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A generous seam located in the rear of pants that allows the seat to be let out or taken in for easier alterations. Back seam outlets are particularly useful when reshaping the waist and hip areas of a garment. Back seam outlets can also be used to increase the style and functionality of a garment by adjusting vents, pockets or pleats.
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A design method for keeping insulating fill (usually down) from shifting in sleeping bags and outerwear. Baffles, or sewn box cavities, can vary in size, shape, and volume within the garment or bag. Items featuring baffle construction have fabric panels sewn to the inner and outer shells to keep the insulation from shifting.
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A thick nylon weave used in clothing, packs and luggage for reinforcement. Ballistics cloth is extremely tough and abrasion resistant. Often known as ballistics nylon, ballistics cloth was originally developed during World War II to help protect troops from shrapnel and flying debris. Although it was not as effective at this task as its’ manufacturers had intended, it proved to be an extremely durable material and is still used in luggage, clothing and tool belts today.
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Balmorals (or Bal in the United States) are shoes with closed lacing. This is where the two sides of the upper are sewn under the front of the shoe. Balmoral shoes are considered to be dressier than their dress-shoe cousins, Bluchers and Jerseys. In the United States, the term Balmoral is also interchangeable with Oxford when referring to shoes.
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Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants. Bamboo is flexible, lightweight and remarkably strong for its weight. Tonkin bamboo is a sub-species that is prized for making bamboo fly rods.
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Low collar that stands up straight and is buttoned in front. Originally, the banded collar was the point of attachment for removable collars. Banded collars are often seen on the shirts of priests and clergymen but can be found in a variety of dress shirts and can be used for many occasions.
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A close series of stitches crossing a piece of cloth at a stress point (like pocket corners and belt loops) to strengthen the fabric and minimize tearing. Higher end neckties also use a bar tack to reinforce the slip stitch. Bar tacks can feature a pattern of zig-zag stitches when done by a machine or whip stitches when done by hand.
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Utilitarian, casual outer coat usually made of durable, water-resistant fabric. Barn jackets were intended for people doing difficult, outdoor work such as feeding animals or building structures. Barn jackets and coats are often made with cotton twill, wool or denim and are oftentimes lined with fleece, polyester or flannel. Many barn jackets and coats feature some sort of water-resistant coating or material.
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The performance-wear garment in contact with your skin; may gently hug the body and transport moisture away from the skin to the air or the next clothing layer. The purpose of a base layer is to maintain dryness and warmth. A base layer can be made of many different materials but is often made of polypropylene.
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A basket weave is a checkerboard pattern where two or more warp threads and filling picks are woven into a loosely constructed fabric weave resembling a plaited basket. Some examples of basket weaving are hopsack, monk's cloth and oxford cloth. Basket weave fabrics are used most frequently in shirts and sport jackets and are popular in summer months, as the cloth is usually airy and a lighter weight than other weaves.
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Basted stitches are large running stitches that loosely hold the garment together in areas that later form the basis for alterations by an experienced tailor. The mark of a finely tailored suit, basted stitches are easily altered to produce a custom fit. Also used as a temporary way of securing two pieces of fabric together, basted stitches can be sewn by hand or machine.
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Batiste is a lightweight, semi-sheer textured fabric that belongs to the lawn family. Woven from tightly twisted, combed cotton yarns with a mercerized finish, batiste has an elegant drape that lends itself to lingerie, handkerchiefs and women’s blouses. It is also used as an underlining.
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A beaded stripe that looks like a classic pinstripe with gently dotted (or beaded) lines of alternating stitches. Beaded stripes are often seen on men’s dress suits as a decorative pattern with thin, parallel lines. Like pinstripes, it is said that beaded stripes elongate a person’s appearance, making them appear thinner.
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Bedford corduroy is a sturdy, tightly woven fabric with a vertically corded texture. Because of its durability, Bedford corduroy is usually found in shooting wear or casual pants. It is uncertain whether Bedford corduroy was named after Bedford, England or New Bedford, Massachusetts, because both cities claim to have coined the term and have been involved in the manufacturing of textiles since the 19th century.
