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A plain-woven, often printed cotton cloth named for Calicut, India, imported to Europe from the 17th century and later mass-produced during the Industrial Revolution for everyday clothing.

A sleeveless, close-fitting undergarment or layering top with thin straps, traditionally cut on the bias and finished with lace trim.

A short-sleeved, collared shirt with a straight hem worn untucked, featuring a notched camp collar with no top button or stand.

A heavy, plain-weave cotton or cotton-blend fabric prized for durability and stiffness, used for bags, workwear and structural garment interfacing.

A jacket-making method in which a layer of horsehair or wool canvas is hand- or machine-stitched inside the front panels to shape the chest, distinct from cheaper fused interfacing.

A short sleeve that covers only the top of the shoulder without extending down the arm, often cut with little or no underarm seam.

A sleeveless outer garment that hangs from the shoulders and drapes over the arms, fastened at the neck or front.

A short, unfitted sleeve cut as a small flounce or drape over the shoulder, resembling a miniature cape rather than a fitted tube.

Fitted trousers cut to end between the knee and ankle, traditionally slightly tapered and associated with mid-20th-century casualwear.

Trousers featuring large patch pockets, typically with flaps and pleats, applied to the sides of the legs in addition to standard pockets.

A large patch pocket, often with box pleats and a flap closure, applied to the outside of trousers or jackets for extra capacity.

A luxury animal-hair fibre combed from the undercoat of cashmere goats, softer and lighter than sheep's wool but less durable, used in fine knitwear.

A hand stitch worked with small, criss-crossed stitches between two fabric layers, used to secure hems and facings while allowing flexibility.

A hem secured with a catch stitch worked loosely between the hem edge and the garment, allowing some give and a flat finish from the right side.

A hand stitch worked in a loose zigzag pattern, catching only a thread or two of the outer fabric, commonly used to secure a hem invisibly.

The abbreviation marked on pattern pieces and fabric for the center back, the vertical line running down the exact middle of the back of a garment.

A zipper insertion with the teeth centered under an opening and two even rows of topstitching visible on either side, often used at center back.

The abbreviation marked on pattern pieces and fabric for the center front, the vertical line running down the exact middle of the front of a garment.

A looped stitch formed by a single needle thread interlocking with a looper thread in a chain-like pattern beneath the fabric, used alone or alongside cover stitching.

A stitch formed by looping thread through a previous loop in a continuous chain; quick to sew but prone to unraveling if pulled from the end, it was used in early sewing machines.

A lightweight plain-weave cotton fabric with a coloured warp and white weft yarn, giving a denim-like appearance without the weight; used for shirts.

English-born designer working in Paris, widely regarded as the father of haute couture; he founded the House of Worth in 1858 and was the first designer to label garments and show seasonal collections.

A tailored overcoat with a velvet collar, concealed button closure, and minimal waist shaping, originating in 19th-century English menswear.

A sheer, lightweight plain-weave fabric made from tightly twisted crepe yarns, giving it a slightly rough, airy hand; slippery and prone to fraying when sewn.

Clothing designed and graded for infants and children, typically featuring simplified construction, growth allowances, and safety-focused hardware.

An older term for a very lightweight, smooth plain-weave silk lining fabric similar to habotai, now less common due to its delicacy.

A short, straight-cut workwear jacket with patch pockets and a button front, traditionally made of sturdy cotton twill for manual labor.

French designer who founded his fashion house in 1946 and launched the New Look in 1947, reviving fitted bodices and full skirts after wartime fabric rationing.

Slim, straight-cut trousers that taper slightly toward a cropped or ankle-length hem, offering minimal ease through the leg.

A skirt cut from one or more full circles of fabric with a hole for the waist, producing an evenly flared hem without darts or gathers.

A hem on a flared or circular-cut garment, eased and often narrowed to accommodate the curved raw edge without puckering.

A skirt draft based on radius calculations from the waist measurement, producing a pattern that flares in a full circle or half circle without darts.

American designer credited with founding modern American sportswear in the 1930s-40s, pioneering practical, mass-producible separates such as the wrap dress and using humble fabrics like denim and cotton jersey.

A smooth, flat hardwood block pressed onto a just-steamed seam or edge to flatten and set a sharp crease as it cools.

Stitching a strip of transparent stretch elastic into a knit seam, such as a shoulder seam, to prevent stretching out while retaining flexibility.

A transparent, gridded acrylic ruler used with a rotary cutter for measuring, marking, and cutting straight and angled lines through fabric.

Snipping short cuts into a curved seam allowance, especially an inward curve, so the seam can spread and lie flat once turned or pressed.

Reusable fabric diaper, typically layered with absorbent inner fabric and a waterproof outer layer, closed with snaps or hook-and-loop tape.

An industrial sewing machine motor that runs continuously, engaging the machine via a friction clutch pedal, resulting in a distinctive momentum on start and stop.

Short for 'cut, make, trim,' a manufacturing arrangement in which a factory cuts and sews garments from fabric and materials the client already supplies.