and more expensiv cloth than vicuna (which it resembles), properly made
from the fleece of the Llama goat, tho largely mixt with cheaper wool.
=Loaded=—dyer’s term for fabrics surcharged with gums and other
dressings for extra or fraudulent weight.
=Loading=—see Weighting.
=Lock front=—trade term for shirt collars of the folded variety having
one blade or end so shaped and extended as to go within the opposit fold
and hold the collar firmly in position or “lock” it. See also Meeting
folder and Spaced front.
=Lock-out=—the shutting up of a mill, factory or store because the
owners will not agree to demands of employes or because latter would not
agree to work on terms offered by the employers.
=Lock stitch=—see Chain s.
=Lockram=—a cheap, coarse linen fabric, originally made in Locrenan,
Brittany.
=Locust=—familiar for policeman’s club; a night stick.
=Loden=—a waterproof cloth made by the peasants in the Tyrol from wool
of mountain sheep; resembles Irish frieze, and is mostly used for
knockabout shirts for mountain climbing, hunting, prospecting, etc.
=Logwood=—the blue-black dye obtained from the tree of that name.
=Loin cloth=—complete attire in hot, uncivilized countries—among the
natives.
=London=—the mere name was once virtually deified and counted the
arbiter elegantiarum in men’s wear.
=London dye=—trade term for the rich brown d. of sealskins, especially
employed when the skins are actually dyed in London. Compare Leipzig d.
=London fashions=—a term of conjuration used by tailors and readymaders
alike but having no significance apart from the casuistry of the words.
=London letter=—a fashion l. written in New York or anywhere but London.
=London shrunk=—see Cold water s.
=London toe=—in shoemaking, a medium broad t.
=Long dresses=—the clothes of early infancy.
=Long measures=—general term for those systems of tailors’ measurements
characterized by the taking of as few and as comprehensiv measurements
as necessary to lay out a pattern, which measurements are subdivided in
drafting, as required to give other dimensions not taken on the victim
on the block. Compare Short m. and Superlativ m.
=Long moire=—m. antique (qv).
=Long neckt=—see Low-n.
=Long pants=—the first important event in a boy’s life.
=Long roll=—tailor’s term for lapels or revers buttoning low and usually
soft-prest.
=Long-slim=—trade term for readymade garments designed to fit tall,
slender persons. Compare Slim, Long-stout and Longs.
=Long staple=—having a long fiber. See Cotton and Wool. Compare Short s.
=Long-stout=—trade term for readymade garments designed to fit corpulent
persons of more than average hight.
=Long tail=—see Wig.
=Long togs=—nautical term for civilian clothes.
=Long vamp=—Synonymous with whole v., as compared with a short or
cut-off v., a whole v., not having that part of the v. covering the
toes, about the size of a tip on the ordinary shoe, cut off. By cutting
off a little of the v. at this point a saving is made in the leather,
and, therefore, in the cost of a shoe; but with some leathers, however,
it makes a better shoe.
=Long wool=—fleece 4 to 10 inches long. See Wool.
=Longs=—trade term for readymade garments designed to fit tall men.
Compare Slim, Long-slim and Long-stout.
=Longs=—early familiar term for pantaloons or trousers. Compare Shorts.
=Lonsdale=—a brand of shirting muslin and cambric.
=Looking glass=—a reflector of vanities. See Mirror.
=Loom=—a machine in which yarn or thread is woven into a fabric, by the
crossing of threads called chain or warp, running lengthwise, with
others called weft, woof or filling, running crosswise.
=Loom card=—a perforated pattern card, such as is used on the Jacquard
loom.
=Loom figured=—textil term for patterns or effects produced by
arrangement of warp and weft threads in contradistinction to those made
by printing; “self-figured”.
=Loom harness=—that portion of a loom which so operates or acts upon the
warp threads as to make the opening thru which the shuttle flies.
=Loomask=—a kind of half mask. See Loup.
=Looney=—an oblong, flattened pad, used in pressing and giving form to
the collar, lapels and shoulders of a coat.
=Loop stitch=—see Chain s.
=Loopt yarn=—see Curled y.
=Looscarf=—proprietary name for a linen shirt collar, of the double or
high-banded order, so made that a scarf or tie slips around in it
easily, without the tension characterising the ordinary style of collar.
=Loose-fitting=—by no means tight nor close; free; boxy.
=Loose links=—linkt cuff buttons not rigidly connected, but held
together by means of a fine chain, a large link, or a separable slip
catch.
=Loose skins=—a sort of union outer-suit. See Jepson.
=Lord Chumley=—the cape overcoat popular in this country about 1890,
from the play of that name; still popular abroad as a traveling coat.
=Loretto=—a fine silk material largely used for waistcoats about 1767.
=Lot number=—a stock n. given to goods for identification purposes.
=Louchettes=—goggles permitting vision only directly in front, used for
strabismus.
=Loud=—gaily drest; flashy.
=Louisine=—a fine twilled silk fabric, similar to surah, but softer and
firmer.
=Lounge jacket=—English name for our single-breasted sack coat.
=Lounge suit=—a sack s.
=Lounging robe=—a long, loose, house gown.
=Loup=—a light mask or half mask, usually of silk, worn at masquerades,
etc.
=Louse-trap=—vulgar for a fine-tooth comb.
=Love knot=—see True lovers’ k.
=Love lock=—a long lock of hair curled and tied with ribbons, worn
hanging in front of the shoulder: an early 17th century fashion for men.
See also Ear lock.
=Lovelace=—a dandified libertine with graceful, agreeable manners.
=Low common=—wool classification term. See Wool.
=Low-cuts=—see Low quarters and Oxfords.
=Low middling=—see Cotton classification.
=Low-neckt=—a garment is said to be “low-neckt” or “long-neckt” when the
gorge in front is cut low. (=L.-necked.=)
=Low quarters=—trade term for low-cut shoes, as Oxfords, pumps, etc.
=Low-shouldered=—the extreme opposit of “high-shouldered”.
=Luggage=—British for baggage (qv).
=Lumbermen’s socks=—a knitted s. of extra heavy wool, close and compact,
usually knee length, for wear in boots or with arctics.
=Lunatic fringe=—see Idiot f.
=Lunch bag=—same as Ammunition b.
=Luncheon basket=—a lined, dust-proof wicker b. or hamper fitted with
dishes, cooking utensils, etc., for coaching parties, etc.
=Luster=—a low grade or imitation alpaca cloth, often with wool weft in
place of alpaca.
=Lustering=—a mechanical process of giving to cloth, usually by steam
and pressure, a smooth and glossy surface sufficiently durable to
withstand wear.
=Lustrene=—a thin, twilled cotton fabric, mercerized or finisht in
imitation of silk, and employed as a lining material.
=Lustring=—a soft, plain-woven silk fabric, widely worn from late 17th
to middle of 19th century. See Lutestring.
=Lustro-fiber=—same as art silk—wood pulp.
=Lutestring=—(1) the old-fashioned, glossy silk stuff our ancestors had
their gay clothes made of; (2) also a narrow silk ribbon, without
selvage, used for eye-glass cords by the spectacular.
=Lynx=—a feline mammal whose fur is largely used in making winter
garments.
M
=Macaroni=—an obsolete dude. This word dates from 1770, when a number of
traveled, idle young cads founded the “Macaroni Club” in London, the
name standing for all that was extreme or grotesque in dress; one of
their greatest affectations was a high-pointed peakt roll of craped and
powdered hair, that women also affected, as well as great breastknots of
flowers. The word had considerable vogue in America in Revolutionary
times, and m. waistcoats, m. hats, m. purses, etc., were quite popular;
the term also occurs in our national “Yankee Doodle”.
=Machine buttonhole=—produced by machine in imitation of handmade b. and
distinguisht principally by a uniformity impossible in hand work and
often superior thereto in neatness and strength tho not necessarily so
in wear; also considerably cheaper.
=Machine twist=—a 3 cord, silk thread twisted to the left so that as it
runs thru the machine needle the tension causes the thread to tighten up
and work or sink into the cloth. See also Sewing silk and Buttonhole t.
=Mackinaw=—a sort of extra heavy woolen blanketing, well fulled, woven
in fancy patterns, employed for hunters and lumbermen’s coats, etc.,
also as linings for same.
=Mackinaw flannel=—an extra heavy, all-wool fabric (16 to 24 oz), used
by lumbermen, miners, etc., for overshirts, underwear, etc.; usually
scarlet and navy-blue.
=Mackinaw=—a coarse, pliable white straw used in hats.
=Mackintosh=—a long, loose overcoat of waterproof material, for wear in
stormy weather.
=Macnab Harris=—a hand-loomed tweed made of mill-spun yarn, exhibiting a
uniformity of color not possible with homespun yarn.
=Maco=—trade name for Egyptian cotton—long staple, smooth, strong,
glossy, easily dyed.
=Madder=—a vegetable red dye.
=Made=—general trade term expressiv of superiority, claimed or conceded,
as “that is a made coat”, meaning well—not indifferently—made. Compare
Shop m.
=Madras=—a superior variety of gingham, but of heavier weight and
frequently corded.
=Magellan jacket=—a watch coat with hood, worn by sailors in high
latitudes.
=Magnetic hat=—see Wilsonia magnetic h.
=Magnetic ring=—a r. of magnetized iron, supposed to have virtues in
rheumatism and other such light ailments.
=Mail carrier’s uniform=—see Postman’s u.
=Mail order=—a sale transacted by mail.
=Major=—see Wig.
=Major’s uniform=—(=army=) see Full dress, Dress u., White u., Service
u.; (=marine corps=) Special full dress, Full dress, Mess dress,
Undress, Field dress. Also see variants.
=Major general’s uniform=—(=army=) see Full dress, Dress u., White u.,
Service u.; (=marine corps=) Special full dress, Full dress, Mess dress,
Undress, Field dress. Also see variants.
=Make-up=—grease paints, powders, gums, patches, bits of hair, etc.,
used by theatrical performers in making up for their characters.
=Make-up box=—a japanned metal box carried by theatrical people for the
purpose of impressing beholders with an appearance of Wall street
affluence.
=Making the lay=—tailoring term for the act of laying out the paper
patterns on the cloth for cutting in the most advantageous manner.
=Malacca=—a species of cane, imported from Sumatra, used for walking
sticks.
=Malo=—a sort of girdle prepared from the inner bark of the tapa tree
(Broussonetia) a foot or more in width and several yards long, worn by
men in Hawaii before civilization swept over that fair land.
=Mamos=—magnificent feather cloaks worn by native kings and chiefs of
the Hawaiian islands.
=Man-milliner=—a designer or seller of female apparel; often used
contemptuously.
=Man o’ war cap=—a c. having a wide, extended flat top on a rim fitting
to the head; the uniform c. for naval and merchant seamen; also popular
for children.
=Manacles=—unfashionable cuffs.
=Mandillion=—a sort of loose jerkin or doublet.
=Manicure=—a bold, young female person of enormous pulchritude who
commits felonious assaults upon your fingernails, and embarrasses you if
you are not used to it.
=Maniple=—an ecclesiastical vestment, similar to a short stole, worn
pendant from the left wrist by priest, deacon and subdeacon at mass.
=Manipulated=—term applied to fabrics which in weaving are mixt with
some inferior substance, such as cotton with wool or silk, shoddy with
wool, etc. Sometimes the adulterants are carded in with the better
fibers, sometimes straight yarns of the baser stuffs are used. See
Cotton cheat and Mercerized.
=Mannheim gold=—a brassy alloy for cheap jewelry, composed of 80 parts
of copper, 20 of zinc, and sometimes with a trace of tin.
=Mantaletta=—a sleeveless garment of silk or woolen stuff, reaching to
the knees, covering the rochet, worn by cardinals, bishops and other
prelates.
=Manteau Armenian=—see Armenian cloak.
=Mantle=—a cloak.
=Manufacturer=—a producer of commodities, who is also sometimes (more or
less erroneously) lookt upon as a dispenser of graft (qv).
=Manufacturers’ sale=—a merchandising subterfuge; a misnomer nine times
out of ten.
=Marabout=—a species of thrown silk. See Throwing.
=Marching shoes=—(=army=) for enlisted men: of russet tanned grain calf
leather, thoroly stuft; worn with service uniform.
=Marching uniform=—see Service u., Dress u., etc.
=Marienbad hat=—see Tyrolean h.
=Marine corps officer’s cape=—of dark blue cloth, cut three-quarters of
a circle and reaching to the tips of the fingers, lined with scarlet
cloth, closed by 4 small buttons in fly, with hooks and eyes at neck,
and with frog and loop as with overcoat; a detachable velvet collar with
which the c. may be worn by itself by all officers when not on duty with
troops under arms.
=Marine corps overcoats=—for major general commandant and all other
officers, a semi-fitting sack o. of dark blue cloth, lined with scarlet
cloth, reaching 9 to 12 inches from the ground, closed with black mohair
frogs and loops of mohair cord four-across, with a long loop and frogs
attacht to fronts of shoulder; vertical pockets; rank indicated as
prescribed; sword worn outside. For non-commissioned officers, drummers
and privates: double-breasted, of sky-blue kersey, shaped to the body,
extending 6 to 8 inches below the knee, 16 inch vent in back,
stand-or-fall collar, 2 rows of 7 marine corps buttons on front, scarlet
flannel lining; a one-piece cape to match. Other details per
specifications. For leader of the band: same as prescribed for a first
lieutenant, with same cape. For second leader, drum-major and musicians:
same as for other enlisted men of the corps, the chevrons of second
leader and drum-major to be on the cuffs.
