https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 02 May 2026 16:41:26 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings/page/2#post-1482020 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 04:18:07 +0000 rachylou 1482020@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Good point, kirstjen. Truth be told, up until the recent past I've sort of thought of gillets and waistcoats and vests as types in a category called 'Vest.' But I've sort of come to accept the free for all.</p> <p>I rarely rarely hear anyone say 'singlet,' but I do know the term somehow. I&nbsp; hear tank/tank top all the time. 'Wife beater' is crude, but I find it crystal clear in meaning. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings/page/2#post-1481800 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 21:07:45 +0000 Kirstjen 1481800@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Languages evolve, and when the speakers don't live in the same area but speak the "same" language, the language evolves in different ways. &nbsp;In the US, for instance, our English is actually a really good mishmash of lots of different languages. &nbsp;The word <i>Vest</i>&nbsp;for instance comes to us via Latin, then Italian &amp; finally French before becoming our American English word Vest. &nbsp;</p> <p>The word <i>Gilet</i> actually means a sleeveless padded jacket (not exactly the same as what we think of as a vest in the US) and it comes from via Turkish, then Spanish &amp; finally French again before coming to English.</p> <p>Can you tell I'm a word geek? &nbsp;:) </p> <p></p> <p>And don't even get me started on regional American English. &nbsp;In college, I worked on the DARE. &nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_American_Regional_English">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D.....al_English</a></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings/page/2#post-1481797 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 21:03:17 +0000 Aziraphale 1481797@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't sleep naked because our kids sometimes crawl into bed for a morning cuddle when I sleep in on the weekend. Also, I don't fancy running out of the house starkers in the event of a fire. ;-)&nbsp;</p> <p>As for whether you put on underpants with your sleepwear -- that depends on the person! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings/page/2#post-1481792 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 20:55:55 +0000 pegs 1481792@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh this thread is so helpful, a quick tutorial in American! I think gumshoes came about from being rubber (gum) shoes or boots. </p> <p>And I have always wanted to ask, is it right that you'd put panties (knickers or pants to me) on to go to bed in? Under a big tshrtvor nightdress?</p> <p>Here one would wear a nightdress or pyjamas but with nothing underneath, though a lot of adults, like me, wear nothing at all in bed, other slobby types would just take off their trousers and get into bed with T-shirt, socks and underpants on! Yuk! </p> <p>Earlier someone mentioned the teeth straighteners, here they'd be called braces, the same as suspenders for trousers.<br /> There were some early knee length trousers still used by the hunting shooting fishing folks that were known as knickerbockers, now called plus fours though I have no idea why.<br /> Brogues would have perforations in their patterning.<br /> Vive la difference! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings/page/2#post-1481643 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 17:16:36 +0000 rachylou 1481643@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>These are <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/132504414012745210/" rel="nofollow">ducks</a> (shown below). Funny, LL Bean is calling them gumshoes. I don't recall them doing that before. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings/page/2#post-1481594 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 15:53:08 +0000 Aziraphale 1481594@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Angie -- agreed. <i>Wife beater</i> is dreadful. Descriptive, though.&nbsp;</p> <p>Rachy -- I head <i>gumboots</i> from time to time around here, although <i>rain boots</i> would be more common. Sadly, no one uses <i>Wellies</i>. What are duck shoes? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings/page/2#post-1481550 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 14:59:47 +0000 rachylou 1481550@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My gosh! I haven't heard gumboots in forever! My dad always said gumboots. But we wore duck shoes for rain... So I don't know how he came up with so many opportunities to say gumboots... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings/page/2#post-1481535 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 14:41:38 +0000 Angie 1481535@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>HAH. I'm chuckling at "booties" too.&nbsp;</p> <p>Summer reminded me of another - Purse. A Purse, to me, is a Wallet. I say <b>Bag. </b>High five to you and Diane.&nbsp;<b></b></p> <p>GOOD GRIEF.<b> </b>Wife Beater is&nbsp;the&nbsp;very worse garment term. It should be banned.