1. Contour
   Ruche
2. Batwing
   Armseye

A batwing sleeve is what you call one that is a tight fit at the wrist but then expands out to be very loose by the time it hits under the arm. From the rear, it's kind of cape-like and does resemble the wing of a bat.

1. A-line
   Ant-pill
2. Ombre
   Weft

A-line refers to a dress or a skirt, and it means that it fits from the shoulder (for a dress) or the waist (for a skirt) then flares out to a wider hemline at the bottom as it goes down the way the letter "A" looks.

1. Applique
   Bespoke
2. Selvedge
   Havelock

Applique is a term that doesn't just work in fashion but, in those terms, it refers to shapes and designs cut from one textile that are then applied to another as a decoration or design on the original piece.

1. Pleat
   Seam
2. Deadstock
   Shift

About as basic a dress style as you can get, the shift is a non-fitted dress-style with simple, straight lines. It's also a term for a specific kind of undergarment that was meant to protect clothing from sweat and body oil.

1. Galloon
   Ruche
2. Bretelles
   Herringbone

Generally a narrow, braided band, usually in a metallic color, like gold or silver, a galloon is a decorative accent that can be found on military garb, evening wear and, in some cases, fancy pillows and furniture.

1. Decolletage
   Princess line
2. Bias cut
   Inseam

A bias cut involves cutting fabric on the bias, or a diagonal, in order to take advantage of its stretch and elasticity. A bias cut ensures the fabric is better able to fit the body in some areas and drape better in others.

1. Espadrille
   Ombre
2. Weft
   Seam

Seams occur any time you're sewing fabric together with some kind of stitching. That area where two or more layers are joined must be joined by a seam of some kind in order to hold it together properly.

1. Plackets
   Bretelles
2. Distressing
   Wefts

Bretelles are a decorative touch on a garment that extends from the belt in the front to over the shoulders and around the back. They can also run diagonally from one side and over the shoulder on the other side.

1. Pret-a-porter
   Herringbone
2. Pleat
   Empire waist

A pleat in fabric is meant to make the fabric look fuller by bulking it up. The fabric is folded or layered and held in place with a stitch of some kind and is most likely the sort of thing you'd see in a pair of pants, but pleats can be found in a variety of garments, including dresses.

1. Empire waist
   Pret-a-porter
2. Havelock
   Epaulets

An empire waist is a very high-waisted cut in which the waistline begins right below the bustline. They were the go-to fashion during Napoleon's reign as emperor.

1. Deadstock
   Decolletage
2. Tapering
   Princess line

A princess line is what you get when the fabric is cut from the shoulder all the way down to the hemline with no seam or separation of any kind at the waist. It can still have shape thanks to something called darts which are V-shaped tucks in the fabric.

1. Basque
   Espadrille
2. Warp
   Lapel

An espadrille is a shoe that has a canvas or fabric top and a sole made out of something called esparto rope. They're usually flats, but they can also have heels. They're a remarkably old style of shoe and date back to at least the 14th century.

1. Bretelles
   Lapel
2. Placket
   Frog

A placket is a slit or opening that allows you to put on a garment. You can usually find them at the wrists and neck, on the front of a shirt or at the top of a skirt. Plackets are sometimes hidden with fabric that overlaps them.

1. Peplum
   Havelock
2. Ruching
   Spangles

A havelock is a type of hat that has a piece of brim or fabric extending from the back edge of the hat down the base of the neck. They can be affixed in a variety of ways but generally exist only to stop your neck from getting a sunburn.

1. Hem
   Pleat
2. Taper
   Lapel

When you fold and sew the edge of a piece of clothing, it creates a hem. Its purpose is to make sure you're not leaving the raw fabric exposed, which could fray easily and, to most people, just doesn't look good.

1. Gele
   Bespoke
2. Eyelet
   Ombre

Ombre is the term you'd use to describe the gradual blending of color in a fabric or a garment from one hue to another. That often involves a dark shade transitioning to a light shade across the length of the piece.

1. Herringbone
   Dirndl
2. Filigree
   Crinoline

A herringbone pattern is something you're most likely to find in tweed or wool. Its name comes from the visual look of the skeleton of a herring fish which, all things being equal, doesn't sound super fashionable.

1. Jouy
   Lettuce hem
2. Boxy
   Batwing

A boxy look is achieved when you get just what the name implies, something angular and square in shape. It's usually reserved for a garment that fits the top of the body with the shoulders filling out the "box" look.

