The Language of Fashion: B Part 6

After far too much rest and boredome, I am at least back at writing and I finally present, for your latest dose of vintage fashion nerdiness, the continuation of our blog series,
The Language of Fashion. 

You can find all of me previous Language of Fashion Posts here.

Today we continue with B. In our last post, we covered bonnets through boutonnière, which brings us to... 

BOWS:

bow. Two or more loops of ribbon, cord, fabric, etc., held together by tying or tacking or by means of a clip.

Cadogan bow. Small, square bow tied at the nape of the neck to hold curls of long bob back from the face. Worn below hat brim. Named for Cadogan, British general (1675-1726), from the style of hair dress worn by men in his period, contemporary with Louis XIV and Louis XV in France.

pump bow. Flat, stiff bow, as used on pumps (women's shoes) and tailored hats. Often made of grosgrain ribbon.

tailored bow. Same as a pump bow.

bowknot. Ornamental slipknot made by doubling ribbon, cord, fabric, etc., into one or more loops, usually tied so as to leave ends free to draw loops easily through knot.

bowler. British term for man’s derby hat.

bowstring hemp. Plant fiber used in making cloth, etc.

bow tie. Tie worn in a bowknot.

box cloth. Coarse, thick melton cloth, usually buff color. Used for riding habits, etc.

box coat. Squared, loose coat.

box leather. Leather finished so that close creases run in two directions.

box plait or pleat. Plait with edges turned in opposite directions.

box toe. In shoe manufacturing, a piece of buckram or leather cut to pattern and placed between lining and upper of the tip to make the toe hold its shape.

boxy silhouette. Squared silhouette of straight skirt worn with box coat.

boyang. Band around trouser leg below knee. In the past, worn by laborers.

boyish bob. Hair cut short and trimmed reasonably close to head.

boyish-form silhouette. Straight, uncorseted figure popular in the 1920s.

bra or bras. Short for brassiere - see below. Breast girdle.

brabant. Type of sturdy linen fabric formerly made in Brabant, French Netherlands.

BRACELETS:

bracelet. Ornamental ring, band, or chain for wrist or arm. Worn by women; now seldom worn by men.

bangle bracelet. Ornamental circlet of gold, silver, glass, or other material. First worn by women of East Indian countries; now worn with sportswear, often several at a time. Returns to fashion at regular intervals, each time with a new type of pendant—animals, coins, or hearts, Cupids, and other sentimental tokens.

charm bracelet. Bracelet having pendant charms or amulets attached.love bracelet. Large link bracelet, often made up of hearts, Cupids, etc.

bracelet cuff. Cuff of metal, lace, ribbon, or other material, wider than average bracelet. Worn around wrist.

bracelet sleeve. Sleeve reaching below elbow.

bracelet tie. Ankle-strap shoe.

bracer. Guard for arm or wrist. Worn in archery, fencing, etc. In ancient armor, called brassart.

braces. British term for suspenders, or straps to hold up trousers.

braconnière. Short skirt of overlapping hoop-like steel plates. Worn as part of 16th century armor.

bragas. Spanish term for pair of loose, wide breeches.

braguette. Piece of ancient armor, similar to a codpiece.

BRAIDS:

braid. 1. Narrow cord-like strip of flat tape woven of silk, wool, linen, etc., for trimming, binding, designs, outlines, etc. Varieties of braids usually named for use or appearance. Also, to weave or intertwine to form a braid; also, to trim with braid. 2. Band or ribbon for the hair, or plait of real or artificial hair. 3. To plait the hair into a braid. 4. Narrow tape-like strip woven or made with bobbins, in variety of designs and weights, and used to form more solid parts of motifs in lace.

cannetille. Lace-like braid of gold or silver thread.

coronation braid. Firmly woven, highly mercerized, filled cotton cord or braid, alternately thick and narrow. Used in couching and to outline pattern in embroidery or lace.

finishing braid. Narrow, plain-woven braid, with decoration of simple embroidery stitches.

hercules braid. Heavily corded worsted braid, varying from ½- to 4-inch width. Used for trimmings.

hole braid. Tape-like braid used in lace, made with bobbins, having small holes at regular intervals in plain ground.

lacet . Type of braid woven of silk or cotton in various widths, often with looped edge. Used for edging, trimming, combined with tatting or crochet.

ladder braid. Bobbin-made braid with open stitches crossed by bars giving ladder-like effect.

middy braid. Narrow, finely plaited braid. Used to trim middy blouses; also, as a piping or seam finish on tailored dresses and coats.

military braid. Flat braid of diagonal twill weave, in various widths and colors and in all fibers. Used for bindings, trimming bands, and ornaments.

orris. General term for all types of galloon, especially upholstery braids.

pigtail braid. Small, round, closely woven braid. Used for trimming.

rat-tail braid. Tubular silk braid resembling rat’s tail. Used for trimming.

rice braid. Braid similar to coronation, but smaller in size, with thick parts spaced to give appearance of grains of rice. Used in trimming and in crochet laces.

rick rack braid. Flat, woven braid in zig-zag form. Made in cotton, silk, rayon, and wool, in various sizes and many colors. Used for trimming garments and often used to ornament vintage aprons.

Russian braid. Narrow, flat, decorative braid. Same as soutache.

soutache braid. Narrow, flat, decorative braid. Used chiefly to sew ornamental designs on garments.

stickerei. Braid of even weave, having embroidered, scalloped, or notched edge.

straw braid. Braid from ¼ inch to 3 inches wide, used in manufacture of straw hats. Largely imported. Finer straws come from South America, Italy, Switzerland; cheaper kinds, from China, Japan.

braided-band-stitch. Embroidery stitch.

braiding. 1. Applying braid in designs to fabric, by hand or machine. 2. Plaiting three or more cords of fabric, ribbon, braid, or leather together, or three or more strands of hair, to form a braid.

braiding foot. Sewing-machine attachment for applying braid, silk twist, etc., in rows, scrolls, monograms, motifs.braid work. That part of the making of bobbin lace which consists of making the braids. braies. Roman breeches. Worn during 1st and 2nd centuries, in addition to tunic; first brought from Asia by Gauls. Short braies worn by Emperor Augustus beneath toga, probably as protection against cold. Forerunner of pantaloons.

Brandenburg. 1. Ornamental loop or frog, usually of braid. Worn on garment in place of other fastener and for decoration. 2. Facing of embroidery on military coat, usually of parallel bars. Named for Brandenburg, Prussia.

brassard. 1. Badge worn on arm. 2. Brassart.

brassart. Medieval armor for upper or whole arm. Also called demi-brassart.

brassière. Close-fitting undergarment shaped to support bust. Also called bra, uplift, bandeau, bust supporter.

braw. Scottish word meaning well-dressed; also, fine, brave, handsome.

braws. Scottish word meaning fine clothes.

breadth. 1. a measurement of width— the opposite of length; a measurement of fabric from selvage to selvage. 2. Term used by painters to indicate wealth of color.

breast. 1. The bosom; or the part of clothing covering the bosom. 2. Forward surface of the heel. 3. Often used in earlier sewing patterns and textbooks to refer to the chest measurement in children's and men's clothing.

breasting. In shoe manufacturing, the sole leather that turns away from the sole and is shaped to cover the front surface of the heel. Used on French or other covered wooden heels.

Happy sewing!

Anna

Sources:

The Language of Fashion by Mary Brooks Picken, 1939.

Le Robert & Collins Dictionaire Francais-Anglais English French Dictionary, 1980.

The Mrs. Depew Vintage LLC. private research pattern archive.

Butterick's New Sewing Book, 1956.

Butterick Quarterly Winter 1929.