=Mark down=—an ostensible price-reduction; a triumph of the ready
ingenuity of the advertisement writer.
=Marker=—in ready-to-wear clothes manufacturing a workman who lays the
patterns on the cloth and marks the cloth for the cutters.
=Marking ink=—employed by laundries to spoil one’s linen.
=Marny tweeds=—see Blarney t.
=Marriage ring=—a simple gold band, emblematic of bondage.
=Marseilles=—a heavy, stout-corded or figured bleacht cotton material
similar to pique, used for waistcoats, etc.
=Marsella=—a stout, twill woven linen fabric, usually full bleacht and
finisht without dressing.
=Marten=—a species of sable, the pelts being largely used in the
manufacture of fur garments.
=Mary Ann collar=—British for the highband, folded or double shirt c.
=Mary Walkers=—trousers; derived from Dr. Mary Walker adopting as part
of her dress a modified form of this article of male attire.
=Mascaro=—a preparation used by actors for changing the color of hair,
beard or eye-brows in making up.
=Masher=—a dandified sumpinorother, often incarcerated when discovered;
a Lizzie.
=Mask=—a device of cloth, paper or other material to cover the face or
eyes or to conceal one’s identity and sentiments.
=Mask cap=—a c. for automobile wear, with a covering for the face with
goggles secured therein.
=Masonic uniform=—see Sir Knights u., Commander’s u.
=Masquerade costume=—suit yourself.
=Master’s gown=—usually silk, long closed sleeves, worn with hood.
=Match coat=—a rough sort of c. of fur or coarse woolen cloth worn by
the pilgrim settlers.
=Match safe=—a pocket container for matches, often obscene, of gold,
silver, etc.
=Matelasse=—a backt or double cloth, the face of which is woven with a
pattern having the effect of being wadded or quilted; usually of silk
and worsted with a backing of cotton or wool-and-cotton; employed for
waistcoats, house jackets, etc.
=Matt=—a lusterless or dull surface, as m. kid. Also spelt mat.
=Maud=—a traveling rug or shawl.
=Mauve=—a reddish-purple anilin dye.
=McKay sewed=—in shoemaking meaning soles and uppers sewed together on
the McKay shoe sewing machine.
=Measuring cape=—a device, made of cotton or linen material, shaped to
fit around the neck and to drop over one shoulder, front and back,
reaching about to the waist, appropriately marked with scales of
measurement; the invention of a tailor by name of Beatty, who claims it
yields more accurate results than is possible by square and tape; the
device is also applicable to drafting.
=Measuring stick=—a rule, with one fixt and one movable upright piece,
for measuring the foot for shoes.
=Measuring tape=—a tailor’s t. measure, usually 56 to 60 inches long,
often longer.
=Mechanician’s suit=—any strong, servicable suit, worn by mechanicians
on big motor cars—commonly, sack style, with ample pockets,
reinforcements, etc.
=Medicin ball=—something like a heavy football but with no medicin in
it.
=Medium bound=—same as half-and-half b. Compare Narrow b. and Flat b.
=Meeter=—same as meeting folder.
=Meeting folder=—trade term for folded shirt collars that come close
together or meet at the fold when buttoned. Compare Spaced front.
=Melange=—(1) a French word signifying mixture; (2) woolen fabrics of
mixt yarns.
=Melton=—a stout, compact woolen cloth, thoroly fulled and finisht with
a close, even nap without luster; very similar but superior to kersey
(qv).
=Men’s outfitter=—a name commonly assumed, and not improperly, by
retailers who combine haberdashery, and frequently hats and shoes, with
the clothing business.
=Mending tissue=—same as Rubber t.
=Mercer=—a dealer in cloths or silks.
=Mercerized=—a term applied to cotton fabrics of which the yarn is
chemically treated and the fabric finisht by a combined
chemical-mechanical process described below; also applied to woolen
fabrics containing an admixture of mercerized cotton. See Manipulated
and Cotton cheat.
=Mercerizing=—the process of subjecting cotton yarns or cloth to the
action of caustic soda and other chemicals, under stretching tension,
with various subsequent finishing operations, resulting in threads or
fabrics softer, silkier and stronger than before treatment; named from
John Mercer, an English calico printer, the original discoverer but not
the perfecter of the process.
=Merchant=—one who buys and sells commercial commodities; specifically,
a retailer.
=Merchant tailor=—a clothier who combines tailoring with readymade.
Compare Custom t.
=Merino=—(1) a thin woolen fabric made of the fine wool of the m. sheep,
generally used for women’s dress wear; (2) also a knitted underwear
fabric containing more or less cotton intermixt; (3) hosiery and
underwear of wool-and-cotton.
=Merino=—the wool of a variety of sheep raised principally for their
wool, which is of fine quality, long staple and of unequaled felting
properties. See Wool.
=Merveilleux=—a fine, diagonal-twilled silk fabric with a satiny face,
largely used for linings.
=Mess dress=—(=navy=) a uniform to be worn on ordinary social occasions
in the evening, to which officers are invited in their official
capacity, and where hot weather or other circumstances make it
appropriate, also at dinner on board vessels other than those of the
fourth rate, by officers for whom the mess jacket is prescribed, when
the uniform of the day has been white, or, at discretion of commanding
officer, instead of “evening dress B”. Consists of, for all commissioned
officers (except chief boatswains, chief gunners, chief carpenters and
chief sailmakers) and for midshipmen: mess jacket, white evening dress
waistcoat, undress trousers (white or full dress trousers, may be
prescribed), shoulder marks, white cap, black tie.
=Mess dress=—(=marine corps=) worn by all officers on mess occasions,
and may be worn on social occasions to which officers are invited in
their official capacity, or when evening dress B. is prescribed for
officers of the navy. Consists of mess jacket (blue), evening dress
trousers and waistcoat, shoulder knots, white standing collar, black
silk tie, full dress cap, black shoes (white waistcoat if prescribed);
in summer, white mess jacket, white or evening dress trousers, white
waistcoat, blue or white undress cap, black or white shoes; otherwise
the same.
=Mess jacket=—(=army=) a short j. of dark blue cloth, cut like the body
of an evening dress coat, descending to the hips, slightly curved to a
point behind and in front, 3 regulation buttons, sleeves ornamented same
as full dress coat, with other decorations as adopted by the corps to
which the wearers belong, and as prescribed by regulation.
=Mess jacket=—(=navy=) a short coat of white linen duck or similar
material, cut similar to body of evening dress coat but descending only
to the hips and slightly roached over the hips with a peak behind; 2
buttons on each side below the lapels and worn with two buttons
connected by a ring from the first buttonhole; appropriate shoulder
marks according to regulations. For chaplains: same with white buttons.
=Mess jacket=—(=marine corps=) a round j. of dark blue cloth lined with
scarlet silk to edges, in length reaching to point of the hips at sides
and curving to points in front and rear, 16 small marine corps buttons
on right side, with buttonholes to match on left side, standing collar,
and with trimmings for rank as per regulations; to be worn unbuttoned.
Also a white j. of similar style, for wear, as prescribed. Worn by major
general commandant and all other officers.
=Mess uniform=—(=army=) officers of staff corps and departments, of
artillery, cavalry and infantry are authorized to adopt a mess jacket
distinctiv of their corps, department or regiment, for social evening
occasions; with it are worn a waistcoat of the color of the coat (or
white) and full dress trousers, altho in warm weather or in the tropics,
white trousers may be worn; black shoes.
=Messenger’s suit=—usually a four-button, double-breasted sack s., of
plain cloth, with regular peakt lapel collar, with or without braid
trimming, trousers to match. Or, military blouse with three diverging
rows of buttons closing with hooks and eyes.
=Metric system=—better than ours: look it up.
=Mexican fiber=—Istle (qv).
=Mi-fine=—half f. See Fine.
=Middlesex=—general term for standard uniform cloths made by the
Middlesex Co., Lowell, Mass.
=Middling=—see Cotton classification.
=Middling fair=—see Cotton classification.
=Middy suit=—a s. for small boys, consisting of a sailor blouse and long
trousers with wide mouths. Compare Sailor s.
=Midshipman’s uniform=—see Special full dress, Full dress, Dress,
Service dress, Evening dress, Mess dress, Undress. Also variants.
=Milan=—a fine, pliable white straw for hats.
=Milan braid=—a variety of flat mohair braid used for trimming and
binding.
=Military=—term for garments affecting military uniforms in fit or
detail of finish; also military garments per se.
=Military back=—close-fitting; shaped.
=Military braid=—a name sometimes given to hercules b. and soutache b.
=Military brushes=—twin hair b. of oval shape, without handle, used two
at a time.
=Military cloths=—general term for woolen fabrics intended for uniform
purposes, such as kersey.
=Military coat=—trade name for short sack c. of 1899, having a
close-fitting back.
=Military collar=—a plain, straight standing coat c. without turn over,
of prescribed hights, fastening in front with hooks and eyes.
=Military hair-brushes=—see M. brushes.
=Military overcoat=—see Army o.
=Military uniforms=—see Army u.
=Mill=—(1) a place where fabrics are woven; (2) an occasion where two
gentlemen endeavor to smash the padding out of a peculiar sort of gloves
over each other’s face and solar plexus.
=Mill ends=—trade term referring to short lengths, remnants, seconds,
damaged pieces, etc., that accumulate in mills and are usually sold at a
nominal price.
=Mill finish=—a beautiful appearance given to cloths, fabrics, etc.,
which provokes the question, “How will it look after it is sponged or
laundered”?
=Mill-gang=—that part of a loom-warp made by a rising and falling course
of the threads around old-style warping-mills.
=Mill wrinkles=—see Cockling.
=Milliner=—a shopkeeper to whom much of hubby’s money goes.
=Milling=—the process of fulling or thickening cloth. See an
encyclopedia.
=Millwright frock=—something worn about 1825, but not identified.
=Miner’s coat=—a rubber overcoat of generous size, having reinforced
sleeves, shoulders, etc., and usually elastic inside sleeves or dust
shields.
=Minister’s=—affectionate abbreviation for standard fashion plates
publisht in London by a firm of that name, and subscribed for over here
for the purpose of awing customers into a higher respect for their
tailors.
=Mink=—an amphibious musteline carnivore of the genus Putorious, the
pelt of which is an important article of fur garment manufacture.
=Mirror=—glass with one side so backt or coated as to form a nearly
perfect reflecting surface.
=Misericorde=—a “dagger of mercy” carried by European soldiery of 15th
century for the final dispatch of fallen foes.
=Misfit=—the term is a terror to tailors.
=Misfit shop=—a merchandising lie.
=Mitchell’s=—familiar term for standard American fashion plates publisht
by a concern of that name in New York city, and which, like all other
fashion plates, make a most impressiv show.
=Miter=—a headdress worn in solemn services by bishops and certain
abbots; a tall, tongue-shape cap, terminating in a two-fold point, the
whole richly ornamented. (=Mitre.=)
=Mitten=—an unwelcome gift from a woman.
=Mittens=—a covering or protection for the hands, of leather or knitted
wool, the thumb only being fashioned, the rest of the fingers covered by
a single sack or the larger part of the mitten. (Almost always used
plural).
=Mixing picker=—a machine for disentangling wool fibers and thoroly
mixing them before carding.
=Mixing willey=—same as M. picker.
=Mixture=—trade term for fabrics woven of dyed yarns, the warp and weft
being of different shades, or either or both of twisted yarns of
different colors; any melange weave or effect.
=Moccasin=—a foot covering or shoe, without built-up heels, of buckskin
or other soft leather, worn by American Indians, hunters, and others.
=Moccasin shoe=—a light, pliable shoe of stout leather, without heel,
somewhat resembling a m.
=Mocha=—general term for sheep or goatskin glove leather, of soft,
velvety appearance and very durable quality.
=Moche=—a package of spun silk as received in import.
=Mock gold=—an alloy of copper, zinc and platinum.
=Mock seam=—(glove term) a row or rows of stitching in imitation of a s.
=Mock velvet=—see Mockado.
=Mock welt=—in shoemaking, an imitation of the Goodyear process of sole
sewing. See Welt sole, Goodyear welt, McKay sewed, etc.
=Mockado=—a sort of velvet with a very deep pile, the better grades
being of silk, the cheaper of wool, used in 16th and 17th centuries.
Also called Mock velvet.
=Mode=—the prevailing fashion or custom.
=Mode=—a sort of tan shade; ecru.
=Modelers=—workmen who try garments on human models.
=Models=—persons employed by some clothing manufacturers and upon whom
the various garments are fitted for approval; representing types of the
section where the garments are to be marketed.
=Mohair=—(1) the fine, silky hair of the Angora goat; (2) a glistening,
light-weight, plain-woven fabric of cotton warp and filling of mohair,
enormously durable, used for summer coats, linings, etc.; also twill
woven. See Angora.
=Mohair braid=—a woven b. of mohair, coarser than silk b. of various
widths, used principally for military, society and livery uniforms,
known variously, according to weave, as hercules b., soutache b., etc.
=Mohair button=—a b. made on a mold covered with braided mohair threads,
worn on dress coats, overcoats, waistcoats, etc.
