Suit Terminology Glossary

  1. Armhole: The opening in a jacket where the sleeve is attached.
  2. Back vent: A slit at the back of a jacket to allow movement.
  3. Bar tack: Reinforced stitching at points of stress.
  4. Bespoke: A suit made from scratch for one client.
  5. Bias cut: Fabric cut diagonally to improve drape.
  6. Blazer: A tailored jacket worn separately from trousers.
  7. Blocking: Shaping fabric using steam and pressure.
  8. Body canvas: The inner structure that shapes a jacket.
  9. Button stance: The height at which buttons are positioned.
  10. Buttonhole: The stitched opening for a button.
  11. Canvas: A structured inner layer in tailored jackets.
  12. Centre vent: A single vent at the back of a jacket.
  13. Chalk stripe: A stripe pattern with soft, broken lines.
  14. Chest piece: Canvas component shaping the chest.
  15. Clean finish: A smooth interior with concealed seams.
  16. Collar: The part that frames the neck.
  17. Colourfast: Fabric that retains colour after cleaning.
  18. Construction: The method used to assemble a garment.
  19. Contrast stitching: Thread in a different colour for detail.
  20. Cuff: The end of a sleeve.
  21. Dart: A sewn fold that shapes fabric.
  22. Double breasted: A jacket with overlapping fronts.
  23. Drape: How fabric falls on the body.
  24. Facing: Fabric that finishes edges.
  25. Fit: How a garment sits on the body.
  26. Flannel: A soft wool fabric with a brushed finish.
  27. Full canvas: A jacket fully constructed with canvas.
  28. Fused: A garment made with glued interlining.
  29. Garment bag: Protective cover for suits.
  30. Glen check: A classic check pattern.
  31. Gore: A shaped panel for fit.
  32. Grain: The direction of fabric threads.
  33. Half canvas: Canvas through chest and lapel only.
  34. Herringbone: A zigzag woven pattern.
  35. Horn buttons: Buttons made from natural horn.
  36. Inseam: The inner seam of trousers.
  37. Interlining: Internal fabric for structure.
  38. Jacket length: Measurement from collar to hem.
  39. Jet pocket: A pocket with a narrow opening.
  40. Lining: Fabric inside a garment.
  41. Lapel: Folded fabric on the front of a jacket.
  42. Lapel roll: The natural curve of a lapel.
  43. Linen: A lightweight natural fabric.
  44. Lining bellows: Extra ease for movement.
  45. Luxury finish: High quality detailing and materials.
  46. Marking chalk: Chalk used for tailoring marks.
  47. Matching checks: Aligning patterns at seams.
  48. Measuring tape: Tool for accurate measurements.
  49. Milled wool: Wool with a soft, dense finish.
  50. Natural shoulder: Minimal padding for a soft line.
  51. Needle punch: Decorative stitching technique.
  52. Notch lapel: A lapel with a triangular cut.
  53. Outseam: The outer seam of trousers.
  54. Overcheck: A larger check over a base pattern.
  55. Padding: Material added for shape.
  56. Pattern: The design of the fabric or garment.
  57. Peak lapel: Lapel that points upward.
  58. Pick stitching: Decorative hand like stitching.
  59. Pinstripe: Fine vertical stripes.
  60. Pocket square: Decorative cloth in breast pocket.
  61. Pressing: Using steam to shape fabric.
  62. Prince of Wales: Another term for Glen check.
  63. Rise: Distance from waistband to crotch.
  64. Roll collar: How the collar sits against the neck.
  65. Rope shoulder: A raised sleeve head.
  66. Seam allowance: Extra fabric at seams.
  67. Selvage: Finished edge of fabric.
  68. Shoulder pad: Padding for structure.
  69. Silhouette: Overall shape of a garment.
  70. Single breasted: A jacket with one row of buttons.
  71. Sleeve pitch: Angle of the sleeve.
  72. Slim fit: A close fitting cut.
  73. Spalla camicia: Soft Italian shoulder.
  74. Stitch density: Number of stitches per length.
  75. Super wool: Wool graded by fibre fineness.
  76. Surgeons cuff: Working sleeve buttons.
  77. Tailoring: The craft of making garments.
  78. Taper: Gradual narrowing of trousers.
  79. Tartan: Traditional checked pattern.
  80. Ticket pocket: Small extra pocket above main pocket.
  81. Trousers break: How trousers rest on shoes.
  82. Twill: Diagonal weave fabric.
  83. Under collar: Fabric beneath collar.
  84. Vent: Slit for ease of movement.
  85. Waist suppression: Shaping at the waist.
  86. Waistband: Top part of trousers.
  87. Windowpane: Large check pattern.
  88. Wool blend: Wool mixed with other fibres.
  89. Worsteds: Smooth finished wool.
  90. Yoke: Shaped panel for fit.
  91. Balance: Even distribution of weight and fit.
  92. Barchetta pocket: Curved breast pocket.
  93. Belly: Curve of the lapel.
  94. Button fly: Concealed button closure.
  95. Cashmere: Luxurious soft fibre.
