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Historically, a dealer in small sewing goods and trimmings in Britain, or a dealer in men's clothing and furnishings in the United States.

A woven interfacing of hair, wool, and cotton fibers, hand or machine stitched into a jacket's chest and lapel to build structured, moldable shape in traditional tailoring.

An extremely narrow seam trimmed close to the stitching line after sewing, used on sheer fabrics such as chiffon or lace to minimize visible bulk.

A hem invisibly secured by hand stitching rather than machine stitching, standard in couture and fine tailoring for its near-invisible finish.

A zipper inserted using small, evenly spaced hand backstitches or prick stitches along the zipper tape instead of machine topstitching, for an inconspicuous couture finish.

A very narrow hem formed by rolling the raw edge between the fingers and securing it with tiny whipstitches, used on scarves, ruffles, and fine fabrics.

Costume-making practice that researches original garments, patterns, and construction methods from a specific historical period to recreate them as accurately as materials allow.

A narrow ankle-length skirt so tight at the hem that it restricted the wearer's stride, a controversial fashion of the early 1910s associated with designer Paul Poiret.

A pattern alteration that removes excess fabric from the upper front of a bodice to fit a chest less full than the standard block assumes.

A hem stiffened and given body by stitching horsehair braid to the raw edge before turning it up, common on formal and bridal skirts.

A traditional sew-in interfacing woven partly from horsehair, prized in tailoring for the springy, moldable structure it gives to jacket fronts and collars.

A loose, sleeveless tunic woven and embroidered by Indigenous Maya women of Mexico and Central America, with patterns that traditionally signal the wearer's home village and community.