliquely.
=Feather top=—see Wig.
=Feathers=—when commingled with tar a punitiv form of clothing worn next
the body; occasionally met with in communities of zealously guarded
morality.
=Featherweight=—very light or summery.
=Fedora=—a soft felt hat, the crown having a crease in the center from
front to back. See Hombourg, Alpine, Tyrolean, etc.
=Feel=—see Handle.
=Fell=—felling is the act of sewing one piece of material onto another;
to turn in a seam.
=Fell=—archaic for hides or pelts; also used in the sense of hairy.
=Felled edge=—a variety of plain or blind e. (qv), hand-finisht, with a
felling stitch (qv), obtaining a perfectly plain surface.
=Felled pocket=—a jetted p.
=Fellers=—see Finishers.
=Felling, French=—see French f.
=Felling silk=—see Sewing s.
=Felling stitch=—an over-and-over continuous s. used to fasten linings
onto the outer body, to hold bindings to the edge, join under-collars to
body, etc., the closeness of the stitches being regulated according to
the purpose for which they are used.
=Fellmonger=—a trader in skins, furs, etc.
=Fellware=—skins, furs, etc.
=Felt=—properly a fabric made by interlocking or compacting wool, fur or
hair, or a mixture thereof, by rolling or pressure, without weaving,
often with the aid of glue and heat; used extensivly in garment
trimming, etc; also a woven fabric whose fibers are matted by shrinking
or otherwise.
=Felt shoes=—s. made out of felt, wholly or in part.
=Fencing glove=—a padded g., with a deep cuff or gauntlet.
=Fencing mask=—a wire m. for the face, so constructed as to be quickly
removable.
=Fencing plastron=—a padded and quilted leather or canvas chest and side
protector with a heart sewed on to jab at.
=Ferrandine=—an old-time cloth, similar to poplin, of silk or silk and
wool or silk and mohair, once used for waistcoats.
=Ferrule=—the metal end-tip of an umbrella rod or cane.
=Fez=—a brimless felt cap in the shape of a truncated cone, usually red
with a black tassel, worn especially by Turks and Shriners.
=Fibrilia=—a textil material made from the fibers of flax, jute, china
grass, hemp, etc., and used as a substitute for more valuable fibers;
used to a limited extent in the manufacture of hosiery, blankets, etc.,
in the proportion of 1 part to 3 of wool, cotton, etc.
=Fiddle=—tailoring term for supererogatory attentions toward a customer.
=Fiddleback=—irreverent name for the modern chasuble.
=Field belt=—(=army=) a b. of russet leather worn by enlisted men.
=Field breeches=—(=marine corps=) of khaki serge or drill, to match f.
coat, without stripe, welt or cord, loose above knees and about seat,
fitting closely below knees and extending to tops of shoes, fastening
with buttons and lacing or all lacing; seat re-enforced, suspender
buttons inside of band, 4 belt loops. For major general command and all
officers. White b. of same style may be worn by mounted officers in the
tropics when not on duty.
=Field coat=—(=marine corps=) for major general commandant and all other
officers, of khaki serge or drill, of the same design as the white
undress c. (qv) except without vent for sword, and with bronze buttons;
rank devices as for white c.; for non-commissioned officers, drummers,
trumpeters and privates, a single-breasted c. of 8 oz. khaki-colored
cotton material, cut half close, with standing collar, in length
reaching to the crotch and closed with 5 marine corps buttons, one
outside bellows-plait patch pocket, with flap in each breast, other
trimmings, details, etc., as prescribed.
=Field dress=—(=marine corps=) worn by all officers and men (1) in
garrison when prescribed by the commanding officer, or in the tropics;
(2) for duty under arms in garrison under foregoing conditions; (3) at
drills, target practice, maneuvers, and on marches when prescribed; (4)
in the field when prescribed; (5) when serving with marine battalions
afloat in the warm season or in the tropics, when prescribed. Consists
of, for all officers: f. coat, f. trousers or breeches, russet leather
puttees or leggings, f. hat and cord or white helmet, sword with undress
belt (leather slings) and knot, russet shoes; if mounted, spurs and drab
leather gloves; in the field, the flannel shirt prescribed for enlisted
men may be worn, in place of the f. coat, with rank devices on the
collar and with khaki scarf. For enlisted men: (in this case called f.
uniform): f. coat, f. trousers, leggings, f. hat, russet shoes, arms and
accouterments as ordered; in the field, the khaki shirt may be worn, in
place of the khaki coat, with a web belt.
