| Acrylic:
|
|
 A
man-made fiber produced from a form of plastic.
It does not retain moisture well. It has
very good resiliency so does not wrinkle
easily. Acrylic garments tend to PILL (small,
tight, balling of material). To help prevent
pilling wash your garment inside out by
itself. Then brush the fabric with a soft
brush as it dries.
|
| Aba: |
A
loose cloak, possibly of Arabian origin. Related
to the jama in men's wear, and to the abbo
(q.v.) in women's.
|
| Abho: |
A
loose shirt-like garment, worn by women mostly
in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The garment was
generally worn with short, wide sleeves, open
at the neck, loose-fitting on the upper part
and really flared in its skirt. Often decorated
with embroidery and mirror-glass work.
|
| Accessories: |
Additional
ornamentation to accompany the garment in
order to create a certain Look/Image. (Shoes,
Jewelries etc.)
|
| Achkan:
|
A
men's long-sleeved coat-like garment, worn
close to the body, reaching down to the knees
or even lower, and buttoned in front-middle.
|
| Alter: |
To
change the pattern so that it corresponds
to body measurements.
|
| Angarakfia: |
A
long, full-sleeved outerwear for men; literally
'that which protects or covers the limbs'.
Closely related to the jama (q.v.), but possibly
of native, Indian origin. Generally open at
the chest and tied in front, with an inner
flap or parda covering the chest. Full-skirted
and of varying lengths.
|
| Angiaiangika:
|
Short,
tight-fitting bodice worn by women in India
from very early times. Literally, 'covering
for the body'.
|
| Asharfi
Buti: |
A
popular textile design consisting of small
floral discs or circles, sometimes with small
patterns within the circle.
|
| Atansaw: |
A
wide, commodious chogha (q.v.)like garment
for wrapping around the body.
|
| Bedford
Cord: |
A
ribbed weave. It is a closely woven, sturdy
fabric with a raised cord effect in wool,
cotton, silk, acrylic, or polyester. A heavy,
warpfaced, corded fabric in which the cords
run in warp direction.
|
| Badla: |
Flat
metallic wire, often silver-gilt, used in
brocading and embroidery.
|
| Baghal
Bandi: |
A
kind of tunic or jacket, worn shorts and fastened
under the armpits.
|
| Balabar: |
An
outer garment, worn by men, related in shape
to the coat-like ashcan.
|
| Bandhani: |
A
process of patterning cloth by tie-dyeing
in which the design is reserved on the undyed
cloth by tying small spots very tightly with
thread to protect them from the dye. Especially
popular in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
|
| Bare
Pychon ka Paijama: |
A
payjama (q. v) with wide, flared legs.
|
| Bias: |
Any
direction in the fabric which does not exactly
flow in the direction of the weft yarn (vertical
yarns) or warp yarns (horizontal yarns) of
a fabric. A true bias makes an angle of 45
degree across the length and width of a fabric,
fabric cut on a bias has maximum stretch.
|
| Buta: |
Literally,
"a plant". A floral motif, derived generally
from Persian sources, much used in Indian
textile design, and traditionally rendered
as a flowering plant with a curling bud at
the top. The motif is also sometimes reduced
to a floral pattern designed within the form
of the plant.
|
| Buti: |
A
diminutive of buta (q.v.), very commonly used
in Indian textile design.
|
| Centre
Front: |
It
is the portion of the pattern or the garment
which is suppose to come in the exact front.
|
| Chand-Tara: |
Literally,
"moon and star", a pattern often-used in Indian
textile.
|
| Chaubandi
Chola: |
A
short tunic or shirt fastened with tie-cords
worn by children.
|
| Chaugoshia
(topi): |
A
four-cornered cap.
|
| Chauri:
|
A
flywhisk made generally from a yak's tail.
