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