=Field hat=—(=marine corps=)for non-commissioned officers, drummers,
trumpeters and privates, of felt, as sample in Quartermaster’s office;
worn creased from front to rear; ornaments, etc., of bronze, in front;
for all officers, of felt, the same as for enlisted men, creased from
front to rear, with a double cord of scarlet-and-gold with acorns at
ends; bronze corps device in front.
=Field stock=—same as stock or neck s.
=Field trousers=—(=marine corps=)for major general commandant and all
other officers, of same material as f. coat, without stripe, welt or
cord; may be worn without leggings in camp or garrison; for
non-commissioned officers, drummers, trumpeters and privates of same
material as coat and same pattern as white linen undress t.
=Field uniform=—see F. dress.
=Fielder’s glove=—a heavily padded, stout leather g., with a web
(connected) thumb, worn by baseball players.
=Fielder’s mitt=—about same as basemen’s m. (qv).
=Fifth avenue=—a street in New York city supposed to house the elite and
elect of tailordom in America; also specially mentioned for its Sunday
dress parades of the “smart set”, and particularly that of Easterday. A
name also prominently figuring on the window price tickets of misfit
shops.
=Fig leaf=—a primitiv and scanty form of makeshift garment invented by
Adam and Eve, the first garment makers of history, sufficiently
described by its name; now obsolete to the relief of the W. C. T. U., Y.
M. C. A., et al.
=Fighting gloves=—see Boxing g.
=Fil au Chinois=—name given to a well-known ball linen thread made in
France, waxt ready for use and of extra strength, for tailors,
shoemakers, dressmakers, leather-workers, etc.
=Fil au Tonkinois=—a stout sewing thread similar to fil au Chinois.
=Fil guipe=—a rolled or covered thread or cord of silk and tinsel,
usually with cotton center, used in manufacture of trimming laces, etc.
=Filature=—the delicate untwisted silk threads as reeled from the
cocoons, also called raw silk.
=File silk=—a fonetic corruption. See Faille Francaise.
=Filibeg=—the Highland kilt.
=Filled cloth=—general term for any woolen cloth that has been felted or
loaded with flocks (qv) for weight, body or strength—or cheapness.
=Filler cork=—ground c. mixt with rubber cement or some sticky substance
and used for filling in the hollow in the bottom of a shoe before the
outer sole is placed on or attacht to a shoe.
=Filler felt=—a piece of f. used instead of cork filler, for the same
purpose and in the same way.
=Filling=—the woof or weft threads of a woven fabric.
=Financial circles=—slang for dollars.
=Findings=—the required amounts of canvas, wigan, holland, tape, lining,
felt, haircloth, buttons, etc., necessary to a garment.
=Fine=—see Wool.
=Fine=—term used in connection with gold or bullion trimming braids,
indicating highest quality (in the sense, perhaps, that f. gold means
pure). An inferior quality is known as mi-fine.
=Fine as silk=—a simile of comparison, implying excellence.
=Fine cut=—a delectable preparation of nicotiana tabacum.
=Fine delaine=—wool classification term. See Wool.
=Fine-draw=—to sew and close up a rent, seam, etc., with fine thread and
delicate workmanship so that the joint is scarcely perceptible. See
next.
=Fine-drawing stitch=—a practically invisible s. employed when the
material is too thin or too ravelly for stoating or rentering, and for
mending tears. The edges are placed together, as in stoating, except
that they are not trimmed, the fray helping to cover the join. A fine
needle and fine silk must be used. The needle passes in and out,
catching the material lightly and without coming to the surface on the
right side, making very short stitches and purposely coming uneven
distances on either side of the join, distributing the strain, which
would be plainly visible were the distances even.
=Fine-tooth comb=—a search warrant. (Definition vulgar.)
=Finery=—gay apparel; gewgaws; good things to avoid.
=Finger cot=—a covering of leather, rubber, etc., for protection to
injured fingers.
=Finger guard=—(1) a protectiv shield of leather, rubber, etc., worn by
marksmen, sailmakers, corn huskers, etc.; (2) a f. cot or stall, or
protectiv covering, worn in case of accidents, by workers in chemicals,
etc.
=Finger ring=—something affording a fine chance for the display of one’s
bad taste; nowadays just a gaud; formerly of much significance.
=Finishers=—in clothing manufacture, expert needleworkers who fell-on or
“finish” the basted-on collars, sleeves, linings, etc.
=Finishing=—general term for any and all the processes of preparing
fabrics for market, as fulling, steaming, shearing, singeing,
calendering, glazing, inspecting, etc.
