Glossary of Formalwear Terms
ASCOT (as-kot) - A cravat with wide square ends; secured with an ornamental pin.
BESOM (be'-zum) - Narrow welted edging on coat body above pocket lip.
BLACK TIE INVITED - An event where a tuxedo or dinner jacket is encouraged but not required. If not a tuxedo, proper dressy attire (coat and tie) is necessary.
BLACK TIE OPTIONAL - An event where a tuxedo or dinner jacket may be worn but is not required. Proper dressy attire (suit, not a sport coat) is necessary.
BLACK TIE REQUIRED - An event where a tuxedo or dinner jacket is required. Don't even think about attending without one.
BOUTONNIERE (boo'-t?-nîr') - A flower or small bunch of flowers worn in a button hole. From Old French, buttonhole.
BOW TIE - Standard formal attire. Wide array of fabrics, colors and patterns. Black is always the preferred choice. Available usually pre-tied with a neck band to wear on a wing-collar or dress-collar shirt. Be bold, buy a black silk tie that you tie yourself. Very James Bond-like.
BRACES - The English term for suspenders. Usually of the button-on variety but also available as clip-on.
CANE - A straight black cane with white tips on both ends. Traditionally carried when wearing "white tie and tails". Usually accompanied by white gloves and a top hat.
CONTINENTAL VEST (aka waistcoat) - A backless vest designed to accommodate varied sizes of men. Available in a wide array of colors and fabric patterns. With the exception of boys sizes and extra-large sizes, vest comes as a 'one size fits all.' Includes adjustable strapping at the back of the neck for length and across the lower back to adjust the waist.
CUFF LINKS - Traditional formal attire. Usually available in gold, silver, silver plate, gold plate, and nickel-plate. Normally coordinated with four shirt studs worn on the front placket of the shirt in lieu of buttons.
CUMMERBUND (kum'-er-bund') - A broad sash, especially one that is pleated lengthwise and worn as an article of formal dress, as with a dinner jacket. Worn so the open side of the pleats are up (as if to hold opera tickets).
CUTAWAY (aka morning coat) - Classic daytime formal attire that used to be worn only for events prior to noon. Now acceptable up until mid-afternoon, but never for evenings. A charcoal grey or black coat with a long coachman back. The front of the coat "cuts away from the button down. Worn with a dove grey or black vest, striped or pin-dot ascot, wing collar shirt, and either striped or nailhead pants. Black formal shoes or dress calfskin shoes are a must.
DINNER JACKET - Traditionally, for summer, white, off-white or Sahara tan. Panama weave, single or double-breasted, self-faced shawl collar dinner jacket with black formal trousers. Worn with a white pleated wing-collar or spread-collar shirt.
DROP - The number of inches smaller the trouser waist of a suit is than the coat. A size 40 regular suit, for example, usually has a 6 inch trouser drop... a 34 inch waist.
FEDORA (fí-dôr'-uh) - A soft felt hat with a fairly low crown creased lengthwise and a brim that can be turned up or down.
FOUR-IN-HAND - The simplest of neckwear knots to tie. Name comes from a coach being drawn by four horse in two teams, driven in tandem by a single person. Young blades took up the sport, organized into clubs and adopted the professional coachman's tie as a mark of distinction. A four-in-hand is a small knot for wear with a narrow-spread collar.
FULLBACK VEST (aka waistcoat) - Similar to a continental vest but with a full satin back like on a traditional three-piece suit. Usually found with an adjustable strap across the lower back to cinch-in any excess fabric. Available in as many as eight sizes.
GORGE - The seam on a coat where collar meets lapel.
HACKING POCKET - A slanted flap pocket on a coat. Rarely found in formal wear.
HANDKERCHIEF/POCKET SQUARE - A silk or satin fabric square folded in a variety of manners and placed in the outer breast pocket of a tuxedo. Does not have to match the vest but should complement the colors in the tie and or vest.
HERRINGBONE - Classic zigzag effect resembling the backbone of a herring. Achieved by altering the direction of a twill.
IRIDESCENT - Contrasting warp and filling yarns giving a two-color effect.
JACQUARD - An intricate, variegated, self-pattern weave with clear finish. Named for the Frenchman who invented the loom in the early 19th century.
LOW RISE - The difference between inseam and outseam of trousers. Several inches shorter than normal rise depending on the designer. Favored by the young and slim.
NORMAL RISE - The difference between the inseam and outseam of trousers. (Normal rise for size 32 regular, for example, is 10 7/8" (10 1/8" for 32 short and 11 1/8" for 32 long. Rise increases 1/8" for each increase in waist size.)
NOTCHED (NOTCH) LAPEL - Type of lapel on which the top line slants down in line with the collar seam.
PAISLEY - A fabric woven or printed with colorful curved (amoeba-like) abstract figures.
PEAKED (PEAK) LAPEL - Type of lapel on which the top line slants up from the horizontal.
PIMA - Fine grade, long bred staple crossbreed of Sea Island and Egyptian cotton, developed in Pima County, Arizona.
PLY - One of the strands in a yarn, 2-ply would indicate that two strands have been twisted together to make one yarn.
PUMP - Type of low-cut, slip-on shoe for formal evening wear. Does not have laces or straps. Usually has an ornamental grosgrain ribbon bow in front. Made of patent leather or dull calf.
SHAWL COLLAR - An unnotched lapel with no gorge.
TARTAN - A plaid textile design of stripes of varying width and color against a solid ground, patterned to designate a clan.
TWILL - A textile weave in which filling yarns pass over one and under two or more warp yarns producing a diagonal rib.
TWIST - A yarn formed by twisting two or more strands together. Different colored yarns are often used for unusual color effect.
UNDERBASTING - The temporary sewing together of two pieces of fabric to assure perfect pattern matches. Threads are removed at final pressing.
UNDERPRESSING - Pressing on the reverse side of the fabric to mold it so it will retain its shape.
VENT - Slit at center or sides on the bottom of the back of a jacket or coat.
WELT - A raised double edge, strip, insert, or seam for ornament or reinforcement.
WINDSOR - The largest of the three neckwear knot styles. Worn with wide spread collar shirts. (Half-windsor is worn with medium spread collar).
WORSTED - A smooth, compact yarn form long wool fibers, used for smooth, firm, compact fabrics.