=Mohair corsican=—a light-weight fabric for summer suitings, woven of
Australian wool and fine mohair carded together, with a finish lacking
the usual sheen or luster of mohair, and warranted by the makers not to
cockle, wrinkle or be affected by damp weather. (Proprietary name).
=Mohair serge=—a stout, twill woven lining material of cotton warp and
m. weft.
=Moire=—(1) a wavy or watered effect produced on silks and other fabrics
by means of passage thru suitably engraved rollers with brushlike
attachments for disturbing and shifting the warp threads, the process
embracing dampening, great pressure and ironing; (2) general name for
silk (and other fabrics) so treated; also called Watered (silk).
=Moire antique=—an all-over m. effect. See Moire.
=Moire francaise=—a striped or banded m. effect. See Moire.
=Molded counter=—in shoemaking, a c. made of shoddy or imitation
leather.
=Moleskin=—a heavy, stout, flexible, close twilled cotton cloth, piece
dyed and finisht with a scant nap on the back, used for hunting and
sporting clothes; usually tan or slate-colored. An imitation thereof,
known by the same name, but lighter, and with a printed surface, is used
for laborer’s trousers, etc.
=Moleskins=—colloquial for football clothes.
=Mollie=—reverse of tomboy.
=Mollycoddle=—sissified males, usually distinguishable by the
omnipresent cigaret, also by inflammable neckwear and protesting clothes
generally, and characterised by incurable lassitude, complicated by
chronic ogling of pretty girls.
=Momie=—general term for fabrics characterised by rough, uneven weave
produced by the threads crossing at irregular intervals or by warp and
weft threads of various sizes. (Fr mummy).
=Money-belt=—a device for containing money, worn around the waist under
the clothes, commonly of oiled silk or chamois leather—usually excess
luggage.
=Monk bag=—a small purse which sailors wear strung around the neck,
containing their money and other valuables.
=Monkey-jacket=—a short j. cut in sack form, fitting close to the waist
and flaring out at the bottom. Worn by sailors in cold weather.
=Monmouth cap=—a c. worn about 1600, largely by sailors.
=Monocle=—an eye-glass for one eye; English, y’ know.
=Montagnac=—a variety of chinchilla overcoating (qv), having a surface
composed of small loops, part of which are cut and brusht into a flowing
nap producing, with the uncut part, a rough, shaggy effect. Name from
Montagnac Fils, Sedan, France, the original weavers.
=Montero cap=—a horseman’s knitted or cloth c. with a simple round crown
and a flap around the back and sides that could be worn down for
protection; worn from 1600 until late in 1800. Also called Mountier c.
=Mooding=—cutlery term for the rough shapening of blades at the first
heat.
=Mopusses=—nautical slang for money in general.
=Mordant=—dyeing term for any metallic salt used as a connecting bond
between dye and fabric.
=Morice-dancing dress=—a curious garment of fawn-colored silk, made in
the form of a tunic, with slasht sleeves and trappings of red and green
satin, worn by members of the ancient guild of Glovers at their
entertainments, in which dance they had a remarkable proficiency.
Accompanying the garment were 252 small circular bells, arranged in 21
sets of 12 bells each, upon strips of leather, and fastened on various
parts of the dancer’s body, such sets of bells being perfectly attuned
in regular musical intervals.
=Morion=—a pointed oval iron helmet with a curved rim, bent down over
the ears, worn by French arquebusiers of the 16th century.
=Morning coat=—a single-breasted cutaway frock c., properly of black or
quiet patterned goods, with or without hip pockets.
=Morning livery=—for house footmen, usually plain black tuxedo suit; for
club and hotel waiters, black, blue or green tuxedo coat and trousers,
with fancy vest.
=Morse=—a clasp used to fasten the cope (qv).
=Mortarboard=—a college cap of soft, black material, made to fit the
head like a skull cap, surmounted by a square of cardboard or stiffened
canvas (about 12 × 12 inches), also covered with black cloth and with a
loose silk tassel about 10 inches long attacht to a button placed where
the diagonals of the square would intersect.
=Morts=—in the old Irish glove trade, a name given to skins of unborn
calves, taken from cows that had died. Compare Slinks.
=Moschettos=—garments very similar to pantaloons (qv) continued to the
small of the leg, with a slight spring when the top of the shoe is
reacht, having an opening with a gaiter tongue and closing with buttons,
forming a combination of pantaloons and gaiters; worn early in last
century.
=Moscow=—an overcoating cloth with a heavy nap, similar to Shetland
(qv).
=Mosey=—an under-jacket, usually made of baize or flannel, and worn
instead of an undershirt but over the shirt in cold weather, and as an
outside garment in moderate or warm weather; also called a “wammus”
(qv).
=Mosquito netting=—a square mesh, open-woven, cotton fabric, employed
for bed canopies, tent-opening covers, helmet aprons, etc.
=Moth balls=—aromatic substances used to disguise the odor of goods that
have been carried over from one season to another.
=Mother of pearl=—see Nacre.
=Moths=—pests that make business for the clothier or tailor, or
disaster, according to where they work.
=Motley=—“the only wear” for fools.
=Motor shawl=—a light, woolen wrap or neckpiece for motoring and outdoor
use generally.
=Motorman’s uniform=—usually same as conductor’s u., which see.
=Mouchoir=—handkerchief.
=Moule cloth=—a soft, velvety overcoating of good thickness but of
comparativly light-weight, tho very warm.
=Mountaineer’s boot=—same as hunting b., with an extra outside counter
of sole leather protecting the heel.
=Mountaineer’s coat=—a bifurcated overcoat, usually of rubber or other
waterproof material, buttoning around each leg and closing snugly around
neck and wrists by means of straps or tabs.
=Mountier cap=—see Montero-c.
=Mourning=—symptoms of real or simulated grief.
=Mourning badge=—(=navy=) for officers a crepe band about 3 inches wide
and about 20 inches long, knotted upon the sword hilt, and a crepe band
3 inches wide worn on the left arm above the elbow; (=army=) a knot of
black crepe worn on the saber hilt for a period not exceeding 30 days.
=Mourning band=—a broad b. or brassard of black crepe fastened on the
left arm of a coat, as a makeshift symbol of customary grief. Originally
worn on English army officers’ caps, which, being too low to display
both b. and decorations or insignia, enforced the dropping to the
sleeve; next adopted by coachmen and footmen as recognition of death in
the master’s family; afterward by costermongers because of its cheapness
(and showiness), the cost of new black clothes being a grave
consideration. Finally pickt up by ignorant Americans because of a
fancied “smartness”—like the nouveau riche who invents a coat of arms,
bearing a bend sinister.
=Mourning colors=—black thruout Europe and America, with a tendency to
purple in combination; yellow, Egypt and Burmah; brown, Persia, Ethiopia
and Abyssinia; white, China; blue, China; violet, Turkey.
=Mourning crepe=—see Crepe.
=Mourning handkerchief=—black bordered.
=Mourning jewelry=—usually lockets made of a lock of the hair of the
dear departed, sometimes encircling a portrait or miniature, emblematic
of g-r-i-e-f!
=Mourning periods=—see Appendix.
=Mourning ring=—a finger r. worn in memory of a dead person, who may
have bequeathed it or the money to purchase it; once upon a time en
regle at a funeral and awhile after; often enameled black and bearing
lugubrious moral mottos.
=Moustache curler=—see Curling iron.
=Moustache paste=—a sort of pomade used by actors, in making up, for the
purpose of hiding or flattening their own upper-lip adornments.
=Moustache trainer=—a device for giving a fierce, amiable, freakish,
languid, important or asinine appearance to one’s labial adornment.
=Muckender=—colonial for handkerchief.
=Mozetta=—a short cape covering the shoulders, a part of the state dress
of bishops when not pontificating, worn with the rochet.
=Mud scows=—slang for overshoes.
=Muff=—a cylindrical fur pillow or cushion into which the hands are
thrust to keep them warm, nowadays carried only by women, but once upon
a time men, too, wore them.
=Muffetees=—colonial for wristlets.
=Muffler=—a piece of silk, wool or other material, usually square, used
for warmth and protection of the throat in cold weather.
=Muffler=—a name once given to boxing gloves.
=Mufflet=—proprietary name for a knitted throat band, buttoning in the
back, with a small apron in front covering the coat opening.
=Mufti=—(1) citizen’s dress worn by military or naval officers off duty;
(2) ordinary dress as distinguisht from full dress or dress for state
occasions.
=Mule=—a slipper without heel or heel-counter; a slip-on.
=Mule=—a spinning machine delivering rovings from drawing-rolls to
spindles on a carriage that recedes from the rolls as the threads are
twisted and returns to them as the thread is wound, performing the
operations of drawing, stretching and twisting simultaneously.
=Muleskin=—a leather of obvious derivation used for heavy working gloves
and mittens.
=Mullet=—the rowel of a spur.
=Mungo=—the waste produced in a woolen mill from hardspun or felted
cloth, and which is used in connection with wool, cotton or better
grades of waste in the manufacture of backing yarns or cheap cloth.
Compare Shoddy and Garnetting.
=Murry=—reddish purple; in olden time “a favorit color for the garments
of respectable elderly gentlemen”.
=Mushy=—clerks’ term for loosely rolled bolts of cloth.
=Musician’s uniform=—(=navy=) see Full dress u., Dress u., White u.,
Service u., Fatigue u. Also variants.
=Musk=—a perfume distilled from a secretion found in a sac in the
stomach of the m. deer and other animals; the strongest and most durable
of all perfumes, almost ineradicable when used in the pure state, and
for which negroes have an extraordinary fondness. Musk forms the basis
of many compounded scents.
=Muskrat=—a common marsh animal yielding a valuable fur, used as an
imitation of sealskin and other costly furs; also used by hat
manufacturers.
=Muslin=—a light, commonly plain-woven cotton cloth of various classes
and names, as bleacht, unbleacht, twilled, cambric, longcloth, shirting,
sheeting, silesia, and a number of others; used for shirts, night robes,
etc., and in tailoring as linings and interlinings.
=Mutton chops=—side whiskers shaped like mutton chops, moderately
trimmed.
N
=Nacre=—(1) mother of pearl; (2) an iridescent effect in silk weaving.
=Nail=—2¼ inches.
=Nail=—an emergency fastening when a suspender button gives way.
=Nail clipper=—a mechanical device for putting saw edges on one’s
fingernails.
=Nail file=—an instrument of toilet torture.
=Nail heads=—name for small, rounded, covered buttons used decorativly.
=Nainsook=—a stout, glossy muslin, striped, barred or plain.
=Naked=—in need of clothes (?).
=Name tag=—a leather or metal adjunct to traveling luggage, carrying
name and address of the owner for the information of confidence men.
=Name web=—a strip of cotton webbing with name of manufacturer or dealer
woven therein, as shoe pulls, etc.
=Nankeen=—properly a peculiar fabric of a pale, dull orange color, woven
out of the fibrous tissue which lies between the epidermis and the
sapwood of a tree or shrub which grows in the East Indies and especially
in China. The name is derived from the imperial city of Nankin or from
the tree or shrub which yields the tissue. An imitation is made out of
cotton and colored with aleutta. The genuine nankeen is never more than
18 or 20 inches wide, and is used mostly for light summer trousers,
riding breeches, and children’s clothing.
=Nap=—the projecting and inclined fibers of warp and filling thread on
the surface of flannel, silk-hat material and various cloths, forming a
soft surface, lying smoothly in one direction, particularly if of
uniform length or texture, but feeling rough or bristly if rubbed the
wrong way or against the nap.
=Napa=—light, tough, goatskin glove leather.
=Nape=—the starting point from which the length and the
shoulder-measures are taken for a coat. A vertebral protuberance located
in the back central part of the neck at its junction with the thorax or
trunk.
=Naphtha=—an inflammable petroleum distillate used as a cleansing agent.
=Napier cloth=—a once popular, double-face c. for cloaks and wraps, one
side wool, the other of hair.
=Napoleon leg=—a boot-l. with a “wave” top, high in front, receding
sides and low back.
=Napping machine=—an apparatus for producing a nap on cloth, etc.,
particularly the modern form having fine steel wires rotating on
rollers, to take the place of teasels, thus distinguisht from the older
gigging machine.
=Nappy=—having a nap; shaggy.
=Napt=—having a nap, of course. (=Napped.=)
=Narrow=—trade term for goods not up to stated width. Compare N. goods.
=Narrow-bound=—in tailoring, an edge finish obtained by the use of a
narrow braid applied half-and-half. Compare Medium-b. and Broad-b.
=Narrow falls=—trade name for front fall trousers in which the front
flap or fall begins at about the center of each leg and is made with a
smaller fall-bearer than is required in broadfalls (qv). Also called
Split f.
=Narrow goods=—trade term for fabrics less than 29 inches wide; wider
cloths called broad.
=Nasal filter=—a device having a screen or double screens of fine gauze
or bolting cloth intended for wear when motoring, etc., to exclude dust.
=Natte=—textil term meaning matted or basket-weave, n. fabrics usually
having small checks, in one or more colors, with the effect of being
braided.
=Natural=—trade term for undyed furs.
=Natural shoulders=—not extravagantly padded artificially.
=Nature’s garb=—proscribed.
