but not quite hemispherical.
=Quarter Scotch=—see Scotch edge.
=Queen’s mourning cloth=—a black-and-white or pepper-and-salt cassimere;
so called from wide usage after death of Queen Victoria.
=Queue=—a pendant braid of hair on the back of the head, either natural
hair or part of a wig; a pigtail.
=Quill=—(1) a fluted or cylindrical fold, as in a ruff or ruffle; (2) a
large, stiff feather.
=Quilling=—an edge finish of narrow plaits or fluting resembling quills.
See above.
=Quilt=—an outer bed covering.
=Quilt=—to stitch together two pieces of material, usually with a third
or padding fabric between them and generally in some set or ornamental
pattern.
=Quilted lining=—a layer of cotton batting faced on one or both sides
with silk, satin or other cloth and sewed together or quilted in fancy
patterns.
=Quilting=—a heavy, firmly-woven, cotton or linen cloth, similar to
matelasse, employed for waistcoats, etc.
=Quirt=—a riding whip with a short wooden or stiff leather handle and a
braided rawhide lash or lashes, about two feet long.
R
=Rabat=—a sort of bosom or dicky for hot weather wear under coat without
waistcoat or collar, usually of silk, either plain or plaited; worn by
Catholic clergymen.
=Rabbit=—lepus cuniculus, lepus sylvaticus, et al., the fur of which is
an important item of hat manufacture and is also used for the cheaper
fur garments.
=Rabbit foot=—used by actors and near-actors to blend grease paints, and
by the superstitious as a fetich or omen of good luck.
=Raccoon=—an American nocturnal procyonoid carnivore of the genus
Procyon, related to the bears and beloved by the negroes, the pelt of
which is largely used in the manufacture of fur garments, overcoat
linings, caps and lap robes.
=Racing cap=—a close-fitting hood or c. for automobiling, skating, etc.
=Racing coat=—same as Kennel c.
=Racing suit=—a leather, cloth or rubber coat and trousers, for
automobile wear, so fashioned as to afford unusual freedom of movement
and by means of straps or elastics at cuffs, neck, etc., to prevent
ingress of wind, rain or dust; the outfit is completed by gauntlets, a
racing hat or cap, and goggles.
=Rag shears=—same as Wool s.
=Rag, tag and bobtail=—(1) a fluttering rag or tatter, as from a
garment; (2) odds and ends of merchandise; (3) ragged or worthless
people.
=Ragged=—needing repairs.
=Raglan=—a loose overcoat, the sleeves of which continue over the
shoulders up to the collar. Named after Lord Raglan, who devised a
similar garment for the protection of his soldiers during the Crimean
war, the idea being to increase their fighting capacity by the greater
freedom of action afforded by the peculiar shoulder. The original coat
also had sleeves with cuffs that could be turned down over the hands for
warmth; gloves being quite unknown.
=Rah-rah=—a name given with little respect to the voyant affectations of
college boys.
=Raider hat=—a sort of “rough rider” or sombrero h. (fr. Dr. Jameson’s
“raiders”?)
=Railroad conductor’s uniform=—varies with different roads; most
commonly a short cutaway frock coat and flapt hip pockets, outside
breast pocket and brass buttons, vest and trousers to match, all of dark
blue cloth; on some roads the conductors wear double-breasted sack
coats, and on others, single-breasted; usually completed with a
semi-military cap with insignia.
=Railroad seam=—tailoring term, same as Cord s. (qv), but stitcht on
each side of the join. See R. stitching.
=Railroad stitching=—in tailoring, a style of edge and seam finishing,
consisting of a double row of stitches near the edge or join and a third
row at a much greater distance—usually ¹⁄₁₆, ¼ ½ welt; so-called from
having originally been a characteristic of r. uniforms.
=Rain clothes=—(=navy=) as worn by all enlisted men, consist of hat,
coat and trousers of black painted waterproof material, as same pattern
as Cape Ann suits. Certain petty officers are allowed to wear a long
coat of similar material and style in lieu of the trousers and short
coat.
=Raincloak=—a waterproof cloak.
=Raincoat=—a mackintosh or waterproof overgarment. See Cravenette.
=Raincoat pocket=—properly, a vertical p. finisht with a welt or fitted
(qv), with an opening thru the lining inside, so that the hands may have
access to the trousers or body coat pockets without unbuttoning the
raincoat; also made regular horizontal style, opening thru, with outside
flaps over the top. See Slasht p.
=Raincoating=—general name for overcoatings made rainproof by any of
various processes, as “Cravenette”, “Cielette”, etc.; generally fine,
close woven, round twilled, bare finisht worsteds, usually plain or with
a pepper-and-salt effect, and sometimes with a patterned-back.
=Rainstick=—slang for umbrella.
=Raised cuff=—a welted effect on a coat sleeve.
=Raised seam=—see Swell s. and Welt s.
=Rake=—in certain German settlements, a comb.
=Rake-off=—graft: know what that is?
=Ramie=—trade term for the fiber of a nettle-like plant growing in
Eastern Asia, of great length, strength, fineness, whiteness and silky
luster, used extensivly for underwear, cordage, draperies, etc. Also
called rhea, Chinese grass, nettle fiber, cambric, etc.
=Ramillies hat=—a 1770 military h., the back flap of which turned up
sharply, and was not only higher than the crown but higher than the two
front flaps, the middle of the front brim being out a bit. See also
Cockt h. and Kevenhuller.
=Ramillies wig=—a w. with a long, gradually diminishing plaited tail
tied with a large bow at the top and a smaller one at bottom, the hair
bushing out over the ears; first worn in 1706 after battle of Ramillies.
Also called R. tail.
=Rand=—an irregular shaped slip of leather inserted into a (shoe) heel
to fill the gap between sole and lifts. Formerly the term was applied to
seams.
=Random yarn=—weaving term for weft yarns wound around with shorter
threads of contrasting color.
=Rapier=—a light, long, narrow sword with a sharp point, adapted for
thrusting rather than cutting; a fencing sword; a dress sword.
=Rappee=—coarse-grained, dark, strong flavored snuff.
=Ratine=—an overcoating cloth similar to chinchilla but of finer curl.
=Rating badge=—(=navy=) specifically a spread eagle above a specialty
mark and a class chevron, differentiated by regulation, worn by all
petty officers of the starboard watch on the right sleeve and of the
port watch on the left sleeve.
=Ratteen=—a general name of 17th and 18th centuries for coarse woolen
cloths. Lighter fabrics were frequently called ratinets.
=Rattinet=—see Ratteen.
=Rattle=—a toy that some grown-ups seem still to need.
=Raveling=—a thread frayed from a fabric.
=Raw-edge=—a finish used principally on overcoats of heavy cloths like
meltons and kerseys, the edges not being turned in, but sewed thru and
thru, then evenly pared or trimmed with knife or shears.
=Raw-edge pocket=—a p. finisht to match the raw edges of garments so
made.
=Raw seam=—(tailoring) the two parts are placed facing one way and
overlapping the required distance and stitcht to correspond with the
stitching of the edge. See R. edges.
=Raw silk=—s. as first reeled into skeins and hanks.
=Rawhide=—(1) untanned drest leather; (2) a whip made of raw cowhide.
=Raye=—French textil term for patterns of delicate stripes or narrow
lines.
=Razor=—consult the colored gentleman who tidies up the office.
=Razor strop=—a flexible strap of leather or leather and canvas for
stropping or sharpening razors and for walloping unruly sons.
=R. D.=—tailor’s term applied to a man who has been imperfectly trained.
See Right dress.
=Readymade=—broadly, any garment or article of apparel ready-to-wear or
use; more particularly applied to clothing, as distinguisht from
tailoring to order.
=Readymader=—a word coined by the writer of this book, to describe a
maker of or dealer in readymade clothing, and used by him in advertising
and pickt up by others, of course.
=Rear admiral’s uniform=—see Special full dress, Full dress, Dress,
Service dress, Evening dress, Mess dress, Undress. Also see variants.
=Rear pockets=—hip p.; skirt p.
=Rebate=—a deduction, drawback, or discount; for expert definitions
consult any railroad, oil company or trust.
=Rebato=—a falling band or collar turned over upon the shoulders.
=Receipt=—the most complacent part of a charge account.
=Recherche=—quite correct and elegant.
=Red gold=—g. alloyed with copper. Compare Green g. and White g.
=Red-herrings=—red side whiskers.
=Red tan=—bark tanned. See Tan.
=Redingote=—a double-breasted outside coat with long, plain skirts; a
French corruption of the English riding coat.
=Reefer=—(1) a short, heavy overcoat or jacket usually of chinchilla,
frieze or other heavy cloth, and double-breasted, commonly worn by
seamen, cattlemen and others exposed to the weather; (2) a boys’ coat of
similar style.
=Reefer=—a muffler.
=Reel silk=—technical term for long silk fibers of all classes.
=Reference sample=—a small swatch of goods for reference purposes,
usually about 3 × 5 inches.
=Refine cloth=—an extra fine dress c. with a nap resembling broadcloth;
used principally for livery; also called Dress refines.
=Refinish=—see below.
=Refinishing=—the process of steaming, ironing, etc., for restoring the
characteristic mill gloss or finish to woolens, worsteds, etc., after
shrinking or sponging.
=Refund=—to (take back goods sold and) give back the money paid.
=Regalia=—the distinctiv parts of attire, decorations and symbols of a
society or order.
=Regimentals=—loosely, all articles of military apparel; properly, corps
or mess uniforms.
=Regular=—trade term for readymade garments designed to fit persons of
normal build; standard sizes, from which longs, stouts, slims, etc., are
variations.
=Regular cuffs=—see Round c.
=Regular made=—see Full r.
=Regular pocket=—a horizontal p. such as you will probably find in your
sack coat if it is not a freak garment.
=Regular seam=—see Plain s.
=Regular twist=—yarns twisted to the right. (Woolen trade.) See Reverse
t.
=Regulations=—rules of dress prescribed by army, navy and other bureaus.
=Re-heel=—to put new soles onto footwear, as shoes, hosiery, etc.
=Re-sole=—to put new soles on shoes, boots, etc.; also stockings.
=Reindeer=—(1) a fur, more or less authentic, used in glove making; (2)
leather ditto.
=Reinforced=—strengthened by extra layers, strips, welts, gussets or
other device of cloth or other material for purposes of strength, wear,
etc.
=Rejects=—trade term for goods rejected for imperfections or for not
coming up to standard.
=Remnant=—any odd length or quantity remaining unsold.
=Rentering=—tailor’s term for the process of hiding a seam, the stitches
themselves being hidden. A plain seam is first sewn to give strength;
this is first stretcht open until the sewing is exposed, when a stitch
close to the seam is taken, catching but a trifle of the material on one
part and a similar part on the other side of the seam, the needle coming
out close to the part where it last went in. The seam is next prest out
and while the steam is still in the cloth, the nap along it is prickt
with a needle point and the nap finally brusht into place.
=Repairing=—mending, of course.
=Repellent=—a sort of waterproof cloth of wool, wool-and-cotton or
all-cotton.
=Reserve stock=—merchandise carried in stock-room or warehouse awaiting
transferrence to the selling department. Compare Forward s.
=Resist dyeing=—a process in textil production based on the antipathy of
tannic acid to many common dyestuffs; consisting, briefly, in dyeing
(cotton, silk, worsted and woolen) yarn in the desired colors and then
saturating them in a bath of tannic acid and antimony with an after
treatment of tin crystals; the prepared yarns are then woven, according
to pattern to be produced, in with regular or “gray” yarn, the resulting
fabric being then dyed in the piece, emerging with the prepared yarns
showing up in their original colors, in contrast to the “piece dyed”
yarn. Compare Batik, Discharge printing, Extracted, Tied-and-dried,
Cross dyed, etc.
=Retired officer’s uniform=—(=army=) generally, that of his rank when in
service, but without certain insignia; they may, at their option, wear
the pattern of u. which was prescribed at the time of their retirement,
but cannot combine the earlier with the later; (=navy=) not required to
have any other than service dress, if ordered to duty.
=Retting=—rotting; a process of separating the woody core from the flax
fibers preparatory to the operations of spinning, etc; the three
principal methods being (1) dew retting, (2) pool retting and (3)
retting in running water.
=Returnable=—privilege allowed customers of bringing back purchases for
exchange or refund.
=Revamp=—to furnish a shoe (boot, etc.), with a new vamp or upper; to
mend; to patch up.
=Revenue cutter service cap=—for officers, of dark blue cloth, having a
flat top one-fourth to one-half wider than the base, the sides 2½ to 3
inches high, with a band of lustrous black mohair, and a visor of black
patent leather except for captains, whose caps shall have visors of
cloth decorated with gold soutache, oak leaves and acorns; service
buttons, insignia, etc., per regulations. White caps of same pattern as
blue c. Similar caps for cadets and enlisted men.
=Revenue cutter service overcoat=—for officers, a double-breasted ulster
of smooth dark blue cloth, reaching to 9 to 12 inches from the ground,
and with deep rolling collar, two rows of 7 plain black buttons on each
breast spaced equidistant from knee to throat, belt of same material,
and hood of same material for night wear or foul weather; marks,
insignia and ornamentation as prescribed. For enlisted men, a similar
coat, but reaching only to the knee. For cadets a coat similar to that
for officers.
=Revenue cutter service uniforms=—see Dress, Full dress, Service dress,
Social full dress, et var.
