The words you will hear at a fitting, on a wedding invitation or in a guide, explained in a sentence or two. Terms link to a longer guide where there is one.
Jump to: A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P R S T V W
A
- Achkan
- A long, fitted coat that reaches the knee or below, with a standing collar and a front that buttons to the neck. Worn for weddings, usually over churidar. Longer and more formal than a bandhgala. Read more.
B
- Band collar
- A short, standing shirt collar with no folded-down leaf. Also called a mandarin or grandad collar. Worn without a tie, and under Nehru jackets and bandhgalas.
- Bandhgala
- A structured jacket with a closed, standing collar and a front that fastens to the neck, usually with five or more buttons. Literally 'closed neck'. Worn with matching trousers, it is India's most versatile formal outfit. Read more.
- Barathea
- A fine, slightly pebbled wool or silk weave with a matt finish. The traditional cloth for dinner jackets and for evening lapels and trims.
- Besom pocket
- A pocket set into the cloth with a narrow welt of fabric above and below the opening, and no flap. Common on dinner jackets and trousers. Also called a jetted pocket.
- Bespoke
- Clothing cut from a pattern drafted from scratch for one person, with several fittings during making. Different from made to measure, which adjusts an existing pattern. Read more.
- Black tie
- An evening dress code: a dinner jacket or tuxedo, bow tie, dress shirt and polished shoes. In India an evening bandhgala is widely accepted as the equivalent. Read more.
- Break
- The fold that forms where the trouser hem meets the shoe. No break means the hem just touches; a full break means a clear fold. Modern trousers usually have little or none.
- Brogue
- A shoe decorated with punched holes along its seams and toe. The more holes, the less formal.
- Business casual
- Office wear without a suit: tailored trousers, a collared shirt and usually a jacket, with the tie optional. Read more.
- The height of the fastening button on a jacket. A higher stance makes the legs look longer; a lower one lengthens the chest and lapel.
C
- Canvas
- The inner layer between the cloth and the lining of a jacket front, which gives it shape. A full canvas runs the length of the front; a half canvas covers the chest. A canvassed jacket moulds to the body over time.
- Chalk stripe
- A soft, broad stripe on suiting, like a line drawn in tailor's chalk. More relaxed than a pinstripe.
- Churidar
- Close-fitting trousers, cut long so they gather in folds at the ankle. Worn under kurtas, achkans and sherwanis.
- Cocktail attire
- An evening dress code between black tie and business formal: a dark suit, tie optional, with room for velvet, colour and bandhgalas. Read more.
- Cotton-linen
- A blend of cotton and linen. Nearly as cool as pure linen, with more body and fewer creases. Read more.
- Cummerbund
- A pleated waistband worn with a dinner suit to cover the trouser waist. The pleats face upwards. Read more.
- Cutaway collar
- A shirt collar with points that spread wide, almost horizontally. Suits a larger tie knot or no tie at all.
D
- Derby
- A lace-up shoe whose lacing panels are stitched on top of the front, so they open wide. Slightly less formal than an oxford and easier to fit.
- Dinner jacket
- The British name for a tuxedo jacket: an evening jacket with satin or grosgrain lapels. Also used for an evening jacket worn with trousers that do not match, such as an ivory or velvet jacket. Read more.
- Double cuff
- A shirt cuff that folds back on itself and fastens with cufflinks. Also called a French cuff. The formal choice for suits and black tie.
- Double-breasted
- A jacket whose fronts overlap widely and fasten with two parallel columns of buttons, usually six with two that fasten. Read more.
- Drop
- The difference between the chest measurement of a jacket and the waist of its trousers. A larger drop suits an athletic build.
F
- Flap pocket
- A jacket pocket covered by a flap of cloth. Standard on business suits; can be tucked inside to look like a besom pocket.
- Fused
- A jacket whose inner layer is glued to the cloth rather than stitched. Cheaper and lighter than canvas, but stiffer and can bubble over time.
G
- Gorge
- The seam where the collar meets the lapel. A high gorge looks modern and lengthens the chest; a low gorge looks older.
- Grosgrain
- A ribbed silk or synthetic ribbon used for tuxedo lapels, trouser stripes and bow ties. Matt, unlike satin.
H
- Half-lined
- A jacket lined only at the shoulders and front, leaving the back open. Cooler and lighter; common in summer suits.
I
- Indo-western
- Clothing that mixes Indian and Western tailoring, such as a bandhgala-style jacket with an asymmetric front, or a kurta cut like a shirt.
J
- Jetted pocket
- Another name for a besom pocket: a slit pocket finished with narrow strips of cloth and no flap.
- Jodhpuri suit
- A bandhgala worn with matching trousers, originally from Jodhpur. Often used interchangeably with bandhgala; some use it for the version with jodhpur breeches. Read more.
K
- Kurta
- A loose, collarless or band-collared tunic worn over trousers, pyjamas or churidar. Length ranges from the hip to below the knee.
L
- Lapel
- The folded flap of cloth on the front of a jacket, below the collar. The three main shapes are notch, peak and shawl.