=Navajo blanket=—a stout, heavy woolen b. primitivly woven by the Navajo
Indians of Arizona and New Mexico, of fantastic color combinations and
so closely woven and compacted that the texture is absolutely
waterproof.
=Naval lace=—a variety of gold braid used for trimming uniforms.
=Naval officer’s cloak=—of dark blue cloth, cut three-quarters of a
circle, of a length reaching to the tips of the fingers, with a rolling
collar and with a frog on the breast.
=Naval officer’s mackintosh=—of black material reaching to 9 or 12
inches of the ground, having a rolling collar, no sleeves, and a cape
reaching to the ends of the fingers; epaulets or shoulder knots as per
regulation.
=Naval overcoat=—for officers: a long double-breasted ulster of dark
blue cloth, buttoning to the neck with deep rolling ulster collar, 7
plain flat black buttons on each front, a deep vertical pocket in each
breast, a belt extending from each side seam, buttoning across the back
(which is cut quite full), a deep vent in the back and another over the
left hip for the sword; a detachable hood, buttoning around the neck,
for cold weather wear; shoulder and sleeve marks as prescribed by
regulations; for chief petty officers, except bandmaster: a
double-breasted ulster of dark blue cloth, reaching to the knees, lined
with dark blue flannel, buttoning to the neck with deep, rolling collar,
5 large black buttons on each side, 2 vertical breast pockets and 2
lower horizontal pockets with flaps; for all other enlisted men, except
bandsmen: the same, but of a length reaching to the tips of the fingers;
for bandsmen: of similar model, but of sky-blue kersey, reaching to 6 or
8 inches below the knee, with a 16 in. back (center) vent, 2 rows of 7
gilt buttons, rolling collar, to which a circular cape, lined with
scarlet flannel, is attacht on specified occasions.
=Naval overshirt=—a shirt worn by all enlisted men, except chief petty
officers, officers’ stewards, officers’ cooks and bandsmen; made of dark
blue flannel, loose in the body, gathered at the waist, having a collar
9 to 10 inches deep and 14 to 18 inches wide beginning at the opening in
the neck (which is 7 inches deep), full sleeves terminating in fitting
wristcuffs, a small pocket in the left breast; collar and cuffs trimmed
with white tape and with sleeve insignia all as prescribed for the
several ratings.
=Naval trousers=—for all enlisted men, excepting chief petty officers
and bandsmen: (1) of dark blue cloth fitting snugly over the hip and
down the thigh to 2 inches above the knee, from which point downward cut
bell shaped and full enough to be pulled up over the thigh; one seam on
each leg on the inside; made with a laced back and front falls; 2
pockets in waistband above the flap, no hip pocket; (2) of bleacht
cotton drill for dress and unbleacht for undress, made with a fly front
and top pockets, otherwise as described for blue trousers.
=Naval uniforms=—for officers, are specially designated (1) special full
dress, (2) full dress, (3) dress, (4) undress A, (5) undress B, (6)
service dress, (7) evening dress A, (8) evening dress B, (9) mess dress,
(10) uniform A, (11) uniform B, (12) uniform C; for enlisted men, are
designated (1) blue dress, (2) blue undress, (3) white dress, (4) white
undress, (5) blue working dress, (6) white working dress, all of which
see.
=Navy twills=—a heavy all-wool shirting flannel, twill woven, usually
dyed navy-blue.
=Near edge=—in drafting, that edge of the pattern nearest the designer.
(Tailoring term.)
=Near-seal=—not very near at that.
=Near-silk=—a mercerized cotton lining fabric having a slight glaze and
high luster, with or without a twill or artificially imparted moire.
=Neat=—tasteful, not tawdry, clean.
=Neat=—see Wool.
=Neats-foot oil=—an o. obtained from the feet of cattle and esteemed
good for keeping shoes in condition.
=Neck=—the stem made by the thread when sewing on buttons; as “the neck
is too short” when too tight, or “the neck is too long” when too loose
or drooping. (Tailoring term.)
=Neck hole=—tailoring term, applied to garments ready for try-on,
meaning the opening to which the collar is not yet sewed on.
=Neck lock=—see Wig.
=Neck point=—the socket bone; a term in tailor’s measurements,
indicating where the collar is to be adjusted to the garment.
=Neck stock=—see Stock.
=Neckband=—that part of a shirt which by going often to the laundry
acquires a hardness, serration and temper prejudicial to the comfort,
peace and happiness of the wearer.
=Neckcloth=—a cravat, scarf or other neckdressing.
=Neckerchief=—a square or oblong piece of silk, linen or cotton, of
suitable pattern, worn as a neckcovering, principally with outing
attire.
=Necktie=—correctly, a long, narrow tie fastened in a bow in front.
=Necktie silks=—see Cravating.
=Necktie sociable=—a vigilance committee’s soiree.
=Neckwear=—trade term for neckdressings of all sorts, particularly
cravats, stocks, ties, etc.
=Needle=—a small, slender pointed steel instrument with an eye for
carrying thread thru fabrics in sewing; of various kinds, known among
tailors as silk-n., thread-n., button-n., basting-n., etc., and these
again are known as sharps, blunts, betweens, etc.
=Needle-board=—a perforated board used to guide the needles in a
Jacquard loom.
=Needle toe=—an extremely sharp pointed once fashionable (?) in shoes.
=Needleman=—a man who sews; a tailor, furrier, etc.
=Neglige=—easy and informal dress.
=Neglige shirt=—a s. with plain or plaited front, but not with a
built-up bosom; usually of fancy materials and most worn in the summer
time.
=Negro cloth=—a cheap, coarse homespun cloth (of tow?), of colonial
days, worn by farm laborers.
=Netherstocks=—stockings.
=Nettle-cloth=—a varnisht thick cotton cloth used for belts, cap visors,
etc., as a substitute for leather.
=Nettle fiber=—see Ramie.
=New-fangled=—anything which people may not yet be used to.
=New mown hay=—a perfume imaginativly supposed to resemble the odor of
fresh cut hay.
=New York surtout=—a fashionable frock overcoat of 1851, having very
short skirts cut straight off (horizontally) and with a prodigious
collar rolling down to the waistline, liberally trimmed with wide fancy
braid.
=Newmarket=—general term for the long, double-breasted frock overcoat
(from Newmarket, Eng., a town celebrated for its racing meets),
originally worn when driving or riding; a surtout.
=N. G.=—slang for “no good”.
=Nid d’abeille=—bee hive effects in weaving.
=Nifty=—excellence of style and appearance; up to the mark.
=Niggerhead=—a cloth with rough knotted or curly surface, resembling
boucle and Astrakhan. See also Petersham.
=Night cap=—a sort of bonnet, of light material, for sleeping in—also
something to help you sleep without one.
=Night drawers=—sleeping garments, made usually with legs and feet,
commonly worn by children.
=Night gown=—in colonial days an undress garment worn at home, but not
for sleeping; often quite elaborate; a dressing g. or jacket; sometimes
worn away from home, as at the office.
=Night rail=—name given in colonial times to what is our present-day
night robe.
=Night robe=—see N. shirt.
=Night shirt=—a long, loose gown for sleeping purposes.
=Night slip=—an infant’s night dress.
=Night stick=—a hardwood club used by policemen in riot work, but more
noticeably for rapping on the corner pavement at night to keep the
neighborhood from too profound slumber.
=Nightie=—sleeping wear.
=Nightingale=—a peculiar, open-sleeved bed jacket, named after the
famous nurse of the Crimean war.
=Nimbus=—the disk or halo which “the old man” thinks encircles his head
refulgently.
=Nitch=—see Notch.
=No collar=—self-explanatory; tailoring term used mostly in connection
with waistcoat.
=No dress=—no allowance to be made; small. See Dress.
=Noils=—knots and short bits of wool taken from the long staple in
combing; waste silk.
=Noose=—a sort of necktie of no great popularity.
=Norfolk jacket=—a sack coat or j., straight front and single-breasted,
with or without a yoke, having box plaits down the fronts and back and a
belt of same material; the adjustment and style of yoke, plaits,
pockets, etc., varies with season, taste of wearer and maker; most worn
for hunting and for outdoor sports.
=Normal=—hosiery and underwear term for natural undyed wool and garments
thereof.
=Normal=—(clothing term.) See Regular.
=Norwegian sock=—a heavy knit wool stocking similar to golf hose; used
by hunters, lumbermen, explorers, et al.
=Nose guard=—a solid rubber face disfigurer that must be chewed.
(Football.)
=Nose mask=—same as N. guard.
=Nose putty=—an article of theatrical makeup.
=Nosegay=—a small bunch of fragrant flowers; broadly, a boutonniere.
=Not balanced=—said of a coat that does not hang or drape well; out of
balance; shifted.
=Not ready=—a phrase that has lost tailors more customers than
readymaders ever gained otherwise.
=Notch=—in garment making, a V or nick cut into the edge of the cut
cloth, showing where it is to be joined to another piece with a
corresponding notch.
=Notch=—(tailoring term.) See Step; also see below.
=Notcht collar=—the typical c. of all single-breasted sack coats and
waistcoats. In body coats and overcoats the collar is separate from the
lapel to which it is joined in such a manner as to leave a notch or
“step”; in waistcoats a notcht c. is usually of one piece on each side
without seam, but with a V notch cut therein. (Notched c.)
=Nouveau riche=—one who has recently become rich and who proceeds to
show off, first of all by adopting flashier and costlier clothes than
could previously be afforded.
=Novelties=—the transient styles of a season; fancies, not staple; the
basis of all reduction sales or clearing sales.
=Nuage=—French for clouded effects (in weaving).
=Nullifier=—a name sometimes given to a sort of slipper better known as
Romeo (qv).
=Nun’s cloth=—see below.
=Nun’s veiling=—a thin, semi-transparent, plain-woven, woolen fabric,
used for mourning bands, office coats, etc.; a complete suit for a man
would average say 32 ounces in weight.
=Nursery cloth=—general name for thick, heavy cotton cloth or
blanketing, used singly or two-ply in a desperate effort to save bedding
from our infant ravages; most commonly a sort of very coarse, heavy,
double-faced Canton flannel, or two sheets of muslin slightly wadded and
quilted, tho there are several other varieties.
=Nutria=—the fur of the Brazilian otter, largely used in hat manufacture
and for fur garments.
O
=Oak tanned=—term for leather tanned with oak bark.
=Ocean pearl=—trade term distinguishing oyster p. (and articles thereof)
from fresh water or mussel and clam shell p. from inland waters.
=Odd Fellow’s coat=—same as Masonic Sir Knight’s c., but with 9 buttons
instead of 11.
=Off color=—trade term for goods not comparing with the standard of
color by which bought. Compare Cloudy and Shaded.
=Office=—where the pay envelope comes from; otherwise useless to the
average employe.
=Office coat=—usually an alpaca sack c., unlined, broadly, any old c.
not fit to be seen on the street, but good enough to wipe pens on.
=Office towel=—an indurated, inelastic piece of textil fabric of dark
color, used for toilet purposes.
=Officer’s facings=—(=army=) color for general officers, staff and
department officers, dark blue; for officers of engineers, scarlet piped
with white; signal corps, orange piped with white; ordnance, black piped
with scarlet; medical corps, maroon; quartermaster’s department, buff;
cavalry, yellow; artillery, scarlet; infantry, light blue.
=Oil-boiled=—trade term for colors so treated as to ensure permanence.
=Oil frock=—a waterproof slicker-coat worn by miners, fishermen, etc.
=Oil grain=—same as stuft leather.
=Oil test=—(linen vs. cotton); a sample of cloth is boiled in water or
alkali solution to remove the finishing matter, then laid on a glass
plate and saturated with a heavy oil. A smaller glass plate is then
placed over the sample to protect it from the air. After removing the
surplus oil from the edges, the sample is examined with the light
falling on it, and then with the light passing thru it. The linen fiber,
owing to its thick cells with their greater resistance to light, appears
transparent and resembles a slop of grease on paper. When the light
passes thru it, it appears bright; and when the light falls upon it, it
is dark. The reverse is the case with cotton. The air in the interior of
the cotton fiber, as well as between the fibers themselves, is not
displaced by the oil, and makes the cotton appear opaque; consequently
when the light falls on the fiber it is bright, and when the light
passes thru it it is dark.
=Oilcloth=—a painted and varnisht cotton fabric, largely employed, among
other uses, for cap visors, belt linings, etc.
=Oiled silk=—a thin, plain-woven silk fabric impregnated with boiled oil
and dried, becoming translucent and waterproof, used for perspiration
guards, money belts, etc.
=Oilers=—vernacular for oilskins (qv).
=Oilskin=—a heavy, cotton cloth impregnated with oil and gum to render
it waterproof; used for sailor’s coats, slickers, etc.; the name is also
applied to such garments.
=Oilskins=—“slickers” (qv). Also see above.
=O. K.=—all right; all correct. The most popular idea of the derivation
is that told of General Jackson, better known in American history as Old
Hickory, who was not much at home in the art of spelling, and that he
employed the letters O. K. as an endorsement of applications for office
and other papers, intending them to stand for “all (orl) correct
(korrect)”.
=Ol clo’s man=—a stoop-shouldered individual in a long frock coat, low
billycock hat, wearing luxuriant whiskers and unclean fingernails.
=Old beau=—a fastidious old fellow of the “old school”, fond of women’s
society.
=Old fashioned=—not of today.