1. Galloon
   Havelock
2. Peplum
   Epaulets

Often found in military uniforms but also used for decorative effect in other fashions, epaulets are shoulder adornments that are rather dramatic and noticeable. Some epaulets can be quite large and ostentatious.

1. Pret-a-porter
   Haute couture
2. Espadrille
   Bespoke

Often used when referring to men's fashion, anything bespoke is specifically designed and assembled as a made-to-order garment for the person who will wear it, as opposed to something you just grab off the rack.

1. Inseam
   Princess line
2. Lapel
   Epaulets

Lapels are typically seen on a coat or jacket and are folded to either side of the opening and around the collar. They're most often found on formal clothing, but they don't have to be. Lapels can be rather narrow and understated or very wide, depending on the cut.

1. Weft
   Unitard
2. Look book
   Lyocell

When yarn is shuttled back and forth across the width of the fabric being woven, that is referred to as the weft, but it can also be called the woof — if you're into more fun, dog-themed words. It's not as strong as some weaves.

1. Color-fast
   Anti-pill
2. Decolletage
   Empire waist

Pills are little fabric balls that can form on fabric as it ages and wears down, but an anti-pill treatment will prevent this from happening. If pilling is left untreated, it tends to make the fabric look old and messy, and it will eventually wear out.

1. Tapered
   Selvage
2. Ruche
   Sanforized

Selvage — or selvedge, depending on what part of the world you're in — is the name for the finished edge of fabric that keeps it from fraying and unraveling. They're called "self-finished" because they don't need a hem. The weft in the fabric loops back and finishes each row in the fabric nice and neat.

1. Minaudiere
   Panniers
2. Peplum
   Ruche

Peplum comes from a Greek word that means "tunic." It refers to a decorative sort of frill or skirt-like addition of fabric that typically hangs below the waist and can start as high up as the bodice.

1. Muslin
   Velveteen
2. Polonaise
   Chiffon

Velveteen is the name for fake velvet made from simple cotton. Normal velvet can also be made from cotton, but historically, it was also made from things like silk and is distinguished from velveteen by its sheen and ability to drape.

1. Pret-a-porter
   Distressed
2. Colorfast
   Stonewashed

Colorfast refers to a fabric that is treated or prepared in a way that prevents the color from bleeding or running when you wash it. There was a time when washing a red sock in a load of whites would turn everything pink because it wasn't colorfast.

1. Lapels
   Pleated
2. Distressed
   Tapered

Tapered is how you would refer to hems or seams that diminish in size and thickness from top to bottom. It's a general term you can apply to the same effect anywhere, not just in fashion.

1. Distressed
   Decolletage
2. Ruche
   Weft

Decolletage refers to the exposed neck, shoulders, upper chest and back area. It's whatever portion of the body would be exposed above the neckline of a garment, though it usually means something with a lower neckline, deep enough to expose some cleavage.

1. Basque
   Haute couture
2. Pret-a-porter
   Espadrille

Pret-a-porter clothes, as the French to English translation suggests, are ready to wear. This is opposed to anything tailored or custom-made that is made for a specific person's size and shape. Essentially, pret-a-porter is off the rack but still high quality.

1. Haute couture
   Galloon
2. Havelock
   Bespoke

Haute couture can be translated as "high fashion" or even "high sewing" and is the general term for high-quality, well-made clothing. In France, it cannot legally be used unless the clothing meets certain design standards.

1. Pantone
   Jewel tones
2. Earth tones
   Monotone

Earth tones is a catchall term for a color palette that is reminiscent of the Earth itself and, specifically, brown shades. Mud, soil, sand, rock and all of the colors that align with those natural features are considered Earth tones.

1. Knock off
   Lagenlook
2. Panache
   Deadstock

If a full season goes by and some fabric or designs haven't been sold, that qualifies as deadstock. Once a new season begins, no one wants last season's look, right? It could also be the result of a company having too much stock to sell, or the design has a defect that puts consumers off.

1. Pleat
   Princess line
2. Basque
   Lapel

A basque is not as firmly defined as you might like it to be and originally meant a bodice or jacket that had tails. It later came to mean a corset that flared down past the waistline. However the cut works, it's generally characterized by something fitted at the top and flared and looser down below.

1. Distressing
   Applique
2. Ombre
   Lame

Distressed fabric is fabric that has a lived-in feel and has been made to look older than it is. How a fabric is distressed depends on the type of fabric it is. Jeans, for instance, can be distressed by repeated washing or filing away at some of the material.