Fashion

Shaving: techniques, tools, styles, history and safety Shaving An overview of shaving: what it is, common tools and styles, basic techniques, safety tips, and a brief cultural history.

Shear: forces, motions, tools and scientific senses Shear Comprehensive overview of shear: mechanical cutting and tools, shear stress and strain in physics, meteorological and geological shear, cosmic shear, mathematical shear, and the ve…

Shirt: types, construction, history, and common uses Shirt A shirt is a garment for the upper body varying by style, fabric, and regional terminology. This article explains parts, common types (T-shirt, polo, dress), history, uses, and dis…

Shoe: form, function and varieties of human footwear Shoe An overview of shoes: their parts, common types, history, uses, cultural roles and care. Covers materials, construction, and distinctions between athletic, formal, casual and speci…

Shoemaking: craft, materials, history and modern practice Shoemaking Overview of shoemaking: traditional techniques, common materials, historical development, modern mass production and bespoke work, plus distinctions like cordwainer vs cobbler.

Shorts: design, types, history, and cultural uses Shorts Shorts are garments that cover the waist and upper legs but not the entire leg. This article explains types, construction, history, uses, care, and social distinctions around short…

Ski suit: design, types, uses and care Ski suit Comprehensive overview of ski suits: one‑piece and two‑piece designs, materials, intended uses (racing, resort, backcountry), fit, safety features, selection advice and maintenance…

Skirt: a garment that hangs from the waist Skirt A skirt is a garment that hangs from the waist; this article explains forms, construction, history, uses and distinctions across cultures and gender traditions.

Sleeve (garment component) Sleeve A sleeve is the part of a garment that covers the arm. This article describes sleeve anatomy, common styles, historical development, practical uses, and notable differences.

Slipper (indoor footwear) Slipper A slipper is lightweight indoor footwear designed for comfort, warmth and floor protection. They appear in many styles and materials and are distinct from outdoor shoes by sole and…

Sock (footwear) Sock A sock is a close-fitting garment for the foot and lower leg that provides warmth, moisture control, protection and fashion. Varieties range from athletic and dress socks to compre…

Soul patch A small patch of facial hair below the lower lip and above the chin; a distinct grooming choice with variations, historical associations, styling tips, and how it differs from simi…

Spindle (textiles) A spindle is a simple hand tool for twisting fibers into yarn. This article explains its parts, varieties, historical role, how it is used, and why it remains important to hand spi…

Sportswear: Purpose, Components, History and Everyday Use Sportswear Overview of sportswear: garments and footwear designed for athletic activity, their features, common items, historical development, and how they cross into casual fashion.

Stocking (hosiery) Stocking A stocking is a close-fitting garment that covers the foot and part or all of the leg. Worn for warmth, fashion, medical use, or sport, stockings come in many materials and styles…

Style An encyclopedia entry on style: the recurring expressive choices across art, design, clothing, writing, music and technical practice, its elements, development, functions, formaliz…

Suit (clothing, law, playing cards, and protective gear) Suit "Suit" is a polysemous English word: a matched set of clothing, a civil legal action, one of the groups in playing cards, or a protective/occupational garment. This article describ…

Suit (clothing): tailored outfits for formal and business wear Suit (clothing) A suit is a coordinated set of garments—most commonly a jacket and matching trousers—worn for business, formal and ceremonial occasions. This article explains parts, styles, histor…

Sunglasses: purpose, styles, lenses, history, and how to choose Sunglasses Overview of sunglasses covering their function, common frame and lens types, a brief history, practical uses, notable brands, and tips for selecting the right pair.

Surcoat — medieval outer garment and heraldic vestment Surcoat A surcoat was a sleeveless outer garment from the Middle Ages, worn over clothes or armour. It served practical, heraldic and social functions and evolved into shorter, padded form…

Sweater: Types, Materials, History, and Care Sweater A sweater is an upper-body garment, typically knitted or crocheted, used for warmth and style. This article covers materials, common styles (pullover, cardigan, vest), history, car…

Swimsuit: types, materials, history and cultural roles Swimsuit An overview of swimsuits — garments made for swimming and water activities — including common styles, materials, historical development, cultural uses, and care and safety consider…

Swinging London: the 1960s cultural and fashion revolution Swinging London Swinging London describes the mid‑1960s burst of youth‑led style, music and social change in London — a creative moment in fashion, popular music, nightlife and visual culture.