=Old gold=—a dull, brassy, yellow color.
=Old man=—the head of the house who raises or reduces salaries, but who
otherwise is not generally reckoned as having any special value to the
business.
=Old-man’s frock=—a one-button cutaway f. coat, cut rather full in
front.
=Old silver=—s. made to appear old by chemical treatment.
=Old thirds=—an obsolete English system of tailor’s measurements,
invented by a German tailor in the early part of the 19th century.
=Olive=—a barrel-shaped fastening device used in connection with loops;
a portion of a frog (qv); usually mohair or silk covered; worn
principally on uniform overcoats.
=Olivauto cloth=—proprietary name for a clear-finisht worsted, 14 oz.
cloth, made especially with reference to the needs of motorists; is dust
proof and waterproof and of a brownish olive-drab shade.
=Ombre=—weaving term for blended stripes, shading off or into one
another, effected by adjustment of warp and filling threads; usually
applied to silks.
=Omophorion=—a sort of broad pallium (qv) worn by the Greek and Russian
ministry.
=On one’s uppers=—shabby genteel.
=Once-over=—see Ascot, Puff, Waterfall, etc.; a method of tying same.
=One-button cutaway=—see Fat man’s frock.
=One-button sack=—see Fat man’s s.
=One-way plait=—prest flat from either side of the stitching; the
reverse of box p.
=Ongrowing collar=—tailors’ term for waistcoat collars that are
continued around the neck like coat collars instead of being sewed down
at the shoulder and continuing merely as a band around the back of the
neck. O. collars, therefore, are formed of the facing and forepart and
top and undercollar parts and may have any kind of peakt or notcht lapel
or rever, but are seldom made with the no-seam notch characteristic of
ordinary single-breasted waistcoat collars.
=O O=—“own order”; in tailoring, a memorandum made by cutters who
dislike a customer’s insistence upon certain details.
=Ooze=—suede leather.
=Open-face vest=—vernacular for evening dress waistcoat.
=Open fly=—not closed or boxt. See Fly.
=Open front=—a term usually applied to shirt bosoms made in two parts
and joined by buttons or studs.
=Open front fold=—trade term for folded shirt collars where the standing
band is cut away in V shape and the fold rather more so.
=Open lap seam=—same as Open welt s.
=Open shop=—the opposit of closed s. (qv); a s., factory or other
establishment where workmen may be employed regardless of union or other
affiliations.
=Open trousers=—tailors’ term for t. made for customers who stand with
their legs spread apart or open, the inseam being longer than is
required for closed t., which see.
=Open welt seam=—in tailoring, a s. resembling a plait. The two parts of
the material are first sewed regularly, after which one part, which has
been cut wider for the purpose, is basted over to the required size of
the welt and sewed at the place of the first seam. Properly used as a
finish for the side seams of trousers. See Welt s.
=Open-work=—trade term for drop stitch ribs or lace work designs in
hosiery, etc.
=Opening=—tailoring term for the amount of space at throat not covered
by a coat or vest, allowing display of (more or less) clean linen,
betraying one’s taste in neckwear and jewelry, and, according to area,
inviting bronchitis or bellyache. Compare Gorge.
=Opening=—the first step in the process of carding cotton; separating
the matted fibers and removing foreign objects.
=Opening machine=—see Willowing m.
=Opera cloak=—a cape-like overgarment extending to the knees, having a
narrow standing collar, and closed with cord and tassels, worn about
1850 over evening dress; also the Inverness overcoat (qv) is sometimes
so called.
=Opera glass=—a binocular telescope of small size for magnifying the
field of view for distant spectators; also the characteristic equipment
of baldheaded front row first nighters.
=Operator=—trade term for machine workmen employed in clothing factories
in contradistinction to journeymen tailors who do work by hand.
=Operette=—proprietary term for an evening dress overcoat, buttoning
high at the throat, lined with white silk or satin in front and there
combining some of the features of a muffler or dress shirt protector.
=Opoponax=—a perfume compounded from a gum resin obtained from a species
of (Persian) parsnip, or in imitation thereof.
=Orarian=—a sort of stole worn by ministers of the Greek and Russian
churches.
=Orarium=—same as Stole (qv).
=Orby=—a single-breasted walking frock coat made without a waist seam,
the fore and back parts being entire; the back made without the usual
sidebody parts, and having but a center seam terminating in a plain open
vent at the waist. (1907.)
=Ordinary=—see Cotton classification.
=Organzine=—(1) warp silk made of two singles (qv) twisted together;
thrown silk; (2) a fabric made of such silk.
=Orris root=—good thing for the linen chest, imparting to the contents
thereof a delicate violet-like fragrance.
=Orthopedic=—name applied to a particular shape of last, generally
broad-toed, in outline as near as possible to that of the natural foot.
=Osnaburg=—(1) coarse cotton shirtings, both plain colored and in small
two-color checks, only slightly finisht after weaving, mostly produced
in the southern states; (2) originally a coarse variety of linen cloth
imported from Osnabruck, Prussia (whence name); used in colonial days
for shirts, breeches, jackets, etc.
=Ostrich feathers=—in men’s wear used for uniform hats, regalia, etc.
=Otter=—an amphibious animal of various species, yielding a pelt
valuable in the manufacture of fur garments; very like seal in texture.
=Ottoman=—a stout, lustrous silk fabric, of heavier cord than faille.
=Ounce=—in the trade the thickness or heaviness of cloths are designated
by the number of ounces in one yard, as 10 oz., 16 oz., 24 oz., etc.
=Out breast=—tailor’s abbreviation for outside breast pocket.
=Out breast pocket=—see Outside b. p.
=Outside breast pocket=—trade term for the regular b. p. of coats and
overcoats, customarily placed on the left side only, and so designated
to distinguish from inside b. p.
=Outer leaf=—see Leaf.
=Out of date=—old-fashioned; old fogeyish.
=Out seam=—see Prix s.
=Outer garments=—broadly, any and all garments except those worn next
the skin; more correctly a suit of clothes, overcoats, capes, and the
like.
=Outer sole=—the s. leather in the bottom of shoe coming next to the
ground.
=Outre=—not conforming to conventional usage or fashion; bizarre;
extravagant; showy; freakish.
=Outing cloth=—a cotton fabric of various uses, woven similarly to
gingham, but of softer, coarser yarns and well napt on both sides; also
called o. flannel, tennis flannel, flannelette, domett, guinea cloth,
etc.
=Outing flannel=—see O. cloth.
=Outing shoe=—a canvas s. for summer wear.
=Outing suit=—a light-weight summer or vacation suit, usually of
flannel.
=Outlet=—in tailoring, an allowance made in cutting up cloth (not shown
on the paper pattern), for seams, vents, the try-on fitting,
alterations, etc.
=Outside back=—tailoring term for the back or outer lining of the back
part of a vest.
=Outside flap=—a sewed-on f. outside of and over the pocket. Compare
In-and-out f.
=Outside shop=—in clothes making a shop, usually not on the
manufacturer’s premises but away or “outside”, where the help is hired
by the contractor, who is practically owner of the shop, altho he may
contract to do no work for any but the one concern. See Inside s.
=Ovalesque=—proprietary name for a dress shirt bosom of unusually large
proportion and of oval shape, claimed not to bulge or break when worn.
=Over-erect=—so straight (sic) as to incline backward.
=Over-shirt=—an outer or top s.; a working s.
=Over-shoulder measure=—in tailoring, a measure taken from front of arm
scye over the shoulder to center of back at the scye depth (qv).
=Oversleeve=—a loose fitting, separate s. of almost any material, worn
by bookkeepers, clerks, et al., to protect shirt or coat sleeves.
=Overalls=—loose fitting over-trousers of duck, denim, etc., for working
wear.
=Overcasting=—see Serging and Whipstitch.
=Overcheck=—a term in weaving for patterns showing one check of
different form or color superimposed upon another.
=Overcoat=—a coat worn over one’s other coat; a top coat; a greatcoat.
=Overcoating=—any fabric woven specially for overcoats, as covert,
kersey, melton, frieze, montagnac, elysian, beaver, vicuna, whipcord,
cheviot, chinchilla, Shetland, etc., (qv).
=Overedge stitch=—an overcasting or selvaging s. performed by machine.
=Overcoats=—(=army=) see Army officer’s o.; (=navy=), see Naval
officer’s o. and Naval o.; (=revenue service=) see Revenue service o.;
(=marine corps=) see Marine corps o.
=Overgaiter=—a close-fitting covering for ankle and leg, spreading out
and embracing the instep, usually of cloth or leather; also called
spatterdash and spats.
=Overgarment=—any outer garment or wrap.
=Overplaid=—a term in weaving indicating a light plaid over a heavier
and smaller underplaid or check, or vice versa; an effect of color
disposition.
=Oversack=—a large, loosely fitting overcoat of the sack or box variety;
an ulster (qv).
=Overseam=—see Round s.
=Overshoe=—a shoe worn over other shoes, usually of rubber, of various
shapes and styles. See also Arctics.
=Overworked edges=—tailoring term for edges held in too much and forced
by the stay tape.
=Own goods=—cloth brought to a tailor, shirtmaker, etc., to be made up.
=Oxford=—see O. mixture, O. shirting, etc.
=Oxford bag=—an article of hand luggage of considerable capacity,
usually with a rounding or sloping top.
=Oxford cap=—see Mortarboard.
=Oxford mixture=—in woolen cloth weaving an effect produced by combining
two threads of black and white or gray into one yarn in the spinning
process, or by blending two shades of raw wool in the carding process,
the finisht effect being a cloth of black or dark steel ground, lightly
sprinkled or mixt with white. In the lighter shadings frequently called
“Cambridge mixture”.
=Oxford shirting=—a soft, plain-woven cotton fabric having loom-produced
checks, stripes, or figures.
=Oxford tie=—a low shoe, laced and tied at the instep, and by extension
any low shoe, as “buttoned oxfords”.
P
=Pack basket=—a b. of splints or rattan covered with canvas, with
shoulder straps; used by hunters, prospectors, et al.
=Pack cloth=—a rectangular length of waterproof canvas useful to
campers, hunters, et al.
=Pack harness=—an arrangement of leather straps for converting hunters,
prospectors, et al., into beasts of burden.
=Pad=—in tailoring a flat, compact cushion or mattress-shaped implement
laid upon the lap-board or any other pressing-board and used in
“pressing-off” and giving form and finish to a garment. Its elasticity
accommodates it to any inequalities of the garment and therefore the
whole surface is reacht by the pressure of the iron and made smoother
and solider than it could be without its use. See Looney.
=Pad=—see Hat p.
=Pad=—(1) to stuff or build up a garment with wadding; (2) to apparently
increase one’s proportions.
=Padded=—given a false physique.
=Padded dress=—an obscene way of emphasizing the d. of trousers once
current among certain Michigan college boys.
=Paddies=—pantalets.
=Padding=—felt, cotton or wool used for giving shape to garments;
wadding.
=Padding stitches=—(tailoring) similar in appearance to zigzag or
herringbone basting s.; in making, the needle may or may not go entirely
thru one of the pieces of goods, according to the nature of the work in
hand; also the s. may be held together in close rows or loosely spaced;
properly made, these s. aid much in shaping of garments.
=Paddock=—according to the best authorities this is a single-breasted
frock overcoat with sewed-on skirts, tho this form is more popularly
known as the “Paletot” (qv), while the “Paddock” is usually shown as a
coat with skirted back and one-piece front with a waistline cut partly
into same, from which underarm V’s extend and give shapeliness. The two
terms are used interchangeably by most American tailors’ journals.
=Padisway=—an old name for peau de soie.
=Page’s livery=—short, tight-fitting jacket with one or three rows of
buttons, closing at the throat with military collar; trousers without
side or back pockets (tho two large watch or waistband pockets are
permissible), corded or piped at side seams to match trimming, if any,
of coat.
=Paisley=—a town in Scotland famous for its textil manufactures and
especially for a fine class of shawls resembling the finest India
shawls; also a name given to the distinctiv “palm” or figure of such
shawls.
=Pajamarite=—proprietary name for a combination sleeping garment
resembling pajamas but made in one piece, with certain features of the
union suit (undergarment) embodied.
=Pajamas=—loose cotton or silk sleeping drawers or trousers, fastened
around the waist with a draw-string; by extension the term now includes
the loose coat or blouse sold with the foregoing. In the East Indies p.
are worn by both sexes, both as sleeping and lounging wear.
=Paletot=—popularly a single-breasted frock overcoat with skirts sewed
on at the waistline, but according to the best authorities a coat with a
skirted back and a one-piece front into which a waistline is partly cut,
extending therefrom being one or two underarm V’s. Compare “Paddock”.
=Pall=—a large square of cloth thrown over a coffin.
=Pall-bearers=—friends complaisantly wearing crepe for a few hours prior
to finally dumping us into the dirt.
=Pallium=—an ecclesiastical vestment of the Roman Catholic church worn
by the pope, patriarchs and archbishops; it is a band of white woolen
webbing, about 3 inches wide, embroidered with black crosses worn around
the neck, and from which two narrow bands of same material depend, one
falling on the breast and the other over the back.
=Palm=—that part of a glove covering the inside of the hand.
=Panache=—variegated.