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High volume pocket that “bellows out.” Bellows pockets are created by additional pleats at the bottom and/or sides of the pocket. Also known as safari pockets, bellows pockets feature three side pieces that allow the pocket to expand. Jackets with bellows pockets were popularized by early 20th century adventurers and later as casual wear by influential people such as Clark Gable and Earnest Hemingway.
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Bemberg is the trade name for a finer form of rayon processed with cuprammonium, which produces the silky, lightweight hand for which Bemberg is known. Used as a lining in top-quality jackets and sport coats, Bemberg imitates the feel and texture of silk. Cool, comfortable and absorbent, Bemberg is ideal for use in warmer climates.
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Bench-made shoes are hand-lasted and hand-welted in a series of meticulously executed tasks by skilled craftsmen. The term is often incorrectly interpreted to mean 100 percent handcrafted, but most manufacturers use machines to do about 75 percent of tasks involved in making bench-made shoes. However, bench-made shoes do reflect a higher level of detail because of the painstaking handcrafting involved in their production.
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Alternating stripes of equal width, usually white and a darker color. Bengal stripes are usually found in shirt fabrics and were named after Bengal, India, the city from which merchants would ship garments featuring the striped patterns around the world. Bengal stripes are often seen on dress shirts and button-up shirts.
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Berber fleece is an airy-soft fabric with a nubby texture and the hand of fur. Combed to a fluffy texture with wire brushes, Berber fleece is a looped pile with wonderful insulating properties that’s backed with a smooth knit face. Polyester is the fiber most frequently used to produce Berber fleece, which makes the fabric strong, moisture absorbent and colorfast.
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A besom pocket is a semi-formal pocket treatment used in tailored garments. Its narrow welted edge literally frames the besom pocket opening. Double besom pockets have welts on both the top and bottom edges, and flapped besom pockets have an added flap. Piping and decorative strips of fabric have been used to embellish an ordinary besom pocket.
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The rim on a watch that holds the crystal. The bezel may contain special markings and rotate to mark the passage of specific segments of time. The term bezel comes from an old method of setting gemstones into jewelry that is still used today, in which a metal band was wrapped around a stone to secure it.
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A fleece fabric with two surfaces: a highly durable, wind- and moisture-resistant outer layer for protection from weather with a faux shearling inner layer for insulation.
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Bi-swing is a construction method that incorporates pleats into the back shoulder area of a jacket, allowing increased freedom of movement. Found in equestrian, fishing and hunting jackets, bi-swing construction is also common in work apparel because of the inherent mobility and articulation this type of construction enables.
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Fabric grains that are cut on a 45° diagonal. Bias cuts are used in men’s ties, collars and women’s clothing to give a certain resiliency to the fabric so it drapes more naturally. Clothing made with bias cuts tend to cling to the shape of the body, making them more attractive, but they are also more difficult to sew.
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A type of shoe characterized by a one-piece upper and toe, flanked by squared-off stitching lines. Bicycle-toe shoes are so named because of their similarity to professional bicycling shoe detailing. Bicycle-toe shoes are not made exclusively for cycling, however, and this toe feature can be found on golf shoes, running shoes and even dress shoes.
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A Birdseye weave is a fabric weave with a small, repetitive, geometric shape and a dot, all of which come together to resemble a bird’s eye. Birdseye weave fabric is a favorite of tailors and consumers who like the texture of birdseye, a pleasing but tasteful variation on solid suiting.
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Soft, synthetic fabric with a smooth, leather- and felt-like finish. Birko-flor® is made of acrylic and nylon felt fibers, and may be embossed with a print. Often used in the uppers of sandals, Birko-flor® is a man-made alternative to leather. Birko-flor® is used exclusively by Birkenstock in the production of footwear.
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A shoe where the sides and lacing are sewn on top of the vamp or piece of leather that covers the toe. An easy way to tell if a shoe is a blucher is if the tongue of the shoe is the same piece of leather as the vamp. Other terms for Bluchers are Derbys or shoes with closed lacing. Bluchers originated in Prussia during the Napoleonic Wars as a type of combat boot design. However, the design broadened and influenced the design of dress shoes greatly.