  96. Chalk mark: Temporary tailoring line.
  97. Cloche: Rounded sleeve head.
  98. Cutaway: Open front jacket style.
  99. Dart suppression: Shaping using darts.
  100. Draped chest: Fuller chest shape.
  101. Ease: Allowance for movement.
  102. Facing cloth: Reinforcement fabric.
  103. Flat front: Trousers without pleats.
  104. Fly front: Concealed buttons.
  105. Formality: Level of dress appropriateness.
  106. French seam: Enclosed seam finish.
  107. Gaiter: Fabric covering lower leg.
  108. Hand finished: Completed with handwork.
  109. Hard wearing: Durable fabric quality.
  110. Inlay: Extra fabric for future alterations.
  111. Lapped seam: Overlapping seam style.
  112. Loden: Dense water resistant wool.
  113. Military crease: Sharp trouser crease.
  114. Mohair: Lustrous wool from goats.
  115. Natural fibre: Material from plants or animals.
  116. Neapolitan cut: Soft Italian tailoring style.
  117. Open weave: Breathable fabric structure.
  118. Overcoat: Long outer garment.
  119. Patch pocket: Pocket sewn on exterior.
  120. Plain weave: Simple fabric structure.
  121. Pleat: Fold for ease and style.
  122. Pocket flap: Fabric covering pocket opening.
  123. Ready to wear: Standard sized clothing.
  124. Reinforcement: Strengthening fabric areas.
  125. Roll line: Where lapel folds.
  126. Sailcloth canvas: Traditional jacket canvas.
  127. Seasonal weight: Fabric suited to weather.
  128. Side adjusters: Waist tightening tabs.
  129. Sleeve head: Top of sleeve attachment.
  130. Soft tailoring: Minimal structure garments.
  131. Sponging: Pre shrinking fabric with steam.
  132. Stitch in the ditch: Invisible stitching.
  133. Structured jacket: Firmly shaped garment.
  134. Style lines: Design shaping seams.
  135. Suppression: Waist shaping effect.
  136. Ticket pocket flap: Cover for ticket pocket.
  137. Tipping: Decorative lining on tie.
  138. Topstitching: Visible stitching detail.
  139. Tuxedo: Formal evening suit.
  140. Twill tape: Reinforcement ribbon.
  141. Undercollar felt: Soft collar support.
  142. Unlined jacket: Jacket without lining.
  143. Waistcoat: Sleeveless tailored vest.
  144. Warp: Lengthwise threads in fabric.
  145. Weft: Crosswise threads in fabric.
  146. Working buttons: Functional sleeve buttons.
  147. Yarn dye: Fabric dyed before weaving.
  148. Zero waste cutting: Efficient fabric use.
  149. Zegna cloth: Luxury Italian fabric.
  150. Arm scye: Tailoring term for armhole.
  151. Balance mark: Tailoring reference point.
  152. Besom pocket: Another term for jet pocket.
  153. Body length: Measurement of jacket length.
  154. Bridle strip: Tape to prevent stretching.
  155. Button wrap: Fabric covering buttons.
  156. Canvas chest: Internal chest structure.
  157. Clean edge: Seamless finished edge.
  158. Cloth weight: Fabric weight per metre.
  159. Collar gap: Space between collar and neck.
  160. Crease retention: Ability to hold crease.
  161. Cross back: Back shoulder width.
  162. Cut: Overall style and shape.
  163. Drapery: Fabric flow quality.
  164. Edge stitching: Stitch near garment edge.
  165. Fabric hand: How fabric feels.
  166. Front dart: Shaping dart at front.
  167. Half lining: Partial jacket lining.
  168. High armhole: Raised armhole for mobility.
  169. Interfacing: Support fabric layer.
  170. Jacket skirt: Lower part of jacket.
  171. Knife pleat: Sharp straight pleat.
  172. Lapel gorge: Seam joining collar and lapel.
  173. Lining bellows pleat: Extra back ease.
  174. Milanese buttonhole: Hand sewn luxury finish.
  175. Minimal break: Slight trouser break.
  176. Necktape: Reinforcement at collar.
  177. Open quarters: Curved jacket front.
  178. Padding stitch: Securing canvas stitches.
  179. Panel seam: Vertical shaping seam.
  180. Pick stitch edge: Decorative lapel stitch.
  181. Plain front: Flat trouser front.
  182. Quarter lining: Light interior lining.
  183. Roll collar line: Natural collar curve.
  184. Seam tape: Reinforcement tape.
  185. Soft roll lapel: Gentle lapel curve.
  186. Structured shoulder: Defined shoulder shape.
  187. Tack stitch: Temporary stitch.
  188. Tailors ham: Pressing tool for curves.
  189. Thread count: Density of threads.
  190. Tipping canvas: Chest canvas extension.
  191. Trousers seat: Area across the back.
  192. Under pressing: Pressing during construction.
  193. Vent overlap: How vent panels meet.
  194. Waist seam: Seam at waist level.
  195. Warp faced: Fabric dominated by warp yarns.
  196. Weave density: Tightness of weave.
  197. Working seam: Load bearing seam.
  198. Wool staple: Length of wool fibre.
  199. Yarn twist: Degree of yarn twist.