General Words for Clothes

apparel noun
LITERARY

the clothes someone is wearing, especially unusual or formal clothes

apparel noun
AMERICAN a word for clothes, used especially in stores or other businesses

attire noun
FORMAL

the clothes that someone is wearing

clobber noun
BRITISH
INFORMAL

clothes, equipment, or other things that you are carrying with you

clothes noun
the things that you wear such as shirts, dresses, trousers etc

clothes noun
clothes worn for a particular activity or event, a particular time of year, or by a particular type of person

clothing noun
clothes in general

clothing noun
clothes of a particular type

dress noun
the clothes that someone usually wears

garment noun
a piece of clothing. This word is used especially when talking about the production and sale of clothes
FORMAL

gear noun
INFORMAL OLD-FASHIONED

clothes, especially fashionable ones This word is often used

humorously .

get-up noun
INFORMAL

silly

the clothes that someone is wearing, used especially when you think they look

outfit noun
a set of clothes that are worn together

raiment noun
LITERARY

clothing

rig-out noun
BRITISH
INFORMAL OLD-FASHIONED

a set of clothes, especially if they are unusual

togs noun
INFORMAL OLD-FASHIONED

clothes, especially the clothes that you wear for a particular activity

wardrobe noun

the clothes that someone has for a particular activity or time of year

wardrobe noun
the clothes that someone has

Jackets and Coats

anorak noun
BRITISH a short coat with a
HOOD

the part that covers your head

Barbour
TRADEMARK

a type of thick

WATERPROOF

coat

blazer noun
a type of light jacket that is often worn as part of a uniform, for example by schoolchildren or members of a sports club

body warmer noun

BRITISH a thick jacket with no sleeves that you wear outside when the weather is cold

bolero noun
a short jacket for a woman

bomber jacket noun

a short jacket that fits tightly at your waist

cagoule noun
BRITISH a light plastic jacket or coat with a
HOOD

that keeps you dry in wet weather

cape noun
a loose piece of clothing without sleeves that hangs from your shoulders

cloak noun
a long thick loose coat without sleeves, that fastens around your neck

coat noun
a piece of clothing with long sleeves that you wear over your other clothes when you go outside. A short coat is also called a jacket and a long coat is also called an overcoat

dinner jacket noun

a mans black or white jacket worn on formal occasions

DJ noun
BRITISH a
DINNER JACKET

donkey jacket noun

BRITISH a short coat made of thick dark wool, usually with a piece of leather or plastic on each shoulder. Donkey jackets are often worn by people who do outdoor work, such as building work.

duffel coat noun

a coat made from heavy cloth that has long buttons and a head
HOOD

a piece that covers your

duster noun

AMERICAN a light coat that you wear to protect your clothes from dust

fleece noun
BRITISH a short jacket or
PULLOVER

made of soft artificial material

flying jacket noun

BRITISH a short warm leather jacket, originally designed for pilots

fur noun
a piece of clothing, especially a coat, that is made from fur

gabardine noun
a coat or jacket made from gabardine cloth

gaberdine
another spelling of gabardine

gown noun
a piece of formal clothing like a loose coat sometimes worn by judges, teachers, lawyers, and members of universities

greatcoat noun
a long heavy coat, worn especially as part of a uniform

hoodie noun
a piece of clothing with a HOOD that you wear on the top part of your body, usually made of thick cotton. Some people think that young men wear hoodies because they are trying to hide their face when they carry out criminal activities.

hoody noun
BRITISH
INFORMAL

another spelling of hoodie

jacket noun
a short coat that covers the upper part of the body and is made in many styles for different occasions and different kinds of weather

jerkin noun
a short jacket without sleeves

kaross noun
SOUTH AFRICAN a type of coat or jacket without sleeves made from the skins of animals

mac noun
BRITISH a coat that stops you from getting wet in the rain

mackintosh noun
BRITISH
OLD-FASHIONED

MAC

maxi noun
a long skirt, dress, or coat that reaches your feet

oilskin noun
a coat or jacket made from oilskin

overall noun
BRITISH a light coat worn over your clothes to protect them when you are working

overcoat noun
a long warm coat that you wear in cold weather

parka noun
a long warm jacket with a
HOOD

a part to cover your head

plastic mac noun

BRITISH a cheap coat made of thin plastic, used to keep you dry when it rains

raincoat noun
a long coat made of light material that you wear when it is raining

reefer noun
AMERICAN a reefer jacket

reefer jacket noun

BRITISH a jacket made of thick dark-blue wool, worn especially by sailors

shortie adjective
INFORMAL

a shortie coat, skirt, or jacket is shorter than the usual length

slicker noun
AMERICAN a coat worn for keeping out the rain, usually made of rubber or plastic

sports coat noun

BRITISH a
SPORTS JACKET

sports jacket noun

BRITISH a mans jacket that is worn on informal occasions

straightjacket
another spelling of straitjacket

straitjacket noun
a jacket with very long arms that can be tied behind the back of someone who is violent to stop them from harming anyone

tails noun
a mans formal jacket that is short at the front and has two long pointed parts that hang down at the back

tailcoat noun
a mans formal jacket that is short at the front and has two long pointed parts that hang down at the back

topcoat noun
OLD-FASHIONED

a long warm coat

trench coat noun

a
RAINCOAT

with a belt, made in the style of a military coat

tux noun
MAINLY

AMERICAN

INFORMAL

TUXEDO

tuxedo noun
MAINLY

AMERICAN a

DINNER JACKET

waterproof noun
BRITISH a coat or jacket that keeps you dry in wet weather

windcheater noun
a jacket that protects you from the wind and rain

Trousers and Shorts

bell-bottoms noun
trousers that are very wide at the bottom of the leg

blue jeans noun

MAINLY

AMERICAN trousers that are made of blue

DENIM

a thick cotton cloth

board shorts noun

AUSTRALIAN mens
SHORTS

that come down to the knee, worn for swimming and

SURFING

bottoms noun
the trousers of a set of loose clothes or sports clothes. The other part is called the top

breeches noun
old-fashioned trousers that end at the knee

britches
another spelling of breeches

capri pants noun

womens narrow trousers that end just below the knee

cargo pants noun

loose trousers made of cotton with large pockets on the legs

chaps noun
pieces of leather that horses
COWBOYS

wear over their trousers to protect their legs when riding

chinos noun
trousers made from thick strong cotton cloth

cords noun
trousers made of corduroy

corduroys noun
trousers made of corduroy

cropped pants noun

wide trousers that end just below the knee

culottes noun cutoffs noun

womens short trousers that have wide legs and look like a skirt short trousers that you make by cutting part of the legs off old trousers

daks noun
AUSTRALIAN
INFORMAL

trousers

denims noun
a pair of trousers made from denim

drainpipe trousers noun

BRITISH trousers with very narrow legs

dungarees noun
BRITISH a piece of clothing consisting of trousers and a square piece of cloth that fits over your chest, held up by narrow pieces of cloth over your shoulders. The American word is overalls .

dungarees noun
AMERICAN
OLD-FASHIONED

trousers made of strong cloth, usually blue

DENIM

flannels noun
trousers made of wool flannel

flares noun
a type of trousers that become wider at the bottom

hipsters noun
BRITISH trousers that fit tightly around your
HIPS

and do not cover your waist

hot pants noun

very small tight
SHORTS

short trousers for women

jeans noun
trousers made of heavy cotton cloth called denim that you wear in informal situations

jodhpurs noun
trousers that are worn for riding a horse

joggers noun
BRITISH loose trousers that you wear especially when you are doing exercise

khakis noun
trousers or other clothes made of khaki cloth

leggings noun
trousers worn by women and girls that stretch and fit very closely to their legs

leggings noun
special trousers that you wear over your ordinary trousers in bad weather

Levis
TRADEMARK

a type of

JEANS

overalls noun
AMERICAN
DUNGAREES 1

pantaloons noun
old-fashioned long wide trousers that are narrow at the bottom

pants noun

AMERICAN

TROUSERS

pedal pushers noun

tight trousers for women that finish just below the knee

pyjamas noun
a loose pair of cotton trousers that some people in Asian countries wear

salwar noun
INDIAN ENGLISH a pair of trousers with wide legs, worn by women in northern India

shalwar
INDIAN ENGLISH another spelling of salwar

shorts noun
short trousers that end at or above the knees

ski pants noun

BRITISH womens tight trousers with a narrow piece of cloth that goes under the foot

ski pants noun

warm trousers that you wear for
SKIING

slacks noun
OLD-FASHIONED TROUSERS

, especially ones that are worn for informal occasions

stirrup pants noun

womens tight trousers with a narrow piece of cloth that goes under the foot

stretch pants noun

womens trousers that are made of cloth that stretches

strides noun
AUSTRALIAN
INFORMAL

trousers

sweatpants noun
AMERICAN thick cotton trousers worn especially for exercise or informal activities

trews noun
tight trousers, especially with a
TARTAN

pattern

trouser adjective
relating to trousers

trousers noun
a piece of clothing covering the body from the waist to the feet, divided into separate parts for each leg and worn by both men and women

Underwear
basque noun
a piece of womens clothing that fits tightly from the chest to the top of the legs. It can be worn separately, often as underwear, or as the top part of a dress.

bloomers noun
an old-fashioned piece of womens underwear that is loose and covers the area from the waist to the knees

body noun
BRITISH a piece of womens or babys clothing that fits tightly on the body and fastens between the legs. The American word is body suit .

boxers noun
mens underwear that looks like a pair of short loose trousers

bra noun
a piece of underwear that supports a womans breasts. The formal word for this is brassiere .

brassiere noun
FORMAL

BRA

briefs noun
mens short tight
UNDERPANTS

, or womens

KNICKERS

bustier noun
a piece of clothing for women that fits close to the top part of the body and does not cover the shoulders or arms

camiknickers noun
BRITISH a piece of womens underwear consisting of a camisole top with
KNICKERS

camisole noun
a piece of womens underwear that covers the top part of the body, with thin the shoulders
STRAPS

at

chemise noun
a long loose dress or piece of underwear, worn by women

corset noun
a stiff piece of underwear worn by women to make their waists look thin, especially in the past

drawers noun
OLD-FASHIONED

womens

KNICKERS

or

UNDERPANTS

falsies noun
INFORMAL

pieces of material that a woman puts inside her

BRA

to make her breasts look

bigger

foundation garment noun

a piece of underwear that women wore, especially in the past, to give their body more shape or support

garter belt noun

AMERICAN a
SUSPENDER BELT

girdle noun
a soft narrow belt that you tie round your waist

G-string noun
a very small piece of cloth that covers the sexual organs with a very narrow piece of cloth at the back and around the waist

knickers noun
BRITISH a piece of underwear for a womans lower body. The American word is panties .

linen noun
an old word meaning underwear

lingerie noun
underwear and clothing to sleep in for women

panties noun
a piece of womens underwear that covers the part of the body from the waist to the top of the legs

pants noun
BRITISH a piece of underwear that covers the part of the body from the waist to the top of the legs. The American word is underpants .

petticoat noun
a piece of womens underwear that is like a thin loose skirt or dress with no sleeves

shorts noun
MAINLY

AMERICAN mens underwear

slip noun
a piece of womens underwear consisting of a loose skirt or dress with no sleeves

smalls noun
BRITISH
INFORMAL OLD-FASHIONED

underwear

string noun
a G-STRING

string vest noun

BRITISH a piece of underwear worn over the chest by some men, made of thick fibres woven so as to leave holes

suspender belt noun

BRITISH a belt that suspenders are fastened to

teddy noun
a piece of womens underwear that covers the upper body and fastens between the legs

thong noun
a piece of underwear, or the bottom part of a the back
BIKINI

, with a very narrow piece of cloth at

underpants noun
underwear for men worn on the lower half of the body

undershirt noun
AMERICAN a
VEST 1

undershorts noun
MAINLY

AMERICAN

OLD-FASHIONED UNDERPANTS

underskirt noun
a piece of womens underwear that looks like a skirt and is worn under another skirt

vest noun
BRITISH a piece of underwear for the top half of your body. The American word is undershirt .