Important as a symbol of royalty or divinity.
|
| Chikan
Kari: |
Embroidery
in white cotton thread upon fine white cotton
fabric, like, muslin. Several techniques in
chikan-kar are known; Lucknow was a famous
center of fine workmanship.
|
| Chogaichoga: |
A
loose, sleeved coat-like garment worn over
an inner garment like the angarakha (q.v.),
generally sumptuous and appropriate for ceremonial
occasions. Of Turkish origin, the chogha was
also known as a chugha, chuha orjuha; in Russia
as shuba or sbubka.
|
| Choli:
|
A
short, bodice-like breast garment of wide
popularity among women in India, from early
times. Related to the classic cholaka mentioned
in Sanskrit literature. The garment is worn
in many styles; thus, with back covering or
without, fastened with strings or extended
cloth-pieces, with shaped breast-pieces or
flat, etc.
|
| Cholu: |
A
loose, shirt-like garment.
|
| Churidar: |
With
bangle-like gathers or wrinkles, as in a churidar
payan.
|
| Contemporary:
|
|
Currently
in vogue.
|
| Cool
Colours: |
Blue,
Violet and Green are cool / light colors.
They are reducing in nature, as seen by the
eye they move away from the object thereby
increasing it's size. Cool colors have a calm
and restful effect.
|
| Dhila: |
Loose
or baggy. Thus, a dhila payjama, wide and
roomy all over.
|
| Dhoti: |
The
traditional Indian dress for the lower part
of the body, consisting of a piece of unstitched
cloth draped over the hips and legs. Worn
in various ways in different parts of the
country, alike by men and women.
|
| Doru: |
Long
rope with which the thick woolen coat worn
by the Gaddis is secured around the waist.
|
| Draping: |
Draping
means to hang or to adorn the body form with
loose fabric, and to obtain a body fitted
garment by using adequate sewing techniques.
|
| Dupaluidupallari: |
Top
Small, close-fitting cap made generally of
muslin, and consisting of two identical pieces
cut slightly rounded and curved towards the
top.
|
| Dupatta: |
Veil-cloth
worn by women, draped loosely around the upper
part of the body.
|
| Flannel: |
Soft-filled
cotton twill brushed on one side.
|
| Fad: |
Short lived fashion are called fad's; They
seldom have any lasting Impact on future fashion.
They are briefly and suddenly seen everywhere
and just as suddenly they vanish.
|
| Fargul: |
A kind of jacket.
|
| Farji: |
A
kind of jacket. Defined by the dictionaries
as simply 'a kind of garment', the faiji was
possibly a long over-garment without sleeves,
or with very short sleeves, open in front
and worn like a coat over pyjama (q.v.) or
angarakha (q.v.).
|
| Farshi
Paijama: |
Wide-legged payjama (q. v) that trails on
the ground, sometimes completely covering
the feet; worn often with a kurta (q.v.) or
angarakha (q.v.).
|
| Fashion
Forecast: |
To predict of foretell future fashion tread
for a specific period of time.
|
| Fatuhi: |
A 'jacket without sleeves'. Generally understood
as a vest lightly padded with cotton wool,
and quilted.
|
| Faz-Vi: |
A 'jacket without sleeves'. Possibly the same
kind of garment as fatuhi (q.v.).
|
| Finish: |
Perfection with which the garment / fabric
is completed.
|
| Forte
of a garment: |
Means the strong point of the garment.
|
| Frey: |
Threads which come out from the fabric during
handling.
|
| Gabardine: |
 A
type of fabric, which can be made from either
wool or cotton. It is a durable tight twill
weave. Fine round ribs run diagonally across
the front but are not visible on the back.
Often used in suits.
|
| Gamla
Buti: |
A popular motif in textile design in India,
consisting of flowers of different kinds growing
in a flowerpot, neatly arranged.
|
| Ghagho: |
A woman's dress, closely related to the abbo
(q.v.). The skirt part of the abagho was often
more flared than that of an abbo, the ample
gathers at either side of the waist lending
it peculiar gracefulness when the wearer moved.
|
| Ghaghra: |
Skirt, usually with a great deal of flare.
The simple ghaghras have only one vertical
seam, which turns the cloth or ghaghra-pata
into a tube, fastened with a drawstring passing
through a long, narrow slot at the waist.