=Rever=—a turned back lapel or cuff.
=Reverse twist=—yarns twisted to the left. (Woolen trade.) See Regular
t.
=Reversible vest=—a waistcoat (vest) made of two fabrics, usually one
dark and one light or one quiet and one fancy, either side of which
could be worn exposed to suit the occasion; worn to a limited extent in
the last ten years of the last century and recently resurrected. See
Vestwo.
=Revolver=—slang terms are numerous: five-shooter and six-shooter, meat
in the pot, blue lightning, peace-maker, Mr. Speaker, black-eyed Susan,
pill box, my unconverted friend, barker, persuader, etc.
=Rhadame=—see Satin r.
=Rhea=—see Ramie.
=Rheumatism ring=—a r. of magnetic iron, or of zinc and copper, supposed
to be a fetich against aches and pains.
=Rhingraves=—breeches worn by French courtiers some centuries ago, made
wholly by loops of ribbon.
=Rib=—a ridge or cord formed in the groundwork of a fabric, emphasized
on the face.
=Riband=—old spelling of ribbon.
=Ribbed=—woven, knitted or markt with ribs, cords or ridges, either
structurally or in finishing.
=Ribbed Norfolk=—name given to a N. jacket (1908) having a continuous
set of plaits around the body from yoke to waist, the yoke or upper part
and skirt or down part being plain. See also “Stroke coat”.
=Ribbon=—a narrow band or selvaged strip of silk or velvet. Imagine men
nowadays wearing ribbons in quantity—yet they did centuries ago!
=Ribbon chopper=—fresh term for a salesman in the r. department of a
retail store.
=Ride=—when your tie crawls over your shirt collar, that’s it.
=Riding breeches=—baggy b. with re-enforced seat, and with cuffs below
the knees reaching often below the calf.
=Riding cloths=—general term for fabrics used for r. breeches, cavalry
uniforms, etc., as covert, whipcord, khaki, olive-drab worsted, serge,
etc.
=Riding coat=—a single-breasted frock c. with short, full skirts.
=Riding cuffs=—leather c. buckling closely around the wrists or over the
coat sleeves; often much ornamented; worn chiefly by plainsmen on
horseback.
=Riding trousers=—plain t., with but little leg shape, strapped beneath
the shoe, and with re-enforced seat.
=Riding whip=—a crop.
=Rigby cloth=—a sort of waterproof c., chemically treated by the “Rigby”
process.
=Right dress=—the wrong way. See Dress.
=Right twill=—weaving term indicating that the direction of the rib (as
of serge, cheviot, etc.) leads from the bottom (goods held lengthwise)
upwardly to the right. See Left t.
=Rimless spectacles=—same as frameless s.
=Ring=—finger frivolity.
=Rip=—a tear.
=Rip=—a pannier or basket for carrying fish.
=Rip pocket=—term occasionally used for jetted p. (qv).
=Rippling=—the process of removing the seeds from flax, preparatory to
the spinning processes.
=Rise=—tailor’s term, meaning, from fork (of trousers) to waistline.
=River shoe=—see Lumbermen’s s.
=Roacht=—curved upwardly. (=Roached.=)
=Roanoke=—a sort of wampum of West Indian shells; currency of early
colonial days.
=Roast beef dress=—English naval slang for full uniform.
=Robe=—a drest Buffalo skin.
=Robe de Calvin=—the Geneva gown (qv).
=Robe de chambre=—a dressing gown or informal morning costume for
sybarites.
=Robe de nuit=—plain night gown.
=Robe maker=—a m. of official and ceremonial robes and accessories.
=Rochet=—a close-fitting vestment of linen, somewhat like a short alb or
a surplice with tight sleeves; worn by bishops, abbots and certain
privileged canons.
=Rocking last=—trade term for shoes built with soles curved or turning
up from the ground. See Flat l.
=Roll collar=—a long c. without peak or notch; a shawl c.
=Rolled gold=—technically, a compound plate having a gold face and a
back, or an interior filling, of baser metal; largely used for cheap
jewelry. Compare G. filled, G. plated, etc.
=Roller towel=—toweling sewed together at the ends and hung upon a
roller, usually found in offices and shops.
=Rolling collar=—(1) soft, not stiffened by haircloth; (2) shawl c.; (3)
a Prussian c.
=Roman gold=—satin finisht. See Etruscan g.
=Roman stripes=—trade term for plain, flat, transverse stripes of
varying widths and bright contrasting colors, occasionally popular in
neckwear silks.
=Rompers=—general term for one-piece overgarments worn by very young
children at play for protection of their better clothes.
=Rondache=—a round, Highland defensiv target or shield (obsolete).
=Roof=—a hat.
=Roof test=—see Exposure t.
=Room=—trade term used by clothing manufacturers, denoting an allowance
or addition to size, particularly across the chest and blades, over
regular patterns, when making up cheap, insubstantial fabrics, such
allowance being made to offset strain and give seemingly better wear to
the garment.
=Rope-stitch=—in tailoring a heavier s. than usual,—stouter silk being
used, the stitches longer and not so tightly drawn; employed mostly on
fancy waistcoats.
=Roquelaure=—“a short abridgment or compendium of a cloak, which is
dedicated to the Duke of Roquelaure”. A cloak without hood.
=Rosary=—a string of beads, for counting a series of prayers, used by
Roman Catholics, Mahommedans, Buddhists, etc.
=Rose cutting=—term for small diamonds (see Chip) having a flat base
with a hemispherical or low pyramidal upper surface covered with small
and generally irregular facets.
=Rose diamond=—a splinter. See above.
=Roseberry cloth=—a light-weight, closely woven, mercerized, waterproof,
lustrous cotton fabric, having a fine round cord weftwise of the goods,
resembling fine repps, employed for summer automobile garments,
raincoats, hunting and fishing capes, etc. A similar cloth, rather
heavier, is known as burberry cloth.
=Rostrum=—facetious for tailor’s block.
=Rotten Row=—a drive in Hyde Park, London: a resort of the fashionable;
from le route de roi (the rout of the king).
=Rotting=—see Retting.
=Rough-and-ready=—(1) hat trade term for coarse straws; (2) any garment
or article of unusually stout and durable construction and quality; (3)
a favorit plug “chewing”.
=Rough leather=—simple undrest l., as that for shoe soles.
=Rough rider=—(1) name freely applied to any article of apparel
possessing a rough-and-ready military appearance; (2) name of a famous
regiment in the Spanish-American war.
=Rough rounding=—the (machine) process of trimming off and accurately
shaping the sole of a shoe.
=Round cuffs=—detachable shirt c. that button over onto their opposit
ends, now being rapidly superseded by link c. (qv).
=Round hat=—(1) the plain h. worn during Cromwell’s dictatorship; also
called Puritan h.; (2) any modern h. resembling or of similar plainness.
=Round seam=—(glove term) the two edges are placed together and sewed
over and over; used only with thin, tough, elastic leathers; also called
over-s. and cable s.
=Round shouldered=—the back rounded or the shoulders stooping.
=Roundabout=—a short, single-breasted cutaway sack coat or jacket
reaching to the waist, worn by boys and young men in the 40’s; later by
sailors, mechanics, etc.
=Rounding=—in hat making, the cutting of brims to the desired pattern.
=Rounding gauge=—a g. for cutting hat brims.
=Rounding jack=—a stand or block on which a hat is held while being
trimmed round.
=Roundsman’s uniform=—see Police u.
=Rove=—a slightly twisted sliver of silk, wool, cotton or other fiber; a
slub.
=Rove=—to join and elongate the slivers of wool, silk or fiber in
carding; to draw into thread; to ravel.
=Roving=—the operation of giving the first twist to thread by machinery.
See Drawing.
=Roving frame=—a slubbing machine.
=Roving machine=—a machine for winding rovings onto bobbins.
=Rowel=—the wheel of a spur (qv).
=Rowing shirt=—a low-necked s. with very large, deep armholes.
=Royal bird=—see Wig.
=Royale=—a style of chin whisker, same as Imperial (qv).
=Rub stick=—a shoemaker’s tool for finishing the bottoms of soles.
=Rubber apron=—a sort of apron worn by icemen, carriage washers,
dairymen, etc.
=Rubber cloth=—(1) usually cotton sheeting or drilling with a coating of
rubber on one side; used for mackintoshes and sometimes for interlining
ulsters; (2) a heavy cotton fabric coated on one side with a composition
of rubber, usually stampt in imitation of various leathers and employed
in cheap hand luggage, carriage tops, etc.
=Rubber heels=—lifts attacht to shoe heels for ease in walking; also
called sneakers.
=Rubber tissue=—a thin, gummy substance used to save cost of sewing; it
unites cloth on being heated and is most used for trousers hems.
=Rubbering=—the man who is looking thru this book for something shocking
that isn’t here.
=Rubberized=—trade term for waterproof fabrics having one side of silk
or other textil fabric and the other of rubber; also for double-faced
fabrics with a center of rubber.
=Rubbers=—see Overshoes.
=Rubbing gloves=—see Bath mittens—quite similar.
=Rubbing strap=—a long, narrow band of knitted wool, terry toweling,
etc., for use in the bath—it reaches the back. Also called Bath s.
=Ruck sack=—a form of pack used by mountain climbers in the Alps and
elsewhere.
=Rucked=—wrinkled, crumpled. (=Ruckt= preferable.)
=Ruff=—a plaited, crimpt or fluted collar or frill, especially a very
broad, full and stiffly starcht one.
=Ruffles=—we wore them once on shirt-fronts, at our wrists, and
elsewhere—and we might do worse today.
=Rug=—a heavy shawl carried by travelers as protection against cold.
=Rugby toe=—one of the numerous shoemaking terms for a medium narrow t.
=Rumchunder=—an India silk stuff.
=Rummage sale=—a bargain sale of truck and odds and ends.
=Rumple=—to wrinkle or muss.
=Run=—a slipt thread or threads in underwear, hosiery, gloves or other
article of similar fabric, resulting in a progressiv widening and
lengthening of the damage or “run”.
=Runner=—a name applied to a certain kind of calf upper leathers, a
runner being a grown-up calf or heifer; the term calfskin being applied
to a skin that would not measure over fourteen square feet—while a
runner might measure three or four feet more.
=Running pants=—shapeless, light cotton things not reaching to the
knees.
=Running shoes=—low, soft leather s. with light turned sole, with or
without cleats.
=Running stitch=—a tailoring s. made in a straight line, one in front of
another, of various lengths and distances apart, but averaging about ¼
inch each in length; used mostly for basting sleeve linings for try-on.
=Rush order=—to be gotten out ahead of the usual course.
=Russet=—coarse, peasant-loomed cloth used in homemade garments,
originally of reddish brown color, tho name clings to variations.
=Russia leather=—a fine quality of calf l. tanned in willow bark, dyed
in cochineal and sandalwood, finisht with stannic chlorid and drest with
birch-bark oil, having a brownish red color, a fragrant odor and the
properties of resisting insects, moisture, etc.
=Russian braid=—soutache (qv).
=Russian collar=—a variety of Prussian c. (qv) applied to ulsters,
etc.—standing higher, turned down, and meeting in front; also called
Cadet c.
=Russian duck=—a fine quality of white linen canvas, used for
hot-weather garments.
=Russian marmot=—a fur used mostly for coat linings.
=Russian overcoat=—same as cadet o.
=Russian sable=—an animal of the weazel family, living in the extreme
north of Russia, highly prized for its rich brown fur. See Sable.
=Russian turban=—a cap with a high round crown and a double band forming
the sides.
=Russian vest=—a double-breasted waistcoat, buttoning close up to the
neck, worn in cold weather.
=Rusty=—said of black which is faded or shows signs of fading.
=Ryder=—cant for cloak.
S
=Saber=—a heavy sword with one cutting edge and a thick back.
=Saber belt=—(=army=) a waist b. with detachable slings, to be worn
outside the full dress coat, by all officers except chaplains. For
general officers, except brigadier generals, of red russia leather with
gold embroidery and russia leather slings; for brigadier generals, of
black webbing with russia leather slings; for all field officers, of
black enameled leather with a stripe of gold lace; for officers of the
staff corps and departments, except engineers, below rank of field
officer, of black enameled leather with four stripes of black-and-gold;
for officers of cavalry, artillery and infantry, of black enameled
leather with four stripes of gold wire lace interwoven with silk of the
color of the arm of the service; for officers of engineers, same as for
officers of artillery.
=Saber knot=—(=army=) for full dress and dress occasions of heavy gold
cord with acorn ends, for general officers; and of gold and black mixt
for all other officers, except chaplains; on other occasions, of plaited
russet leather; all according to regulation pattern.
=Sable=—an animal related to and not unlike the marten, yielding a dark
fur highly prized for winter garments.
=Sabot=—a rude shoe made of wood, worn by peasants in France and
elsewhere.
=Sabretache=—a leather pocket hung from the left side of the sword belt;
a popinjay military ornament.
=Sack cloth=—a coarse obsolete material doubtless worn for ostentatious
penitence.
=Sack coat=—properly a plain, short c., without skirts, either single or
double-breasted, made up of two foreparts and a single or divided back
part, and with two or more pockets with in-and-out flaps, tho other
varieties of pockets are also employed (as welt, patch, etc.). Also
called lounge c. The Norfolk jacket is a variety of sack c., and the
Chesterfield overcoat is a true sack c., tho long.