Y-fronts
TRADEMARK

BRITISH

BRIEFS

for men

Suits
body stocking noun
a piece of tight clothing worn especially by dancers that covers your body from your neck to your feet

business suit noun

a formal suit that someone wears for work

catsuit noun
a piece of womens clothing with long sleeves and legs that fits tightly over the body

jumpsuit noun
a tight piece of clothing that covers the body and legs, and sometimes the arms

lounge suit noun

BRITISH
FORMAL

an ordinary mans suit consisting of jacket and trousers

morning dress noun

a mans formal suit worn on formal occasions

morning suit noun

a mans formal suit worn on formal occasions

pantsuit noun
AMERICAN a
TROUSER SUIT

safari suit noun

an informal suit made of light-coloured cloth, worn in hot weather

suit noun
a set of clothes made from the same cloth, usually a jacket with trousers or a skirt

three-piece suit noun

a set of clothes that consists of a jacket, trousers, and cloth
WAISTCOAT

made from the same

trouser suit noun

a pair of trousers with a jacket of the same material and style, worn by women

tux noun
MAINLY

AMERICAN

INFORMAL

TUXEDO

tuxedo noun
MAINLY

AMERICAN a

DINNER SUIT

tweeds noun
a suit made from tweed

zoot suit noun

a suit worn in the 1940s that consisted of a long jacket with big shoulders and trousers that were loose at the top and narrow at the bottom

Skirts and Dresses

ballgown noun
a special long dress worn by a woman for dancing at a
BALL

a formal social event

caftan noun
another spelling of kaftan

chemise noun
a long loose dress or piece of underwear, worn by women

cheongsam noun
a tight silk dress with a high neck, short sleeves, and a SLIT long narrow space on each side by the leg that is worn by Chinese and Indonesian women

cocktail dress noun

a short dress that is suitable for a formal party

dirndl noun
a wide skirt or dress that fits tightly at the waist

dress noun
a piece of clothing that covers a womans body and part of her legs

evening dress noun

a long dress that a woman wears when she goes to an important social event in the evening

formal noun
AMERICAN a long dress that a woman wears to a formal dance

frock noun
OLD-FASHIONED

a dress

gown noun
a special long dress worn by a woman, often for dancing or other special occasions

gymslip noun
BRITISH a type of dress without sleeves that girls used to wear as part of a school uniform

habit noun

a simple dress worn by

NUNS

and other members of religious communities

jumper noun
AMERICAN a
PINAFORE

kaftan noun
a long loose dress

kanga noun
a colourful cloth, originally from East Africa, that women wear wrapped around their bodies like a long dress

lungi noun
a piece of cloth that you wrap around your waist like a long skirt

maxi noun
a long skirt, dress, or coat that reaches your feet

mini noun
a
MINISKIRT

miniskirt noun
a very short skirt

pencil skirt noun

a tight narrow skirt

pinafore noun
BRITISH a loose dress without sleeves that is worn over a
BLOUSE

or shirt

pinafore noun
AMERICAN a loose dress without sleeves that is worn by young girls

sari noun
a very long wide piece of cloth, especially silk, that women in India wrap around their bodies to make a type of long dress

sarong noun
a long wide piece of cloth that is tied around the waist to make a skirt or at the shoulder to make a dress It is worn by men and women in Malaysia and some other countries .

sheath noun
a dress that fits tightly around a womans body

shift noun
a womans dress that hangs down straight

shirtwaister noun
BRITISH a type of dress with buttons down the front that fits tightly around your waist

shortie adjective
INFORMAL

a shortie coat, skirt, or jacket is shorter than the usual length

skirt noun
a piece of clothing for a woman or girl. It hangs from the waist and is not joined between the legs

slip dress noun

a dress made of a light thin cloth such as silk with no sleeves and narrow pieces of cloth going over the shoulders

sundress noun
a light dress that does not cover your arms or shoulders, usually worn in hot weather

tutu noun
a short skirt made of stiff cloth that a female
BALLET

dancer wears

wedding dress noun

a special dress, often a long white one, worn by a woman at her wedding

wrap noun
a piece of cloth that a woman wears around her waist as a skirt or around her shoulders as a SHAWL

wraparound noun
a wraparound skirt

Shoes, Boots and Slippers

Birkenstock
a shoe known for being very comfortable. Birkenstocks have the reputation of being worn mostly by people who care for the environment and try to live a healthy life.
TRADEMARK

boot noun
a type of shoe that covers all of your foot and part of your leg. You often wear boots to protect your feet and legs, for example from snow or rain

boot noun
BRITISH a type of shoe that you wear for a particular sport

brogues noun
strong leather shoes with a pattern of holes and stitches

chappal noun
INDIAN ENGLISH a shoe consisting of a flat bottom with one thin piece of leather attached to it, that goes between the first two toes

clodhoppers noun
HUMOROUS

large heavy shoes

clog noun
a shoe with a wooden
SOLE

bottom part , especially a shoe that does not cover your heel

court shoe noun

BRITISH a very plain type of womans shoe with a small heel and no fastening. The American word is pump .

cowboy boots noun

high leather boots with raised heels and pointed toes

crosstrainer noun
a type of sports shoe designed for several different activities

deck shoe noun

a flat shoe that is made of thick cloth and has a rubber bottom

desert boot noun

a low boot made of ankles
SUEDE

soft leather with a slightly rough surface that covers your

Doc Martens
TRADEMARK

strong shoes or boots with thick flat

SOLES

espadrille noun
a light shoe with the top part made of twisted rope
CANVAS

strong cloth and the bottom made of

flats noun
MAINLY

AMERICAN shoes without heels or with very low heels

flip-flop noun
a rubber shoe without a top or back, held to your foot by a that goes between your toes
STRAP

in the shape of a V

galoshes noun
special rubber shoes that you wear over ordinary shoes to protect them when it rains

gumboot noun
BRITISH
OLD-FASHIONED

WELLINGTON

heels noun
womens shoes with high heels

high heels noun

womens shoes that have high heels

hobnailed boot noun

a large heavy boot whose
SOLE

bottom part is fixed on with large nails

jackboot noun
a heavy military boot that covers the bottom part of your leg up to the knee and is made of thick leather

kitten heels noun

fashionable womens shoes with a low heel

lace-ups noun
INFORMAL

shoes that you tie with

LACES

loafer noun
a low leather shoe that you slip on and do not need to tie

moccasin noun
a soft leather shoe with a flat heel

mule noun
a
SLIPPER

or shoe that has no upper part around the heel

overshoe noun

a shoe that fits over an ordinary shoe and keeps it dry in wet weather

oxfords noun
strong leather shoes that you fasten with
SHOELACES

platforms noun
shoes that have a very thick bottom part and make you look much taller

plimsoll noun
BRITISH OLD-FASHIONED a light shoe made from strong cotton on the top and rubber on the bottom, used for playing games and sports

pump noun pump noun pump noun

MAINLY

BRITISH a shoe made of strong cloth, worn by children for doing sports at school BRITISH a flat shoe that does not fasten and is worn for dancing

AMERICAN a plain womans shoe that has a heel and does not fasten

pump noun
a shiny mans shoe that does not fasten and is worn for formal occasions

Rollerblade
a type of boot with a single row of small wheels along the bottom, used for moving quickly along, especially for fun or as a sport
TRADEMARK

roller skate noun

a boot with four small wheels on the bottom used for moving quickly along, especially for fun or as a sport

sandal noun
a light shoe that is partly open on top and does not cover your heel or toes

shoe noun
something that you wear on each foot, usually over socks

shoe noun
relating to shoes, or used for shoes

skate noun
a type of shoe with a thin metal blade on the bottom, used for moving quickly on ice

skate noun
a type of shoe with four thick wheels on the bottom, used for moving quickly on a smooth surface

slide noun
a shoe that covers the front of the foot and is very low at the back

slingback noun
a type of womans shoe with a narrow band round the heel

slip-on noun
a shoe that you do not need to fasten

slipper noun
a soft comfortable shoe that you wear in your house

sneaker noun

MAINLY

AMERICAN

INFORMAL

TRAINER

that you wear for playing sports

snowshoe noun
a flat frame that you fit onto the bottom of your shoe so that you can walk on deep snow

spikes noun
sports shoes with short pointed pieces of metal on the bottom

stiletto noun
a shoe that has a thin high heel

tackie noun
SOUTH AFRICAN a shoe made of
CANVAS

strong cloth with a rubber

SOLE

bottom

takkie noun
SOUTH AFRICAN another spelling of tackie

tennis shoe noun

a shoe with a rubber
SOLE

bottom that is used for playing tennis and other sports

thong noun
AMERICAN
AND

AUSTRALIAN a

FLIP-FLOP 1

trainers noun
BRITISH strong, comfortable shoes which are designed for doing sports in, but which many people wear as informal clothing

training shoe noun

BRITISH a
TRAINER

waders noun
rubber boots or a combination of trousers and rubber boots that people wear when they stand in water to fish

wellie noun
BRITISH
INFORMAL

a rubber or plastic boot that does not let water in

wellington noun
BRITISH a
WELLIE

welly
another spelling of wellie

wingtip noun
AMERICAN a type of mans shoe that has a pattern of holes on the front

Parts of Shoes, Boots and Slippers

bootlaces noun
long strings used for fastening boots

cleat noun
a piece of metal or hard plastic fixed to the bottom of a shoe in order to prevent it from slipping on the ground

heel noun

the part underneath the back of a shoe

insole noun
a flat piece fixed or put inside your shoe, under your foot

instep noun
the part of a shoe that fits your instep

lace noun
a thick piece of string used for tying shoes or boots

shoelace noun
a thick string used for fastening a shoe on your foot

sole noun
the bottom part of your shoe that goes under your foot

spat noun
a short piece of cloth or leather that men used to wear to cover the upper part of their shoes

spike noun
one of the short pointed pieces of metal on the bottom of some sports shoes

stiletto noun
a thin high heel on a womans shoe

stud noun
a piece of plastic or rubber, for example on the bottom of a boot or on a tyre, that prevents slipping

toe noun
the part of a shoe or sock that covers your toes

toecap noun
a piece of leather or metal that covers the front part of a shoe or boot

tongue noun
a long thin piece of material that lies under the part of a shoe or boot where you fasten it

upper noun
the part of a shoe that covers the top and sides of your foot

Sweaters and Waistcoats

Aran (jumper) noun
a thick cream-coloured wool
JUMPER

that has patterns woven into it

cardie noun
BRITISH
INFORMAL

CARDIGAN

cardigan noun
a jacket
KNITTED

from wool, that you fasten at the front with buttons or a

ZIP

crew neck noun

a
SWEATER

with a crew neck

guernsey noun
a thick dark blue
WOOLLEN SWEATER

like those that sailors used to wear

jersey noun
a
SWEATER

jumper noun
BRITISH a warm piece of clothing, usually made of wool, that you pull over your head and that covers your upper body and arms

polo neck noun

BRITISH a
SWEATER

with a high neck that folds over. The American word is turtleneck .

pullover noun
a warm piece of clothing without buttons that you wear on the top part of your body

shrug noun
a very short
CARDIGAN

for women that covers only the chest and the upper back

sloppy joe noun

BRITISH a
SWEATER

that is loose and informal

sweater noun
a warm piece of clothing that covers your upper body and arms

sweatshirt noun
a piece of clothing made of thick cotton that you wear on the upper part of your body for exercise or informal activities

tank top noun

BRITISH a short
SWEATER

with no sleeves

turtleneck noun
a
SWEATER

with a turtleneck

twinset noun
a womans together
SWEATER

with short sleeves and a

CARDIGAN

, that are designed to be worn

vest noun
AMERICAN a
WAISTCOAT

waistcoat noun
BRITISH a piece of clothing without sleeves that is usually worn over a shirt

woolly noun
BRITISH
INFORMAL

a piece of clothing made from wool, especially

KNITTED

clothing

wooly
the American spelling of woolly
1

Shirts, T-Shirts and Tops

blouse noun

a shirt for women

boob tube noun

BRITISH a tight piece of womens clothing like a round tube that covers the chest but not the shoulders

caftan noun
another spelling of kaftan

corset noun
a piece of clothing that looks like a corset

crop top noun

a short shirt for women that does not cover the stomach

dicky noun
a false shirt front that a man can wear under a jacket

dress shirt noun

a formal shirt that men wear under a formal occasions
DINNER JACKET

a black or white jacket worn on very

halter noun
a womans piece of clothing for the top of her body that does not cover the shoulders or back and fastens at the back of the neck

kaftan noun
a long loose piece of clothing with wide sleeves

kameez noun
INDIAN ENGLISH a piece of clothing like a long shirt, worn especially by people in South Asia, and often worn with a SALWAR

kurta noun
a piece of clothing like a long shirt, worn by men in India

oxford noun
an oxford shirt is made of thick cotton and has a collar that is fastened down with buttons

polo noun
INFORMAL

POLO SHIRT

polo shirt noun

a cotton shirt with a collar, a few buttons at the neck, and short sleeves

shirt noun
a piece of mens clothing that covers the top part of the body. It usually has long sleeves and buttons down the front

shirt noun
a similar piece of clothing worn by women. A womans shirt is often called a blouse .