=Finishing=—a process in hat manufacture where, after blocking and
subsequent hydraulic pressure, stiff hats are placed upon wooden blocks
and by manipulation with pouncing paper, etc., are smoothed and
polished, and the brims trimmed to model dimensions.
=Fir wool=—see Pine w.
=Fire=—the interposition of Providence to (some) shopkeepers.
=Fire Department uniforms=—(=Chicago=) =Dress coat=: a double-breasted
close-fitting sack c. of dark blue cloth, made to button close to the
neck with combination lapel-rolling collar; of a length reaching to the
tips of the fingers, with 2 inside breast pockets, no outside pockets
but with a double-scalloped flap, as for a pocket, on each breast
outside; 2 buttons on each sleeve and with buttons on breast as follows:
marshal, 9 each breast, grouped in 3’s; assistant marshal and chiefs of
battalion, 8 each breast, in pairs; company officers, 4 each breast,
equidistant; firemen, same as for company officers, but no sleeve
buttons. =Fatigue coat=: a single-breasted square cut sack c. of dark
blue flannel, of same general specifications; vest and trousers to
match. =Overcoat=: a double-breasted frock coat of dark blue cloth, with
combination lapel-rolling collar, buttoning close to the neck, with same
number and arrangement of buttons as described under Dress c. except
that there are 5 on each breast, equidistant, for company officers and
men; the coat in length 2 inches below knee; all seams lapt, raw; the
skirt to be cut on the fold of the goods without opening, with 2 buttons
at waist seam and 2 on each side of skirt plaits; 1 outside breast and 2
outside skirt pockets with scallopt flaps; 1 inside breast pocket.
Insignia per regulations.
=Fire department uniforms=—(=New York=) =Dress coat=: a double-breasted
close-fitting sack c. of dark blue cloth, cut to button to the neck,
with rolling collar, and to reach midway between hip and knee, without
outside pockets but with 2 inside breast pockets, lining of red cloth or
flannel, 3 buttons on each sleeve and on the breast as follows: for
chief of department, 2 rows of 8, grouped in pairs; for deputy chief of
department and chiefs of battalion, same except spaced equidistant; for
company officers, 2 rows of 7, equidistant; for engineers of steamers
and men, a single-breasted squarecut c. with 6 buttons; in summer an
unlined c. of dark blue flannel; vest and trousers to match. =Overcoat=:
a double-breasted frock coat of dark blue cloth, reaching to the knee,
made to button close to the neck, with 2 rows of 8 buttons grouped in
pairs for chief of department and for all other officers and members 2
rows of 5 equidistant; the body and skirt to be lined with red cloth or
flannel; the skirt, which is open behind, trimmed with 2 rows of 3
buttons; 3 buttons on each sleeve; no outside pockets, but 1 inside
breast pocket. For officers attacht to fireboats, a double-breasted sack
overcoat, buttoning to neck with 5 buttons on each breast, spaced
equally; ulster collar; 2 circular outside breast pockets; length ⅔ of
knee; lined with red cloth. Insignia on coats as per regulation.
=Fire marshal’s dress coat=—see Fire department uniforms.
=Fire sale=—faky.
=Fire test=—see Flame t.
=Firemen’s cap=—(=New York=) a dark blue cloth cap of navy pattern, with
visor of black patent leather, with insignia of rank as prescribed by
regulations.
=Firemen’s dress coat=—see Fire department uniforms.
=Firemen’s fatigue coat=—see Fire department uniforms.
=Firemen’s hats=—(=New York=) for summer wear, a hat of Mackinaw straw,
white for all officers (except those attacht to fireboats), and brown
for all other members; sides 3¾ inches high, slightly tapering to crown;
black silk band.
=Firemen’s helmets=—(=New York=) for chief of department, deputy chiefs
and chiefs of battalion, a white helmet with 8 cones having a gilt front
depending from a gilt eaglehead and attacht thereto in front with
insignia of rank painted thereon in black and red, with title in black
letters on scroll of gold; for officers of engine and hook and ladder
companies, same, but of black with a white front, with insignia
variously differentiated; for engineers of steamers, an all-black helmet
with title and number black on white; for firemen of hook and ladder
companies, black with red front, with number, etc., in white.
=Firemen’s overcoat=—see Fire department uniforms.
=First pressing=—in clothing manufacture the operation of pressing-off a
garment, as a coat, preparatory to marking and sewing on buttons.
Compare Underpressing and After p.