Flared ghaghras are made up of, several triangular
gored pieces stitched together.
|
| Gherdar: |
Flared with an ample skirt, as in a gherdarjama.
|
| Ghundi: |
Loop; generally used to hold the little button-like
boss called the tukma.
|
| Ghutanna: |
A short paoan (q. v.), worn by men, tight
and ending just below the knees. Much favoured
in 19th century Sikh Punjab.
|
| Gota: |
Narrow ribbon made of 'gold' or 'silver' thread.
|
| Grain: |
Another word used for the length wise (weft
yarn) or cross-wise (warp yarn) threads of
the fabric.
|
| Hand: |
The
'feel' of a garment or cloth.
|
| Haute
Couture: |
Hi-Fashion garments (of which only a single
price is produced) It's extravagant, it's
irrational, it's Unique and it's totally unaffordable.
|
| Herringbone
Twill: |
 A
broken twill weave composed of vertical sections,
which are alternately right hand and left
hand in direction. Also known as a chevron
weave.
|
| Hi-Twist: |
A
term used to describe a cloth made from a
worsted yarn that has been twisted by 40 to
60%. This results in a cloth that is very
fine, strong, wrinkle resistant, and slightly
stiffer.
|
| Hopsacking: |
A
fabric typically made of wool or cotton. It
has a rough texture and is very durable. Often
used in trousers and suits.
|
| Hounds
tooth: |
Popular
wool pattern made with a variation of the
twill weaves to form jagged, broken checks.
|
| Hue: |
Is the shades and degrees of color.
|
| Ikat: |
Term applied to the resist-dye process in
which designs are reserved in warp or weft
yarns by tying off small bundles of yarn with
palm-leaf strips or similar material to prevent
penetration of dye. From the Indonesian mengikat,
'to tie' or 'to bind'.
|
| Iaedryun: |
A short jacket, often richly embroidered,
worn mostly in Kutch and Saurashtra, in combination
with an embroidered payjama (q.v.).
|
| Izar: |
A
kind of payjama (q. v.).
|
| Izarband: |
Drawstring at the waist for a garment like
the payjama (q.v.). Literally, 'fastening
of the izar'
|
| Jama: |
Full-sleeved outerwear for men, greatly popular
at the Mughal and Rajput courts and worn well
into the 19th century. Literally, "a garment,
robe, vest, gown, coat.
|
| Jamdani: |
Fine cotton muslin with a floral pattern brocaded
in thick soft cotton. Dacca was a famous center
for the production of finejamdani work.
|
| Janghia: |
Short drawers, worn by men and boys. From
Sanskrit.
|
| Jar
|
See
ZARI.
|
| Jhabba: |
Loose, tunic-like garment. Jhula.
|
| Jhula: |
A kind of blouse for children.
|
| Jhumb:
|
A
covering for the head and body made simply
by tying a sheet or blanket at one end and
draped over the head.
|
| Kairi:
|
A
green mango.
|
| Kairi
Buti: |
A floral motif in Indian textile design, based
on the form of a green mango with a light
curve at the tip.
|
| Kalabatton: |
Silver-gilt thread, used in embroidery.
|
| Kalgha:
|
A
popular motif in Indian textile design, broadly
cypress-shaped and curving to one sides at
the top; crest.
|
| Kali: |
Gore wedge-shaped, triangular piece of cloth.
|
| Kalidar
Ghagra: |
Ghaghra (q.v.) made up of many gored pieces
and thus flared in early Sanskrit literature.
|
| Kanjari: |
Blouse like garment, worn a little long in
front and generally backless, held together
with tie-cords, with no shaped parts like
cups. From Sanskrit Kanchuki.
|
| Kantop: |
Literally, 'topi, worn around the ears'. This
kind of cap covers the ears and the back of
the neck to protect these parts from excessive
heat and cold.
|
| Kapadu: |
Cloth used to cover the breasts. In Rajasthan
and Gujarat a simple choli-blouse is sometimes
referred to by this name.
|
| Karchobi: |
Work Work similar to zardozi (q.v.) in which
gold or silver metal threads are sewn on to
satin or velvet with metallic threads to yield
the effect of true embroidery.
|
| Kasnis: |
Tie-cords or strings used for tightening.
|
| Katoris: |
Cups; the word is used to describe breast-cups
as in a choli (q.v.) or angia (q.v.).
|
| Kimkhab: |
Silk fabric brocaded with silver and gold.