singlet noun
BRITISH a piece of clothing with no sleeves that a man wears under a shirt

smock noun

BRITISH a long loose shirt for women

tee shirt
another spelling of T-shirt

T-shirt noun
a soft shirt that usually has short sleeves and no collar

tube top noun

AMERICAN a
BOOB TUBE

tunic noun
a long loose shirt, usually worn by women

Nightclothes
negligee noun
a long loose piece of clothing made of very thin cloth that women wear over night clothes

nightdress noun
BRITISH a piece of clothing like a loose dress, worn by a woman or girl to sleep in

nightgown noun
OLD-FASHIONED

NIGHTDRESS

nightie noun
INFORMAL

NIGHTDRESS

nightshirt noun
a long loose shirt that is worn for sleeping in

pajamas
the American spelling of pyjamas

pjs noun
MAINLY

AMERICAN

INFORMAL PYJAMAS

pyjamas noun
comfortable trousers and a shirt that you wear in bed

pyjamas noun
any clothes that you wear to bed

pyjama adjective

Clothes Worn for Swimming

bathers noun
AUSTRALIAN a
SWIMSUIT

bathing suit noun

OLD-FASHIONED

SWIMSUIT

bikini noun

a swimming suit for women, with separate parts to cover the breasts and the lower part of the body

costume noun
BRITISH a
SWIMMING COSTUME

flipper noun
a wide flat rubber shoe that you use to swim faster

swimmers noun
AUSTRALIAN
INFORMAL

SWIMSUIT

swimming cap noun

a thin rubber or plastic hat that keeps your hair dry when you swim

swimming costume noun

BRITISH a
SWIMSUIT

swimming trunks noun

BRITISH a piece of clothing worn by men for swimming

swimsuit noun
a piece of clothing worn for swimming, especially by women

trunks noun
mens
SHORTS

worn for swimming and other sports

Clothes Worn by Babies and Small Children

Babygro
BRITISH a piece of clothing for a baby made of material that stretches and covers the babys arms, legs, feet, and body
TRADEMARK

bib noun
a piece of cloth that is tied round a babys neck and hangs down to protect its clothes while eating or drinking

body noun
BRITISH a piece of womens or babys clothing that fits tightly on the body and fastens between the legs. The American word is body suit .

bootees noun
soft shoes for a baby, made of wool or cloth

booties rompers noun

MAINLY

another spelling of bootees AMERICAN a

ROMPER SUIT

romper suit noun

BRITISH a piece of comfortable clothing for babies and small children that is all in one piece and covers their whole body

sailor suit noun

a suit for children that looks like a sailors uniform

Clothes and Accessories Worn for Sports and Leisure

box noun
BRITISH a hard cover worn by men to protect their sex organs when playing sports

jersey noun
a shirt worn as part of a uniform in sports such as football

jockstrap noun
a tight piece of underwear that a man wears to support his sex organs when he is playing sport
INFORMAL

jogging suit noun

BRITISH a set of loose clothes that you wear especially when you are doing exercise

kit noun
BRITISH clothes and equipment needed for a sport

leotard noun
a piece of clothing that covers the body tightly from the neck to the top of the legs and is used for dancing or exercising

shell suit noun

BRITISH sports clothes that people often wear as ordinary clothes, consisting of a jacket and trousers made of very thin brightly coloured cloth Shell suits were popular among working-class people in the 1990s .

shin guard noun

a
SHIN PAD

shin pad noun

an object that you wear inside your socks to protect your games such as football and RUGBY
SHINS

when you are playing

shirt noun
the part of a sports
STRIP

that covers the top part of a players body

shoulder pad noun

a large piece of hard plastic that is worn under a shirt to protect a players shoulders in the sport of American football

silks noun
the bright coloured shirt worn by a
JOCKEY

someone who rides a horse in a race

singlet noun
BRITISH a shirt with no sleeves that you wear to play some sports such as basketball

strip noun
BRITISH a
UNIFORM

worn by the players in a team

sweats noun
AMERICAN
INFORMAL

JOGGING SUIT

sweats noun
AMERICAN
INFORMAL SWEATPANTS

sweatsuit noun

AMERICAN a

JOGGING SUIT

tennis shoe noun

a shoe with a rubber
SOLE

bottom that is used for playing tennis and other sports

tracksuit noun
loose trousers and a loose top that you wear especially before or after exercising

trakky daks noun

AUSTRALIAN
INFORMAL TRACKSUIT

trousers

warm-ups noun
AMERICAN a
TRACKSUIT

wetsuit noun
a suit made of rubber that people wear for water sports such as
DIVING

and

SURFING

whites noun
BRITISH special white clothes that people often wear for playing sports such as tennis or
CRICKET

wristband noun
something that you wear around your wrist, for example when you are playing sport

Socks and Stockings

fishnet adjective
fishnet
STOCKINGS

or

TIGHTS

have a pattern of small holes in them, like a fishnet

gaiter noun
a piece of leather or cloth that covers and protects your leg from the knee to the ankle

hose noun
OLD-FASHIONED

socks,

STOCKINGS

, and

TIGHTS

nylons noun
OLD-FASHIONED

nylon

STOCKINGS

pantihose
another spelling of pantyhose

pantyhose noun
MAINLY

AMERICAN womens

TIGHTS

sock noun
a soft piece of clothing that you wear on your foot inside your shoe

stocking noun
a piece of clothing worn on a womans foot and leg, held up by
SUSPENDERS

support tights noun

TIGHTS

that help blood to move through your legs by holding them very tightly

tights noun
a piece of womens clothing that tightly covers the feet and legs up to the waist

tights noun

a similar piece of clothing that dancers or actors wear

Clothing Worn Over Other Clothes

apron noun
something that you wear to protect the front of your clothes, especially when you are cooking

boiler suit noun

BRITISH a piece of clothing that you wear over your clothes to protect them. It consists of trousers and a jacket joined together.

burka noun
a loose piece of clothing that covers the head and body completely except for a space for the eyes. A burka is worn in public by Muslim women in some countries.

burqa noun
another spelling of burka

coveralls noun
AMERICAN
OVERALLS

gown noun
a long loose piece of clothing that a doctor or patient wears during an operation in a hospital

jumpsuit noun
a piece of clothing that covers the body, legs, and arms, and is worn over other clothes for protection

oilskins noun
a coat and pair of trousers made from oilskin

overalls noun
BRITISH a single piece of clothing with trousers and long sleeves, worn over your clothes to protect them when you are working. The American word is overall .

pinafore noun
BRITISH OLD-FASHIONED a piece of clothing that a woman wears over her clothes to keep them clean when she is cooking

pinny noun
BRITISH
INFORMAL

PINAFORE 2

poncho noun smock noun

a piece of clothing that consists of a large square piece of cloth with a hole in the middle to put your head through, worn over your other clothes BRITISH a long loose shirt worn over ordinary clothes to keep them clean

tabard noun
a piece of clothing that covers the chest and back, worn over other clothes, especially in the past by KNIGHTS soldiers who rode horses

vest noun
a piece of clothing with no sleeves or collar worn over other clothes, for example for protection

Clothes Only Worn Around the House

bathrobe noun
a loose piece of clothing like a soft coat that you wear before or after taking a bath or shower

dressing gown noun

a piece of clothing like a long loose coat that you wear in your house

housecoat noun
a long loose dress worn by a woman over her underwear or home
NIGHTCLOTHES

when she is at

kimono noun
a
DRESSING GOWN

in this style

robe noun
a
DRESSING GOWN

wrapper noun
OLD-FASHIONED

a loose piece of clothing such as a

DRESSING-GOWN

Clothes and Accessories Worn in the Past

armor
the American spelling of armour

armour noun
metal clothing that soldiers wore in the
MIDDLE AGES

to protect their bodies

bloomers noun
wide loose trousers that end just below the knee, worn by women in the past

bustle noun
something that women wore round their waists in the past to hold their skirts away from their bodies at the back

chain mail noun

clothing made from metal rings that soldiers in the past wore for protection

codpiece noun
a piece of material covering a mans sexual organs, worn in the 15th and 16th centuries

corset noun
a stiff piece of underwear worn by women to make their waists look thin, especially in the past

crinoline noun
a frame that women in the past wore under their skirts to give them a round shape

doublet noun
a mans short tight jacket worn from the 14th to 17th century

foundation garment noun

a piece of underwear that women wore, especially in the past, to give their body more shape or support

frock coat noun

a coat that men wore in the 19th century

girdle noun
a piece of very tight underwear that women wore in the past to make them look thinner

gown noun
a long dress worn by a woman in the past

hair shirt noun

a shirt made of very rough cloth that some religious people wore in the past to punish themselves for things that they had done wrong

hose noun
tight thin trousers that men in some countries wore in the past

knickerbockers noun
trousers ending under your knee, worn in the past

long johns noun

warm underwear with long legs, worn especially by men in the past

mail noun
clothing made of small metal rings or pieces joined together, worn by soldiers in the past to protect their bodies

mantle noun
a piece of clothing similar to a coat but without sleeves, worn mainly in the past

mob cap noun

a white cotton hat worn by women in the past

nightcap noun
a hat that people wore in bed in the past

pith helmet noun

a large hard round hat worn in hot countries to keep the sun off your head, especially in the past

plus fours noun

loose trousers that are fastened below the knee, worn by men when playing sports, especially golf, in the past

ruff noun
a large collar with upright folds that people wore in the 16th and 17th centuries

smoking jacket noun

a loose jacket made of soft expensive cloth, worn at home by men in the past

swaddling clothes noun

cloth that people used in the past for wrapping babies in

tabard noun
a piece of clothing that covers the chest and back, worn over other clothes, especially in the past by KNIGHTS soldiers who rode horses

toga noun
a long loose piece of clothing worn by ancient Romans

tunic noun
a long loose piece of clothing with a belt and no sleeves, worn by people in ancient times

Traditional Clothing from Around the World

dress noun kilt noun
the clothes that are typical of a particular place, time in history, or occasion a type of traditional Scottish clothing, similar to a skirt, worn by men. Kilts are made of woollen cloth in a pattern called tartan .

kimono noun
a type of traditional Japanese clothing, like a long coat with wide sleeves

loincloth noun
a piece of cloth that men in some hot countries wear to cover the part of their body below the waist

national costume noun

the traditional clothes that are worn by people of a particular country on special occasions

national dress noun

NATIONAL COSTUME

plaid noun
a piece of cloth with a pattern of squares worn over the shoulder and across the chest as part of Scottish national dress

sporran noun
a small furry bag that hangs in front of a mans
KILT

as part of traditional Scottish dress

tam-o-shanter noun
a Scottish hat made of cloth. It has a flat top with a ball of wool called a pompom in the middle.