&nbsp;<b></b></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings/page/2#post-1481521 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 14:21:48 +0000 Anonymous 1481521@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hehe! I'm pretty much on the same page as Angie on this apart from swimsuits instead of bathing suit. I'm chuckling at Summer's idea of booties. Yes absolutely...little babies knitted shoes! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481510 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 13:56:56 +0000 Aziraphale 1481510@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I just thought of another one -- I'm trying to get my daughter our of bed and she asked for her <i>robe</i>, but I would be much more likely to call it a <i>dressing gown</i> (another Englishism passed down from my mom, I guess!).</p> <p>Diana, a waistcoat is definitely the garment you describe. I would also apply the term to a similar shape garment made of leather or some other kind of material. A sleeveless jacket, however -- the kind of thing you could wear as outerwear, often puffy -- I'd call a vest. Perhaps I'd also call those long sleeveless cardigan things vests, too -- they stray too far from the normal waistcoat shape.</p> <p>I agree that brogues are oxfords with brogue detailing. I use that term too, although I would use plain 'oxfords' interchangeably.&nbsp;</p> <p>Approprio -- "man in pants and suspenders" hahhaaaaaa</p> <p>Interesting how global the world is. We all now know what another person means, even if we use the exact same word ourselves to refer to a completely different garment.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481496 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 13:27:53 +0000 Diana 1481496@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>To me, *waistcoats* are a particular type of vest - a tailored, woven, buttoned garment like that worn by men as part of a three piece suit. All other sleeveless third pieces are *vests*. But camisoles, tanks, and sleeveless blouses are their own things. </p> <p>And similarly, I call dress pants trousers, but no other kind of pants. Brogues are a specific type of oxford, the type with brogue detailing. Plain front oxfords are just oxfords. </p> <p>Apparently I just like specificity? I think I've picked up random britishisms since my husband lived in the UK for 2 years so he uses them sometimes. </p> <p>Oh, and a chemise to me is a short, sleeveless nightgown. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481495 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 13:27:05 +0000 shedev 1481495@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Apprprio, from the TV show Cops. All the domestic calls seemed to have the male wearing one. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481492 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 13:21:05 +0000 Helena 1481492@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What a fun thread! Don't even get me started on the gumboot/Wellie/rainboot issues in this Australian/English/Irish/Canadian house ...&nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481485 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 13:04:25 +0000 approprio 1481485@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>haha yeah Summer, I always think the same with booties. :D</p> <p>And can anybody explain how a singlet became a wife beater? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481427 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 09:53:27 +0000 Summer 1481427@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Approprio, you have just made me chuckle! &nbsp;I have that vision, too. &nbsp;I have the same reaction to grown women wearing booties - for me these these will always be the little knitted socks/shoes that babies wear. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481422 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 09:39:05 +0000 approprio 1481422@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Suspenders</b> = garters</p> <p>The thought of men in pants and suspenders never fails to make me smile. I can't help it. I'm English. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481415 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 09:27:48 +0000 Summer 1481415@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Such an interesting thread, Aziraphale. &nbsp;As a Brit, I use mostly the same terminology as Angie, but we have generally adopted sweater for jumper and swimsuit for bathing costume.</p> <p>We have some regional and generational variations, too, such as pullover/jersey for sweater, and the exquisitely quaint "petticoat" for underslip.</p> <p>When my children were small, my daughter used to walk to school with a little American friend. &nbsp;Both wore identical uniforms, but while my DD was dressed in a pinafore and tights, her friend wore a jumper and leotard.</p> <p>To add to the list:</p> <p><b>Ankle boots</b> = booties</p> <p><b>Trainers/plimsolls</b> = sneakers/tennis shoes</p> <p><b>Purse</b> = wallet</p> <p>Thanks to world-wide travel and the internet, I think that we mostly understand each other for much of the time! &nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481339 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 03:42:36 +0000 catgirl 1481339@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Don't forget "singlet".