The metal thread used for brocading is made
from a fine strand of flattened metal wound
over a core of silk, using yellow silk under
gold, and white silk under silver.
|
|
Kurdi:
|
A jacket or coat meant for outerwear. The
garment popular under this name in Persia
was known in India as a nadiji (q.v.).
|
| Kurta: |
Variously described in the dictionaries as
"a tunic, waist coat, jacket, shirt", the
kurta became popular in the 18th and 19th
centuries essentially as a slightly loose-fitting
garment for outer wear, often with a round
neck, of knee-length or even longer, with
side-slits at the hem and generally flared
skirt. It acquired great elegance as a garment
in centers like Lucknow and Hyderabad.
|
| Kurti: |
A shirt-like garment, with most of the features
of a kurta (q.v.), but often worn a little
shorter. When worn by women, it is defined
as 'a short bodice reaching to the hips, with
very short, if any, sleeves, open under the
throat.'
|
| Labeda: |
A loose, tunic-like garment worn by men, mostly
in Nepal. Possibly from Persian libada.
|
| Lehnga: |
A kind of skirt. Worn generally in combination
with an odhani, which is tucked into it at
the waist. Possibly derived from Sanskrit
lanka, standing for the waist, and anga or
limbs.
|
| Lungi: |
A garment-piece worn by men, as a long, straight
skirt-cloth.
|
| Microfibre: |
Any
fiber (usually man-made) that is finer than
silk. This combines the benefits of the original
fiber with a much softer hand and better drape.
|
| Mandeel: |
A kind of decoratively worn turban.
|
| Mashru: |
A fabric woven of silk and cotton, the warp
of one material and the weft of the other.
Literally, 'that which is in accordance with
the shara, Muslim holy law, which disapproves
of an arel made of silk.
|
| Mirzai: |
A kind of jacket, often understood as a 'quilted
coat'. it was generally worn sleeveless over
a shirt as outer garment; worn sometimes also
next to the skin, without anything underneath
it.
|
| Moshla: |
A cap, worn usually by children, covering,
apart from the back, the back of the neck
through a long, suspended flap.
|
| Mughlai
Paijama: |
A payjama (q. v.) of the 'Mughal' cut.
|
| Nadiri: |
A kind of jackets, worn as an outer garment.
The Emperor Jehangir described it in his Memoirs
as "a coat they wear over a qaba. Its length
is from the waist down to below the thighs,
and it has no sleeves. It is fastened in fror4t
with buttons."
|
| Naqsha: |
Pattern; scheme.
|
| Nastaliq: |
One of the many scripts in which Persian characters
can be written.
|
| Natio: |
A kind of cap popular in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
It consists generally of a woven piece and
headband, with a long flap, which hangs at
the back to cover the neck.
|
| Nimainimatana: |
A kind of tunic, a modified version of the
kurta (q.v.), generally made of fine material.
|
| Odhani: |
A veil-cloth for a woman, often worn tucked
into the side of the waist and drawn upward
over the back and the head, the free end being
draped over the shoulder. Literally, 'a wrap'.
|
| Oxford: |
A
type of fabric usually made of cotton. It
is a medium weight fabric usually used in
shirts. It has a soft luster.
|
| Paan-Shaped: |
Of the shape of a betel-leaf.
|
| Pagri: |
Turban.
|
| Paijama: |
Trouser-like garment, worn on the lower part
of the body alike by men and women. Literally,
'leg-clothing'. The payjama was worn in many
cuts and shapes, much variation being seen
in respect of girth, length, tightness, material,
etc.
|
| Pairhaniphiran: |
Loose cloak-like shirt reaching down to the
feet. Very popular as an article of wear in
Kashmir where it was made mostly of woolen
cloth.
|
| Patka: |
A girdle or kamarband, worn usually over payjama
(q.v.), and often very sumptuous and decorative.
|
| Peshwaz: |
Long gown-like dress, consisting essentially
of a choli (q.v.) worn rather high to which
a front-opening skirt is attached. The garment
was worn at an early point by men, too, but
is essentially to be regarded as women's apparel.