tartan noun
cloth or clothes with a tartan pattern

ACCESSORIES Hats and Other Things Worn on the Head

balaclava noun
a warm hat that covers your head, neck, and usually all of your face except your eyes

bandanna noun
a piece of coloured cloth worn around your head or neck

baseball cap noun

a hat that fits close to your head, with a flat curved part that sticks out over your eyes

beanie noun
a small round hat that fits tightly to your head

bearskin noun
a tall black fur hat that some British soldiers wear as part of their uniform for special ceremonies

beret noun
a round flat soft hat that fits tightly round the top of the head

biretta noun
a stiff square hat worn by a Roman Catholic priest

boater noun
a circular hat with a low flat top and a wide wheat for wearing in sunny weather
BRIM

, usually made of

STRAW

dried stems of

bobble hat noun

BRITISH a hat with a bobble on the top

bonnet noun
a hat that ties under your chin

bowler noun
a
BOWLER HAT

bowler hat noun

a hard round black hat, worn especially by businessmen in the past

busby noun
INFORMAL

BEARSKIN

hat

cap noun
a soft hat with a stiff part called a peak that comes out over your eyes

cap noun
a soft hat that people wear as part of a uniform

cap noun
a soft hat that you wear to protect or cover your hair

chunni noun
INDIAN ENGLISH a long
SCARF

that a woman wears around her head or shoulders

cloche noun
a womans hat shaped like a bell that fits tightly on her head

cloth cap noun

BRITISH a mans flat CAP hat made from cloth or wool with a hard curved front part. It is sometimes considered to be typical of working-class men.

cocked hat noun

a hat with three sides and a 18th century
BRIM

bottom part that is turned straight up, worn in the

coronet noun

a small

CROWN

cowboy hat noun

a high hat with a wide
BRIM

the flat part that surrounds a hat

cowl noun
a part of a piece of clothing that covers the head and shoulders, worn especially by
MONKS

crash helmet noun

a hard round hat that you wear to protect your head while driving a
CAR MOTORCYCLE

or

RACING

crown noun
a circular decoration that a king or queen wears on their head as a symbol of power, often decorated with jewels

crown noun
a decoration for your head shaped like a crown

deerstalker noun
a hat with pieces that cover your ears

derby noun
AMERICAN a
BOWLER HAT

dupatta noun
INDIAN ENGLISH a long
SCARF

that a woman wears around her head or shoulders

earmuffs noun
a pair of round pieces of cloth or fur connected by a band that you wear over your ears to keep them warm

fedora noun
a mans hat with a wide
BRIM

fez noun
a small round red hat with a flat top and no countries
BRIM

that men wear in some Muslim

flat cap noun

BRITISH a mans cloth hat with a narrow someone is working class
BRIM

at the front, often considered to show that

garland noun
a ring of flowers, leaves etc that you wear around your head or neck or use for decorating something

hard hat noun hat noun

a hat that workers on
BUILDING SITES

wear to protect their heads

a piece of clothing that you wear on your head

headband noun
a narrow piece of cloth that you wear around your head to keep hair or your skin out of your eyes
SWEAT

liquid from

headdress noun
a decorated piece of clothing that someone wears on their head

headphones noun
a piece of equipment that you wear over your ears to listen to something without other people hearing it

headpiece noun
something that you wear on your head for decoration or protection

headscarf noun
a piece of cloth that a woman or girl wears on her head and ties under her chin

helmet noun
a hard hat that you wear to protect your head

homburg noun
a soft hat for men that has a stiff
BRIM

edge

hood noun
the part of a coat or jacket that covers your head

hood noun
a piece of cloth that can be pulled over a persons head and face

kerchief noun
OLD-FASHIONED

a piece of cloth that you wear around your neck or head

mitre noun
a tall hat worn by a
BISHOP

mortarboard noun
a hat with a stiff square top, worn as a sign of academic achievement. Mortarboards were traditionally worn by teachers.

panama noun
a mans hat made from
STRAW

, usually worn in hot weather

pillbox noun
a womans small round hat with a flat top

pith helmet noun

a large hard round hat worn in hot countries to keep the sun off your head, especially in the past

shawl noun
a large piece of material that is worn by a woman around her shoulders or on her head

shower cap noun

a plastic hat that you wear when you shower so that your hair does not get wet

skullcap noun
a small hat sometimes worn by Jewish men and Roman Catholic priests

sombrero noun
a Mexican hat for men that is tall and has a very wide
BRIM

souwester noun
a hat that protects your face and neck from the wind and rain

stetson
TRADEMARK

US

a tall hat with a wide

BRIM

, usually worn by people in the western part of the

straw boater noun

an old-fashioned hat made of straw with a flat top and a band around it

sun bonnet noun

a cotton hat for babies that protects the babys head and face from the sun

sun hat noun

a hat with a wide
BRIM

edge that you wear to protect your head and face from the sun

sweatband noun
a piece of cloth that sports players wear around their wrists or head to stop sweat going onto their hands or into their eyes

swimming cap noun

a thin rubber or plastic hat that keeps your hair dry when you swim

tam-o-shanter noun
a Scottish hat made of cloth. It has a flat top with a ball of wool called a pompom in the middle.

ten-gallon hat noun

a tall hat with a wide
BRIM

sometimes worn in the western US

topee
another spelling of topi

top hat noun

a mans tall hat shaped like a tube with a narrow
BRIM

, worn on formal occasions

topi noun
a light hard hat with a
BRIM

that is worn in hot countries to protect you from the sun

trilby noun
a mans hat worn with the top part pressed down along the middle

turban noun
a hat worn by women that is similar to this

veil noun
a thin piece of cloth worn over a womans head and often partly over her face

visor noun
a curved piece of plastic or other material on a band that you wear on your head to protect your eyes from the sun

wreath noun
a circle of flowers or leaves that someone wears on their head

yarmulke noun
a small round hat worn by Jewish men

Parts of Hats
bobble noun
BRITISH a small ball made from pieces of wool, used for decorating hats and other pieces of clothing.

brim noun
the part of a hat that sticks out from the base

chinstrap noun
a thin piece of leather or cloth that you put under your chin to stop a hat or falling off your head
HELMET

cockade noun
a decoration worn on a hat, often as part of a uniform

crown noun
the part of a hat that covers the crown of your head

hatpin noun
a long sharp pin that a woman uses to keep her hat on her head

peak noun
the flat curved part of a eyes
CAP

that continues beyond the main at the front above your

plume noun
a large feather or group of feathers, used especially for decorating a hat

visor noun
a piece of clear plastic that is fixed to the front of a face
HELMET

hard hat and protects your

visor noun
AMERICAN a
PEAK

on a

CAP

type of hat

Accessories Worn Around the Neck and Shoulders

bandanna noun
a piece of coloured cloth worn around your head or neck

boa noun
a
FEATHER BOA

bolo tie noun

AMERICAN a leather string that some men wear around their collars as a decoration

bow tie noun

a narrow piece of cloth that a man puts around his collar and ties into a special occasions
BOW

, usually for

chunni noun
INDIAN ENGLISH a long
SCARF

that a woman wears around her head or shoulders

comforter noun
OLD-FASHIONED

a wool

SCARF

cravat noun
a wide piece of cloth that a man wears round his neck inside the collar of his shirt

dog collar noun

a tight decorated band that you wear around your neck as a decoration

dupatta noun
INDIAN ENGLISH a long
SCARF

that a woman wears around her head or shoulders

feather boa noun

a long thin piece of clothing made from feathers that women wear round their neck

garland noun
a ring of flowers, leaves etc that you wear around your head or neck or use for decorating something

kerchief noun
OLD-FASHIONED

a piece of cloth that you wear around your neck or head

lanyard noun
a loose thick string worn around the neck, on which you hang small objects such as knives or WHISTLES

mantilla noun
a thin
SCARF

that a woman wears over her hair and shoulders, especially in Spain

muffler noun
OLD-FASHIONED

a long piece of cloth that you wrap around your neck to keep it warm

neckerchief noun
a square piece of cloth that is folded and tied round your neck

necktie noun
AMERICAN
FORMAL

TIE

worn round your neck

pashmina noun
a long narrow piece of cloth, made of wool or CASHMERE very thin soft wool , that a woman wears around her shoulders to keep her warm

scarf noun
a piece of cloth that you wear round your neck or head to keep warm or to make yourself look nice

shawl noun
a large piece of material that is worn by a woman around her shoulders or on her head

stole noun tie noun

a large piece of cloth worn around a womans shoulders, especially with an
EVENING DRESS

a long narrow piece of cloth that a man wears around his neck under the collar of a shirt. It is tied with a knot You use expressions such as collar and tie or jacket and tie to refer to formal clothes for men

wrap noun
a piece of cloth that a woman wears around her waist as a skirt or around her shoulders as a SHAWL

Accessories Used to Fasten and Secure Clothes

belt noun
a narrow piece of leather, cloth etc that you wear around your waist, for example to keep your clothes in place or for decoration

braces noun
BRITISH two long narrow pieces of cloth that go over a mans shoulders and are fastened to the waist of his trousers at the front and back in order to hold them up. The American word is suspenders .

buckle noun
a metal object through which a
STRAP

is passed to fasten a belt, shoe, bag etc

button noun
a small round object that is used for fastening clothes by pushing it through a hole

clasp noun
a metal object used for fastening a piece of jewellery, bag, belt etc

cord noun
a long piece of material used as a belt

cufflink noun
an object used instead of a button for fastening the cuff of a mans shirt

cummerbund noun
a wide band of brightly coloured cloth that a man wears around his waist as part of a very formal suit

drawstring noun
a string through the top of a bag or a piece of clothing, used for pulling the edges together

eye noun
the part into which a hook fits to fasten clothing

eyelet noun
a small hole in cloth surrounded by a metal ring, for putting a string or rope through

fastening noun
something such as a button, ZIP , or CLIP that you use to fix together the two parts of something such as a piece of clothing or a bag

garter noun
a ring made of falling down
ELASTIC

that you wear around your sock or

STOCKING

to prevent it from

garter noun
AMERICAN a
SUSPENDER

hook and eye noun

two small pieces for fastening clothes, consisting of a hook and a round part

lace noun
a thick piece of string used for tying two edges of a piece of clothing together

pin noun

a thin pointed piece of metal worn on your clothes as jewellery or worn to hold something in place

popper noun
BRITISH INFORMAL an object used for fastening clothes, consisting of two pieces of metal that you press together

press stud noun

BRITISH a small round object for fastening clothes, made of two metal parts that you push together

safety pin noun

a curved pin with a cover that the sharp point goes into when it is fastened

sash noun
a long wide piece of cloth that you wrap around your waist like a belt

stickpin noun
MAINLY

AMERICAN a decorated pin worn to keep a tie in place or worn as jewellery

strap noun
a similar piece of material that keeps something such as a bag closed

stud noun
a small piece of metal on a short metal base that decorates or fastens clothing

suspender noun
BRITISH a piece of womens underwear that hangs down from a belt and is fastened to a STOCKING to hold it up. The American word is garter .

suspenders noun
AMERICAN a pair of
BRACES

for keeping your trousers up

tiepin noun
BRITISH a piece of jewellery that a man wears to keep his tie in place

tie tack noun

AMERICAN a
TIEPIN

toggle noun
a small piece of wood or plastic used like a button for fastening clothes

Velcro
two narrow bands of cloth with special surfaces that stick together, used for fastening clothes, shoes etc
TRADEMARK

zip noun
BRITISH a long narrow metal or plastic object with two rows of teeth , used for closing or opening something, especially a piece of clothing. The usual American word is zipper .

zipper noun
AMERICAN a
ZIP

on a piece of clothing, a bag etc

Gloves and Mittens

gauntlet noun
a thick heavy
GLOVE

that you wear to protect your hand and lower arm

glove noun
a piece of clothing that covers your fingers and hands

mitt noun
a thick mitten that you wear on your hands to protect them

mitten noun
a type of
GLOVE

with one part for your thumb and another part for your fingers

muff noun
a tube of fur or thick cloth into which you put your hands to keep them warm

thumb noun
the part of a
GLOVE

that covers your thumb

Types of Clothes and Shoes

accessory noun
a small thing such as a piece of jewellery or a pair of shoes that you wear with clothes to give them more style

array noun
LITERARY

beautiful or impressive clothes

beachwear noun
light summer clothes that you wear on the beach

black noun
black clothes

black tie noun

very formal mens clothes worn for a social event, usually including a black
BOW TIE

cast-off noun
BRITISH a piece of clothing that you no longer want and give to someone else

casuals noun
informal clothes

civvies noun
INFORMAL

ordinary clothes rather than a military uniform

combats noun
clothes with a military style that are worn by ordinary people

coordinates noun
womens clothes that are designed to be worn together

costume noun
clothes that performers wear in a play, film etc

costume noun

clothes that are typical of a particular place or of a period in history

costume noun
clothes that you wear at a FANCY DRESS animal, a character from a story etc
PARTY