=Panama hat=—a h. made from the young, unexpanded leaves of the stemless
screwpine (also called jiji japa) specially treated to remove the soft
part of the leaf, soaked in water until pliable, the hats then being
woven by hand in exceedingly moist atmosphere, the very finest h. often
requiring six months to weave.
=Pancake=—the flat cap worn by tars in the grandoldamerican navy.
=Pancake heel=—a h. of imitation sole leather composed of leather
scivings and cement prest to look like sides of sole leather, called
“pancake”.
=Paneled back=—tailoring term for the inside back of a coat made with
broad facings of the coat material around seams and edges, and filled in
with (panels of) silk or other lining.
=Panjam=—see Punjum.
=Pantalet=—a child’s underdrawer.
=Pantaloon trousers=—the same upward as pantaloons but cut straight to
the instep from the calf downward; substantially the same as our modern
trousers (qv); when finisht with loops or buttons at the side (bottom)
they were called Wellingtons, doubtless from having been first worn by
the military. (Early 1900.)
=Pantaloonery=—a little used trade term for fabrics of which pants or
trousers are made. The proper term is “trouserings”.
=Pantaloons=—close-fitting nethergarments reaching midway between the
calf and the ankle, with an opening therein closing with buttons, worn
with gaiters, boots or over the stockings only, during the early part of
the last century.
=Panties=—familiar term for (1) children’s knee pants; (2) children’s
drawers; and more loosely or jocularly (3) men’s ditto.
=Panting=—cloth suitable for trousers. See Trousering.
=Pantorium=—coined name for pressing and cleaning institutions where it
is pretended to care for your clothes, usually at a rate per month.
=Pants=—“gent’s” trousers.
=Pants block=—see Tailor’s b.
=Pants maker=—a journeyman tailor who makes trousers his specialty.
=Paper cloth=—see Xylolin and Wood yarn.
=Paper collar=—a shirt c. made of paper stamped into a resemblance of
linen, formerly used in enormous quantities (the consumption prior to
1883 being estimated at 70,000,000 annually), but now comparativly
unknown.
=Paper garments=—a recent invention. The idea contains the germ of
untold possibilities.
=Paper sole=—derisiv of thin-soled shoes.
=Paper yarn=—a textil y. made of wood cellulose and more properly known
as wood y. (qv). See Xylolin.
=Para rubber=—wild r. from Brazil and Bolivia; the finest commercial
grade.
=Pappoose frame=—an Indian baby cradle and perambulator.
=Paragon frame=—the metal ribs of an umbrella; a proprietary name for
ribs of U shape.
=Paring-off=—in tailoring the process of paring- or trimming off the
surplus cloth along the margin of a garment, when the edges are to be
finisht raw.
=Paring-shears=—tailor’s s. or scissors made expressly for paring the
edges of garments.
=Park coat=—a sort of cutaway frock c., worn for riding exclusively,
fitting snugly at waist and having extra ample skirts.
=Partridge=—a hard, variously markt, striated wood used for walking
sticks.
=Partridge cord=—a name sometimes given to mottled corduroy resembling
in effect the markings of the partridge.
=Paspol=—in tailoring, a cloth-bound edge or piping employed as a finish
to pockets.
=Passe=—faded; old-fashioned; worn out; behind the times.
=Paste=—formerly used to stiffen coats, but not nowadays.
=Patch=—(1) any ornamental bits of court plaster used on the face as
adjuncts to beauty; (2) a mended place in our clothes with reminiscences
of our youth or as a badge of indigence.
=Patch flap=—a pocket f. laid-on outside.
=Patch pocket=—a p. made of the goods of the garment and patcht or sewed
on to the outside thereof, no cutting thru and no lining being required.
Also called patcht p. See also Bellows p.
=Patchouli=—a strong, peculiar oriental perfume, as offensiv to some as
it is pleasing to others; once of considerable popularity amongst ladies
of definit reputation (which reputation still clings to it), which may
account for its masculin popularity.
=Patcht welt pocket=—a p., the slit or opening of which is cut thru a
patcht-on piece of the garment material, which may be of fancy shape,
generally so made for extra strength, as in conductors’ coats. (=Patched
p.=)
=Patent beaver=—a superior quality of beaver cloth with an especially
hard finish and fulled to a degree making it practically waterproof;
similar to Castor b. (qv).
=Patent leather=—name synonymously applied to all so-called “shiny”
leather; that is, upper leathers that have been treated with a coat of
japanning or varnish on one side, giving the leather a very glossy,
black, smooth finish.
=Patent neckband=—general name for shirt n. having a split or pocketed
division in the back so that the back collar button does not touch the
skin of the wearer because of an interposing layer of cloth.
=Patrolmen’s uniform=—see Police u.
=Patten=—a thick-soled overshoe, or one having a device for raising the
foot out of the wet and mud; a clog; a sort of slipper. Term now in
disuse. See Overshoe.
=Pattern paper=—rough-surfaced drafting p. put up in rolls, used by
cutters; usually black, dark green or blue; also manilla.
=Pauldron=—a detachable piece of plate armor for the protection of the
shoulders.
=Pavilion=—the lower pyramid of a diamond. See Brilliant cutting.
=Pea coat=—a seaman’s jacket. See P. jacket.
=Pea jacket=—a short, heavy coat of thick, closely woven cloth, as pilot
cloth, worn in rough weather; a sailor’s j.
=Peacockery=—ostentatious display of fine clothes; affectation in attire
and manner; distressing vanity.
=Peak=—visor.
=Peakt lapel=—having the notch or step cut at an acute angle.
=Pearl=—the beautiful concretion found in the interior of the shells of
many mollusks, resulting in the deposit of nacreous substances around
some nucleus usually of foreign origin; the p. oyster of the Indian seas
yields the most numerous and finest specimens.
=Peascod bellied=—referring to stuft doublets.
=Peau de soie=—a heavy, close-woven, soft finisht, plain colored silk
fabric having minute weftwise ribs, the better grades finisht alike on
both sides, the cheaper face finisht only.
=Peau d’espagne=—a perfume having the characteristics of the scent of
Spanish leather, whence name.
=Pebble goat=—a shoe leather having a surface grain achieved by means of
machinery.
=Peddler=—a peripatetic merchant; a street hawker.
=Pedometer=—a good thing to prove walking lies by.
=Peeler=—general term for long-stapled cotton grown in the Mississippi
valley.
=Peepiehole=—the little opening in front of a boy’s first pants.
=Peg leg=—wooden.
=Peg-top=—trousers cut wide and full around the hips and narrowing
sharply down to the ankle.
=Pegging jack=—a clamp for holding a shoe while it is being pegged.
=Pegging machine=—a m. for nailing (or pegging) soles to the uppers (of
shoes).
=Pekin=—textil designing term for warpwise alternating stripes of
different colors.
=Pelage=—the coat or covering of a fur mammal.
=Pelerine=—a long, narrow cape (now in disuse).
=Pelisse=—(1) a long outergarment or cloak with openings for the arms,
originally of fur or lined with fur; (2) a dragoon’s jacket with shaggy
lining.
=Pelt=—a skin or hide.
=Peltry=—same thing.
=Pen clothes=—see Prison uniform.
=Pen-knife=—originally a pocket k. intended for the making of
quill-pens.
=Penang lawyer=—a cane with a very large round head, common in Penang
and on the Malay peninsula.
=Pencil curl=—hatter’s term for a brim the edge of which is turned over
upon itself, forming a cable-like edge of about the thickness of a
pencil.
=Pencil pocket=—a small, narrow p. for pencil, fountain pen, etc.;
usually a partition of one of the regular breast pockets of a waistcoat.
=Pencil stripe=—in weaving, fine stripes of color on a contrasting
ground; a hairline or slightly coarser.
=Peplum=—loosely, a short skirt to a jacket.
=Pepper-and-salt=—a textil color effect, as of a dark or light ground,
sprinkled or dotted with light or dark specks, properly achieved by
two-color twisted yarns, usually in combinations of black and white.
=Pepperell=—a slightly twilled muslin.
=Per cent=—the fetich of Israel.
=Percale=—a fine, close, plain-woven cotton fabric, similar to cambric,
woven of smooth, round yarns, carefully drest without gloss and usually
printed in shirting patterns, tho also solid white and also in printed
stripes for garment lining, the fabric being slightly sized in this
case; the lower grades not much better than calico.
=Percaline=—a fine, light-weight cotton lining material.
=Perching=—the process of inspecting woolen fabrics as taken from the
loom and removing knots, burs, and other imperfections preparatory to
fulling; holes, if any, being first darned.
=Perching=—a process in leather manufacture following that of knee
staking, the skins being held in a long vise, the operator adjusting the
crutch of a long circular knife against his armpit and pressing hard
against the flesh side of the skin to remove the last vestige of flesh.
=Perfect fit=—something you might be ashamed to be seen in.
=Perfumery=—formerly used to disguise the odors of the unbathed body—and
still so used, of course.
=Periwig=—a formal wig; not such a bundle of vanity as a peruke.
=Perrin’s=—trade diminutiv for the fine French kid gloves manufactured
by Perrin Freres (lately changed to Perrin et Cie), Paris, of world-wide
fame.
=Persian lamb=—the fur of the young black Persian sheep of Southern
Persia, further enhanced in luster by dyeing; one of the most valuable
and best wearing furs. Compare Astrakhan and Broadtail.
=Perspectiv glass=—Briticism for field g.
=Peruke=—a voluminous and prolix wig.
=Perruquier=—wig maker; barber; hair dresser.
=Peter=—slang for watch, especially a repeating watch, as a jeweler
might say to a customer comparing time, “How’s your peter?”
=Peter pan=—a boy’s blouse or shirt; a vogue of the Buster Brown and
Fauntleroy virulence.
=Petersham=—a kind of heavy woolen cloth for overcoats. It has a rough,
knotty surface, and is sometimes called “niggerhead”. A very heavy,
close-felted variety of this cloth is called “cordington”; the finer,
softer kinds, “chinchilla” (qv).
=Petticoat=—originally an undercoat or waistcoat as worn (1400–1600)
under the longer outer coat.
=Petticoat breeches=—wide, flaring knee b. of colonial sailors.
=Petticoat trousers=—a kind of kilt formerly worn by seamen in general
but latterly principally by fishermen. See Galligaskins.
=Phelonion=—a white or reddish vestment similar to the Latin chasuble
(qv) but reaching only to the waist, worn by lectors and readers in the
Greek and Russian churches.
=Photograph case=—usually a leather, folding, screen-like affair for
holding portraits of actresses.
=Phylactery=—a strip or strips of cowhide parchment inscribed with
passages of Scripture and encased in a black calfskin case having thongs
for binding it on the forehead or around the left arm in memory of the
early history of the Jewish race and of one’s duty to observe the law,
or, also, to serve as an amulet.
=Picayune=—a Spanish coin worth 6¼ cents, current during Civil war
times; later applied to the 5-cent piece.
=Piccadilly=—a fashionable residence street in London, whence many names
for articles of masculin attire.
=Piccadilly collar=—a standing shirt c. with points sharply turned back
forming triangles or wings; also called “white wings” and wing c.
=Piccadilly toe=—a name once given to a sharp-pointed t.—but which, like
most shoe names, is now almost forgotten.
=Pick=—(1) the insertion of a thread of weft; (2) the blow which drives
the shuttle thru the warp threads; (3) the speed per minute of a loom;
(4) the number of threads countable within a definit space.
=Picker=—a machine for opening, cleaning and mixing cotton or wool.
=Pickle=—see Tan liquor.
=Picklock=—see Wool.
Picot—an ornamental loopt edging on ribbons, etc.
=Piece dye=—trade term for cloths dyed after weaving or in the piece, as
serges, clays, broadcloths, unfinisht, etc. Compare Skein dyes.
=Piece goods=—woolens and other textil fabrics sold by the bolt or
piece.
=Piece goods trade=—the jobbing trade. Compare Cutting-up trade and
Selling agent.
=Piecing-out=—in tailoring the act of sewing together added or spliced
pieces which are sometimes necessary in facing garments, or in making
the crotch or back-waist part of trousers, is called “piecing them out”;
also “dog-rabbitting”.
=Piffle=—(1) the customer’s expressions of his needs and desires; (2)
the salesman’s arguments in favor of something else.
=Pig-tail=—the common twisted chewing tobacco.
=Pig-tail wig=—a w. with a long tail worn hanging down or tied up with a
bow. Tempus George II.-III.
=Pigeon-toed=—the toes inclining or pointing inwardly.
=Pigskin=—a stout, coarse-grained leather made of hog’s hide.
=Piker=—the smallest thing living; an ostentatious buyer and heavy
canceller; a short-string merchant; a trifler; a kike.
=Pillow=—slang for catcher’s mitten.
=Pillow-case=—a good thing to hit when ausgespielt.
=Pilot cloth=—a heavy, woolen overcoating c., smooth faced, similar to
kersey or beaver, usually dyed navy blue, and intended for marine wear.
=Pimento=—a peculiar and handsome wood grown in Jamaica, possessing a
grain or texture susceptible of a very high polish; much used for
walking sticks.
=Pin=—a little article having many worthier uses than to bend crookedly
for teacher’s chair.
=Pin check=—in weaving, a name given to minute checks or squares,
effected thru colored yarns, resembling pin heads in size.
=Pin rib=—a very delicate rib or cord.
=Pin seal=—trade term for s. leather (qv) having a very fine, close
grain. Compare Cow s.