=Sack-frock cutaway=—a 1908 frock coat resembling a walking frock
without a frock waist seam, but having a sidebody seam from a cut
waistline to the shoulder.
=Sack raglan=—see Raglan.
=Sacque=—an infant’s undershirt.
=Sad-color=—brown or browny.
=Saddle=—a padded or cushioned seat put upon a horse’s back out of mercy
for the beast.
=Saddle coat=—a waterproof c. so contrived as to cover wearer, and
saddle pommel and cantle; a “pommel slicker”.
=Saddle-piece=—a re-enforcement of the seat and legs of riding breeches,
usually of same material, or, occasionally, of leather.
=Saddle seam=—a s. sewn as saddlers sew leather, with edges turned
outwardly.
=Sadra=—the sacred surplice worn by Parsees of both sexes from the age
of seven; emblematic of the coat of mail worn in ancient times by the
Guebers to ward off the attacks of the evil spirit Ahriman.
=Safety-pin=—our first acquaintance with hardware.
=Safety razor=—a scraping apparatus for the timid and thin-skinned.
=Sag=—to lose shape, give way, bag, pull, etc.
=Sagathy=—an obsolete woolen stuff famed for durability.
=Sahara buck=—African deerskin glove leather.
=Sail cloth=—a sort of canvas once popular for stiffening the fronts of
coats.
=Sailmaker’s palm=—a variety of mitten or glove used by sailmakers and
others in sewing canvas and heavy fabrics; commonly a band of sole
leather, fitting around the broad part of the hand, with a thumb-stall,
and having a metal thimble attacht to the inner side or palm.
=Sailor collar=—a c. narrow at the front of the neck, reaching back in
straight lines over the shoulders and cut straight across at right
angles about half way of the shoulder blades, usually as part of a
blouse worn by sailors and children; name also given to a detachable
linen c. (or of other material) of similar shape, worn by children.
=Sailor knot=—said of a cravat tied as a four-in-hand, but with the k.
drawn tight.
=Sailor suit=—a s. for small boys, consisting of a sailor blouse and
knee pants. Compare Middy s.
=Sailor’s blouse=—see Naval overshirt.
=Sailor’s trousers=—similar to ordinary t., except that they are made
with front falls (qv) and made to bell or flare out at the bottoms;
usually with laced back. Also called gun-mouthed t.
=St. Crispin=—patron saint of shoemakers.
=St. Kilda=—a variety of Scotch tweed (from a town of that name).
=Sakcorb studs=—see Boot s.
=Sakkos=—a tight-fitting garment, symbolizing the seamless robe of
Christ, worn by Greek metropolitans and Russian bishops.
=Saleslady=—cause of agitation or awe to a masculin customer.
=Salesman=—an individual deserving of a scientific commission to study
his peculiarities.
=Sallet=—a variety of helmet.
=Saltaire=—a manufacturing town in England, founded by Sir Titus Salt, a
celebrated cloth factor and the discoverer of alpaca.
=Sample=—a tiny bit of cloth seldom of sufficient size to show a
complete pattern; a specimen of any article or material.
=Sample book=—a b. containing numbered swatches of cloths, often with
fashion plates, and frequently platitudinous eulogistic rhodomontades.
=Sample trunk=—the drummer’s excess baggage.
=Sanatory=—the Dr. Jaeger spelling of sanitary. See Sanitary wool.
=Sandal=—(1) a kind of shoe, consisting usually of a sole only, of
leather or other material, but sometimes with a shield for the heel and
a cap for the toes, held to the foot by thongs, cords, etc.; (2) a
light, fancy slipper; (3) a light, low-cut rubber overshoe.
=Sandalwood=—a peculiarly sensuous, aromatic, oriental perfume distilled
from the essential oil of santal (which has also certain pronounced
medicinal properties).
=Sandbag=—used by footpads for love taps and lucre.
=Sandown=—a frock overcoat; a sort of Newmarket (qv).
=Sandpapering=—in shoe making, the act or operation of “scouring” or
sandpapering the bottoms of shoes by means of a roll covered with
sandpaper which is rapidly revolved by power, scouring off the surface
of the outer sole as one of the preliminary operations for final
finishing of the bottom of a shoe.
=Sandwich brim=—trade term for straw hats having brims of two or more
kinds of braid or with an inlay or edging of different color.
=Sanitary wool=—a profit-making name for natural w. undergarments.
=Sans culotte=—literally, a man without breeches; particularly, an
anarchist or demagog; loosely, a tatterdemalian.
=Saranac=—general term for buckskin and other leather gloves, tanned
grain on, and having a yellow color.
=Sarcanet=—a fine, thin silk fabric, woven by the Saracens originally
and much esteemed during the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries for its
richness; probably dates to 13th century; more recently used for
linings.
=Sarong=—(1) a primitiv garment, consisting of a plain piece of cotton
cloth wrapt around the hips and upper legs, worn by natives of the
Indian archipelago and elsewhere; (2) the printed cotton cloth sold
therefor.
=Sarsenet=—see Sarcanet.
=Sartor=—a patcher, hence a tailor.
=Sartor resartus=—the patcher patcht.
=Sartorial=—pertaining to a tailor or the patching art.
=Sartorial solecism=—(1) the wearing of any garment out of its proper
place, at the wrong time or in an incorrect manner, as evening dress in
the day time, colored linen with formal attire, etc.; (2) any violation
of good form in matters of dress; (3) any exhibition of bad taste or
lack of acquaintance with dress usages; (4) any ostentatious display or
vulgarity in manner, form or usage, as freak garments, an unconventional
manner of wearing a garment, etc., (5) deficient in dignity.
=Sash=—(1) an ornamental band, scarf, strip or belt worn around the
waist or over the shoulder, as part of the costume and by military
officers and others as badges of distinction; (2) in Oriental countries
a long band of fine material wound about the head to form a turban.
=Sash=—(=army=) a long strip of silk trimmed with gold fringe, buff
colored for general officers above the grade of brigadier generals, and
by them worn across the body from right shoulder to the left side; of
same for brigadier generals, and by them worn around the waist tied in a
double bow; for chief of artillery, of scarlet silk, tied around the
waist.
=Sashoon=—a soft leather pad placed about the leg inside of a boot to
protect the limb or aid the fit of the boot.
=Sassiety=—a sassy bunch of upstarts.
=Satchel=—a light handbag for small luggage; a schoolboy’s book bag.
=Sateen=—a fine thread, coarse twilled cotton cloth, of soft texture and
glossy finish; used for linings, night shirts, pajamas, etc.; the
heavier qualities used for corsets, shoe linings, etc.
=Satin=—a silk fabric of a thick, close texture, with a smooth, glossy
surface and dull back, produced by a method of weaving that reduces the
number of crossings of filling and warp, the glossy face being obtained
by finishing between hot rollers; also made with a cotton back.
=Satin buttonhole=—made as described under buttonhole making but using a
fine silk twist and making close, even stitches; also known as flat b.
Contrast Gimp b.
=Satin damask=—a s. with a rich flower or arabesque pattern, sometimes
raised in velvet pile.
=Satin de chine=—a fine, soft silk fabric used for linings, etc.
=Satin de Lyon=—s. with a croise or ribbed back.
=Satin delaine=—a thin, glossy satin wove woolen cloth.
=Satin duchesse=—a fine quality of s. of high luster and soft texture,
technically exprest as “8 leaf twill”—better see encyclopedia.
=Satin foulard=—foulard s. with a lustrous satiny face. See Foulard.
=Satin merveilleux=—a fine twilled, plain dyed s. used for linings,
women’s wear, etc. See Merveilleux.
=Satin rhadame=—an all-silk or silk and cotton lining and dress fabric,
plain dyed, the face crost or broken by fine twilled lines extending
diagonally across the web; similar to surah but of stouter texture and
more luster. See Rhadame.
=Satin stitch=—a s. in embroidery, either flat or raised, repeated in
parallel lines, producing a satiny appearance; used also in fine,
handmade buttonholes.
=Satin surah=—a variety of s. lining silk with a very smooth lustrous
face. See Surah.
=Satin Turk=—a soft finisht, s. face, twilled back silk material, used
for waistcoats, linings, shoe tops, etc. Also called Turk’s s.
=Satin weave=—a smooth, glossy effect achieved by floating the filling
(or warp) threads on the face of the fabric, afterward slightly gigging,
milling and finishing the face to effect a compact, lustrous fabric.
=Satine=—see Sateen.
=Satinet=—an inferior variety of cloth, woven, usually, of cotton warp
and shoddy weft (which is mixt with enough long wool to enable it to be
spun and woven in a way to bring the filling to the surface of the
cloth), in manner known as 4-end twill, resulting in a close satiny
surface; after weaving the cloth is fulled and often flockt to increase
density and weight, next sheared and prest, and finally printed in
checks, stripes, plaids, etc., in imitation of cassimere.
=Satinisco=—satin of a cheap quality.
=Satiny=—resembling satin.
=Satteen=—incorrect. See Sateen.
=Saw edges=—an ornamental finish given to collars, cuffs, etc., by the
best laundry in town.
=Sawed-off pants=—slang for knee breeches.
=Saxony=—(1) a sort of tweed or fine cheviot, really or allegedly of
fine Saxony wool; (2) a long-napt, velour finisht cassimere or other
soft finisht woolen fabric.
=Say=—a light-weight, woolen fabric, similar to serge, used in Europe
from 11th to 18th centuries, for men’s wear, afterward employed in this
country until the fore half of the 19th century as a lining material,
and for shirts, aprons, etc.
=Scads=—a generic name for money in the West.
=Scallop=—a 17th century collar or neckband with scallopt edges.
=Scallopt=—having a series of semi-circular projections or curves along
an edge, for ornamental or other purposes. =(Scalloped.)=
=Scamped=—made or finisht in a dishonest or indifferent and careless
manner. (=Scampt= preferable.)
=Scarf=—a cravat.
=Scarf fastener=—a device, of gold or other metal, often ornamental, for
securing a cravat against slipping or loosening, attaching to the shirt
bosom that the scarf may not ride up on one’s collar.
=Scarf pin=—an ornamental p., of gold, silver, etc., for wear with
four-in-hand and ascot cravats, often expensivly set with jewels.
Commendable if used for fastening a cravat; condemnable if used for
ostentation.
=Scarf retainer=—see S. fastener.
=Scarf-ring=—a flattened r., in one piece, or with a hinged pin, or
hinged and with a spike on the inner side of the back part, thru which a
scarf (as the De Joinville [qv] is drawn).
=Scarfings=—see Cravatings.
=Schappe=—general term for materials made of spun silk in the gum, i.
e., the damaged cocoons and waste products from reeling.
=Schmaschen=—leather for gloves made from the skins of still-born kids
and lambs; more freely, any inferior glove leather.
=School bag=—ever hide one to play hooky?
=School suit=—trade term for boys’ suits of stout fabrics and stout
construction to withstand as much grief as possible, and also
sufficiently low-price as not to be a matter of remorse when the
inevitable tears and smudgings come.
=Schooner pants=—trousers made with spring or flaring bottoms, after
sailor fashion.
=Scimitar=—a deeply curved, one-edged sword of Oriental countries.
=Scotch edge=—term used to designate the degree to which the outer sole
of a shoe is extended beyond the upper sole where it joins the outer
sole. “Full Scotch” designates a very wide extension, and in varying
degree. Half s., quarter s., close e. describing the narrower degrees of
extension.
=Scotch finish=—the close sheared or melton finish given to certain
heavy woolen cloths; a result of gigging or napping woolen goods in
imitation of melton. Compare Bareface f., Velvet f., Dress faced.
=Scotch knit=—used mostly in connection with woolen mittens or gloves
knit, by hand or machine, in Scotch patterns or color effects.
=Scotch mixtures=—hard to describe; if you don’t know ask a woolen house
for samples.
=Scotch tweed=—the official definition proposed by the South of Scotland
Chamber of Commerce is “an all-wool cloth made in Scotland from wool
spun in Scotland”, to distinguish from similar goods made, either wholly
or in part, elsewhere.
=Scoured wool=—term applied to tub-washt wool fleece thoroly cleansed
with warm water and soap and rinsed in cold water; ready for
manufacture.
=Scouring=—a washing operation by which the grease and dirt is removed
from the fleece. See above.
=Scouring=—see Sandpapering. This (shoemaking) term also applies to
finishing the heels, the surfaces of which are sandpapered or scoured
before final operations are completed.
=Scouring ball=—soap mixt with various detergents as oxgall, fullers’
earth, infusolial silica, etc., for removing grease, etc., from cloths.
=Scout’s uniform=—(=army=) same as for enlisted men of the corresponding
arm of the service with distinguishing insignia.
=Scraper=—an implement of metal, stone, bone or other material used in
dressing hides.
=Scrappers=—see Barefoot sandals.
=Scratch=—see Wig.
=Scrim=—a thin, plain, open-woven material used largely as an
interlining; a sort of cheesecloth.
=Scuff=—in New England, a light shoe or slipper.
=Scuffed=—said of leather abraded by rough usage. (=Scuft.=)
=Scutching=—in linen manufacturing the process of dressing the raw flax
by beating, separating therefrom all woody and foreign matter; in cotton
manufacture, the process of separating the fibers after cleansing and
loosening by the picker preparatory to carding; in silk manufacturing
the process of arranging the floss and refuse preparatory to carding.
=Scye=—tailoring term for the armhole of a garment.
=Scye depth=—an imaginary line drawn entirely around the body at the
lower level of the arm scye, as from nape to opposit armpit on back
seam.