, pretending to be a famous person, an

couture noun
clothes that a famous designer makes for individual customers, or the design of these clothes

delicates noun
clothes that need to be washed with special care

disguise noun drag noun

something that you wear to change the way that you look so that people will not recognize you womens clothes worn by a man or mens clothes worn by a woman, usually as part of an entertainment a set of clothes that you wear together

ensemble noun

evening dress noun fancy dress noun finery noun

formal clothes that people wear when they go to important social events in the evening BRITISH clothes that you wear for fun to make you look like a particular famous person or a particular type of person, at a fancy-dress party beautiful clothes and jewellery, especially the type that people wear only on special occasions things that you wear on your feet, such as shoes or boots

footwear noun garb noun

a particular type of clothing, for example clothing that shows your situation in life or the work that you do
FORMAL

grunge noun
a dirty untidy style of clothing that is popular among people who play or like grunge music

haberdashery noun hand-me-downs noun

INFORMAL

AMERICAN

OLD-FASHIONED

mens clothes, or a shop that sells mens clothes

haute couture noun

FORMAL

clothes that have been worn by someone and then given to someone else in the same family expensive and fashionable clothes, or the business of designing and making them. Someone who makes or sells these clothes is a haute couturier . things that you wear on your head

headgear noun hosiery noun

socks, STOCKINGS , and TIGHTS This word is used especially to refer to these things when they are sold in a shop .

jumble noun
BRITISH old clothes and other things that you no longer want, sold to raise money. The American word is rummage .

knitwear noun label noun

clothes that have been
KNITTED

a piece of clothing that has been made by a well-known designer

leathers noun
clothes made from leather, especially those worn by someone riding a
MOTORCYCLE

leisurewear noun livery noun

clothes for relaxing or playing sports. This word is used mainly in shops and the clothing industry. a special old-fashioned type of uniform that some people wear for their job, usually a job that involves serving people
FORMAL

menswear noun millinery noun

FORMAL

clothes for men hats that are sold in shops

mourning noun
OLD-FASHIONED

nightclothes noun nightwear noun outerwear noun rags noun regalia noun
FORMAL

clothes, especially black clothes, that are worn as a sign of respect for someone who has died clothes that you wear to sleep in clothes that you wear to sleep in clothes such as coats that you wear over other clothing, especially for outdoor activities clothes that are old, torn, and dirty special clothes that you wear for a ceremony or official occasion

running noun separates noun

worn or used for running pieces of clothing such as skirts, trousers, and shirts that you can wear together in different combinations BRITISH clothes used for playing sport

sportswear noun sportswear noun suit noun

AMERICAN
CASUAL

clothes

a type of clothing that you wear for a particular activity

Sunday best noun swimwear noun

OLD-FASHIONED

your best clothes that you wear for special occasions

clothes that people wear for swimming

synthetics noun tatters noun

synthetic clothing or substances old torn pieces of clothing

thermals noun top noun

thermal clothes, especially underwear a piece of clothing that covers the upper part of your body

two-piece noun
OLD-FASHIONED

a set of womens clothes consisting of two matching parts, one for the top part of the body and one for the bottom part

underclothes noun
clothing that you wear next to your skin under your other clothes. A more usual word is underwear .

undergarment noun
a piece of clothing that you wear next to your skin under your other clothes. A more usual word is a piece of underwear .
VERY FORMAL

underwear noun undies noun

clothing that you wear next to your skin under your other clothes

INFORMAL UNDERWEAR

uniform noun
a set of clothes that you wear to show that you are part of a particular organization or school

uniform noun V-neck noun wear noun woollens noun

clothes that are suitable for a particular activity or group of people clothes made from wool the type of clothes that a particular person usually wears a piece of clothing that has a V-neck

a change of clothes/socks/underwear etc

another set of clothes that you take with you so that you can wear them instead of the ones you are wearing, if necessary

someones best bib and tucker

HUMOROUS

someones best clothes

Parts of Clothes
arm noun armhole noun basque noun bib noun
the short part of a jacket, skirt etc that fits closely below the waist a square part above the waist of some types of skirt or trousers that covers your chest the part of a piece of clothing that your arm fits into one of the holes for your arms in a shirt, jacket etc

bodice noun breast noun

the part of a dress that covers a womans body from the waist up the top front part of a jacket or coat

breast pocket noun buttonhole noun care label noun coat-tails noun collar noun crew neck noun crotch noun crutch noun
BRITISH a the part of a piece of clothing that covers this area
CROTCH

a pocket on the front of a shirt or jacket, over your chest a small hole in a piece of clothing through which you push a button to fasten it a label inside a piece of clothing that tells you how you should wash and dry it the two long pieces that form the bottom part of the back of a mans formal jacket the part of a coat, shirt, or dress that goes around your neck a tight round neck on a
SWEATER

cuff noun cuff noun

the part of a sleeve that fits around your wrist AMERICAN a
TURN-UP

on a pair of trousers

dart noun
a narrow pointed fold made in a piece of clothing by sewing so that it has a better shape or fits better

elbow noun

the part of a sleeve that covers your elbow

facing noun facings noun finger noun flies noun fly noun
BRITISH the opening at the front of a pair of trousers that is fastened with buttons or a
MAINLY ZIP

cloth fastened to the inside edges of a piece of clothing to make it stronger the collar or CUFFS of a jacket or coat when they are made in a different cloth or colour from the rest the part of a piece of clothing that covers one of your fingers

AMERICAN the

FLIES

on a pair of trousers

foot noun fringe noun

the part of a piece of clothing that covers your foot a row of fibres or thin pieces of cloth that hang down from a piece of cloth or clothing

grommet noun gusset noun heel noun

a metal or plastic ring that surrounds a hole in cloth to prevent it from tearing a small extra piece of cloth sewn into a piece of clothing, especially underwear, to make it stronger or more comfortable the part of a sock etc that goes over the back of your foot. The other end is called the toe . the bottom edge of something such as a dress or curtain that is folded and sewn in place the bottom edge of a dress or skirt which has been turned up and sewn in place

hem noun

hemline noun hemline noun

hip pocket noun hood noun inside leg noun knee noun ladder noun lapel noun

the length of womens skirts and dresses as this changes according to fashion a pocket near your
HIP

in a pair of trousers or a skirt

GOWNS

a piece of coloured cloth worn over the shoulders as part of some academic

BRITISH the length of your leg measured on the inside from the top to the foot the part of a pair of trousers that covers your knee BRITISH a long thin hole in
STOCKINGS

or

TIGHTS

. The American word is run .

one of the two parts at the front of a coat or jacket that are folded back on each side below the collar

leg noun name-tape noun neck noun

the part of a piece of clothing that covers one of your legs BRITISH a small piece of cloth with your name on it that you fix to your clothes to show they are yours the part of a piece of clothing that touches or lies just below your neck

neckline noun panel noun

the shape of a piece of clothing around your neck a piece of material that forms part of a piece of clothing

patch noun
a piece of cloth that you sew over a hole in clothes, or over a part where holes might form

patch noun
a small piece of cloth with a design on it that you sew onto clothes for decoration

patch pocket noun pocket noun run noun scoop neck noun seat noun shirtfront noun
the part of a piece of clothing that covers your bottom the front part of a mans shirt AMERICAN a long thin hole in
STOCKINGS

a square pocket that is sewn onto a piece of clothing a small bag that forms part of a piece of clothing and is used for holding small objects or
PANTYHOSE

a round low neck on a piece of womens clothing

shirtsleeves noun shirt tail noun

the sleeves of a shirt the bottom part of a shirt worn inside your trousers, especially the longer part at the back the part of a shirt, jacket, or other piece of clothing that covers your shoulder

shoulder noun

shoulder pad noun shoulder strap noun side split noun skirt noun sleeve noun stay noun stirrup noun strap noun tail noun
a narrow piece of material that holds a piece of clothing on your body the bottom part of your shirt that you put inside your trousers a short piece of bone, wire, or plastic used inside a
CORSET

a thick soft piece of material inside the shoulders of a piece of clothing such as a jacket a thin piece of cloth or other material that goes over the shoulder on clothes such as dresses a cut in the side of a piece of clothing such as a skirt, used mainly for decoration the part of a dress or coat that is below the waist the part of a piece of clothing that covers your arm or shirt collar to keep it stiff

a band of cloth that goes under your foot on some trousers

toe noun train noun tuck noun

the part of a shoe or sock that covers your toes a long part at the back of a dress, especially a wedding dress, that spreads over the ground a fold in clothing that you sew for decoration or to make the clothing tighter

turn-up noun turtleneck noun turtleneck noun vent noun

AMERICAN a
POLO NECK

BRITISH a fold at the bottom of the leg of a pair of trousers BRITISH a high collar on a
SWEATER

that fits closely around the neck

a straight cut at the bottom of a jacket, dress etc that allows you to move more easily

V-neck noun waist noun

an opening for the neck in a piece of clothing, in the shape of a V

the part of a piece of clothing that covers the middle part of your body

waistband noun waistline noun

a piece of cloth on a pair of trousers or a skirt that goes round your waist the place where the upper and lower pieces of clothing meet, usually near the waist

wing collar noun

a stiff collar on a mans formal shirt

JEWELLERY Types of Jewellery

anklet noun
a piece of jewellery that you wear around your
ANKLE

band noun
LITERARY

bangle noun

a ring that you wear on your finger, especially a

BRACELET

WEDDING RING

a stiff circular

jewellery worn around the wrist

bracelet noun brooch noun cameo noun

a piece of jewellery with a raised design, usually in the shape of a womans head, on a background of a different colour a piece of jewellery that you wear around your wrist a piece of jewellery with a pin on the back that you fasten to your clothes

choker noun
a piece of jewellery or cloth that fits tightly around the neck and is worn by some women as a decoration

circlet noun clip noun

a circle of gold, silver, or jewels worn on the head as a decoration a piece of jewellery with two parts that press tightly together so that you can fix it to your clothes jewellery that is not valuable but looks expensive

costume jewellery noun diadem noun diamant noun earring noun engagement ring noun locket noun

a metal circle with jewels on it jewellery decorated with pieces of glass that look like a piece of jewellery that you wear on your ear a ring that a man gives to a woman when they become
ENGAGED DIAMONDS

a piece of jewellery that consists of a very small case that you wear round your neck on a chain. People often keep a photograph of someone who they love inside a locket.

medallion noun necklace noun nosering noun pendant noun pin noun
a piece of jewellery that you wear through your nose a piece of jewellery that hangs from a chain around your neck a round flat piece of metal that is worn round the neck on a chain as jewellery a piece of jewellery that hangs round your neck

pin noun

a thin pointed piece of metal worn on your clothes as jewellery or worn to hold something in place AMERICAN a piece of jewellery that you wear on your clothes. The British word is brooch .
MAINLY

ring noun

a piece of jewellery in the form of a circle that you wear on a finger

signet ring noun sleeper noun

a ring with a special design that can be used as a signet BRITISH a ring that you wear in your ear to prevent the hole from closing

stickpin noun
MAINLY

stud noun

AMERICAN a decorated pin worn to keep a tie in place or worn as jewellery

tiara noun

a small piece of jewellery on a short metal post that is worn through a part of your body a piece of jewellery that a woman wears on top of her head on formal occasions. It looks like a small CROWN . BRITISH a piece of jewellery that a man wears to keep his tie in place

tiepin noun

tie tack noun wedding band noun

a
WEDDING RING

AMERICAN a

TIEPIN

wedding ring noun

a ring that people in most countries wear on their left hand to show that they are married