Worn with much refinement and elegance 'on
occasions of household festivals'. Literally,
"front-opening".
|
| Petia: |
An apron-like piece of cloth attached to the
lower end of a choli (q.v.) or kanjari (q.v.)
and hanging down so as to partially cover
the stomach.
|
| Phulkari: |
Literally, "flowered work". Term used for
a type of embroidery practiced by women in
the Punjab for head-veils and other garment-pieces.
The embroidery is worked in floss-silk upon
coarse cotton cloth, in darning stitch over
counted threads, being worked from the back
of the fabric.
|
| Pique: |
A
double knit construction with raised cords
running vertically. Most often used in medium
to heavy weight cotton. Gives a textured surface.
|
| Polyester: |
 A
man-made fiber. It resists wrinkling because
it is resilient. It is machine washable and
dryable making it inexpensive to care for.
It does not readily absorb moisture so can
feel clammy and uncomfortable in warm weather.
Because it does not retain moisture well it
tends to retain static.
|
| Polynosic: |
A
blend of polyester and rayon. Characteristics
are crease-resistance, shape retention, and
minimum care. It is also known for its luxurious,
elegant hand.
|
| Poplin: |
This
is a fine quality fabric produced by using
very fine warp yarns with slightly thicker
filling yarns.
|
| Press
mark: |
Undesirable shinning lines on the right side
of the garment due to incorrect ironing.
|
| Pucker: |
To draw up into folds or wrinkles.
|
| Pure
Virgin Wool: |
Describes
a fabric made from 100% wool that has never
been spun, woven, or used before.
|
| Qaba: |
A full-sleeved garment for outer wear, worn
by men, closely related to thejama . William
Thevenot who saw this garment frequently at
the Mughal court spoke of the "caba of the
Indians" being "wider than that of the Persians,
and 1 cannot tell how to express the manner
of it more intelligibly, than by saying it
is a kind of gown with a long jerkin fastened
to it.
|
| Qamis: |
A shirt. Cf. French, chemise.
|
| Rayon: |
 A
fiber created by the mixing of plant cellulose
and chemicals. It is thought of as a man-made
fiber. It has the advantage of breathability
and absorbency. It has good draping qualities
and ability to be dyed in brilliant colours.
It has superior strength.
|
| Sadri: |
A sleeveless jacket worn over a shirt or kurta,
alike by men and women. The name of this popular
garment derives possibly from aura, 'the upper
part of the human breast'.
|
| Salwatishalwar: |
A payjama like garment for the lower part
of the body, baggy and wide at the top, and
not so tight around the legs and ankles. Worn
mostly by women, but also by men in some parts
of India, especially in the northwest.
|
| Sandwash: |
A
finish to achieve sueded effect and soft hand.
|
| Seam
Line |
Is the line which indicates where the seam
should be stitched - or it is plainly the
stitching line of any garment.
|
| Serge: |
A
fabric often made of wool. Looks like gabardine
but the diagonal ribs (the twill) are more
pronounced and shows on both sides.
|
| Sharkskin: |
A
smooth finished, clear faced, twill weave
fabric made in two tones; used in worsted
for suits and coats.
|
| Sharara: |
|
A kind of loose, trailing payjama (q. v.)
worn by women.
|
| Sherwani: |
a coat like garment, worn by men close to
the body, of knee-length, and opening in front
with button-fastenings. Related to the achkan
(q.v.); especially popular at the Hyderabad
court and in Aligarh.
|
| Sidha
Paijama: |
Payjama (q.v.) with a straight cut.
|
| Silhouette: |
Dark-shaded profile portrait outline of any
garment.
|
| Suralisurwal: |
A breeches-like garment for the lower part
of the body, tight around the legs. Worn mostly
in Nepal and contiguous areas.
|
| Suithana:
|
Payjama
like garment, worn mostly by women; wide at
top and comfortably roomy around the legs
and ankles. Possibly from Sanskrit svasthana,
mentioned in the Harshacharita.
|
| Super100: |
A
term used to describe a worsted cloth composed
of yarns that have been twisted 100 times.