=Scye measure=—the circumference of the armhole. Compare Closing m.
=Sea Island=—general term for cotton grown on the islands off the
Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and Texas coasts; having a fiber of
uncommon length, fineness and silky luster.
=Seal=—an aquatic animal, the pelts of which are highly prized in the
manufacture of fur garments, fur caps, etc.; and the leather in the
manufacture of pocketbooks, belts, traveling bags, shoes, etc.
=Seal ring=—a finger r. with a bezel usually of precious stone, engraved
with symbol, arms or monogram, and used as a seal; a signet r.;
anciently an emblem of authority, used to stamp documents in place of
signature, or its temporary investment in another person gave the power
to cut a throat or scuttle a ship or engage in other pleasantries.
=Seam=—any place where two parts of a garment are sewed or joined
together; a “join”. Seams are principally known as plain s., cord s.,
double-stitcht s., lap s., swelled s., welt s., raw s., strap s.,
cemented s., braided s., piped s., strapt s., raised s., serged s., open
welt s., etc., which see elsewhere.
=Seam press stand=—a long, narrow ironing board or stand for pressing
seams.
=Seaman’s shirt=—see Naval overshirt.
=Seaman’s trousers=—see Naval t.
=Seamed back=—tailor’s term for coats made with a center seam in the
back. Compare Whole b.
=Seamen’s uniforms=—see Dress, Undress, Working; also variants.
=Seamless=—knitting term for hosiery made on a circular knitting frame
and having a seam only at the toe, extra shaping, when required, being
effected by steam-shrinking. Compare Full regular.
=Seasoning=—a process in leather manufacturing following that of
perching and prior to that of polishing; often repeated after first
polishing.
=Seat=—tailor’s term for measurement taken around that prominent part of
a man’s anatomy known as chair-warmer.
=Seat wheeling=—see Heel s. w.
=Second mourning=—black relieved by white; or dark gray.
=Seconds=—imperfect goods.
=Seconds=—see Wool.
=Section work=—tailoring term meaning made entirely by operators on
machines, each operator doing a certain detail or part of the work and
then passing it along to another who does something else; no hand
tailoring enters into this process, which is employed almost exclusivly
for the less expensiv grades of readymade clothing and by cheap tailors.
Also called Hand-to-hand made.
=Sedan beaver=—a fine grade of b. cloth made in Sedan, France.
=Seedy=—needing refurbishing.
=Seersucker=—originally a thin linen fabric like gingham; now simply
cotton gingham with or without alternate crinkled stripes effected in
weaving by varying the tension of the warp yarns; usually in two-color
effects, as blue and white.
=Selby=—an apron for four-in-hand or tandem driving, strapt around the
waist, reaching to ankle when standing; named after Jem Selby, a
well-known professional whip tooling four-in-hand between London and
Brighton.
=Selby coat=—a short, very full and boxy, double-breasted top c. for
driving.
=Self-acting rubbers=—trade term for rubber overshoes having a small
projecting point at the back of the heel, by means of which, held down
by the other foot, each (over) shoe may be easily removed.
=Self collar=—tailor’s term for a c. made of the same goods as body of
garment.
=Self-figured=—a figured pattern achieved in the loom; not printed;
generally used in connection with solid color fabrics.
=Self measurement=—any scheme or method for ascertaining the sizes of
garments, etc., ordered by mail, sometimes possible alone, but as often
requiring assistance.
=Self shank=—trade term for buttons with a laterally pierced s., as in
pearl, or more loosely, a cloth s., as in covered buttons.
=Selling sample=—any length of goods or any garment or article from
which orders are taken.
=Selvage=—the web edge of a fabric; list.
=Selvedge=—same as Selvage.
=Semi-clerical sack coat=—the ordinary single-breasted, square-cornered
s. c.; usually worn with clerical waistcoat.
=Semi-dress=—informal d.
=Semi-fitting=—neither close nor loose; partly shaped.
=Semi-frock=—the cutaway or morning coat.
=Semi-precious stone=—valuable, but not sufficiently so to be clast as a
true gem.
=Semi-ready=—proprietary term for readymade clothing provided with ample
outlets at necessary places, sometimes left unfinisht at cuffs, and
basted with a white thread in various places to give a partly finisht
effect. Stores featuring this clothing when controlled by the parent
company, are called semi-ready wardrobes, and are mostly located in
Canada.
=Semi-staple=—term descriptiv of men’s wear, goods that are neither
wholly in the staple class (as are most plain weave, black and blue
fabrics), nor yet may be clast as novelties, as are fancy weaves,
bright-colored patterns, etc., but comprising such goods as gray and
brown shades in serges, diagonals, etc.
=Sennit=—a peculiarly plaited straw braid showing serrated edges on one
side; a straw hat of such braid; contraction of “sevenknitt”. See Brab.
=Separable button=—term usually applied to cuff b. mounted on a post to
which a clip, screw or lever device permits attachment and detachment of
the top or bottom parts, supposedly a convenience for inserting in stiff
linen.
=Separable stud=—see S. button.
=Serape=—a narrow blanket, usually brilliantly colored, worn over the
shoulder or over a saddle. (Mexico, Spain, etc.)
=Serge=—general name for twill woven fabrics. Suitings are usually of
worsted yarn and with a rather flattish, diagonal twill; also made with
worsted warp and wool filling; generally plain dyed.
=Serge=—a lining material of cotton or linen warp and wool or mohair
filling, woven three-leaf twill.
=Serge de berri=—lasting (qv).
=Sergeant’s uniform=—see Full dress, Dress u., White u., Service u.,
Fatigue u. Also variants.
=Serged seams=—in tailoring, the edges are basted or “serged” and the
seam itself usually stitcht twice, first as a plain seam and then again
thru both seam-edges, which are turned one way instead of prest open;
mostly used on loosely woven fabrics.
=Sergedusoy=—a coarse silk stuff of 18th century, used for men’s coats
and waistcoats.
=Serging=—an overcasted stitch employed to hold ravelly edges of seams.
See Serged seams.
=Seri-culture=—silk culture.
=Service belt=—(=army=) see Army b.
=Service breeches=—(=army=) for officers: of same material as s. coat,
without stripe, welt or cord; cut loose about the seat and above the
knees, fitting closely below the knee and extending to tops of shoes,
fastening with tapes, laces or buttons; for mounted officers the seat
and legs re-enforced with same material; for enlisted men: of olive-drab
woolen or khaki-colored cotton material, to match s. coat; cut loose
above knee and close-fitting below, fastened with tapes or laces; in
general conforming to the pattern prescribed for officers; for mounted
use, with re-enforcement or saddle piece, of same material, on seat and
legs.
=Service cap=—(=army=) for officers: a regulation c. of olive-drab serge
trimmed with a band of mohair braid, and with a drooping visor of black
enameled leather, with chin strap of same; worn with prescribed badge
and with olive-drab uniform by all officers. Also the cotton khaki c. of
similar model, but having a detachable top and no band. For enlisted
men: of olive-drab serge, conforming to corresponding c. for officers,
but without the lustrous braid. Also of cotton khaki, with detachable
covers.
=Service chevron=—(=army=) for enlisted men: a diagonal half-c. of cloth
of the color of the corps, department or arm of service to which wearer
is attacht, conferred for service in war, completed periods of
enlistment, etc.
=Service coat=—(=army=) for officers: a single-breasted sack c. of
olive-drab woolen or khaki-colored cotton material, made with 4 outside
choked-bellows pockets (2 above and 2 below), without plaits and with
buttoned flaps, falling collar; fitting closely at waist and loosely at
chest; 5 bronze buttons; in length reaching to one-third the distance to
knee; collar and shoulder ornaments as prescribed; officers of general
staff corps (except chief of staff) wear a band of ½ inch black braid on
sleeve, 3 inches from end; for enlisted men: a single-breasted,
straight-front sack c. of olive-drab woolen or khaki-colored cotton
material, conforming in design and cut to the service c. for officers,
trimmed as prescribed.
=Service coat=—(=navy=) for officers: a fly-front, close-meeting,
single-breasted c. of dark blue cloth or serge, shaped to the figure, in
length reaching to the crotch, with a slit or vent over each hip, and a
plain standing collar, the collar, front and bottom edges, side seams
and hip vents trimmed with wide silk braid, laid on flat, and beside
which a narrow black silk braid is laid; collar and sleeves ornamented
with appropriate devices, marks, etc., according to rank. (=Revenue
cutter service=) for all commissioned officers, in general, the same as
the service c. worn by naval officers. In warm weather a similar c. of
white linen duck, trimmed with white linen braid. For non-commissioned
officers, a similar c. without braiding; or a white c. For
masters-at-arms, a 5 button double-breasted c. of dark blue cloth with
rolling collar; or of blue serge or flannel or white duck in warm
weather.
=Service dress=—(=navy=) uniform to be worn when “Uniform B.” is
prescribed on occasions of ceremony where officers of navy and army
appear together, and at all times not otherwise provided for; consisting
of, for all officers, service coat, undress trousers (white may be
prescribed), blue cap (white cap or helmet shall be prescribed with
white trousers or may be with blue.)
=Service dress=—(=revenue cutter service=) for officers, blue or white
service coat, blue or white trousers, blue or white cap, sword and black
leather belt, white gloves except at sea. Sword and belt omitted on
ordinary boarding duty. For non-commissioned officers, a similar uniform
without sword or belt and with appropriate ornaments, etc. For seamen,
white duck jumpers with wide collars and cuffs trimmed with dark blue
flannel; trousers of dark blue cloth, broadfalls style, laced behind; or
of white duck of same pattern; blue flannel undershirt, and other
garments, ornaments, etc., as prescribed.
=Service dress=—(=army=) see S. uniform; (=marine corps=) Field d.
=Service hat=—(=army=) a soft felt h. of regulation pattern, of the
color of the s. uniform, with a cord of gold bullion for general
officers and of gold and black intermixt for all other officers; and for
enlisted men: a soft felt h. of the color of the uniform, of regulation
pattern, decorated as prescribed.
=Service trousers=—(=army=) for officers, of same material as s. coat,
without stripe, welt or cord.
=Service uniform=—(=army=) (a) for habitual wear in garrisons, (b) for
duty under arms in garrison unless otherwise prescribed, and (c) at
drills (when prescribed), target practice, maneuvers, on marches and in
the field. For all dismounted officers: (a) s. coat and trousers, s.
cap, russet leather shoes; (b) under arms, add s. belt, saber, drab
leather gloves; (c) s. coat and breeches, russet leather shoes,
leggings, s. hat, s. belt, drab leather gloves, saber, revolver;
officers of signal corps wear russet leather shoulder belt with b. and
c. when on duty requiring its use. For all mounted officers: (a) s. coat
and breeches, s. cap, russet leather boots or russet leather shoes with
leggings, spurs, drab leather gloves; (b) under arms add s. belt and
saber; (c) same as a. except s. hat and add revolver; shoulder belt for
officers of signal corps when required; for enlisted men, dismounted:
(a) s. coat and breeches, s. cap, leggings, russet leather shoes; (b)
under arms add drab leather gloves, russet leather belt and cartridge
box; (c) s. coat and breeches, leggings, russet leather shoes, s. hat,
field belt, drab leather gloves. Mounted: (a) s. coat and breeches,
leggings, s. cap, russet leather shoes, drab leather gloves, spurs; (b)
under arms add russet leather belt and cartridge box; (c) s. coat and
breeches, s. hat, leggings, russet leather shoes, spurs, field belt, and
drab leather gloves.
=Setting the twist=—a finishing process in yarn spinning; the act of
steaming the rovings or twisted worsted yarn so that the twist shall
become permanent.
=Sew-thru=—trade term for buttons made with holes to sew thru. Compare
Shank.
=Sewing machine=—an invention that has made readymade apparel a
prodigious commercial success.
=Sewing silk=—a two-cord thread with a left-hand or reverse twist, so
that as the needle goes thru the fabric the thread tightens. See also
Machine twist and Buttonhole twist.
=Sewings=—trade term for sewing silk, cotton and linen thread.
=Shabby=—pretty well worn.
=Shabby-genteel=—seedy; of incomplete freshness or outworn
fashionableness of attire.
=Shackle=—leg jewelry, not well thought of.
=Shad-belly coat=—a name, drawn from the contour of the shad, for a c.
of the pattern similar to that now known as a cutaway frock or morning
c., but originally with standing collar and buttoning nearly or close to
the neck. From the fact that Quakers preferred the shad-belly c. at a
time when other styles were popular, they received the nickname of
shad-bellies. The term is still used occasionally, referring to the
cutaway frock.
=Shaded=—trade term for goods not running exactly alike, one piece with
another of the same number; or varying in the same piece. Compare “Off
color” and “Cloudy”.
=Shadow check=—in weaving, monotone effects of plain design.
=Shadow silk=—changeable; iridescent. See Changeant.
=Shadow stripe=—an effect in cloth weaving showing a blended stripe
pattern of rather darker or lighter shade than the body-color.
=Shadow weave=—an effect achieved in the loom by alternate or regular
repeats or duplications of the pattern in darker shades of yarn, giving
the appearance of reflected shadows; in some goods certain of the yarns
are twisted in an opposit or reverse direction, which, woven, assist in
the shadow effect.
=Shag=—a heavy woolen cloth with long nap, used for coats, overcoats,
skirts, etc., when the country was young.
=Shagrine=—an old-time lining material.