Stones Used in Jewellery

agate noun
a stone with bands of paler colour that is used for making jewellery

amethyst noun aquamarine noun baguette noun beryl noun

a
DIAMOND

a valuable purple stone that is used in jewellery a green-blue stone used for making jewellery or other stone cut in a long narrow shape

a valuable stone that has a transparent green, blue, or yellow colour

carbuncle noun crystal noun

a red jewel a piece of crystal used as a jewel

diamond noun
a very hard clear objects
COLOURLESS

stone used in expensive jewellery and for cutting hard

emerald noun garnet noun gem noun gemstone noun

a
GEM

a bright green stone used in expensive jewellery a dark, clear, red stone used in jewellery a beautiful expensive stone that is used to make jewellery

jasper noun jet noun

a stone that is usually red or brown and is used to make jewellery and objects for decorating rooms a hard black shiny stone used for making jewellery and
ORNAMENTS ORNAMENTS

small

jewel noun lapis lazuli noun

a hard, coloured, and usually valuable stone that has been cut and made shiny a bright blue stone, used in jewellery

moonstone noun onyx noun opal noun

a smooth stone used in jewellery. Opals look white like milk, but you can see other colours in them as they reflect light. a shiny white stone used in jewellery a type of smooth stone with layers of white and black in it, used in jewellery

precious stone noun quartz noun rock noun

INFORMAL

a valuable stone such as a

DIAMOND

or

RUBY

, used for making jewellery

a hard shiny stone often used inside electronic equipment and watches a jewel, especially a
DIAMOND

ruby noun

a valuable red jewel

sapphire noun semi-precious adjective solitaire noun stone noun topaz noun
a clear yellow stone used for making jewellery a jewel a hard clear blue stone, used in expensive jewellery a semi-precious stone is one that is used in jewellery and is fairly valuable but not as valuable as a precious stone such as a DIAMOND or EMERALD a single jewel such as a
DIAMOND

in a ring or other piece of jewellery

turquoise noun
a bright green-blue stone that is used for making jewellery

Natural and Artificial Substances Used in Jewellery

amber noun coral noun
a hard yellow-brown substance used for making jewellery a hard substance formed from coral. It is often pink or red and was used in the past to make jewellery. a type of
PEARL

cultured pearl noun jade noun

grown artificially, instead of one that grows naturally in an

OYSTER

mother-of-pearl noun paste noun pearl noun pearl noun

a hard green substance used for making jewellery and art objects the shiny layer inside some shells, used for making buttons, jewellery etc a hard type of glass used to make artificial jewels a small round jewel that is white and shiny and that grows inside the shell of an
OYSTER

an artificial jewel like this

rhinestone noun tortoiseshell noun

an artificial jewel made of clear glass the hard shell of a type of TURTLE that is brown and orange and is used for making things, for example jewellery

General Words for Jewels

bauble noun bling noun
a decoration or piece of jewellery that is not expensive
INFORMAL

fashionable jewellery or similar expensive shiny objects

chain noun gold noun

a series of small metal rings connected to each other that is worn as a decoration things such as jewellery and coins that are made of gold

jewel noun jewellery noun

a decoration that is made with jewels objects that you wear as decoration Types of jewellery include rings , which you wear on your finger, bracelets , which you wear on your wrist, and necklaces , which you wear around your neck

jewelry
the American spelling of jewellery

novelty noun treasure noun trinket noun

a small cheap object such as a toy or piece of jewellery a collection of valuable things, especially jewels or gold and silver objects. In stories, treasure is often stored in a treasure chest a large box a small decoration that is not very valuable, for example a small piece of jewellery

uncut adjective
an uncut jewel has not been cut into a shape for making jewellery

Parts of Jewellery and Jewels

bead noun
a small usually round piece of plastic, glass, metal etc with a hole through it, that you put on a string or chain with other beads and wear as jewellery

charm noun clasp noun facet noun set verb

one of the flat sides of a jewel to put a jewel or stone in a piece of jewellery a small object worn on a piece of jewellery a metal object used for fastening a piece of jewellery, bag, belt etc

setting noun
the metal part of a piece of jewellery that holds a stone or jewel in place

WEARING PUTTING ON AND REMOVING CLOTHES

To Remove Clothes and not Wear Clothes

change verb
to take off the clothes or a piece of clothing you are wearing and put on different ones

disrobe verb
VERY FORMAL

doff verb fling off

to take your clothes off to take off a piece of clothing, especially a hat

MAINLY LITERARY

if you fling off your clothes, you take them off quickly

get out of
to take off clothes so that you can put on more comfortable clothes

get verb
to put on or take off clothing

kick off off adjective, adverb, preposition peel off

to remove a tight or wet piece of clothing to make your shoes come off by shaking your feet used for saying that clothes or shoes are removed

pull off
to take off clothes, especially quickly

remove verb
to take off clothing

shrug off
to remove clothes by shaking them off your body

shuck off
AMERICAN
INFORMAL

to take a piece of clothing off

slip off
to take a piece of clothing off quickly

slip out of
to take clothes off

strip off
to take off all your clothes

strip off
to take off some of your clothes

strip down strip verb strip verb

to take off your clothes as entertainment to remove all or most of your clothes to take off all of your clothes or all of another persons clothes

take off
to remove something, especially a piece of clothing

take down
to lower your underwear or trousers without taking them off

tear off
to remove your clothes quickly and carelessly

throw off unbuckle verb undress verb

to remove your clothes, or to remove someone elses clothes to quickly remove a piece of clothing to make the
BUCKLE

on something such as a belt loose before taking it off

divest yourself of something

VERY FORMAL

to take off something that you are wearing to take off your clothes

get your kit off

BRITISH
INFORMAL

not have a stitch on

INFORMAL

to not be wearing any clothes

To Put on or Be Wearing Clothes and To Dress Other People

put on wear verb
to cover a part of your body with a piece of clothing or jewellery so that you are wearing it to have something on your body as clothing, decoration, or protection

get dressed
to put your clothes on

slip into
to quickly put on a piece of clothing

dress verb
to put clothes on someone

try on
to put on a piece of clothing in order to see how it looks and whether it fits

pull on
to put on clothes, especially quickly

cover up
to put more clothes or covers on your body, to hide it or keep it warm

wrap up clothe verb

FORMAL

to wear enough clothes to keep you warm to put clothes on someone

have on
to be wearing particular clothes, shoes etc

slip on
to put clothes on

dress up
to put on clothes that make you look like someone else, for fun

dress verb
to put on clothes This verb is common in writing, but when you are speaking it is more usual to say that you get dressed

wear verb
to use a particular type of clothing or decoration on your body

dress up dress verb dress verb dress verb fit out

to measure part of someones body in order to give them the right shoes or clothing to choose or design the clothes that someone wears to put on clothes that are suitable for a particular occasion or event to put clothes on someone so that they look like someone else, for fun to put on clothes of a particular type

dress up
to put on clothes that are more formal than the clothes you usually wear

get verb
to put on or take off clothing

roll up
if you roll your sleeves or the legs of your trousers up, you fold the cloth several times until they are shorter

wrap up
to put warm clothes on a child

bundle up
to put warm clothes on yourself or someone else, or to wrap someone in something warm

change back
to put on the clothes you were wearing originally, before you took them off

wear in
if you wear in something such as a pair of shoes, you wear them until they fit your feet better and are more comfortable

throw on
to quickly put on a piece of clothing

dress down
to wear clothes that are more informal than the clothes that you usually wear

fling on clothe verb

if you fling clothes on, you put them on quickly to provide someone with clothes

outgrow verb
to be unable to wear a piece of clothing because you have grown

roll down
if you roll down your sleeves or the legs of your trousers, you make them longer by removing any folds in them

team verb muffle verb truss up fitting noun break in fit verb
to make new shoes or clothes comfortable by wearing them to measure a person and then provide the correct size of clothing or piece of equipment if someone is trussed up, they are wearing tight or heavy clothes that make it difficult to move an occasion when someone puts on a piece of clothing that is being made for them to see if it fits to match a colour, cloth, or piece of clothing with another to wrap someone or something in thick clothing, cloth etc so that they are warm

into preposition take verb

used for stating what clothes you put on used for talking about the size of clothes or shoes that someone wears

accessorize verb robe verb

FORMAL

to add accessories to something, especially to the clothes you are wearing to wear a robe or other special clothes

sport verb cock verb rig out

INFORMAL

to wear something, often in a way that shows you want people to notice it to wear or move your hat so that one side of it slopes downwards to give someone a particular type of clothing to wear

get up
BRITISH to dress someone in a particular way

do up
to dress someone in special clothes or put
MAKE-UP

on them

tog out
BRITISH
INFORMAL

to dress yourself or someone for a special occasion or activity

suit up
AMERICAN to get ready for an activity by putting on a uniform or special clothes

don verb
MAINLY LITERARY

to put on a piece of clothing

draw on
LITERARY

to put on a particular piece of clothing

wrap up warm
to wear warm clothes

try on
to try on clothes to see if they fit

dress (up) to the nines

to put on extremely fashionable or formal clothes, usually to go to a special event

be turned out
to be dressed in a particular way

come as
to wear unusual clothes that make you look like a particular kind of person for a
DRESS PARTY FANCY

look dress the part

to have an appearance or wear clothing that is usual or expected for a particular situation, activity, or job
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Not Wearing Clothes or a Particular Type of Clothes 32

naked adjective bare adjective

not wearing any clothes a part of your body that is bare is not covered by any clothes. When someone is not wearing any clothes at all, they are naked or nude

nude adjective stripped adjective

not wearing clothes wearing no clothes

undressed adjective topless adjective

not wearing any clothes a woman who is topless is not wearing clothes on the upper part of her body

full-frontal adjective unclothed adjective

MAINLY LITERARY

shown or seen from the front, wearing no clothes not wearing any clothing

au naturel adverb
HUMOROUS FORMAL

wearing no clothes

a state of undress naked adjective nudity noun

the condition of not wearing clothes, or of not covering a part of the body that is traditionally covered when you are in public a state of not wearing any clothes, or wearing very few clothes if a part of your body is naked, it is not covered by clothes

nudist noun nude adjective

someone who prefers to wear no clothes showing or involving people who are not wearing any clothes

topless adjective
body used about places where some women do not wear clothes on the upper part of their

barefoot adjective, adverb naturist noun

without any shoes or socks on someone who wears no clothes outside because they think it is a healthy way to live

naturism noun

the practice of wearing no clothes outside, which some people believe is a healthy way to live

streaker noun
INFORMAL

someone who runs through a public place with no clothes on, especially as a

joke

dshabill noun
MAINLY LITERARY

the appearance of someone who is not fully dressed, especially a woman

NATURISM

nudism noun
MAINLY

starkers adjective
BRITISH
HUMOROUS

AMERICAN

not wearing any clothes

scantily clad/dressed
wearing clothes that do not cover much of your body

in the nude
with no clothes on

stark naked
used for emphasizing that someone is not wearing any clothes at all

in the buff
INFORMAL

wearing no clothes not wearing any clothes

INFORMAL

in the altogether
HUMOROUS

in the raw
AMERICAN
HUMOROUS

not wearing any clothes

in your birthday suit

not wearing clothes

nakedly adverb nudist adjective nakedness noun

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Dressed and Wearing Clothes of a Particular Type 45

attired adjective
FORMAL

bespectacled adjective
FORMAL

dressed

wearing glasses wearing a particular type of clothing

clad adjective
MAINLY LITERARY

-clad suffix

used with some nouns to make adjectives describing the type of clothing that someone is wearing

clothed adjective

dressed in a particular way

corseted adjective cross-dressing noun

the activity of wearing clothes designed for the opposite sex, especially for sexual pleasure wearing a corset

dapper adjective

a man who is dapper is small and wears attractive clothes that give him a tidy appearance

debonair adjective decent adjective

OLD-FASHIONED a man who is debonair wears fashionable clothes and is attractive, relaxed, and confident INFORMAL OLD-FASHIONED

wearing enough clothes to not be embarrassed to let other people

see you

dressed adjective

wearing clothes of a particular type

dressed adjective dressed up adjective dress sense noun dressy adjective

the ability to choose clothes that look good or combine well together someone who is dressy likes wearing formal clothes someone who is dressed is wearing clothes wearing formal clothes