=Pin tucks=—plaits about one-sixteenth of an inch wide.
=Pinafore=—the sleeveless aprons we wore to keep our dresses clean, at
table and elsewhere, when we were young.
=Pince nez=—eye-glasses held in place by a spring that clamps the nose.
=Pinch collar=—same as meeting folder.
=Pinchbeck=—4 parts copper, 1 of zinc, looks like gold.
=Pine tree=—trade name for a cloth made of long fleece wool, knitted 108
inches wide and by washing in hot water and soap shrunk to 56 inches
wide; mostly used for outdoor clothing in the North.
=Pine wool=—the decorticated fiber of pine shats, spun into a coarse
yarn and used in a limited way for knitted “health garments” and for
bagging. Also called fir-wool. See also Vegetable flannel and Wood w.
=Pining out=—in hat making the act or process of squeezing the water out
of a hat body with a round stick similar to a kitchen rolling pin.
=Pink=—alleged English for red; used only in connection with hunting
coats (properly scarlet refines).
=Pink=—a color not to be worn by boy babies.
=Pink coat=—imputed English name for red hunting coats.
=Pinkie=—the little finger (colloquial).
=Pinking=—(n) puncht scallops along the edge of a lining or other part
of a garment or article, taking the place of and needing no binding or
other finish; (v) the act or process of punching a scallopt pattern on
the margin of fabrics, leather, etc.
=Pinking iron=—a cutting tool used in scalloping leather, cloth,
etc.—driven by blows of a mallet.
=Pinning blanket=—one of our first acquaintances among clothes; a barrow
coat.
=Pipe=—jewelry trade term for collar buttons, rings, cuff buttons, etc.,
made of hollow metal instead of being cast, forged or drawn solid.
=Pipe case=—a pocket container invented for the presumable purpose of
preventing the odor of a foul pipe from permeating one’s clothes.
=Pipe-clay=—a white clay used in whitening military accoutrements, and
by wearers of white shoes for making a muss around the house.
=Piped-edge=—in tailoring an e. finish obtained by placing a strip of
cloth, usually contra color, between the joined edges so that the extra
strip or piping, which usually encloses a cord for firmness and
prominence, shall slightly project or show beyond the turnback of the e.
=Piped pocket=—made as a jetted p., but with an edge piece of other
contrasting material as velvet, colored cloth, etc.
=Piped seam=—see Corded s.
=Piping=—a covered cord for trimming, applied along edges and seams.
=Pique=—a stout ribbed or welted cotton fabric woven of two sets of warp
(1) “slack”, forming the face, and (2) “tight”, engaging the “slack” in
the ribs or welts, which are filled in with soft weft to swell them.
Also woven in figured patterns, in which case better known as
Marseilles.
=Pique seam=—(glove term) one edge of the join overlapping the other and
stitcht thru and thru, much used for back seams. Also called flat s. and
lap s.
=Pistol pocket=—usually the right hip p. in trousers.
=Pitch=—balance, as, of a coat; hang.
=Pitcher’s toe plate=—see T. plate.
=Pith helmet=—a light h. made from the pith of an Indian tree, first
worn by the English army in Egypt.
=P. K.=—glove trade abbreviation for pique, which see.
=Placket=—an arrangement for closing any open part of a garment by means
of concealed buttons or snaps; a fly (qv).
=Plaid=—colored bars or stripes crossing each other at right angles; a
tartan pattern.
=Plaid=—a traveling rug or shawl, so called from the commonest patterns
being plaids.
=Plaid=—a long piece of Scotch woolen, in clan or tartan colors, worn
over the shoulders and fastened at the belt in such a manner as to form
a kilt (qv); the name applies even if the goods are plain.
=Plaid-back covert=—see Albert cloth.
=Plaiding=—(1) a stout twilled woolen fabric, similar to flannel; (2)
one of the old names for kersey, of a grade used for men’s plaids or
kilts.
=Plain clothes man=—a policeman out of uniform.
=Plain edge=—in tailoring, a finish to the edges of garments showing no
rows of stitching on the outer surface; properly attained by means of a
felling or prick stitch and in manner as described under those terms; a
blind e.
=Plain seam=—tailoring term for goods sewed together, face to face, and
then turned right side out, each side of the s. turned back and prest
flat. Also called regular s.
=Plain weave=—that in which every second warp thread is above the
filling thread, while the alternate threads are below, and the positions
of the warp threads are reversed for the next filling thread; or to say
it differently, one set of threads crossing another series at right
angles, passing over and under each other in regular alternation and
succession.
=Plait=—a flattened sewed fold or gather.
=Plaited bosom=—a shirt b. arranged in one way or box plaits.
=Plaited trousers=—see Cossacks.
=Planter=—a wide brimmed, soft felt hat with a fairly large crown, worn
without dents or creases.
=Plastron=—a sort of shield bosom effect noticed principally on uniform
coats.
=Plastron=—a protecting shield worn by fencers.
=Plastron=—a flat scarf or cravat of white wash goods, worn by coachmen;
also called punjaub and claudent.
=Plated=—jeweler’s term for baser metals electro-plated with gold or
silver; also for cheap jewelry made thereof. Compare Washt, Rolled gold,
Gold filled, Solid gold, etc.
=Plated=—term in knitting for hosiery and underwear woven with an
outer-face of silk on a wool foundation, or silk on cotton, or wool on
cotton, etc.
=Plated=—hatters’ term for hats of which the face or nap is of fur on a
body of wool.
=Pleat=—plait is correct.
=Pleating=—a process in leather manufacture where the skins, after
staining and trimming, are folded flesh to flesh, preparatory to going
to the coloring department for color-finishing. (Plaiting?)
=Plebeskin=—a West Point term for the fatigue jacket.
=Plisse=—a shirred effect produced in weaving.
=Plowing shoe=—broadly, any heavy working s.; usually of brogan or
creole pattern or modifications thereof.
=Plug=—a tall silk or felt hat.
=Plug hat=—same.
=Plume=—a large ornamental feather or bunch of feathers.
=Plume=—to decorate one’s self with fine clothes.
=Plunge dyed=—term for leathers dyed by immersion and consequently of
one color on both sides; used principally in glove trade to distinguish
from leathers dyed only on the surface.
=Plunket=—a coarse, woolen variety of cloth-of-gold of the 12th and 13th
centuries.
=Plush=—general name for fabrics having a longer pile than velvet (qv),
and of silk, cotton or wool.
=Plush=—slang for formal or pretentious livery.
=Ply=—a web, layer or thickness, as two-p. cloth, etc.
=Plymouth buck=—a drab-colored buckskin.
=P. M.=—premium money or bonus given clerks for selling slowmoving
goods—which is why you have to ask twice or oftener for the very newest
thing.
=Pocket=—an opening in a garment to which a sort of bag, forming a
receptacle for various impediments, is attacht. In tailoring there is a
variety of different pockets, named according (1) to location in
garment, (2) construction and (3) manner of finish; as (1) outside
breast p., inside breast p., hip p., side p., top p., skirt p., watch
p., ticket p., etc.; (2 and 3) regular or horizontal p., vertical p.,
welted p., piped p., patch p., bellows p., jetted p., slanting p., flap
p., slash p., raw-edge p., raincoat p., etc., all of which see.
=Pocket=—tailor’s term for a certain contrived fullness in a coat front,
vest, etc., for corpulent customers, as “a pocket for the belly”, as
usually exprest.
=Pocket flap=—a covering for the opening of a pocket. See In-and-out f.,
Outside f., etc. The term “pocket f.” is used mostly in reference to
trousers pockets, coat pocket flaps being usually designated by their
style.
=Pocket flask=—held in various estimation.
=Pocket handkerchief=—see Handkerchief.
=Pocket hat=—see Crusher.
=Pocket hole=—the opening of or for a p.
=Pocket knife=—a k. having one or more blades which fold into the
handle, for carrying in one’s pocket.
=Pocket lid=—a flap—a term little used and only among people
unacquainted with technical terms.
=Pocket pistol=—(1) a handy piece of artillery; (2) a flask.
=Pocketbook=—a small leather book or case for money and papers.
=Pocketing=—trade term for any material used for making pockets, such as
heavy drilling, stout unbleacht muslin, silesia, chamoiscloth, cotton
velvet, etc.
=Point-device=—precise, exact, finical.
=Points=—the embroidered or welted spear heads on the backs of gloves.
=Points=—ties or laces of ribbon or yarn once used instead of buttons or
for ornament, often quite decorativ.
=Poke collar=—a standing shirt c. with slight front opening, the points
of which are forwardly accentuated, and bent softly.
=Poke=—slang for wallet.
=Polar stocking=—see German sock.
=Police belts=—(Chicago): for general superintendent, assistant
superintendent and inspectors: white enamel leather with white silk cord
and tassel; for captains, red; lieutenants, cardinal; sergeants and
patrolmen, black, all with corresponding color silk cord and tassels
(the two latter of blue-black, patrolmen of cotton); with stars, etc.,
per regulation.
=Police caps=—(New York): for chief inspector, borough and district
inspector: a c. of dark blue cloth with welted sides, trimmed with
velvet bands, gold lace and gold chin strap; drooping visor of black
patent leather; for captains, same with bands of lustrous black mohair
braid; for sergeants, same, without the mohair bands; for mounted
roundsmen, same, with blue and yellow bands. Roundsmen and patrolmen
wear helmets of pattern as may be prescribed from time to time.
=Police uniforms=—(Chicago): Dress coat: for general superintendent,
assistant superintendent and inspectors: a double-breasted frock c. of a
dark blue cloth, in length within 1½ inches of knee, buttoning close to
throat with standing collar; collar and cuffs of blue-black velvet; 2
rows of gilt buttons, 8 each breast, groupt in pairs for superintendent
and equidistant for others, 3 buttons on cuffs, 6 buttons in back on
skirt facings and at waist; for captains and lieutenants: the same
except with turnover velvet collar and plain cloth cuffs; for sergeants
and patrolmen: a single-breasted frock c., closing to the neck with 8
buttons, with rolling collar; insignia of rank, service chevrons, etc.,
per regulations. Vest and trousers to match, the latter, for sergeants,
to have a stripe of white soutache braid on outer seams. Overcoat; for
general superintendent and all officers except sergeants: a
double-breasted military sack o., of dark blue cloth, reaching to 10
inches below knee, closed to the throat with black mohair loops and
olives with frogging, deep turned down collar, 2 inside and 2 regular
outside pockets, deep center vent behind; the front and bottom edges,
vent and pockets trimmed with flat black mohair braid; for sergeants and
patrolmen: a double-breasted frock o. of dark blue cloth, in length to 4
inches below the knee, buttoning close to the chin with 2 rows of 9
buttons spaced equally, skirt trimmed with 6 buttons; turnover collar;
flapped shirt pockets; inside breast and watch pockets; insignia per
regulation. Summer uniforms—Coat: for general superintendent, assistant
superintendent and inspectors: a double-breasted sack c. of dark blue
cloth, reaching half way to the knee: turned over collar of blue-black
velvet; cuffs ditto with 3 buttons; 2 rows of 5 buttons on breast
equidistant; 2 outside lower and 2 inside breast pockets; for captains
and lieutenants: the same, except with plain cuffs; for sergeants and
patrolmen: a single-breasted sack c., square cut, length 4 inches below
crotch, closing to neck with 5 buttons, turnover collar, 2 inside
pockets in breast. Vest: for officers above grade of sergeant: white
duck; for sergeants and patrolmen: blue cloth. Trousers to match coat.
=Police uniforms=—(New York) Dress coat: for chief inspector, borough
and district inspectors: a double-breasted frock of dark blue cloth,
reaching 1 inch below the knee; standing collar; pointed velvet cuffs
trimmed with gold lace and 2 small buttons; 2 rows of buttons on breast,
3 in each row, equally spaced; double pointed side edges in the skirt
plaits with a button at each point and 2 buttons at the waist; for
captains and sergeants: the same, except a double row of 8 buttons on
the breast, spaced equally, no velvet cuffs; for roundsmen on foot: a
single-breasted frock c., closing to the neck with 9 buttons, turndown
collar; for mounted roundsmen: a single-breasted sack c., fastened by a
flap with concealed buttons, standing collar; for bicycle roundsmen: a
double-breasted sack c., with 2 rows of 7 buttons, closed to the neck,
with turndown collar; for patrolmen: same as for foot roundsmen, except
without chevrons. Devices, chevrons and insignias of rank as per
regulations. Trousers to match, plain or with braided seams per
regulations; mounted roundsmen wear riding breeches of blue cloth with
black puttee leggins. Overcoat: for chief inspector, borough and
district inspectors: a double-breasted frock c. of dark blue cloth,
reaching 2 inches below knee; rolling collar; buttoned to the throat
with (2 rows) 9 buttons, equidistant; velvet cuffs with 3 buttons;
double pointed side edge to skirt folds, with a button on each point and
2 buttons at waist; for captains and sergeants: the same, except 2 rows
of 8 buttons, no velvet cuffs; for foot and mounted roundsmen and
patrolmen: the same, except 2 rows of 9 buttons; for harbor roundsmen
and patrolmen: a double-breasted sack o., reaching midway to knee,
buttoned to neck with 5 buttons on each breast, rolling collar, 2
outside horizontal pockets. Insignia of rank, service devices, chevrons,
etc., as prescribed. See also Special police u. Summer uniforms—Blouse:
for chief inspector, borough and district inspectors, captains and
sergeants: a double-breasted straight front sack c. of dark blue
flannel, buttoning to the neck, with a standing collar, 5 buttons on
each breast; for foot and harbor roundsmen: same style, but
single-breasted, 4 buttons, with turndown collar; for mounted roundsmen:
same as dress coat except half lined and skeleton back; for bicycle
roundsmen: same as for mounted roundsmen, with appropriate insignia,
etc.; for patrolmen: same as foot roundsmen, without chevrons—all with
insignia, devices, chevrons, etc., as prescribed. Trousers to match.