&nbsp; I learned all my British clothing terms from the Adrian Mole diaries... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481318 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 03:19:51 +0000 Echo 1481318@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>And then there's always the "fanny pack"... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481290 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 02:31:29 +0000 Keturah 1481290@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I love reading this and am endlessly fascinated and entertained by the differences in idioms and words!&nbsp;<div></p> <p></div><div></p> <p></div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481280 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 01:56:23 +0000 Angie 1481280@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm back. </p> <p>I call flip flops, Thongs. And thongs, G-Strings. High five, Kiwigal. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481279 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 01:55:51 +0000 Peri 1481279@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Both my parents called trousers slacks. I don't know where either word comes from but I think slacks just sounds weird!</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481275 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 01:50:33 +0000 Aziraphale 1481275@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Laura -- oh yes! "Thongs"! That's what my mom called her flip-flops. Actually I don't think it took on the butt-floss meaning until maybe the 90s? At least out here. Up until then, we called that kind of underwear a "G-string". </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481273 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 01:44:28 +0000 UmmLila (Lisa) 1481273@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>so that's interesting on the soutien-gorge. I'm sure that's exactly the word she meant, since I was just transliterating from conversation, and am not super up to speed with French. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481269 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 01:37:21 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 1481269@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I wanted to start a clothing blog called sans culottes, but I was afraid no one would get the joke..</p> <p>My favorite "I don't think it means what you think it means" clothing word is thongs. Poor Australians. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481267 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 01:33:29 +0000 Aziraphale 1481267@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Daria, I'd bet money that you are correct about sentiyon/centillon being derived from "soutien-gorge" ! </p> <p>Jules, that's hilarious that they call yeast "mushrooms" in France!</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481259 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 01:17:14 +0000 Jules 1481259@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ok this only tangentially related, but funny.<br /> My friend was in France and got a yeast infection bad enough that she a had to see a doctor. Her French is pretty good, but she got confused and then amused when they started talking about her bad case of "champignons", aka, mushrooms...</p> <p>(If you're wondering how I got there from here, I had to look up bra in French to remember it is called "soutien-gorge" which literally means "support throat" or something like that. Which got me thinking about idioms in general.) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481258 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 01:13:04 +0000 Daria 1481258@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>UmmLile - very interesting!<br />Sentiyon might have evolved from "soutien" (soutien-gorge is bra in French) or from another Roman language. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481250 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 00:53:46 +0000 UmmLila (Lisa) 1481250@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I got some good ones from my Egyptian MIL, which I thought were of various Euro and mostly French derivations but was never entirely sure:</p> <p>Culotteh = any lower body undies, male or female. So, yeah, when we are talking culottes it's either that or the French revolutions sansculottes that come to mind!</p> <p>Sentiyon / centillon = bra (I always assumed this was French but have never heard anyone else use it)</p> <p>B'lover = pullover = sweater </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/why-do-garment-names-have-such-different-meanings#post-1481216 Mon, 27 Apr 2015 23:31:26 +0000 Sal 1481216@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b></b>Here are my versions.<b></b></p> <p><b>Jumper</b>&nbsp;= Sweater/Jersey</p> <p><b>Pinafore</b>&nbsp;= Jumper</p> <p><b>Knickers</b>&nbsp;= Pants/Undies<b></b></p> <p><b>Trousers/Pants</b>&nbsp;= Pants</p> <p><b>Waistcoat</b>&nbsp;= Vest</p> <p><b>Vest&nbsp;</b>= Gillet</p> <p><b>Singlet/tank</b>&nbsp;= Vest</p> <p><b>Camisole</b>&nbsp;= Vest</p> <p><b>Togs = </b>Bathing Costume<b></b></p> <p><b>Braces </b>= Suspenders</p> <p><b>Jandals </b>= Flip Flops</p> <p><b>G String</b> = Thong</p> <p><b>Brogues</b> = Oxfords</p> <p>I know the US ones and do adapt sometimes for the forum.... </p>