frumpy adjective garbed adjective

LITERARY

wearing clothes that are not attractive or fashionable dressed in a particular type of clothing
GLOVE

gloved adjective in adjective, adverb, preposition

used for saying what someone is wearing wearing a

liveried adjective mannish adjective masked adjective

wearing
LIVERY

a special uniform

used for describing women or womens clothes that have qualities traditionally considered more typical of men or mens clothes wearing a mask

on adverb, preposition
used for saying that you are wearing a piece of clothing, jewellery etc, or for saying which part of your body it covers

overdressed adjective
wearing clothes that are too formal for the situation, or wearing more clothes than you need to wear

preppy adjective
MAINLY

clothes
FORMAL

AMERICAN typical of well-educated young people who wear expensive traditional

shod adjective stylish adjective

wearing shoes of a particular type showing good judgment about how to look attractive and fashionable

transvestism noun
a type of behaviour in which someone wears clothing typical of the especially for sexual pleasure
OPPOSITE SEX

underdressed adjective
not wearing suitable clothes, either because they are not formal enough or because they are not warm enough

undressed adjective unfashionable adjective uniformed adjective wearer noun

wearing a uniform a person wearing something such as a piece of clothing or a pair of glasses wearing your night clothes wearing clothes that are not popular with most people at a particular time

well-dressed adjective well-turned-out adjective foppish adjective mannishly adverb primly adverb
a well-dressed person is wearing good and fashionable clothes very well dressed, usually in expensive clothing

spivvy adjective arrayed in something

MAINLY LITERARY

wearing beautiful or impressive clothes

dressed to kill
INFORMAL

wearing very attractive clothes that will make people notice you

dressed up like a dogs dinner

BRITISH INFORMAL dressed in a way that shows that you are trying to impress people, but that is not suitable for the occasion

in uniform
wearing a uniform

in (your) shirtsleeves
wearing a shirt but not a jacket

in your stocking stockinged feet

wearing socks, but not shoes
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Words for People According to Their Dress 26

beau noun blade noun

OLD-FASHIONED OLD-FASHIONED INFORMAL

a well-dressed fashionable man a fashionable or attractive young man

clothes horse noun coxcomb noun dag noun dandy noun

clothes AUSTRALIAN
OFFENSIVE

someone who wears very fashionable clothes and looks good in them

an old word meaning a man who is too interested in his clothes and appearance someone who looks dirty or whose clothes and hair are untidy

OLD-FASHIONED

a man who cares a lot about his appearance and always wears fashionable

dresser noun
a person who dresses in a particular way

dweeb noun
MAINLY AMERICAN OFFENSIVE someone who you think is boring or weak and who wears clothes that are not fashionable

fashion victim noun

BRITISH INFORMAL someone who always wears whatever is considered fashionable, even if it does not suit them

fop noun metrosexual noun popinjay noun

OLD-FASHIONED

a man who thinks too much about his clothes and appearance

INFORMAL a young HETEROSEXUAL man who enjoys good clothes, having an attractive home, and improving his personal appearance MAINLY LITERARY

an old word meaning a young man who cares too much about his

appearance

power dressing noun

a choice of clothes that makes you look confident and in control at work

ragbag noun scruff noun

BRITISH
INFORMAL

BRITISH

INFORMAL

someone who has a very untidy dirty appearance someone who looks untidy and dirty

slut noun
OFFENSIVE

spiv noun

an insulting word for someone who is untidy and lazy

BRITISH INFORMAL OLD-FASHIONED an insulting word for a working-class man who dresses in fashionable or expensive clothes in order to impress people

square noun
INFORMAL someone who is boring because they do not wear fashionable clothes or have fashionable interests

tranny noun
INFORMAL

TRANSSEXUAL

or

TRANSVESTITE

transvestite noun trendsetter noun trendy noun

INFORMAL

someone who wears clothing typical of the

OPPOSITE SEX

, especially for sexual pleasure

someone or something that starts a new fashion someone who is trendy

cross-dresser noun preppy noun in mufti

OLD-FASHIONED

wearing ordinary clothes instead of your uniform

mutton dressed as lamb

BRITISH OFFENSIVE used for describing someone, especially a woman, who is dressed in a way that is more suitable for a younger person
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To Fasten or Unfasten Clothes 16

belt verb button verb do up

if clothes do up in a particular way, they fasten in that way to fasten a piece of clothing with a belt to fasten something with buttons, or to be fastened with buttons

fasten verb
on it to close something such as a piece of clothing or a bag using the buttons,
ZIP

CLIP

etc

fasten verb
if something such as a piece of clothing or a bag fastens in a particular way, you close it in that way

lace verb lace verb lace verb unbutton verb unfasten verb
belt to move the part that holds something together, especially on a piece of clothing or a to be tied or fastened using a lace to open the buttons on a piece of clothing to tie your shoes, or to fasten something with a lace to put a lace through the holes in a shoe

unzip verb
to open a piece of clothing or a bag by pulling a that fit together to fasten something
ZIP

an object with two pieces of metal

zip up
to close something that has a zip

zip up
to be closed by means of a zip

zip verb zip verb zip up

to close a zip on a piece of clothing for someone to close or open something that has a zip to be closed or opened by means of a zip

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CARING FOR CLOTHES

Substances and Equipment Used for Cleaning and Caring for Clothes 28

airer noun

BRITISH a frame that you hang wet clothes on in order to dry them

airing cupboard noun

dry BRITISH a cupboard with shelves where clean clothes, sheets etc can be kept warm and

clothes basket noun clothes hanger noun clothes hoist noun clothes horse noun clothes line noun clothes peg noun clothespin noun coat hanger noun
a frame used for hanging clothes on with a hook on top AMERICAN a
CLOTHES PEG

a basket used for storing clothes that need to be washed or have been washed a frame for hanging clothes on with a hook on the top a frame with pieces of plastic rope used for hanging wet clothes a frame of plastic or wooden bars used for hanging wet clothes inside the house a rope on which you hang wet clothes so that they can dry, usually outside your house BRITISH a wooden or plastic object used for fastening wet clothes onto a clothes line

conditioner noun
FABRIC CONDITIONER

detergent noun
a liquid or powder used for washing clothes or dishes

fabric conditioner noun hamper noun

AMERICAN a a liquid used for making clothes soft when you wash them
LAUNDRY BASKET

hanger noun
shape a small frame for hanging clothes such as jackets and shirts on so that they keep their

ironing board noun laundry basket noun laundry basket noun linen basket noun peg noun
BRITISH a wooden or plastic object used for fastening wet clothes onto a line so that they will dry a basket used for carrying
LAUNDRY

a tall narrow table that you press on when you do the ironing BRITISH a large basket in which you keep your dirty clothes until you wash them

BRITISH a large container for holding dirty clothes until you wash them

rail noun soapflakes noun

a metal bar used for hanging clothes and other things on small pieces of soap that are used for washing clothes

soap powder noun softener noun

soap in the form of a powder that you use for washing clothes in a
WASHING MACHINE

a substance that you add to water when washing clothes to make them feel softer when they are dry

starch noun
a substance used for making clothes stiff

washboard noun
a board with a rough metal surface used in the past for rubbing clothes on to help to make them clean

washing line noun washing powder noun

BRITISH a rope tied between poles used for hanging wet clothes on to dry BRITISH soap in the form of a powder used for washing clothes
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Washing, Drying and Ironing Clothes 33

air verb
if you air clothes, sheets etc or they air, you put them in warm or moving air until they are completely dry and smell clean

boil verb
to wash clothes in water that is boiling

come off
if something such as dirt or paint comes off something, it is removed by washing or rubbing

come out
to be removed from something such as clothing or cloth by washing or rubbing

dhobi noun drip-dry verb

INDIAN ENGLISH someone whose job is to wash clothes to hang up clothes when they are wet so that you do not need to iron them, or to dry in this way

dry-clean verb

to clean clothes using chemicals rather than water

dry cleaners noun

a shop where you take your clothes to be dry-cleaned

hang out
to hang wet clothes outside to dry

hang up iron verb

to hang a piece of clothing on something to push a heated iron across cloth or clothes to make them smooth

ironing noun ironing noun

the job of making clothes smooth with an iron clothes that must be made smooth with an iron

iron-on adjective launder verb

FORMAL

intended to be stuck to clothing using the heat from an iron to wash and
IRON

clothes

launderette noun
a place where people go to wash clothes in machines that they pay to use

Laundromat
TRADEMARK MAINLY

laundry noun laundry noun load noun peg out

AMERICAN a

LAUNDERETTE

dirty clothes that you are washing, or clean clothes that have just been washed a business that washes and
IRONS

clothes

a quantity of clothes that you put in a washing machine BRITISH to fasten wet clothes on a line to dry

press noun
an act of making clothes smooth with an iron

press verb spin verb

to make clothes smooth using a hot iron when a washing machine spins, it squeezes water out of the clothes by turning the drum round and round quickly

wash out the wash noun

if a substance washes out of cloth, it can be removed by washing clothes that are being washed, or the process of washing clothes

washable adjective
a liquid such as paint or ink that is washable can be removed from cloth when it is washed

washday noun washing noun

OLD-FASHIONED

the day of the week when you regularly wash your clothes

BRITISH clothes that need to be washed

washing day noun

WASHDAY

waterproof verb
to make clothes or other things waterproof

put the washing out

to hang clothes outside to dry after you have washed them

the cleaners
a place where you can get clothes, curtains etc soap and water
DRY-CLEANED

cleaned with chemicals, not

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Words Used to Describe Clothes 111

A-line adjective

an A-line skirt fits closely around the waist and is slightly wider at the bottom

backless adjective baggy adjective best adjective

used for referring to your nicest or most expensive clothes that you wear on special occasions a backless dress does not cover a womans back and shoulders baggy clothes are very loose on your body

boot-cut adjective brief adjective

boot-cut trousers become slightly wider at the bottom so that they fit easily over boots not covering much of your body

button-down adjective button-through adjective casual adjective clingy adjective

INFORMAL

a button-down shirt has the ends of the collar fastened to the shirt with buttons BRITISH a button-through skirt or dress has buttons that go from the top to the bottom casual clothes are comfortable, and suitable for wearing in informal situations fitting in a way that shows the shape of your body

close-fitting adjective comfortable adjective

showing the shape of your body pleasant to wear, hold, or use

conservative adjective
conservative clothing or styles are traditional and without decoration

cool adjective
cool clothes prevent you from feeling too hot

dcollet adjective
a piece of womans clothing that is dcollet is very low at the top so that you can see part of her shoulders and breasts

designer adjective
designer clothes are made by a famous designer and are usually expensive and fashionable

double-breasted adjective
a double-breasted jacket or coat has two parallel lines of buttons down the front when it is fastened

dressy adjective drip-dry adjective

dressy clothes are worn on formal occasions drip-dry clothes do not need ironing

easy-care adjective -fitting suffix

easy-care clothes do not need to be
IRONED

after they are washed

used with some adjectives and adverbs to make adjectives describing how clothing fits someone

flame-retardant adjective formal adjective full adjective

flame-retardant clothing or substances have been treated with chemicals that stop them from burning easily in a fire formal clothes are the special clothes that people wear at formal occasions, usually a black jacket and trousers for men and a long dress for women a full piece of clothing is loose on your body because it contains a lot of cloth

full-length adjective full-length adjective

a full-length coat, dress, or skirt goes down to your feet a full-length sleeve goes to your wrist

hard-wearing adjective heavy adjective

BRITISH hard-wearing clothing is strong and lasts a long time heavy clothes, shoes, or materials are thick and strong

homespun adjective hooded adjective

with a hood homespun clothes are made from cloth that someone has produced at home

hooded adjective ill-fitting adjective

FORMAL

wearing a piece of clothing that has a hood ill-fitting clothes are the wrong size for the person wearing them

informal adjective itchy adjective

AMERICAN used about the type of clothes that you wear at home or to relax used about clothes that make you feel like this

