Fashion Glossary — 50 Terms You'll See

The terms that show up most often when shopping. Sorted by category.

Fit / silhouette

• Slim fit — close to the body. Not tight, but cleanly trimmed.

• Regular fit — standard. Neither tight nor loose.

• Loose fit / oversized — intentionally bigger. Trendy.

• Tapered — roomy at top, narrower toward bottom (especially pants).

• Straight — even width top to bottom.

• Bootcut — slight flare below the knee.

• Crop — intentionally short top or pant.

• Long line — top or jacket cut longer than usual.

Details

• Drop shoulder — shoulder seam sits on the upper arm, not at the shoulder. Common on oversized tops.

• Raglan sleeve — sleeve runs diagonally up to the collar (sweatshirts).

• Set-in sleeve — standard shoulder seam.

• Cutout — intentional opening.

• Ruffle — gathered decoration.

• Pleats — sharp folds.

• Drape — natural-flowing folds.

Materials

• Selvedge denim — premium denim woven with finished edges. The red selvedge line is the signature.

• Raw denim — unwashed denim. Fades naturally with wear.

• Merino wool — soft wool from Merino sheep.

• Cashmere — Kashmir goat fiber. One of the most expensive natural fibers.

• Tweed — rough-textured wool fabric. Common in fall/winter jackets.

• Linen — flax fiber. Cool, breathable. Summer shirts and suits.

• Seersucker — striped puckered-surface fabric. Summer suits.

• Poplin — smooth cotton fabric. Common for shirts.

• Oxford — slightly textured shirt fabric. The casual shirt standard.

Color terms

• Solid — single color.

• Monotone — same hue, different brightness.

• Tone-on-tone — same color, different tones paired.

• Earth tone — brown, beige, khaki — natural colors.

• Neutral — achromatic + beige family.

• Vivid — high saturation, intense.

• Pastel — soft, faded colors.

Style categories

• Minimal — minimal decoration, clean lines.

• Maximalism — opposite of minimal. Loud and abundant.

• Normcore — intentionally plain dressing. 90s revival.

• Quiet luxury — looking expensive without logos.

• Old money — similar to quiet luxury. Classic, formal.

• Workwear — based on work uniforms. Carhartt, Dickies.

• Gorpcore — outdoor wear as everyday clothing. The North Face, Salomon.

• Balletcore — feminine style inspired by ballet costumes.

• Dark academia — British prestige university vibe. Tweed, cardigans, Oxford shoes.

• Y2K — early 2000s revival.

Shopping / size terms

• Dress code — outfit rules (black tie, business casual, etc.).

• Tailoring / alteration — adjusting fit.

• Capsule wardrobe — limited pieces, many looks.

• Deadstock — discontinued, unused inventory.

• Vintage — usually 20+ years old.

• Second-hand / pre-loved — used.