=Shaker=—see below.
=Shaker flannel=—a plain woven white f., with a cotton warp and wool
filling, well napt.
=Shaker goods=—general term for fabrics, yarns, hosiery, etc.,
manufactured by the Shaker community, their most important manufacturing
settlements being those in New York and Ohio.
=Shaker socks=—originally a plain, heavy, woolen variety, in natural
color or blue mixt, latterly made with a ribbed leg and also so known.
=Shako=—a stiff, high military hat or cap with a peak in front and
usually a pompon or a plume at the front part of the flat crown; a high
fur hat or cap resembling the so-called bearskin; the glory of a
drum-major. See Full dress cap (marine corps).
=Shalloon=—a light, fine, close-woven, worsted or worsted-and-wool
fabric, twilled on both sides, usually dyed in plain colors and employed
as a lining material, so called from Chalons, France, where first made.
=Sham vest=—a narrow strip sewed inside the collar of a (livery) body
coat, usually of Valencia, extending beyond the collar about ¼ inch.
=Shamoying=—a process of dressing leather with oil and fatty substances.
=Shammy=—see Chamois.
=Shampoo=—a vigorous cleansing of the hair, with soap and water or other
adjuvants and much manipulation.
=Shamrock linen=—a fine, thin, sheer handkerchief l. resembling batiste,
woven of 1 warp l. and 1 warp fine sea island cotton alternating and
with the same arrangement of weft. Also called pineapple cloth. See
Thread-about.
=Shanghai=—an old term for a tall, lanky dude, swell, or masher. (From
Shanghai fowls, a long-legged variety introduced from China).
=Shank=—that part of a shoe between the tread and the heel; also the
steel strengthening piece inserted therein.
=Shank=—a metal or cloth projection on the underside of a button for
sewing thru onto the cloth.
=Shankbone=—a bone, properly the shankbone of a deer, used to “slicken”
or smooth and lightly polish boots which are first drawn on trees, the
rubbing of the bone on the surface of the leather imparting sufficient
oil for a “finish”.
=Shaps=—see Chaparejos.
=Sharkskin=—a name applied to a kind of rain-cloth having a round figure
and a glossy back.
=Sharkskin serge=—a fancy weave s., having some resemblance to
chain-weave s.
=Sharps=—see Needle.
=Shaving mirror=—a single or triplicate m. that may be adjusted to many
angles; a masculin luxury.
=Shaving mug=—a cup for shaving soap and water.
=Shaving soap=—a soft emollient luxury unknown to women; supposed to be
extra fine and “not to dry on face”.
=Shaving stand=—a piece of (masculin) furniture having mirrors, drawers,
etc.
=Shaving stick=—a form of shaving soap to be rubbed directly on the
wetted bristles.
=Shawknit=—a proprietary term for stockings made in rights and lefts.
=Shawl=—a square or oblong wrap of heavy cloth, plain or patterned,
often fringed, worn in place of an overgarment; usually of fine, soft
wool and woven with a long nap.
=Shawl collar=—in tailoring, a c. embraced in plain curved lines,
without a notch or step; usually silk-faced when made on dinner jackets,
self-faced when on waistcoats, or fur covered when on overcoats; a
rolling c.
=Shawl pattern=—general term for designs taken from Oriental shawls.
=Shawl pin=—a brooch used for fastening the shawls worn by (usually
elderly) men.
=Shawl roll=—same as s. collar.
=Shawl strap=—buckled leather straps, single or connected double with a
handle, for carrying shawls, steamer rugs, parcels, etc.
=Shawl waistcoat=—formerly a w. made of a shawl pattern; material
usually woolen.
=She dragon=—see Wig.
=Shears=—exaggerated “scissors” used by clothing cutters.
=Shed=—the opening or space between divisions of warp threads (or
leaves) in weaving for the passage of the shuttle carrying the weft.
=Sheepskin=—used, with the wool on, for lap robes, fur coats, gloves,
etc.; without the wool, for heavy working gloves, polishing leather,
etc.
=Sheer=—very fine, thin and delicate; gauzy.
=Shell=—term given to winter overcoats that are lined thruout with fur,
the cloth part of the garment being so called.
=Shell=—see Tortoise; see Pearl.
=Shell bag=—see Ammunition b.
=Shell carrier=—see Cartridge belt.
=Shellalee=—a disused spelling of shillelagh.
=Shells=—the thin metal discs used in making covered buttons.
=Shepherd check=—a name given to twill woven suitings, having a peculiar
small black-and-white check pattern, achieved by six black and six
white, repeatedly, both in the warp and filling directions. Sometimes
other colors are used instead of black and white; and frequently a
colored thread is used at intervals in either or both directions, for
illumination.
=Shepherder=—a 1907 variation of sombrero.
=Sherryvallies=—overalls, formerly worn over trousers, to protect them
from mud and dust when traveling. The word is probably a corruption of
“chevalier”. See Shorrevals.
=Shetland=—very shaggy overcoating, named as some say after the Shetland
pony, the coat of which it is supposed to imitate in appearance, or as
others say from the coarse wool of the Shetland sheep from which it was
first made, and which seems the more probable.
=Shield=—a sort of fancy dicky or plastron worn with boys’ sailor
blouses.
=Shield bosom=—a stiff shirt b. built up of two or more thicknesses of
linen or other material of various fineness, made either in one piece or
“open front”.
=Shield bow=—a b. tie without band, attacht to a shield which fastens by
a loop to the collar button and engages the folds of the collar; worn
only with turned down collars.
=Shillalagh=—ask an Irishman.
=Shin guard=—a sort of shield of rattan reeds sewed into padded leather
or canvas, worn around the leg by cricketers, football players, etc.
=Shingle=—to cut the hair evenly short all-over the head; a “monkey
cut”.
=Shipping clerk=—the chap who makes you cuss a late delivery.
=Shirt=—a garment worn between underwear and coat (or vest);
specifically a sort of loose sack with sleeves and a plain front or with
a plaited or shield bosom, usually made of fine cotton and linen
fabrics, tho for neglige wear fine woolen and silk materials are also
employed. Shirts with shield bosoms are commonly designated dress shirts
(whether white or colored), the designation evening or full dress s.
distinguishing those entirely of white and particularly with a large
full bosom. Bosom shirts are usually made (1) open front, (2) closed
front with open back, (3) open front and back, (4) open front coat
style, while those with plaited or plain soft fronts are usually made
open front coat style. All varieties are made with and without attacht
cuffs and white full dress shirts often with attacht collars. All of
which, and more, too, you doubtless knew.
=Shirt bosom=—a sort of bill board for vulgarians to bedeck with
diamonds.
=Shirt coat=—a windproof, dust proof and waterproof “slip-on”
overgarment for motor wear, made (somewhat like a poncho) without a
front opening, but having an elastic rubber yoke (thru which the head is
past) closely encircling the neck, and sleeves provided with wind
shields.
=Shirt collar=—any c., separate or attacht, worn with a shirt, generally
known as standing, wing, lay-down, folded etc.
=Shirt cuffs=—memorandum tablets.
=Shirt frill=—the ruffle once worn on shirt bosoms, the decadence of
which is seriously to be regretted.
=Shirt front=—a separate bosom or dicky.
=Shirt pin=—begemmed bravura now obsolete.
=Shirt protector=—a sort of muffler, generally shaped, for the
protection of dress shirts against dust and ditto the chest of the
wearer from colds, etc.
=Shirt stud=—a button-like sort of fastener for open bosoms, usually of
gold with or without settings of precious stones; a similar article for
closed bosom shirts usually mounted on a spiral or screw or separable
post, by which it is inserted.
=Shirting=—general term for linen and cotton cloths intended for men’s
shirts; usually woven tighter, singed closer and more heavily calendered
than when intended for other uses.
=Shirting flannel=—general term for a large variety of plain and twill
woven light-weight soft wool fabrics suitable for outing shirts, etc.
=Shirtwaist=—a test of masculin fortitude during the summer of 1901 and
a while after.
=Shirtwaist suspenders=—see Invisible s.
=Shirty=—slang for your state of mind when angry.
=Shoddy=—cloth made from cheap yarns spun over cotton warp; these yarns
are spun from old woolen rags chopt into waste, then carded and spun
into threads of various sizes and strength. The cloth is soft, nicely
finisht, attractiv in appearance and comparativly free from
imperfections; it can be woven into patterns similar to those of the
most expensiv woolens, and is a very cheap fabric, often as low as 30c
to 15c a yard, and a larger yardage is consumed than of any other kind
of goods manufactured for men’s wear.
=Shoddy=—(adj.) of poor quality; trashy; not genuine.
=Shoe=—an outer covering or dress for the human foot, usually
distinguisht from a boot (qv) by not reaching above the ankle, commonly
made of leather.
=Shoe=—the base or bottom part of a collar button.
=Shoe brush=—a brush for cleaning or polishing shoes; any of various
models, some having daubers and handles attacht.
=Shoe buckle=—a b. for fastening a shoe by a strap across the instep, or
one worn only for ornament.
=Shoe button=—a small b. that, before the era of patent fasteners, had a
habit of dropping off in public, and which still is unable to keep
perpetually black.
=Shoe buttoner=—see button hook.
=Shoe horn=—a curved metal device, not unlike a surgeon’s speculum, for
helping tight shoes onto the foot.
=Shoe lace=—a fastening that always breaks in public places.
=Shoe leather=—slang for shoes.
=Shoe names=—generally those coined, fancy names applied to lasts of
peculiar shape with peculiar styles of toes; usually of no permanency or
value.
=Shoe pack=—a shoe made like an Indian moccasin, usually of white, oil
tanned stock, and formerly worn extensivly in winter in the northern
lumber states, but now in limited demand by western farmers during
harvest; known since revolutionary times.
=Shoe peg=—a small tack or nail of wood or metal used for fastening
soles to uppers.
=Shoe plate=—a triangular device of steel affixt to the toe or heel of a
s., or both (as of a baseball s.), the ends of which are bent at right
angles to the foot, serving to give a firm footing when running,
pitching, etc.
=Shoe pull=—see Heel strap.
=Shoe scraper=—an iron contrivance once prominent at the side of the
steps to a house, used for scraping dirt from the shoes before entering.
=Shoe strings=—s. laces.
=Shoe tie=—a s. lace.
=Shoe tree=—a wooden form for keeping shoes in shape. See Tree.
=Shoemaker’s wax=—a mixture of pitch and tallow (highly prized by
schoolboys for sticking on the teacher’s chair).
=Shoestring=—a long, narrow black silk necktie.
=Shoestrut=—a hose supporter for men, made of spring steel wire,
attaching to the top of the shoe and the top of the stocking and so worn
in an upright position.
=Shootin’-iron=—the “weepon” for which hip pockets were invented.
=Shooting coat=—a sack c. or jacket of corduroy, duck, etc., with deep,
capacious pockets, worn by sportsmen.
=Shooting hat=—a low crowned soft h. of corduroy or mackinaw cloth, with
a brim that turns up or down behind.
=Shooting hose=—same as golf h. (qv).
=Shooting jacket=—see S.-coat.
=Shop=—store.
=Shop-assistant=—English term for what we call salesclerk and salesman.
=Shop board=—the table that journeymen tailors work upon.
=Shop cap=—commonly, a flat topt, straight-sided c. with a peak, usually
of cheap cotton material.
=Shop-made=—general trade term for garments and other articles made in a
shop where modern machinery and labor saving methods are in use—as, for
illustration, garments made in a modern factory instead of by highly
paid journeymen. Compare Made.
=Shopkeeper=—a retail merchant, commonly with but small business.
=Shoplifter=—just plain thief.
=Shopper=—a spy in the employ of a rival merchant.
=Shopping=—“just looking.”
=Shopworn=—soiled, frayed, rubbed, scuft, barkt, nickt, etc., by
handling, dust, accident, etc.
=Shorrevals=—a sort of pantaloon or legging worn on horseback as a
protection against mud, over the trousers or breeches, buttoning on the
outside of the leg; obsolete. See Sherryvallies.
=Short clothes=—a graduation step from the long dresses of early
infancy.
=Short clothes=—the knee breeches of the last and preceding century.
=Short collar=—tailoring term for a c. put on too short for the gorge of
a coat and consequently tight.
=Short fly=—in tailoring a defect in trousers-making, having a
penitential effect upon the wearer.
=Short hose=—a stocking reaching nearly to the knee, worn by children;
the short stocking of the Scotch highlanders.
=Short measures=—general term for those systems of tailors’ measurements
embracing everything comprehended by the long m. systems, but which are
divided, in the taking, into two or more separate measurements and also
including measurements which zealots of other systems declare redundant.
Compare Long m. and Superlativ m.
=Short roll=—high buttoning; the reverse of long r. (qv). (Tailoring
term.)
=Short sleeves=—general term for undergarments with sleeves reaching to
the elbow, or shorter.
=Short staple=—short fiber, as cotton, wool, etc. (qv).
=Short stout=—clothing trade term for readymade garments designed to fit
corpulent persons of less than average hight. Compare S. and Extra s.
=Short vamp=—see Long v.
=Short wool=—fine fleece 2 to 4 inches long. See Wool.
=Shorts=—early familiar term for knee breeches in contradistinction to
long trousers. Compare Longs. See Short clothes.
=Shot=—(1) textil term for a changeable effect produced by the use of
warp threads of one color and weft of another, producing a changeable
color effect. See Changeant. (2) Also a textil term for seeded effects,
produced usually by a brilliant thread (as silk in a woolen fabric)
appearing at close intervals over the face of the goods.
