In New Zealand a “pinafore” is a dress as you described, a jersey is a long sleeved top made of wool but some people might also call this a jumper, a sweatshirt is a long sleeved top made of knit fabric or if it is t-shirt material then it would be a long sleeved t-shirt.

Don’t get me started on vests, singlets and skivvy’s!

Hilarious!

I would understand the word “pinafore” if used in conversation, but in American English, “pinafore” has the connotation of being a formal-style dress for a very young girl, worn over a shirt, etc.

Speaking of school uniforms, guess what I saw in Lori’s Shoes yesterday? Bass saddle shoes! For women! In black/white and a two-toned brown. I had them in brown in the late 70s … they were all the rage. A few women in the store were having near-apoplexies at the sight of the shoes. They told me they had to wear saddle shoes with their school uniforms in the 50s. Funny how items like pinafores and saddle shoes evoke such a visceral reaction!

While listening to the books by Sophie Kinsella (the Confessions of a Shopaholic series) they use the word JUMPER all the time. It was so confusing to me…they would talk about this great looking guy…and he was wearing a jumper. I thought OMG why is a guy wearing a jumper? Because to me, a jumper is a “romper” which is a sleeveless, dowdy dress worn over a long sleeve blouse or something similar.

It took a while and a little google search to set me straight! Thanks for further clarification Angie!

Susan D

I had to wear jumpers/pinafores in elementary school too. We called them jumpers most of the time, but if someone had referred to them as pinafores we would have understood what they meant.

In high school I thought that wearing tops under a dress was childish and that I would never ever do that again–until I started college and adopted the 90’s trend of wearing close fitting T shirts inside sundresses. Never say never.

My head is spinning …

I would definitely know what you’re talking about if you referred to a garment as a pinafore … but the jumper/sweater thing still confuses the heck out of me!

Well you get a little break and can use jumper the way you want when you talk to the Aussies, Kiwis and British on the forum!

Linguistics aside, I’m going to say I like jumpers/pinafores on grownups if tailored (think tweed) and I’ve actually been thinking of buying one. My work has gone to the dreaded Business Casual (blech) but I think a wool jumper with tights and either a cardigan over or a blouse or turtleneck under would be a good pulled-together look this winter. Am I nuts?

When I came to the States, I used words like trousers and jumpers, and I got some amused looks for using those words. Now it’s all pants and sweaters.

When you say Pinafore, I think of an apron. Not just any apron, mind you, but the lacy frilly white kind of apron that has big old ruffles that Samantha Parkington wears (You can see her wearing it on the cover of Happy Birthday, Samantha, just go into any bookstore in the USA that sells children’s books and ask where the American Girl books are or google. Whatever.).

However, I certainly wore a lot of American jumpers (which is what I think of when I hear jumper) growing up. However, I still want to wear one, simply because I like them.

Fun. I love hearing the different terms various English speaking countries use. It’s almost like we speak a different language. Anne, what are Kiwis? I thought they were fruit, but apparently they are people too. Mamark, you’re not nuts. A tailored tweed or wool jumper can look great. It’s the long sacky ones that look dowdy. Nora and I are on the same page. A pinafore has always been a lacy child’s apron to me.

Sarah – In this context, Kiwis are people from New Zealand. Really, kiwis are actually birds. The fruit are called kiwifruit, which gets shortened to kiwi in some countries (obviously not in NZ!).

londonkiwi – I was trying to think of what the American word for singlet is this morning. Camisole? Tank top?

Angie – I use ‘jersey’ and ‘pinafore’ – I don’t say ‘jumper’ at all because it’s so ambiguous.

I am totally confused

LOL then there’s the whole vest/waistcoat thing. As an American, waistcoat conjures up pictures of Edward VII, but I believe the British still use it to mean the sleeveless garment that goes under the suit coat in a three-piece suit, yes? We call that a vest. What you call vests, we can undershirts, I think….who was it said the Americans and the British are two people divided by a common language? Bernard Shaw??

Nadine – I think camisole would be the most appropriate word (for women anyway), undershirt or vest for men perhaps? Singlets to me mean a cotton garment and camisoles would have some lace or satin or silk? Tank top would probably work too if the garment is worn as outerwear primarily.

I think that one of the perks of being a kiwi (the people, not the fruit nor the flightless bird) is that we tend to understand most quirts or American, English and Australian English. Jandals, thongs and flip flops anyone?

I call “sweaters” jumpers too! To me jerseys are what football players wear!

And then there’s the old (Australian?) joke: What do you get when you cross a sheep and a kangaroo? A wooly jumper!