The cloth is finer, with wonderful drape and
sheen.
|
| Surface
Decoration: |
Ornamenting the surface of a fabric or garment
(e.g. Embroidery etc.)
|
| Tahband: |
A kind of girdle or belt.
|
| Takauchiya: |
A kind payjama (q.v.). Abu'I-Fazl describes
it in the Ain-i-Akbati as "a coat without
lining, of the Indian form. Formerly it had
slits in the skirt, and was tied on the left
side; His Majesty has ordered it to be made
with a round skirt and to be tied on the right
side."
|
| Tanis: |
Tie-cords or strings used to fasten or tighten
a garment when worn.
|
| Teentah
Topi: |
A topi (q.v.) consisting of three different
pieces, stitched together.
|
| Taper: |
To decrease width gradually and bring it to
an end point.
|
| The
Look: |
To portray a certain image. (The contemporary
look i.e. the look of today. The look of the
yester years)
|
| Thread
Count: |
Is the number of warp and weft yarns in one
square-inch of a fabric (warp yarn x weft
yarn per sq. inch)
|
| Tiki:
|
A
round piece; generally tacked on to a garment.
|
| Topi: |
Cap.
|
| Trend: |
Fashion is not static, they are constantly
moving, their movement has a definite direction.
The direction in which fashion moves is called
fashion Trend.
|
| Trim: |
To cut off the ragged edges below the seam
line to prevent the garment from being bulky
and to give the seam a neat finish.
|
| Tukma: |
Small, button-like boss used in conjunction
with a ghundi (q.v.) or loop, for fastening.
|
| Tweed: |
|
 Usually
made of wool, this fabric has a rough appearance.
It is often made with different shades of
the same colour. Often used in suits and
jackets.
|
| Vajani: |
A kind of payjama (q. v.), worn in Kutch and
Saurashtra, often richly embroidered.
|
| Viscose: |
 Also
known as rayon; is a man-made fiber produced
from chemical solutions. It has a base of
cotton or wood pulp. It is absorbent and lightweight
with a fair elasticity. It can be spun to
resemble cotton, linen, wool, or silk. It
does tend to shrink so dry cleaning is highly
recommended.
|
| Warm
Colours: |
Colors like Red, Orange, Yellow are classified
as warm colors, they are advancing in nature,
because as seen by the eyes these colors move
closer thereby reducing the size of an object.
Warm colors are cheerful.
|
| Warp: |
Yarns
that run lengthwise.
|
| Weft: |
Yarns
that run widthwise.
|
| Wool: |
 A
natural animal fiber. The 'crimp' of wool
gives it the resilience that allows it to
resist and recover quickly from wrinkling
and crushing. The crimp also forms air space
in the wool giving it excellent insulation
against heat or cold making wool an excellent
year round fabric. If your wool garment states
that it can be washed you must wash it in
cold water; do not pull or wring the garment
when wet (it must be lifted and gently squeezed);
roll your garment in a towel to draw out moisture
then lay out in its original shape to dry.
|
| Woolens: |
This
term also refers to a 'spinning process. The
wool fibers are not uniform. Most fabrics
made in this method are relatively loose and
you can see the short end fibers rising from
the surface.
|
| 100%
Wool: |
Refers
to an all-wool fabric which may contain different
grades of wool.
|
| Worsted
Wool: |
This
term refers to a 'spinning' process. The wool
fibers are combed and only the longer fibers
are used. The strands are combined and doubled
over themselves with a twist. Worsted wools
are characteristically smooth, have an even
texture, with a relatively high twist.
|
| Yjshtinuam: |
|
(topi) Boat shaped cap, worn close to the
head. KULAH
|
| Zardozi
Work: |
Work in which gold or silver metal threads
are sewn on a fabric like satin or velvet
with metallic threads to give the appearance
of true embroidery.
|
| Zari: |
Metallic thread twisted over cotton or silk
for brocading. Also referred to, in popular
parlance, asjad
|
| Zirah: |
A kind of coat of mail.
|
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