Jackie-O adjective
INFORMAL

knee-length adjective light adjective lined adjective long adjective

fashionable in the style of Jacqueline Onassis

reaching your knees light clothes are made of thin cloth and are not very warm clothing that is lined has another layer of cloth on the inside long dresses, trousers, sleeves etc cover your arms or legs

loose adjective
loose clothes are large and do not fit your body tightly

loose-fitting adjective low adjective

loose-fitting clothes are large, comfortable, and not tight a piece of clothing that is low shows your neck and a lot of your chest

low-cut adjective
a low-cut dress or BLOUSE shows a womans chest and the top part of her breasts because it has a low NECKLINE

machine washable adjective made-to-measure adjective modest adjective

able to be washed in a
WASHING MACHINE

without being damaged

made to fit a particular person. Clothes that have not been made for a particular person are ready-to-wear or off-the-peg . modest behaviour or clothes are intended to avoid causing sexual feelings in other people used mainly about women

non-iron adjective

BRITISH non-iron clothes do not need to be washed

IRONED

made smooth after they have been

off-the-peg adjective, adverb

AMERICAN
OFF-THE-PEG

BRITISH off-the-peg clothes are not made to fit a particular person

off-the-rack adjective, adverb one-piece adjective

consisting of one piece of clothing, or made from one piece of material, rather than separate parts

open-necked adjective oversized adjective padded adjective peaked adjective

an open-necked shirt is a shirt whose top button is not fastened used about clothes that are designed to look large

padded clothes are filled with a soft substance to protect or change the appearance of your body a peaked CAP or hat has a flat curved part that continues beyond the main part at the front above the eyes

plunging adjective
a plunging

NECKLINE

or dress shows a lot of the top part of a womans breasts

SHRUNK

preshrunk adjective
preshrunk clothes do not get smaller when you wash them because the cloth was before the clothes were made

prim adjective prissy adjective

prim clothes are neat, sensible, and show very little of your body prissy clothes or designs look silly because they are too tidy and traditional

raglan adjective raglan adjective

a raglan sleeve goes right up to your neck, without a separate join at the shoulder used about a piece of clothing with raglan sleeves

rainproof adjective ready-to-wear adjective

OLD-FASHIONED

rainproof material or clothing prevents rain from passing through it ready-to-wear clothes are
READY-MADE

revealing adjective reversible adjective

showing a part of someones body that is usually covered able to be used or worn on both sides

rolled-up adjective
rolled-up sleeves or trousers have their ends folded over several times to make them shorter

roomy adjective

roomy clothing is large and comfortable

ruched adjective sartorial adjective

FORMAL

ruched clothes or curtains are made with many small folds pulled close together relating to clothes or to how they are made

scanty adjective seamed adjective

made with a made without scanty clothes show parts of your body that are usually covered
SEAM

seamless adjective
SEAMS

sensible adjective
sensible clothes or shoes are practical and comfortable rather than fashionable

showerproof adjective single-breasted adjective skimpy adjective

skimpy clothes fit very tightly and do not cover very much of someones body This word often shows that you do not approve of clothes like this showerproof coats and jackets keep you dry in light rain but not in heavy rain a single-breasted jacket has one row of buttons

skinny adjective skin-tight adjective

skinny clothes fit your body very tightly skin-tight clothes fit your body very tightly

sleeveless adjective slimming adjective sloppy adjective smart adjective snug adjective sporty adjective
fitting closely to your body, or fitting closely into a space sporty clothes are designed to be worn for sport or on informal occasions sloppy clothes are loose and informal used about someones clothes a sleeveless dress or shirt is one that does not have sleeves making you look thinner than you really are

starched adjective straight adjective

without
INFORMAL

starched clothes have been made stiff with

STARCH

a straight skirt, pair of trousers etc hangs down close to your body

strapless adjective
STRAPS

strappy adjective stretch adjective

that go over your shoulders

STRAPS

strappy clothes or shoes have several

stretch cloth or clothing becomes wider or longer when you pull it and returns to its original shape and size when you stop pulling it

stretchy adjective tailored adjective

stretchy cloth or clothing can be stretched and will go back to its original shape tailored clothes are shaped in a way that matches the shape of a persons body

tailor-made adjective
MAINLY

thermal adjective

AMERICAN tailor-made clothes are made by a

TAILOR

to fit a particular customer

thermal clothing is made of special material that keeps you warm

threadbare adjective
threadbare clothing, carpet, or cloth is very thin and almost has holes in it because it has been worn or used a lot

tight adjective tight-fitting adjective

fitting very tightly clothes that are tight are close against your body when you wear them

two-piece adjective
consisting of two matching pieces of clothing, one for the top part of your body and one for the bottom part

underwired adjective
an underwired breasts
BRA

has two curved metal wires sewn into it that support a womans

unfashionable adjective unlined adjective

used for describing clothes like this unlined curtains or clothing have no
LINING

extra layer of cloth on the inside

voluminous adjective
FORMAL

-waisted suffix

voluminous clothing has a lot of material in it and is loose on your body

used with some adjectives to make other adjectives describing the type of waist that a person or piece of clothing has

washable adjective

able to be washed without being damaged

waterproof adjective weatherproof adjective wraparound adjective zip-up adjective

wrapped around your body and tied rather than being fastened with buttons etc closed by means of a
ZIP

waterproof clothes keep you dry because they do not let rain pass through them providing protection from bad weather

monogrammed adjective pleated adjective polo-neck adjective V-necked adjective down to

used for saying how long someones hair is or how long their clothes are
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Words Used to Describe Shoes 4

flat adjective heavy adjective

flat shoes have very low heels or no heels heavy clothes, shoes, or materials are thick and strong

strappy adjective
INFORMAL

slip-on adjective

strappy clothes or shoes have several

STRAPS

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Accessories and Decorations on Clothes 22

accessorise beading noun

a British spelling of accessorize

a decoration of

BEADS

on clothes, shoes, bags etc

binding noun
cloth or RIBBON that is fixed to the edge of soft material to decorate it or to keep the edges from coming apart

bobble noun
BRITISH a small ball made from pieces of wool, used for decorating hats and other pieces of clothing.

braid noun
a narrow rope made by twisting fibres around each other, used for decorating clothes, curtains, or furniture

cord noun corsage noun fan noun

a flat object that you move backwards and forwards in front of your face in order to make yourself feel less hot gold string that is used as decoration on uniforms or furniture a decoration made of flowers that a woman wears on a dress or suit

flounce noun
a wide piece of cloth that is formed into folds and fastened for decoration to the edge of something such as a piece of clothing or a curtain

frill noun marabou noun

a decoration that consists of a long narrow piece of cloth with many small folds in it the feathers of a marabou, used for decorating hats

monogram noun
a design using the first letter of each of someones names, usually sewn onto clothing or decorating an object

piping noun pompom noun ribbon noun

a long narrow piece of coloured cloth or paper, usually used as a decoration or to tie something a thin tube of cloth used for decorating the edges of clothing, covers for chairs etc a ball made of wool, used as a decoration on clothing

rosette noun
a circular decoration made of folded brightly coloured material worn by supporters of a political party or sports team, or by someone who has won a prize

ruffle noun scallop noun sequin noun

them a small shiny flat piece of plastic or metal that you can sew onto clothes to decorate a fold that decorates a piece of clothing one of a row of curves used as decoration along the edge of something

spangle noun tassel noun

a small shiny piece of metal or plastic used for decorating clothes a group of strings tied together at one end and fastened to clothing or objects as a decoration

trimmings noun

small objects or pieces of cloth used for decorating clothes and other things
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Clothing Sizes 7

L abbreviation large adjective

large: used on clothes labels to show that a piece of clothing is large

used in clothing sizes

medium noun OS abbreviation

outsize something between small and large in size, especially a piece of clothing

S abbreviation short noun

small: used on clothes labels a clothing size for a short person, or a piece of clothing of this size

XL abbreviation
extra large: used on labels showing clothes sizes
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What Clothing and Cloth Can Do 14

bag verb

if clothes bag, they become stretched and look wide

breathe verb bunch verb fall down

if something you are wearing is falling down, it is slipping down your legs clothes that can breathe are made from cloth with very small holes that allow air in if cloth bunches, or if you bunch it, it comes together in small folds

fit verb flow verb

body if clothes fit, they are the right size for you if hair or clothing flows, it falls or moves in a smooth graceful way around someones

hang verb
if clothes hang well, they are loose and fit properly and look attractive when you wear

them

hug verb
if a piece of clothing hugs your body, it fits very tightly

pucker verb
if a material puckers or is puckered, it becomes full of folds and is not flat

ride up
if a piece of clothing rides up, it gradually moves upwards on your body

ruck up run verb

if if a piece of cloth or clothing rucks up, or if you ruck it up, it forms untidy folds
TIGHTS

or

STOCKINGS

run, a hole in them becomes longer

stretch verb
if a material such as cloth stretches, it becomes wider or longer when you pull it, and returns to its original shape and size when you stop pulling it

unravel verb
if a piece of clothing unravels, or if you unravel it, its fibres become separated from each other
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Tattoos and Piercings 7

body piercing noun

PIERCING

nosering noun
a piece of jewellery that you wear through your nose

pierce verb

if you have a part of your body pierced, you have a small hole made in it so that you can wear jewellery in it

piercing noun tattoo noun tattoo verb

the practice of having a hole made through a part of your body so that you can put jewellery in it a permanent picture that is drawn on a part of your body by putting ink into your skin with a needle to draw a tattoo on someones body

tattooist noun
someone whose job is to draw tattoos on peoples bodies
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Clothes and Accessories Worn to Protect or Hide Something 8

blindfold noun

something that is tied over someones eyes so that they cannot see

face mask noun gas mask noun guard noun

sport something that you wear to protect a part of your body, for example when playing a something that you wear over your face to protect it a special covering for your face that protects you from poisonous gas

mask noun
something that you wear to cover part or all of your face in order to protect it from something harmful such as poisonous gas, bacteria, or smoke

mask noun
something that you wear to cover part or all of your face in order to hide who you are or for decoration

shield noun shield noun

BOXERS

an object that soldiers carried in the past to protect themselves from being hit

an object that protects a particular part of your body, for example the gum shield that wear to protect their teeth

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The Fashion Industry 28

bespoke adjective
BRITISH
FORMAL

designing clothes for particular customers

FASHION SHOW

catwalk noun catwalk noun

the raised area at a used for referring to that the
MODELS

walk along

FASHION SHOWS

and the fashion industry

collection noun couturier noun fashion noun fashion noun fashion noun fashion house noun
a style of dress that is popular at a particular time the activity or business that involves styles of clothes and peoples appearance relating to fashion, or involved in fashion clothes or other products that become available at a particular time of year someone who designs and makes very expensive clothes

a company that designs new styles of expensive clothes

fashionista noun
MAINLY JOURNALISM

industry

someone who is very interested in fashion or who works in the fashion

fashion show noun Goth noun

an event at which models show new styles of clothes a type of fashion that was first popular in the 1980s, in which people have black clothes, black hair, very white MAKE-UP and dark LIPSTICK

haute couture noun house noun label noun look noun

FORMAL expensive and fashionable clothes, or the business of designing and making them. Someone who makes or sells these clothes is a haute couturier .

used in the names of some companies, especially those that design and sell clothes a company that designs and makes expensive clothes a particular style in clothes, furniture etc

mannequin noun
OLD-FASHIONED someone whose job is to wear and show new styles of clothes made by fashion designers

mode noun
FORMAL

model noun model verb modeling

a particular fashion or style of art, literature, clothes etc

MAKE-UP

someone whose job is to show clothes, magazine photographs to show clothes by wearing them at especially as a job

etc by wearing them at

FASHION SHOWS

or in

FASHION SHOWS

, in magazine photographs etc,

modelling noun

an American spelling of modelling the job of working as a model

the rag trade noun

VERY INFORMAL

runway noun
AMERICAN a

the clothing industry at a fashion show

CATWALK

silhouette noun style noun

the shape of a piece of clothing the particular way that clothing is made or designed

supermodel noun tailoring noun

a very famous fashion model who earns a lot of money the style in which clothes are made
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