=Shoulder belt=—a b. passing over one shoulder and about the body on the
opposit side; worn as a badge or regalia, or to sustain a weapon, pouch,
etc.; a baldric, bandolier, sword b., etc.
=Shoulder belts=—(=army=) worn with full dress by officers of the signal
corps; for chief signal officer, of red russia leather having 3 stripes
of gold embroidery and field-glass case attacht; other officers, a b.
corresponding to their waist b., with field-glass case attacht.
=Shoulder cape=—loosely, any short or small c., whether worn as a
separate garment or attacht to an overcoat.
=Shoulder closer=—in clothing manufacture, a workman who sews up the
shoulder seams of coats.
=Shoulder form=—a coat hanger or display fixture conforming to the
shoulders of a coat.
=Shoulder holster=—a revolver h. with a breast and shoulder strap, worn
under the coat on the left side.
=Shoulder knot=—a braided ornamental k. of gold lace worn on the
shoulder in lieu of strap and epaulet, indicating rank, worn by
commissioned officers only; a kind of epaulet without fringe.
=Shoulder mark=—a strip of cloth about 2¼ × 5 inches, pointed at one
end, worn by officers in the navy, distinguishing their rank according
to the style and manner of braid and other ornament.
=Shoulder measure method=—one of various systems of garment measurement.
(Tailoring.)
=Shoulder piece=—(1) a piece over the shoulder joining the front and
back of a garment; (2) a shoulder strap; (=3=) armor protecting the
shoulders.
=Shoulder pitch=—see S. point.
=Shoulder point=—where the forepart and backpart (of a coat) meet and
are seamed at the shoulder, particularly the crest thereof; a term in
tailor’s measurements.
=Shoulder stick=—a shoemaker’s tool for “setting” the edges of soles and
heels.
=Shoulder strap=—a s. of cloth edged with gold lace and bearing certain
insignia, indicating rank, etc., worn by commissioned officers in the
army and navy. See Regulations for specific information.
=Shoulder strap=—see Tourist s.
=Shovel hat=—a low, round-crowned, felt h. with a plain flat brim which
is longer in front and behind than at the sides and droops slightly;
worn by Roman and Anglican clerics, the latter much modified; the name
derived from its appearance.
=Show card=—a window sign; a study in still li—es.
=Show off=—an inborn predilection for displaying new clothes, jewels,
accomplishments, etc.
=Show window=—a place where goods are displayed, to be damaged by the
sun, for the purpose of supplying occasions for reduced prices in
“bargain sales”.
=Shower coat=—a raincoat.
=Shrink=—general term for (1) the process of reducing or contracting the
length and width of fabrics by means of steam, cold water, etc., so that
when fashioned into or used as part of any garment or article of
apparel, there will be no further appreciable loss; also called sponging
(see Sponge); (2) to lose in size in laundering or use; (3) to contract
any particular spot or portion of a garment or article of apparel, for
purposes of shapeliness, fit or style, by means of a hot iron and water.
=Shroud=—the last garment we wear; one that the wearer never hurries the
maker to complete.
=Shushine=—proprietary name for a preparation for polishing shoes.
=Siberian dog=—the fur of a species of dog or wolf found in Siberia;
resembles that of a fox in texture. Used for coats, caps, etc.
=Sicilian=—a plain-woven mohair fabric. See Mohair.
=Side-body=—tailor’s term for a part of a frock coat, stopping at arm
scye and at waist, connecting forepart with backpart.
=Side-buckle trousers=—t. buckled at each side of the waist instead of
behind, the straps and buckle being smaller than on back-buckled
trousers.
=Side edge=—a sort of ornamental welt, placket or rever inserted into
the plait seam of the (skirt-) back of skirted uniform and livery coats,
variously shaped but usually contrived with 3 points, upon each of which
a button is set.
=Side leather=—a shoemaking term applied to upper leathers made from cow
hides which have been split down the backbone, a whole hide making two
sides when so split; a term distinguishing certain class of upper l. as
compared with calf l.
=Side of neck=—old name for shoulder point (qv).
=Side pocket=—the principal trousers p. with opening thru the side seam
of trousers. Compare Top p.
=Side pocket=—a curious name given to a drinking saloon in an
out-of-the-way place; a resort for thieves.
=Side prick stitch=—same as prick s. (qv)—so called from the way the s.
is placed. See also Pricking back s.
=Side stitch=—made similarly to the prick s., the stitches, however,
being laid just at the side of where the needle came thru. Employed for
especial neatness and firmness.
=Side tabs=—trade term for standing shirt collars with small flaps on
each side, beneath which the scarf is held and prevented from “riding”.
=Sideburns=—vernacular for short side whiskers.
=Signet ring=—see Seal r.
=Silesia=—a light, stout, closely woven, fine twilled, calendered cotton
material used for linings.
=Silesia seam=—a strong s. finish employed in making garments of fabrics
that are liable to slip or pull apart or that have little strength,
specifically a strip of silesia laid under a seam and stitcht to same on
both sides.
=Silk=—too exhaustiv for this book; you know what it is, or ought to,
for it has been used since 3400 B. C. See encyclopedia for lengthy
treatise.
=Silk beaver=—see Beaver.
=Silk braid=—a fine, firm tape or b. used by tailors for binding edges
of garments, etc., woven fairly close but flexible, of various widths,
denominated “lignes”, and also, according to purposes for which
designed, known as flat b., half-and-half-b., trouser-b., etc.
=Silk braid button=—a b. made on a wooden or metal mold covered with
silk braid, used on dress coats, waistcoats and overcoats.
=Silk hat=—an uncomfortable piece of aristocratic (?) headgear having
the faculty of elongating the tall and stunting the short, and a style
of headdress perennially threatened with retirement, but which seems to
be quite as cheerfuly ineradicable as dandelions in a grass plot.
=Silk-mixt=—wool, cotton, linen, etc., intermixt with silk in the yarn.
=Silk mixtures=—trade name for worsted and woolen cloths, having
decorativ threads of silk intersperst in the weaving, or woven partly of
yarns in which the silk threads are twisted.
=Silk-plated=—a s. face on a cotton or wool body, as silk-p. hosiery.
=Silk stick=—a piece of wood about 2½ × 12 inches, partly covered with
cloth, used by tailors for holding sewing silk in such a way that it may
readily be drawn out, a needleful at a time, without snarling.
=Silk stocking=—epithet applied to aristocrats unexpectedly meddling in
politics or other affairs that do not ordinarily concern them.
=Silk tests=—see Elasticity t., Flame t., Pure dye t., Weighted s. t.,
Cotton t., etc.
=Silker=—Briticism for silk hat.
=Silkopolis=—Paterson, N. J., where most of the domestic silk goods are
manufactured.
=Silkworm=—bombyx mori, attacus ricini, attacus cynthia, telea
polyphemus, et al.—all of which probably tells you little more than you
know. Encyclopedias are good investments—get one.
=Silvalin=—a yarn or weaving material spun from a sort of paper obtained
from wood, manufactured in Southern Germany. Probably an incorrect
spelling of Xylolin (qv).
=Silver fox=—the most valuable of all fox furs. Single skins are often
sold as high as $500.
=Silver gilt=—(1) gilded silver; (2) spurious gilding of s. by means of
a yellow lacquer.
=Silver headed=—getting along in years.
=Silver plated=—baser metal coated or plated with s.
=Silver stick=—same as gold s.
=Silver top=—jocular for a gray haired person.
=Simitar=—see Scimitar.
=Simulated cuff=—in tailoring, a welt, plait or other imitation of a
turned back c., on a coat sleeve.
=Singeing=—the process of removing nap from the surface of fabrics by
means of heat or flame.
=Single-breasted=—fastened with a single row of buttons or other
fastening and having but one thickness or leaf of the garment or fabric
at the breast. Compare Double-breasted.
=Single-breasted cutaway=—see C. frock coat and Frock coat.
=Single-breasted frock coat=—(1) a f. c. made with full straight hanging
skirts and unspliced foreparts; a “s. b. Prince Albert”; (2) a cutaway
f. c. See Frock c.
=Single-breasted Prince Albert=—(a misnomer, the “Prince Albert”,
so-called, being strictly a double-breasted frock); except for a single
row of buttons, of the same general style as the double-breasted or P.
A. frock.
=Single-breasted sack coat=—see Sack c.
=Single crepe=—a black silk c., less crinkly and softer than double c.
(qv); used for light mourning. See Crepe.
=Single cuff=—(1) an imitation coat sleeve c.; (2) an unfolded shirt c.
Compare Double c.
=Single soled=—having but one sole; cheap; poor.
=Single-stitcht=—tailor’s term for an edge finish obtained by stitching
on machine at a stated distance from the actual edge (as “1–16 in. s.
s.”) the edges having first been joined and turned.
=Single-stitcht seam=—see Cord s.
=Single warp=—a term used (1) in reference to yarns, meaning that the
warp threads are single and not two or more ply; also (2) in connection
with fabric construction indicating a single system of warp threads
with, say, a double system of weft or filling threads.
=Singles=—reeled filaments of raw silk twisted for firmness but not
doubled.
=Singlestick=—a light ash rod or stick, used as a substitute for the
sword in fencing exercises.
=Singlet=—(1) an aboriginal waistcloth; (2) an undershirt; (3) an
unlined waistcoat similar to a doublet.
=Sir Knight’s coat=—(=Masonic=) a single-breasted frock c. of black
cloth, with standing military collar, the front closing with 11 buttons.
Compare Commander’s c. and Fatigue blouse.
=Sissy=—opposit of tomboy.
=Size=—a unit of measurement.
=Size=—to size up; to form an opinion concerning a person or thing, the
equivalent of to take one’s measure.
=Size stick=—a shoe dealer’s foot measure.
=Size strap=—a foot measuring tape used by shoe dealers.
=Size ticket=—a small, square paper ticket with a big size number sewed
or pinned to the tail of a coat—which the customer sometimes is allowed
to wear away to show that he is a readymade man.
=Sizes=—trade term for an assortment or range of sizes and shapes.
=Sizes=—in the readymade clothing trade garments are classified as
regular, long, stout, slim, short-stout, corpulent, extra stout,
long-stout, long-slim, etc., indicating normal proportions and
variations thereof; all of which see.
=Sizing=—(1) the process of strengthening warp yarns by means of a gummy
preparation to enable them to withstand the weaving process without
chafing or breaking; (2) a finishing operation, similarly achieved,
applied to certain grades of cotton, linen or silk fabrics for purposes
of fictitious weight and appearance. See Glaze and Washable.
=Sizing=—a process in hat manufacture where the hat, still in the large
cone as delivered from the forming department, is carefully shrunken by
continual rolling, sqeezing, dipping in hot water, etc., until reduced
or fitted to its proper size, but still retaining the cone shape.
=Sizy=—overloaded with dressing.
=Skating cap=—(1) a knitted toque; (2) a turban c. of fur or cloth.
=Skating jacket=—a short, snug-fitting coat.
=Skating shoe=—a soft, flexible s. of less than regular hight.
=Skean dhu=—a Scottish highlander’s knife, worn in the stocking when in
clan costume.
=Skees=—bed slats with footholds affording first-rate amusement to those
fond of pitching head-first into snow banks.
=Skein=—a certain quantity of yarn or thread, wound, doubled and
knotted. Compare Hank.
=Skein dyes=—trade term for fabrics dyed in the yarn before weaving.
Compare Piece d., Ingrain d., Slub d., etc.
=Skeleton=—term applied to a coat made without lining.
=Skeleton suit=—a close-fitting s. of clothes, the jacket or vest having
a series of buttons at the waist to which the trousers are attacht.
=Ski=—see Skees.
=Skilts=—a kind of short trousers worn by boys and farmhands in Colonial
times; they reacht to just below the knee, were very broad in the legs,
but fitted snugly at the waist, needing no brace to support them.
=Skimpt=—done in a superficial or careless way. (=Skimped.=)
=Skin= (=to=)—trade term for leather with grain so tender that it peels
or barks easily.
=Skin wool=—see Pulled w.
=Skinner’s=—trade diminutiv for the general line of silk goods,
especially lining silks and satins, made by Wm. Skinner Mfg. Co.
=Skins=—trade term for the hides of small animals, as sheep, goat, deer,
etc., and for the lighter forms of leather. Compare Hides.
=Skirt=—the lower or hanging part of a coat, shirt, etc.; a peplum.
=Skirt pocket=—any p. made in the skirts or tail-part of a coat.
=Skirt strap=—a narrow band-like piece sewn to the waist seam of an
evening dress coat, extending from the skirt (of which it is usually an
integral part) to the front fore-edge.
=Skirted=—a term applied to certain wool fleeces imported into the U. S.
from which the head, belly and breech wool (inferior parts) have been
removed, to avoid full effect of the tariff.
=Skirty=—said of a coat with very full drapery.
=Skive=—in shoemaking, the process of shaving or paring leathers for
joints, etc.
=Skiver=—(1) split leather; (2) a workman who burls edges of leather;
(3) a machine for cutting counters and rands.
=Skull cap=—a light c., without peak or brim; closely fitting the skull.
=Sky piece=—slang for hat.
=Slanting pocket=—a p. placed at an angle.
=Slash=—a strip of tape, lace, braid, etc., worn on a non-commissioned
officer’s sleeve to distinguish him from a private.