- Loafer
- A slip-on shoe with no laces. Penny, tassel and horsebit loafers are the common styles; velvet loafers are an evening option.
M
- Made to measure
- Clothing made from an existing pattern adjusted to your measurements and posture, in the cloth and details you choose. Faster and more affordable than bespoke; far better fitting than ready to wear. Read more.
- Mojari
- A traditional Indian slip-on shoe in leather, often embroidered, with a closed toe. Also called a jutti. Worn with kurtas, sherwanis and achkans.
- Monk strap
- A shoe fastened with one or two buckled straps instead of laces. Between an oxford and a loafer in formality.
N
- Nehru jacket
- A sleeveless or short jacket with a standing collar, worn over a kurta or shirt. Named after India's first prime minister. Read more.
- Notch lapel
- A lapel with a triangular notch where it meets the collar. The standard lapel on single-breasted suits.
O
- Oxford
- A formal lace-up shoe whose lacing panels are stitched beneath the front, giving a closed, sleek look. The shoe for suits and black tie.
P
- Patch pocket
- A pocket sewn onto the outside of a jacket like a patch. Casual; common on linen and sports jackets.
- Peak lapel
- A lapel whose lower edge points upwards and outwards towards the shoulder. More formal than a notch; standard on double-breasted jackets and many tuxedos.
- Pinstripe
- A very fine stripe on suiting cloth. More formal and more corporate than a chalk stripe.
- Pleats
- Folds of cloth at the front of the trouser waist that give room at the hips and thighs. Single or double; forward or reverse.
- Pocket square
- A folded cloth handkerchief worn in a jacket's breast pocket. It should complement the tie or shirt, not match it exactly.
R
- Ready to wear
- Clothing made in standard sizes to fit as many people as possible. Also called off the rail or off the peg. Read more.
- Rise
- The distance from the crotch seam to the top of the trouser waist. A higher rise sits at the natural waist and looks better with a jacket.
S
- Safa
- A tied turban worn at Indian weddings, especially by the groom and the family, often in a colour or print that matches the occasion.
- Satin facing
- The shiny silk or satin covering on the lapels of a tuxedo or dinner jacket.
- Seersucker
- A light cotton cloth with a puckered surface that holds it away from the skin. A summer classic.
- Shawl collar
- A continuous, rounded lapel with no notch or peak. Found on tuxedos, dinner jackets and velvet smoking jackets.
- Sherwani
- A long, often embellished coat worn by grooms and wedding guests, usually over churidar. Heavier and more ornate than an achkan. Read more.
- Side adjusters
- Buckles or tabs at the sides of the trouser waistband that tighten it without a belt. Standard on dress trousers.
- Single-breasted
- A jacket with one column of buttons and only a small overlap at the front. The standard suit jacket. Read more.
- Smart casual
- A relaxed but tailored dress code: trousers or dark jeans, a shirt or knit, often a jacket, and no tie. Read more.
- Spread collar
- A shirt collar whose points open moderately wide. The most versatile collar for wearing with or without a tie.
- Super 100s, 120s, 150s
- A measure of how fine the wool fibres are. Higher numbers are finer and softer, but more delicate. For daily suits, 100s to 130s wear best.
- Surgeon's cuffs
- Jacket sleeve buttons that actually open. Also called working cuffs. A sign of made-to-measure or bespoke tailoring.
T
- Taper
- How much a trouser leg narrows from knee to hem.
- Terry Rayon
- A polyester and viscose blend widely used for suits in India. Crease resistant and affordable, with a smooth finish.
- Ticket pocket
- A small extra pocket above the right-hand jacket pocket. Originally for train tickets.
- Turn-ups
- A folded band of cloth at the trouser hem. Called cuffs in American English. Casual to business; never on dress trousers.
- Tuxedo
- The American name for a dinner suit: a jacket with satin or grosgrain lapels and trousers with a matching side stripe, worn for black tie. Read more.
V
- Vent
- A slit at the back hem of a jacket. A centre vent is one slit; side vents are two; ventless means none. Side vents move best and sit cleanest.
W
- Waistcoat
- A sleeveless garment worn under a jacket. Part of a three-piece suit, or worn with evening dress.
Questions, answered
What is the difference between a notch and a peak lapel?
A notch lapel has a triangular cut where it meets the collar and is standard on everyday suits. A peak lapel points up towards the shoulder and is more formal.
What is the difference between made to measure and bespoke?
Made to measure adjusts an existing pattern to your measurements. Bespoke drafts a new pattern from scratch and usually needs several fittings.
What is a canvassed jacket?
A jacket with a layer of canvas stitched between the cloth and the lining, which gives it shape and lets it mould to you over time.
What does 'break' mean on trousers?
The fold where the trouser hem meets the shoe. Modern trousers have a slight break or none.
What is the difference between a bandhgala and an achkan?
A bandhgala is hip length, like a suit jacket. An achkan is a longer coat that reaches the knee or below.