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Body Sensors® is apparel made of fiber featuring wicking characteristics and an electrostatic system (EC2® Quik-Dri™) that draws skin moisture away without having to be in contact with the skin. Body Sensors® clothing is breathable and fast-drying. Made exclusively by Terramar, Body Sensors® is versatile and made for layering.
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A washing process dating back to the Middle Ages applied to knitted wool to make a dense, durable and wind-resistant fabric. Boiled wool often has two-way stretch, and is soil resistant. Yarns can be made from boiled wool fiber. Boiled wool is often used in berets, scarves, vests, coats and jackets.
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A pant cut that gives a gentle flare from the knee down. Bootcut pants were named in the late 1980s or early 1990s and grew in popularity with the rise of country western music and dancing. The term bootcut was created to distinguish the style from the more accentuated flare of bell-bottom jeans, popular during the 1960s and 70s. Jeans are the most common bootcut style of pants, but many different styles of pants feature bootcut construction.
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The front of a canoe, kayak or other watercraft.
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A pleat with folded edges facing opposite directions, most commonly used on the center black pleat of a dress, or sport shirt. Box pleats are also used on pockets of shirts and jackets or the back yoke of a shirt for fullness and ease of movement. Box pleats can also be used to create a more dynamic or stylized appearance. They can be found in both clothing and upholstered items.
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A construction technique that prevents down or synthetic insulation from shifting or settling that is used in quilts, sleeping bags and cold-weather outerwear. Box walls or baffles are vertical walls of fabric that contain the insulation within four sides, which create loft and warmth and, also prevent the fill from migrating. Unlike sewn-through squares containing fill, there are no cold spots at the seams in products that feature box wall construction.
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A closely woven plain-weave fabric that produces an excellent luster. Although it was traditionally made of wool, modern broadcloth is usually made from cotton or poly blends and is used in shirts, pajamas and undergarments. Broadcloth originated in England toward the end of the medieval period and is woven using a wide loom.
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Fabric with raised patterns or designs. Brocade is usually made out of silk and is accented with metallic threads to add texture and visual appeal. It is often found in the upholstery of antique furniture. Today, brocade is still considered a luxurious and elegant fabric and is used to create draperies, wedding dresses, tuxedos and costumes for stage shows such as plays and concerts.
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A brogue is type of dress shoe distinguished by punch-out detail (known as brogueing) that accentuates the lines and curves where the counter, quarters, vamps and/or cap toes join. A full brogue has a winged toe cap. A half brogue (or semi-brogue) has a straight toe cap. The style was popularized by the Prince of Wales in the 1930’s, and the word brogue comes from the Gaelic term for shoe.
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Knit or woven fabrics of wool, cotton or synthetic fibers that have been brushed or napped to produce a flannel-like hand, sometimes called sueded or peached. After fabric has been woven, rollers with abrasive bristles that resemble those found on a tooth brush sweep across the fabric, sanding the small fibers on the material and teasing them out. This process gives the fabric a soft feel.
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Originally developed by Marmot for their tents, a buckle fly is a system that allows the tent fly to clip into buckles on the canopy straps. The buckle fly system greatly simplifies attaching the fly and making it taut. This system is now used in the buckles of other tent manufacturers.
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The soft, napped leather of deer, elk, or sheepskin, brushed for a suede effect. Traditionally, buckskin was created by dressing the skin in a kind of lubricant, then scraping it with a tool or on a log to soften it. It was then suspended above a wood smoke fire to protect the material and give traditional buckskin its dark color.
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Buggy lining is a strip of fabric that traverses the back neck of an unlined jacket to lend a finished look to that part of the coat. A lightweight, warm-weather alternative to full linings, buggy lining is most commonly used in men’s blazers and outerwear such as riding coats. The term buggy lining is often used as a general term for partial lining in a jacket or blazer.