=Slash pocket=—see Slit p.
=Slasher=—a machine for sizing and finishing warp yarn.
=Slasht=—said of a garment as a doublet, having many decorativ slits
underlaid or puft with fabric of different color. =(Slashed.)=
=Slater’s=—general term for standard flannels, uniform cloths, etc.,
made by S. Slater & Sons, Webster, Mass.
=Sleeping bag=—a large b.-like receptacle used at night by explorers,
prospectors, campers, etc., usually of sheepskin with the wool on,
waterproof duck, blanketing, etc., sometimes in combination with an air
mattress, the individual creeping into it for warmth.
=Sleeping stockings=—see Bed socks.
=Sleeping suit=—a loose fitting, one-piece, sleeping garment, usually of
canton flannel, or flannel, so fashioned as to cover the entire body
except head and hands.
=Sleeve=—that part of a coat, or shirt, or other garment, covering the
arm.
=Sleeve buttons=—in coat making, usually the same size as the waistcoat
b. tho fashion is fickle.
=Sleeve head=—tailor’s term for that part of a s. where a join is made
with the shoulder; if slightly puft or fulled on it is called
full-headed (qv).
=Sleeve head seam=—juncture of s. and body; the scye.
=Sleeve holder=—a device for holding up or shortening one’s shirt
sleeves to allow of freedom for forearm and protect the s. from undue
soiling or injury.
=Sleeve lining=—(1) a fine quality of silesia with a lustrous face
printed in fancy patterns, or with silk stripes, or both; (2) a fine
quality of cambric similarly illuminated; (3) a light, thin silk.
=Sleeve protector=—see Oversleeve.
=Sleeve ticket=—a paper or paper-faced cotton-back ticket attacht to
readymade coat sleeves having lot number, size and price marks printed
thereon.
=Slender=—see Slim.
=Slick up=—to get drest.
=Slicker=—a waterproof overcoat; an oilskin.
=Slide=—see String out.
=Sliders=—overalls; term obsolete.
=Sliding pads=—adjustable articles worn by base-stealers as protection
when making grand stand plays.
=Slim=—clothing trade term for readymade garments designed to fit
slenderly built persons with waists of less than normal measure. Compare
Long-slim.
=Slimsy=—slightly made; frail in build; flimsy in texture.
=Sling=—(1) a suspensory band for supporting an injured arm or leg; (2)
an elementary article of apparel among savages; (3) a strap by means of
which a rifle may be slung on the shoulders.
=Sling strap=—an attachment to a sword belt to which the scabbard is
attacht.
=Slinks=—in the old Irish glove trade, a name given to skins of unborn
calves from parturient cows purposely slaughtered.
=Slip=—an infant’s dress.
=Slip=—see String out.
=Slip collar=—a detachable c.
=Slip-on=—(1) a loose single-breasted sack overcoat, made without side
seams; usually of waterproof material; (2) a raincoat; (3) a waterproof
overcoat with skirts ample enough to cover saddle and legs.
=Slip-over=—a loose overcoat. Same as Slip-on.
=Slip sole=—a thin piece of sole leather placed between the outer s. and
inner s. of a shoe to make the finisht edge of the bottom thicker.
=Slip stitch=—a s. slipt over the next succeeding s. without catching or
knitting. See Drop-s.
=Slipper=—a low, light shoe, for indoor wear, into which (or out of
which) the foot is easily slipt, fraught with boyish reminiscences.
=Slipper=—a workman who removes the newly formed hat body from the cone.
See Coning, Slipping, etc.
=Slipping=—in hat making, the act of removing the body of a hat from the
cone.
=Slipshod=—down at the heel.
=Slit pocket=—any p. without welt or flap. See Welt p., Flapt p., Jetted
p., Raincoat p., etc.
=Slit welt=—the felled or hemmed opening in the palm of a glove.
=Sliver=—a soft, continuous rope or strand of wool, cotton or silk
fibers, as obtained in the carding and combing processes.
=Slob=—one who is untidy or slovenly in his personal appearance.
=Sloonly=—badly attired; slovenly drest.
=Slop shop=—(English) a shop where sailor’s readymade clothes, small
wares, etc., are sold.
=Slope of shoulder measure=—tailor’s term for (1) the upper or strap
measurement (qv) as taken by the long m. system and (2) the depth of
scye m. as taken by the short m. system. See Over-shoulder m.
=Slops=—English for readymade clothing of the cheaper grades and
workingmen’s jeans; up to and including the year 1903 exports of
clothing from the United Kingdom were officially classified as “apparel
and slops”. In 16th century, a term applied promiscuously to all
garments easily adjusted and imaginably ungainly, neglige or slipshoddy.
The word itself is derived from “slip”.
=Slouch hat=—any soft felt h.; especially a fedora or alpine h.
=Slub=—see Slubbing.
=Slub dyed=—trade term for woolen and worsted fabrics woven of yarns
dyed while still in the slub state. See Slubbing. Compare Skein d. and
Piece d.
=Slubbing=—a slightly twisted or badly twisted roll of wool; also called
slub and slubber.
=Slubbing machine=—a machine for drawing out and slightly twisting
carded wool; now superseded by improved devices attacht to wool-cards.
=Slug=—an iron for heating hollow hat irons.
=Slug lugger=—the youngster who carries the hot iron slug used for
heating hatter’s irons.
=Slugging=—a process in shoemaking performed by a s. machine which
drives in round the edges of the surface of the finisht heel rows of
brass or iron nails called slugs. A wire is put thru the machine and
this wire is automatically driven into the leather and cut off, having
the effect of leaving in the leather brass or iron nails.
=Slumber robe=—undertaker’s euphemism for shroud.
=Small=—tailor’s term for the hollow of the back at waistline
(small-of-the-back).
=Small arms=—fire arms, carried in the hand, and fired from the hand or
shoulder.
=Small-falls=—see Narrow f. and Front-f.
=Smalls=—close-fitting knee breeches.
=Smart=—a dandy of 1760 or thereabout.
=Smart set=—that element of our social organization that assumes to be
better drest, better mannered, better financed and better in various
other ways (not including morality) than the rest of us.
=Smock=—a large apron covering the person, such as is worn by butchers.
=Smock frock=—a yoked blouse or loose shirt of coarse linen or cotton,
worn by field laborers (in Europe) over other clothes.
=Smock linen=—a coarse, linen material for smocks.
=Smoke helmet=—a protectiv head covering, similar to a diver’s h., worn
by firemen and supplied with air from a comprest air receiver carried on
the back.
=Smoked pearl=—dark, cloudy.
=Smoked spectacles=—s. with lenses of smoked glass.
=Smoking cap=—broadly, any c. worn indoors while smoking, more
specifically, a fancy velvet, silk or cloth c. similar to a fez (qv).
=Smoking jacket=—any fancy coat for house (smoking) wear.
=Smoothing iron=—see Goose.
=Smudge=—to soil.
=Smuggler=—a dealer in contraband merchandise; an evader of customs
duties; a fraudulent importer.
=Smut=—a soiled or dirty condition as of soot, coal dust, ink smears,
etc.
=Smutch=—see Smudge.
=Snack basket=—a lunch b.
=Snag=—a broken tooth.
=Snail back=—see Wig.
=Snail pearl=—trade name for p. buttons, etc., in color, sometimes
natural, but more often dyed, and usually dark blue or red.
=Snakeskin garters=—worn in 18th century “to ward off cramps in the
legs”.
=Snap brim=—a hat b., flat structurally, tighter around the outer
circumference so that it may be tilted up or down in front, back or
sides; name probably from a snapping sound made in effecting the desired
tilt.
=Snap button=—a self-locking b. for bachelors, widowers and men with
negligent wives; especially useful when suspender buttons drop off.
=Snaps=—metal ball-and-socket clasps used on plackets, flies, gloves,
etc.
=Snarled=—tangled.
=Sneakers=—slang for rubber soled shoes; rubber heels; overshoes.
=Snide=—base, imitation, undesirable, fraudulent.
=Snip=—an overdrest man; a coxcomb; a finical person.
=Snipe collar=—tailor’s term for a long and slender coat c.
=Snob=—an imaginary somebody; read Thackeray for elucidativ treatis.
=Snob=—a journeyman shoemaker; an old English usage which has well-nigh
disappeared in the mother country, and is not much used in America, save
in some parts of Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
=Snow=—cant term for linen.
=Snow goggles=—see below.
=Snow spectacles=—(1) of various forms; commonly a slotted wood,
celluloid or metal shield, contrived to permit vision while shutting off
glare; (2) more loosely, smoked glass s.
=Snow shoe=—a sort of mammoth tennis racket affording easy means of
suicide.
=Snub nose=—broad and tip-tilted.
=Snuff box=—a small b., often ornamental or costly, for snuff, carried
in the pocket; in very general use in the days of the dandies—when may
it not be revived?
=Soap=—a detergent—used for personal cleanliness, in the laundry, in
wool preparation, mechanically, medicinally, and palaverously.
=Soap box=—a small b., usually fancy, of celluloid, metal or other
material, used principally by travelers for carrying their personal
cakes of s.
=Soap-chalk=—tailor’s marking c., compounded of pigment and soap or wax
so as to disappear under a hot iron or by agency of benzine.
=Soap shrunk=—trade term relating to a process of contracting cloths and
fabrics in soap and water, by which the maximum amount of shrinkage is
obtained; the best process for heavy cotton goods, as duck, canvas, etc.
Compare Steam s., Cold water s., etc.
=Soap-stiff=—tailor’s term for work, as of hems on the bottoms of
trousers, stiffened with soap instead of, as is common (with cheaper
work) with rubber tissue.
=Soapstone=—steatite or talc-rock, used as a marking-chalk on cloth.
=Social full dress=—(=revenue cutter service=) worn by commissioned
officers on occasions of strictly social nature, conforming in material,
cut, etc., to the evening dress of the navy, differing principally in
that the coat has 5 buttons on each breast instead of 3.
=Society=—broadly, the intercourse of people of self asserted
superiority, such as the new rich.
=Society man=—useless in business; good to sell clothes to.
=Sock=—(1) a knit or woven foot covering, having a leg shorter than that
of a stocking, a term much less euphonious than hose; (2) the light shoe
worn by comic actors in the Greek and Roman drama; (3) a warm insole;
(4) a sandal or clog formerly worn by the Recollect friars.
=Sock lining=—a piece of felt, cloth or leather, placed on the inside of
a shoe at the heel; used as a finishing method for covering up the ends
of nails and tacks used for attaching the heels to the sole.
=Sock stick=—in a lumber camp, a pronged s. or tree branch on which the
workmen hang their clothes near the fire.
=Soft finishing=—a process in hat manufacture whereby, after blocking
and drying, soft hats are adjusted on wooden blocks, pounced and finisht
smooth, ironed and trimmed to exact sizes of brim.
=Soft front=—a trade term for neglige shirts, more specifically those
without plaits.
=Soft prest=—but lightly gone over with the iron; not creased.
(Tailoring term.) Compare Hard p. (=S. pressed.=)
=Soft roll=—tailoring term, most commonly applied to lapels and coat
fronts, meaning not made or prest hard or stiff, but workt to turn or
handle freely; or lightly prest for same end.
=Soie=—French for silk.
=Soie ondee=—a species of thrown silk. See Throwing.
=Soiled=—ready to be “marked down”.
=Soisette=—proprietary name for a mercerized cotton cloth used for
pajamas, outing shirts, etc.
=Solar tip=—proprietary name for a make of children’s shoes having heavy
sole leather protectiv t.
=Sold out=—trade term expressiv of being out of a certain line and
unable to make further deliveries.
=Sold up=—trade term expressiv of being in a condition to accept no more
orders for delivery or manufacture.
=Soldiers’ uniforms=—see the various descriptions of army u. under Full
dress, Dress u., White u., Service u., Fatigue u., etc.
=Sole=—the bottom or walked-on part of a shoe or stocking.
=Sole scouring=—one of the final processes in modern shoemaking, whereby
all roughness of a s. is scoured off by holding against a machine having
rolls covered with sandpaper. See Sandpapering.
=Sole leather=—thick, heavy cowhide or other l. used for soles.
=Sole plate=—same as Heel p.
=Solid gold=—24 carats pure.
=Soliel=—textil term for a shining, lustrous, finish on silk and woolen
fabrics.
=Solitaire=—a ribbon of black silk tied loosely and worn around the
neck, sometimes attacht to the bag of the wig and tuckt loosely into the
front of the shirt (1760 or thereabout).
=Solitaire=—a diamond ring marking a great event in a young man’s life,
afterward often becoming a commonplace happening in his relations with
other men’s wives.
=Sombrero=—a broad-brimmed hat, usually of felt, common in Mexico and
the Southwest; often lavishly ornamented with gold lace, etc.
=Sonabitch=—a small imperial or goatee (qv).
=Sons of wax=—humorous term for shoemakers.
=Sorting=—the first process in woolen manufacture; classifying the
fibers of the fleece.
=Sorting kersey=—one of the old names for kersey (qv).
=Sorts=—trade term for sizes (qv), used specially when one is buying to
fill in the range.
=Sour=—a chemical step or process in cotton and linen bleaching.
=Soupled=—in silk throwing, having the external gluey covering removed
by heating in an acid bath.
=Soutache braid=—a narrow, roundish braid of the herringbone variety, of
silk, mohair, tinsel, etc.; used decorativly.
