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Category Archives: Glossary
Glossary – Pneumonia Blouse
Diaphanous cotton batiste shirtwaists, often trimmed with lace and decorated with whitework embroidery were slangily referred to as ‘pneumonia blouses’ as early as 1905. The pneumonia term is often erroneously thought to date back to the Spanish Influenza of 1918/19, … Continue reading
History Bounding
‘History Bounding’ is a recent trend for enthusiasts who dress in contemporary clothes styled after an historical period or person. It began six years ago when Canadian blogger Leslie Kay, who was headed for Disney World, began a blog called … Continue reading
Posted in Costuming, Fadshions, Glossary
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Glossary – Spinster
When the word spinster entered the English language in the mid 14th century, it referred to a woman who spun flax into linen thread or wool into yarn for a living. The job was commonly taken up by unmarried women … Continue reading
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The Leotard
French acrobat Jules Léotard developed the art of trapeze when he first performed a three bar aerial performance on November 12, 1859. He wore a one-piece jersey garment for his trapeze performances that was called a maillot during his time, … Continue reading
Posted in Classics, Glossary
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Glossary – Hollanderizing, Shinerizing, Martinizing
Yesterday’s fashion in song post Take Back Your Mink from the 1950 play Guys and Dolls contains the line “So take back your mink to from whence it came, and tell ‘em to Hollanderize it for some other dame!” Hollanderizing is … Continue reading
Posted in Canadian dress, Glossary
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Glossary – Beatnik fashion talk
Here are all the fashion terms from the Complete Beatnik Dictionary: So if you are a flutter bum (good looking guy) and want to get all chrome plated (dressed up) in some threads (clothes), you can put shape in a … Continue reading
Glossary – Obroni Wawu
Obroni Wawu is a phrase used in Ghana that literally translates as “dead white man’s clothes”. Many of the clothes donated to charities are sold to Africa, and Ghana is one of the largest purchases of used clothing. However, there is … Continue reading
Posted in fashion industry, Glossary
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Glossary – Scroop
Remember when Rhett Butler comments on Mammy’s new red taffeta petticoat when he hears it rustling? That sound is called ‘Scroop’ and is the distinct crisp, scraping sound made by silk taffeta. The sound is achieved by the silk being … Continue reading
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Glossary – Shivviness
Shivviness (SHIV•ee•ness) The uncomfortable feeling created by wearing new or rough underwear. From the old Yorkshire word ‘shive’ for coarse wool or linen.
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A Century of the Trench Coat
Before 1915 men wore overcoats or raincoats (aka Macs). Overcoats were warm but heavy, and raincoats were light but not warm. The advent of the Great War necessitated a solution to combine the advantages of both styles of coats for … Continue reading
Posted in Glossary, Men's fashion
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