=Polish cloak=—a c. with double cape; fashionable in 1832.
=Polishing=—a finishing process in leather manufacture.
=Polishing cloth=—a strip of cotton flannel used in shoe factories and
by bootblacks for the finishing luster when polishing shoes.
=Polka dot=—solid round dots or spots of contrasting color.
=Polo breeches=—baggy riding b.
=Polo cap=—a “square” or flat topt c. with plain sides.
=Polo collar=—the double or folded highband linen shirt c.
=Polo leg guards=—see Shin g.
=Polonaise=—a short, loose overcoat, worn early in the 19th century,
usually fur-faced and trimmed.
=Pomade=—a perfumed grease-dressing for the hair.
=Pomander=—a perfumed ball or perfumed powder formerly worn as a charm
or to prevent infection; also a box for carrying such perfume.
=Pomatum=—sticky grease for making spiky whiskers or love locks.
=Pommel slicker=—see Saddle coat.
=Pompadour=—hair brusht straight upward as if scared.
=Pompon=—the colored ball of wool or felt on the front of a shako.
=Poncho=—a cape-like woolen or rubber storm blanket, with opening for
slipping on head, with or without collar.
=Pongee=—a soft, natural color, light-weight, plain-woven, washable silk
fabric, the warp and weft threads being irregular as hand-spun yarns
must be; made from the silk of a wild worm that feeds on oak leaves.
=Pontiac=—a knitted wool material, practically waterproof, oxford gray
in color, made up into camper’s, hunter’s and lumberman’s gloves,
shirts, smocks, etc.
=Pool retting=—decomposition of flax by immersion in pools. See Retting.
=Poole cloth=—a sort of broadcloth with a face resembling tricot or
venetian, named after Poole, a famous London tailor.
=Poor relation=—one who gets our cast-offs.
=Pop-squirt=—a jackanapes; an insignificant puppy.
=Popinjay=—a chattering coxcomb.
=Poplin=—a sort of light-weight ribbed fabric, having properly a silk
warp and a wool filling, tho also made with linen and cotton warp with
silk or wool filling, the rib effect being accomplisht by the use of
heavier weft than warp; almost always plain dyed, and tho used most
largely for women’s wear, is also used for summer coats, garment linings
and also when of silk weft, for neckwear, etc.
=Poral=—proprietary name for a strong, light-weight worsted fabric
combining the appearance of cashmere or merino with the feel and
coolness of alpaca; woven 60 inches wide and 12 to 13 oz. weight.
=Porous plasters=—a tenacious medicated p. perforated with small holes
and which is further riddled with the stinging wit of the patient when
removed.
=Porter=—the individual who leaves dust on the merchandise, desks and
chairs.
=Porter’s livery=—same as Hall-boy’s l. (qv).
=Portmanteau=—a capacious article of hand luggage, forerunner of the
suit case.
=Post=—the stem of a collar button, cuff button, etc.
=Postman’s uniform=—in general, a double-breasted sack suit of gray-blue
cloth, the coat with gilt departmental buttons, and on the sleeves a
star or stripe indicating term of service; trousers with a narrow welt
of black cloth along outer seams; cap to match. In summer, coat and vest
may be dispenst with and carriers may wear a shirt of light blue
chambray, without bosom or plaits, with a white collar; cap of brown
straw. In winter, a long double-breasted overcoat of gray-blue cloth.
=Postal telegraph messenger’s uniform=—see Telegraph m. u.
=Postpaid=—an inducement for buying by mail.
=Pot hat=—a derby.
=Potash test=—see Boiling-out t.
=Potay=—a name given to a peculiar shape of toe “fashionable” some years
ago—transient like most shoe names.
=Pouch=—(1) a bag-like receptacle for money, handkerchief, tobacco and
other personal incommodia; (2) Scotch for pocket.
=Poult de soie=—see Peau de soie.
=Pram pusher=—“English undefiled” for a pushcart merchant, one who
displays his wares on a perambulator-cart.
=Pratt fastener=—a spring wire coil or clutch, attacht to the top edge
of laced shoes to hold the laces without tying.
=Prayer belt=—a sort of sash worn by Turks and other Moslems.
=Prayer cloth=—usually a long strip of scarlet cheesecloth, wrapt ’round
and ’round—the winding and unwinding being accompanied by prayers—a sort
of Mohammedan sartorial rosary.
=Prayer plume=—see P. stick.
=Prayer rug=—a r., often with a pointed device, symbolizing the temple,
on which Mahommedans kneel and prostrate themselves, the “temple” and
the face being turned toward Mecca.
=Prayer stick=—a small wand adorned with feathers, used by Zuni Indians
in their prayers for rain and other incantations.
=Prayer thong=—same as Phylactery.
=Preaching gown=—a loose g. of black silk or woolen stuff, with plain or
plaited closed front and wide flowing sleeves with undersleeves and deep
yoke back; also worn with cassock cincture and with falling band at
throat.
=Precious metals=—gold, silver, platinum.
=Precious stone=—general term for the most valuable of gems, as diamond,
ruby, emerald, sapphire, etc.
=Premium=—a bonus given salesmen for selling old or undesirable
merchandise. Commonly called “P M”.
=Preparing=—in weaving, mohair, alpaca and long staple yarns, instead of
being carded, are combed or “prepared” by being passed thru slowly
revolving rollers and straightening machinery, emerging with the fibers
laid parallel ready for the combing machine.
=President braid=—a trimming b. having short diagonal ribs extending
from side to side of the web.
=Press brush=—a flat b., handled, having a very thick wood back, the
reverse side being used as a paddle or pounder to work the steam in.
=Press iron=—a tailor’s smoothing i.; a goose.
=Press off=—tailoring term for the act of pressing a garment after
making.
=Press rag=—a cloth used, commonly dampened, between iron on garment
while latter is being prest.
=Press stand=—an ironing board or stand for pressing garments.
=Presser=—a workman in clothing factories who presses garments into
proper shape by means of hot irons.
=Pressing=—the finishing operation in garment making—and an attention
that must often be renewed.
=Pressing board=—same as p. stand.
=Price= (=the=)—vernacular for money.
=Price-mark=—hieroglyphic evidence of collusion between seller and his
clerks for the purpose of obtaining any price the customer will stand:
unless prices are marked in plain figures—in which case part of the
salesmen’s occupation is gone.
=Price-ticket=—a cryptographic joker.
=Prick seam=—(glove term) see Prix s.
=Prick stitch=—a tailoring s. used on edges where a stitcht effect is
not desired, and when the material is too heavy for either a back s. or
side s. The needle is passed entirely thru the material at each s., and
returning, repeated from the underside, practically at the same points,
leaving only a slight indentation or prick where the s. is laid.
=Pricking=—a name applied to a particular process in shoe making done by
a machine which stamps the indentations around the top of the welt of a
shoe where the stitches come. Putting these indentations into the welt
is called “pricking up” and is done after the outer sole is stitcht on.
=Pricking-back stitch=—same as prick s. (qv)—the placing of the s. makes
either a back or a side s.; whence name.
=Pricking wheel=—see Tracing w.
=Prickt edge=—a variety of plain or blind e. (qv) hand-finisht with a
prick stitch (qv) showing a perfectly plain, seamless surface; a felled
e. (=Pricked e.=)
=Pride of the West=—a standard brand of shirting muslin.
=Priest cloak=—same as Clerical c.
=Prime=—see Wool.
=Primp=—to be fastidious in making the toilet.
=Prince Albert=—a double-breasted frock coat. See Frock coat.
=Print=—general trade term for printed cotton fabrics, as shirtings,
calicos, etc.
=Printed=—trade term for fabrics in which the pattern is printed, not
woven—usually shirtings, silks, etc., tho satinets for men’s wear are
also printed.
=Prison-made=—term applied to shoes and other articles made in
corrective manual training institutions.
=Prison uniform=—varies with different institutions, but is commonly a
blouse and trousers of heavy cotton drilling in bold black-and-white or
gray stripes, running horizontally in the made-up garments, with cap to
correspond.
=Private stitches=—tailor’s term for preliminary s. made at the
commencement or completion of a felling, stoating, rentering, etc., to
gain a holding before the first or after the last stitch of the real
sewing; these private s. are not of any special kind.
=Private’s uniform=—(=army=) see Full dress, Dress u., White u., Service
u., Fatigue u.; (=marine corps=) Full dress, Undress, Field u. Also
variants.
=Privy coat=—a light coat of mail, once worn under the ordinary attire
as a protection.
=Prix=—French for price.
=Prix seam=—(glove term) a join in which the two edges are placed
together flatwise and sewed thru and thru from the sides, leaving an
outwardly extending ridge, mostly used for walking gloves. Also called
Out s.
=Profits=—anything in excess of actual running expenses.
=Proof=—see Cravenette, Waterproof, Coachmen’s p., Raincoating, etc.
=Proportionate figure=—in tailoring anatomies, a figure that is in
perfect proportion; used as a basis for measurements and variations.
=Prospector’s boot=—about the same as hunting b. (qv), but usually knee
high.
=Prunella=—lasting cloth.
=Prussian collar=—a plain, turned down coat c. without revers or lapels,
buttoning close up to the throat. Also called falling c. and turndown c.
Compare Cadet c.
=Pucka=—a word in frequent use among the English in the West Indies
signifying sterling, of good quality, desirable, etc.
=Pucker=—to gather into small folds or wrinkles.
=Puckered=—a wrinkled or cockled condition.
=Pudding cravat=—a great puffy scarf or neckdressing originally invented
by someone to hide a poulticed throat.
=Puff=—(1) a neckdressing made of a De Joinville or an Ascot scarf,
first tied in a broad knot and the ends then crossed over; (2) a
readymade cravat of the same effect.
=Puff-bosom=—a shirt bosom gathered or shirred at upper and lower edges
to create a fulness.
=Pug nose=—see Snub n.
=Puggaree=—(1) a light scarf around a hat to keep off the sun (Pugree);
(2) a turban worn by Hindoos.
=Pull=—see String out.
=Pull-out=—tailor’s term for catching up with one’s work if behind or
“in the drag”.
=Pulled wool=—inferior fleece from sheep that have been slaughtered for
food or that may have died from disease or exposure. Also called “Skin
w.”
=Pulling-over=—see Tacking.
=Pulse warmer=—see Wristlet.
=Pumps=—low shoes for evening dress wear or dancing, of shorter vamp and
lighter than Oxfords (qv), and usually without lacing or other
fastening, but commonly ornamented with a bow.
=Punching bag=—an inflated leather or rubber bag for muscular
development, of which ruptured noses and blackened eyes are a
characteristic betraying the amateur.
=Punching bag gloves=—stout leather g., well padded, wholly or partially
covering the hands or knuckles.
=Punjab=—a plastron or flat cravat usually worn by coachmen.
=Punjum=—a cotton cloth made in Southern India.
=Punk=—a contemptuous adjectival designation given to shoddy and goods
of flimsy character and dishonest construction.
=Pure=—in leather making, bating material, as dog’s or bird’s dung;
bate.
=Pure dye=—silk term indicating that the least amount of dye that will
give a permanent color and finish has been used; not adulterated with
impurities to rot fabric or weight the goods; unfading; fast color;
washable. Compare Weighted.
=Pure dye test=—silk to which a lighted match is applied does not take
fire, but shrivels up with a dull leaden ash or char, if of pure dye.
=Purgatory collar=—a peculiar turned over shirt c. of about 1888,
somewhat Byronic but more freakish.
=Puritan hat=—see Round h.
=Purity suit=—a euphemism of Mark Twain’s applied to suits of white
flannel or cloth.
=Purse=—a bag, pouch or case for carrying money, usually of leather.
=Pusher=—a sort of slipper or inner sock, consisting of a sole and vamp
of soft chamois leather, worn with running and jumping shoes.
=Puttee=—a legging that looks like a surgical bandage.
=Pyjamas=—a favored spelling of pajamas.
Q
=Quadrille=—small even squares or checks.
=Quaker=—a member of a religious sect having strict rules of dress for
both sexes—a case of being particular without being dandified.
=Quarter=—one-fourth of a yard; a unit of measurement for broad goods,
such as cloths, sheeting, blankets, etc., which are generally indicated
by the signs 4–4, 5–4, 6–4, 8–4, 10–4, etc. Compare Double-width.
=Quarter=—that part of a shoe or boot, on either side, from the middle
of the heel to the line of the ankle bone; the back part of shoe-uppers.
See Vamp.
=Quarter blood=—wool classification term. See Wool.
=Quarter lined=—tailoring term for coats partially lined, less so than
half lined and but little more than “skeleton”; usually a short, light
lining extending around the armhole and in a slanting direction to about
half the depth of the forepart, merely covering the interlining.