=South street=—a street in Philadelphia well known for its numerous
small, cheap clothing shops, tho of rather better flavor than Baxter s.,
N. Y. (qv); local synonym for cheap clothing.
=Southern ties=—laced low shoes, slightly higher than Oxfords, similar
to the Blucher model, but with the tops beginning farther back toward
the sides of the foot.
=Sou’wester=—a tarpaulin hat with a broad, drooping brim, especially so
behind to protect the neck.
=Sox=—vulgar for half hose (qv).
=Spaced front=—trade term for folded shirt collars more or less cut away
in f., meeting or not meeting at point of fold. Compare Meeting folder.
Term also applied to straight standing collars having an opening or
space in f.
=Spanish cape=—a semi-military c.
=Spanish linen=—a strong, plain woven fabric of l. warp and cotton
filling, 27 inches wide. Said to be fast color, non-creasable and
washable without mildew; of weight suitable for office coats, shirts,
pajamas, etc.; formerly made entirely by hand, but nowadays by
machinery.
=Sparkler=—diamond.
=Sparrowtails=—see Swallowtail.
=Spat puttee=—a p. legging covering the instep.
=Spats=—overgaiters.
=Spatterdash=—a sort of overgaiter or legging.
=Special full dress=—(=army=) see Evening d. uniform.
=Special full dress=—(=navy=) worn on state occasions at home and
abroad; when receiving the President, any foreign ruler or member of
royal family; at special ceremonies or entertainments; at general muster
on first Sunday of every month; receptions to ex-Presidents, to Vice
President or Secretary of Navy. Consists of—for all commissioned
officers, except chaplains, chief boatswains, chief gunners, chief
carpenters and chief sailmakers—special f. d. coat, f. d. trousers,
cockt hat; epaulets, sword and f. d. belt, white gloves, medals and
badges; for the commissioned officers excepted above, and for warrant
officers, mates and clerks, the same as “Undress A”; for midshipmen, the
same as “full dress”; (=marine corps=) worn on the same or similar
occasions. Consists of—for major general commandment: f. d. coat,
special f. d. or white trousers, chapeau, f. d. cap or white helmet,
sash, sword, f. d. sword, belt and knot, epaulets, white standing
collar, black shoes, white gloves (or, when mounted, dark blue riding
breeches, drab leather gloves, black boots with spurs); for all officers
of the line: a similar uniform except that chapeau and sash belong to
the higher rank, and that f. d. trousers are worn; for staff officers: a
uniform similar to that of the major general commandant excepting there
is no sash and that shoulder knots and aigulets are worn instead of
epaulets; for leaders and all members of the band (to be worn on
occasions of indoor functions at which the band has to play, or other
special occasions when ordered): special f. d. coat, special f. d.
trousers, special f. d. cap, sword with f. d. sword knot and belt
(leader only), shoulder knots (leader only), white gloves and black
leather shoes.
=Special full dress cap=—(=marine corps=) for leader of the band, of
blue cloth, same pattern and style as f. d. cap of officers of the line.
For second leader and musicians, of scarlet cloth, same model as f. d.
cap of other enlisted men.
=Special full dress coat=—(=navy=) for officers: a full-buttoned,
double-breasted c. of dark blue cloth, lined with white silk serge,
waist descending to top of the hip bone, the skirts commencing at about
one-fourth of the circumference from the middle of the front edge and
descending four-fifths of the distance from the hip bone to the knee
with two large navy buttons on the waist behind and one near the bottom
of each fold or plait; two rows of large navy buttons on the breast, 9
each; standing collar with V opening; the collar and cuffs covered with
gold lace, braid, bands of colored cloth, etc., as prescribed in
regulations according to rank of officer, and with appropriate epaulets,
etc.; (=marine corps=) for leader of the band, a sack c. of scarlet
cloth made after the same pattern as prescribed for first lieutenant
marine corps, except no opening for sword; the front edges, around
bottom, vents and sleeves trimmed with 1¼ in. flat gold braid, backed
with ⅛ in. gold tracing braid; collar similarly trimmed; gold tubular
braiding across breast in the same manner as prescribed for first
lieutenant, with gold crochet buttons and olives; seams between side
body and backpart trimmed with 2 rows of gold tubular braid; other
details as prescribed. For second leader of band, the same, except that
the cuffs are trimmed with black mohair braid. For musicians of band, a
fly-front sack c. of scarlet cloth, cut half close, standing collar of
black broadcloth piped with white, pointed cuffs ditto, shoulder straps
ditto; edges, bottom and vents trimmed with 1 in. black mohair braid
backt with ⅛ in. black mohair tracing braid, side body seams trimmed
with black mohair tubular braid; fronts trimmed with black mohair
tubular braid, 5 across, terminating in frogs, olives, etc.; otherwise
as prescribed.
=Special full dress trousers=—(=marine corps=) for major general
commandant, of dark blue cloth, cut with medium spring, side pockets,
outseams trimmed with 1¼ in. gold lace with a 3–16 in. scarlet silk
stripe thru center; for staff officers, the same without scarlet stripe;
for line officers, of sky-blue cloth, outseams trimmed with 1½ in. gold
lace with edges of scarlet cloth welted ¼ in.; for leader of band, of
dark blue cloth, the same as prescribed for staff officers, outseams
trimmed with 1¼ in. flat gold braid. For second leader and musicians,
the same except a 1 in. stripe of scarlet cloth down outer seams.
=Special patrolman’s uniform=—(New York) a double-breasted sack coat of
gray cloth reaching halfway to knee, buttoning close to throat with 5
buttons, no outside pockets. Trousers to match with a red welt on outer
seam. Overcoat, of same color, double-breasted sack style, reaching 3
inches below knee, closing with 6 buttons (2 rows), with rolling collar.
Cap, navy pattern of same color. In summer, uniform may be of gray
flannel.
=Special sale=—an advertising makeshift when goods move slowly or times
are dull.
=Special uniforms=—thruout the military and naval services of the United
States, whenever on occasions of ceremony officers of these services are
required to appear together in uniform, as prescribed under designations
Uniform A, Uniform B, and Uniform C, which see.
=Specialty mark=—(=navy=) an embroidered device forming a part of the
rating badge (qv), indicating occupation of the wearer, as master at
arms, boatswains mates, blacksmiths, yeomen, printers, etc.
=Specie bag=—a medium-sized strong leather hand b., carried by bank
messengers.
=Spectacle case=—a c. for holding and protecting spectacles when not in
use. See Eyeglass holder.
=Spectacles=—a device for aiding eyesight—a pair of lenses attacht to a
metal bridge and hinged bows, the latter usually curved to hook around
the ears, tho formerly made to clasp the temples; the lenses sometimes
enclosed in a frame or rim.
=Spence cotton=—a variety of c. grown in India, having a strong, wiry
staple of 1 to 1¼ inches in length, the “trees” producing it frequently
attaining a hight of 6 to 7 feet.
=Spencer=—a short, scant, top coat not covering the undercoat, invented
by Lord Spencer, about 1792, on a bet that he could set a fashion,
wholly meaningless and unnecessary, that would be the vogue within six
months. He then took shears and amputated the tails of the coat he was
wearing and appeared in it on the street. Being a leader of fashion, the
idiosyncrasy spread within a week and in a few months reached America.
=Spent tan=—roughly ground tanbark from which the tannic acid has been
extracted by infusion.
=Spick-and-span=—new, fresh, clean, tidy; showing off one’s glad rags.
=Spiff=—clerk’s slang for premium or bonus.
=Spinage=—long whiskers.
=Spindle=—(1) a slender rod in a spinning wheel carrying thread which is
to be twisted and wound on bobbins; (2) a rod used in hand spinning on
which is wound the thread from the distaff.
=Spinning=—the process of drawing out and spinning textil fibers into
thread, either by hand or machinery; a process in woolen manufacture by
which the drawn fleece or yarn is twisted into yarns or threads of
required thickness, technically known as “counts”, according to the
fabrics for which intended. As spun, the yarn is wound onto large
bobbins for warp or on to smaller spools for weft. Practically the same
for other fibers. See Encyclopedia.
=Spinning jenny=—see Jenny.
=Spinning mule=—see Mule.
=Spitalfields=—a district of London, England, noted specially for its
silk weaving industries; the name is also applied to silk goods
therefrom, as a mark of quality.
=Spladder dashers=—one of the old forms of “spatterdash” (qv).
=Splay-footed=—toes turning outwardly.
=Spliced=—generally, a makeshift extension. See Crotch piece, Wheel
piece, etc.
=Spliced heel=—trade term for hosiery with the heel made much heavier
than the body of the stocking, usually spoken as s. heels-and-toes. See
Double sole.
=Split falls=—same as Narrow f.
=Split foot=—trade term for stockings whereof the underfoot part is
knitted separately from the upper or leg part, altho these may be
seamlessly joined with practically the same motion or reciprocal
interchange of loops, or otherwise. See English f.
=Split patterns= (=to=)—tailoring term for the operation of first
drafting a pattern according to the subject’s actual measurements, then
splitting it open from top to bottom, and inserting an allowance for a
superfluous amount of goods for ease and style, a new pattern being
usually drafted from the split one.
=Split straw=—(1) hat s. split into narrow strips; (2) hats of such
straw (usually “yacht” shapes).
=Split tree=—a shoe t. divided longitudinally and expanding when placed
in position.
=Splits=—weaving term for cloths woven with a center selvaged motion, so
that when the piece is taken from the loom the wide fabric can be split
into two or more practically perfect cloths; in weaving designated one
s., two s., etc.
=Sponge=—general term for (1) the process of extra-shrinking fabrics
preparatory to manufacturing into garments; see Shrink; (2) the act of
lightly cleaning a slightly soiled garment with a damp sponge before
pressing it.
=Sponge=—a fibrous and porous substance from the sea-depths, the
framework of a marine animal.
=Sponge bag=—a light rubber or waterproof fabric b. for use of
travelers, designed to hold bathing sponges.
=Sponge silk=—a soft, porous, knitted fabric of low grade spun silk,
used for underwear, draperies, polishing cloths, etc.
=Sponging=—see Sponge.
=Spongy=—trade term for cloths, such as raincoatings, which have lost
their firmness and finish and have become open, soft or porous; also
applied to cloths imperfectly fulled or finisht.
=Sporran=—a leather or fur purse or pouch worn in front of the kilt by
Highlanders in clan dress.
=Sporting tailor=—one who makes a specialty of, and whose business
consists largely if not entirely of the making of hunting, golf, polo,
motoring garments and clothes for “sporting” wear generally.
=Sportsman’s knife=—a pocket k. having numerous conveniences in the way
of blades, etc., especially a k. with an extra long blade for skinning
hides, etc.
=Spot delivery=—immediately.
=Spread front folder=—a folded shirt collar, the ends of which are
broadly rounded or cut away.
=Spring=—a belled or flaring effect.
=Spring bottom trousers=—same as ordinary t. except that the bottoms
flare out over the foot.
=Spring buckle=—a buckling device consisting of two pronged buckles
connected by coiled wire springs, used on some trousers, overalls,
suspenders, etc.
=Spring button=—a “snap” or “clasp” fastening.
=Spring heels=—term for shoes made without h. and worn by boys and
children, the outer sole being sprung outward slightly at the heel and a
small wedge of leather inserted between the outer sole and the innersole
at the heel of the shoe before it is finally attacht by nailing.
=Spring mink=—m. caught in the spring, when the fur begins to
change—naturally of quality inferior to winter-caught m.
=Spring needle=—term given to underwear knitted on round frames by means
of a peculiar kind of n. so that the fabric is particularly elastic or
springy.
=Spring tree=—see Extension t.
=Spring weight=—in the cloth trade suitings of 11 to 15 ounces and
overcoatings of 16 to 22 ounces are so called. Compare Winter w., Summer
w., Fall w., Tropical w.
=Sprinting pants=—see Athletic p.
=Sprinting shoes=—see Running s.
=Spruce=—kind o’ nice; dapper.
=Spun silk=—trade term for (1) floss, damaged cocoons, husks, waste,
etc.; (2) s. yarns, fabrics, etc., from waste s. and damaged cocoons.
=Spun silver=—s. thread for weaving, especially a fiber thread covered
with a s. filament.
=Spunk seed=—see Wig.
=Spur=—a heel-thing worn by men-brutes to jab into horses.
=Spy glass=—a small telescope for ship or field use.
=Squam hat=—a round h. of oiled waterproof material, made with a stiff
crown and stiff rim, with ear tabs buttoning under the chin, worn by
fishermen, seamen, etc. Compare Cape Ann h.
=Square=—see Tailor’s s.
=Square shouldered=—shoulders high and set well back.
=Square-toe=—a shoe made somewhat square at the t. as compared with a
round or oval shape.
=Square-toes=—an old-fashioned, punctilious person.
=Squaring=—in hat making, the act of coating or saturating the inside of
the crown with a solution of shellac for the purpose of hardening.
=Squash hat=—a low crowned soft felt h.
=Squirrel=—a small tree-living animal, the fur of which is highly prized
for winter garments.
=Squirt=—dude.
=Stable cap=—a round c. with a visor, usually of material to match the
groom’s suit, as whipcord, corduroy.
=Stable suit=—groom’s sack s. of whipcord. See Livery undress.
=Stall=—see Finger cot.
=Stamin=—a variety of linsey woolsey (obsolete).
=Stampt gloves=—die cut. Compare Table cut. (=Stamped-g.=)