=Fish=—a dart or V. See Dart.
=Fish bag=—see Live net.
=Fish-eye face=—trade name for pearl and other buttons having a slightly
rounded f. across which an oval slit is cut holding two holes to sew
thru.
=Fishing boot=—same as hunting b. (qv) without the hobnails.
=Fishing cape=—a plain c. of any waterproof material, worn as a
protection against rain.
=Fishing glove=—a g. of soft leather, loose fitting, with fingers cut
half length.
=Fishing hat=—almost any old thing with a wide brim; name sometimes
applied to a light muslin, wide brimmed h. on a wire frame.
=Fishing helmet=—a sort of storm hat.
=Fitters=—in clothing manufacture the workmen who inspect and assemble
the parts of garments as received from the cutting department.
=Fittings=—tailoring term for the necessary pieces of cloth for facings,
pocket welts, etc. Compare Findings.
=Flambustious=—showy; gaudy; or good; as “we will have a flambustious
time”. If this word is derived from “flam”, a lie or cheat, a certain
transition of meaning has occurred.
=Flame tests=—pure dye silk will shrivel up immediately where flame is
applied, leaving a dull leaden color without fire; weighted silk retains
flame after match is removed and may either shrivel or burn up; cotton
or other substitute or adulterant, except wool, will burn until
consumed; wool chars much like silk.
=Flanging=—a process in hat manufacture subsequent to curling, binding
and trimming, whereby further and final shape is given to the brims.
=Flannel=—(1) general name for a large variety of soft finisht all-wool
fabrics, usually loosely woven of coarse lightly twisted yarns and but
very slightly fulled, tho commonly well teasled. For men’s wear
generally a very superior grade, of twill weave, fulled to a degree
resembling cheviot. See also Mackinaw f., Navy twills, Shirting f.,
Shaker f., Baby f., etc.; (2) weaving term for undyed cloths and suiting
fabrics as they come from the loom and before they reach the dye vat.
=Flannelette=—a stout half-cotton or all-cotton flannel-like fabric,
loom figured and close napt. See Outing cloth.
=Flannels=—colloquial for (1) summer outing suits (usually coat and
trousers) of flannel, properly in white or light colorings; and (2) for
winter woolen undergarments.
=Flap=—a limber hanging part; a covering for pockets in garments.
=Flap=—the shield or falling front part of front fall trousers.
=Flap-pad=—see Pad and Looney.
=Flapped pocket=—a p. with a flap over its opening. Compare Welted p.
=Flare=—an outward spreading or widening, as of the skirts of a coat.
=Flashy=—showy, meretricious.
=Flask funnel=—a device to assist you in not wasting it.
=Flat back=—tailor’s term for a man over-erect with a narrow back and
full chest.
=Flat bound=—in tailoring an edge finish obtained by the use of a wide
silk or other braid laid widely on the face or outer surface and but
narrowly underneath and over the edge, then stitcht onto the two surface
edges and prest, obtaining a flattened effect.
=Flat braid=—formed by a number of threads laid zigzag and crossing each
other alternately over and under. See Silk b.
=Flat button=—not hollowed, or rounded, or shaped in any way—a general
term.
=Flat buttonhole=—see Satin b.
=Flat foot=—needing an arch support (qv).
=Flat goods=—trade term for hosiery, underwear, etc., not soft ribbed or
fashioned.
=Flat iron=—trade term for a style in shoes popular several years ago,
quite pointed at the toe but widening sharply to the ball of the foot,
resembling a flat iron in shape, hence name.
=Flat last=—trade term for shoes with the soles resting flat on the
ground. Compare Rocking l.
=Flat seam=—see Pique s.
=Flat set=—hatter’s term for very flat hat brims.
=Flax comb=—a hatchel.
=Fleece=—see Wool.
=Flesher=—one who fleshes hides.
=Fleshers=—trade name for split glove skins as received from abroad.
=Fleshing=—a process in the curing and dressing of furs and leather:
removing the flesh and fat from the skin.
=Fleshings=—properly, flesh-colored tights; loosely, tights in general,
particularly if liberally exhibiting the anatomy.
=Fleuret silk=—same as Spun s.
=Float=—in weaving, the passage of a filling thread under or over
several warp threads without being engaged by them.
=Flock=—short refuse or finely powdered wool waste or dust used in
finishing cheap woolens. (Flocks.) See Extract wool.
=Floorwalker=—a smooth gentleman, hired to add dignity to a store, who
directs you to some place you did not ask for.