Synthetic fabric (man-made fibers) Synthetic fabric Synthetic fabrics are man-made textiles produced from polymers by chemical processes. This article explains how they are made, major types, properties, uses, care, and environmenta…

T-shirt: design, history, styles and cultural role T-shirt Casual short-sleeved shirt typically made from knitted cotton or blends. Covers origins, construction, common styles, uses in fashion and advertising, and cultural and sustainabili…

Tabi (traditional Japanese split-toe socks) Tabi Tabi are traditional Japanese ankle socks with a distinct split between the big toe and other toes, worn with sandals and kimono. Variants range from formal white tabi to rugged ji…

Tailor: craft, techniques, history and modern practice Tailor A tailor is a skilled professional who makes, alters and repairs garments to fit individual bodies. This article explains their skills, tools, types of tailoring, history and disti…

Tartan Tartan is a woven checked pattern formed by intersecting colored threads producing a repeating sett. Widely linked with Scotland, it appears in clothing, uniforms and design and is…

Taupe: definition, characteristics, history and uses of the neutral color Taupe Taupe is a neutral color between gray and brown, originally named for the European mole's fur; widely used in fashion, interiors, and design with many warm and cool variants and cl…

Tea gown: informal at-home dress of the late 19th century Tea gown A tea gown is a woman's informal at-home dress that emerged in the mid- to late 1800s. It blends looser silhouettes, delicate fabrics and decorative details, reflecting Asian, 18th…

Textiles: Fiber Types, Fabric Construction, Uses and Finishing Processes Textile Comprehensive overview of textiles: fiber types (natural, synthetic, blends), fabric construction (weaving, knitting, nonwovens), common uses and finishing treatments that shape ap…

Tights: overview, materials, history, types and uses Tights Tights are close-fitting leg garments made from elasticized fabrics. This article explains materials, denier and styles, outlines historical development, common uses, care and dist…

Topman — British men's fashion retailer Topman Topman is the menswear arm of the Topshop family, a UK-based high-street fashion brand known for trend-led clothing, accessories and international retail presence.

Trousers: design, history, styles, and cultural significance Trousers Lower-body garment with separate leg coverings. Explains parts, history, common styles, social uses, and regional names such as "pants" in some English-speaking countries.

Turban (headwear) Turban A turban is a cloth headdress formed by winding long fabric around the head. Worn in many regions and faiths, it serves practical, social and religious roles and appears in diverse…

Turtleneck (garment) Turtleneck A turtleneck is a high-collared knitted top that fits or folds around the neck. Worn for warmth and style, it appears in many fabrics and variations and has diverse cultural and fa…

Tuxedo (dinner jacket or black-tie attire) Tuxedo A tuxedo is formal evening wear—also called a dinner jacket or black tie—comprising a tailored jacket with silk facings, dress shirt, bow tie, formal trousers and accessories for e…

Tweed: woollen cloth, varieties, history and place names Tweed Tweed is a coarse woollen fabric originating in the British Isles and a place name used worldwide. This article explains the fabric's characteristics, origins, uses, notable variet…

Tweed (cloth): history, characteristics and uses Tweed (cloth) Rough, durable woollen fabric originating in Scotland and Ireland, noted for twill and herringbone weaves, mixed-colour yarns and long use in country clothing, outerwear and contem…

Underwear: Types, Purposes, History and Cultural Roles Underwear Clothing worn beneath outerwear. Explains purposes, common types for different genders, materials and care, historical development, and cultural or religious meanings.

Uniform (clothing indicating membership, role and function) Uniform Clothing worn by members of an organization to signal membership, role, rank or purpose. Covers characteristics, settings (schools, military, workplaces), history, uses, and social…

Ushanka — Russian fur hat with ear flaps Ushanka Ushanka: a traditional Russian fur hat with foldable ear flaps. Covers origins, construction, variations, military use, cultural significance and care for this iconic cold-weather…

Veil: Definition, Types, Cultural Significance and Uses Veil A veil is a lightweight fabric covering worn over the head or face for cultural, religious, ceremonial, practical, or decorative reasons. This article explains forms, history, uses…

Velvet: fabric of pile, production, history, and uses Velvet Velvet is a soft, dense pile fabric historically linked with luxury. This article explains its structure, materials, production, care, historical development and distinctions like…

Vera Wang — American fashion designer best known for bridal couture Vera Wang Vera Wang (born 1949) is a New York–based fashion designer celebrated for modern bridal gowns, couture sensibility, and a global lifestyle brand spanning apparel, accessories, frag…

Vest (sleeveless upper-body garment) Vest A vest is a sleeveless garment for the upper body. It appears in many forms — from formal waistcoats to undershirts, work vests and athletic singlets — with meanings that vary by r…

Victorian fashion: styles, materials, and social meaning (1837–1901) Victorian fashion Clothing and style in the Victorian era (1837–1901): evolving silhouettes, materials and manufacture, social codes such as mourning and class, and the period’s lasting influence on…

Vintage clothing: definition, characteristics, history and care Vintage clothing Comprehensive overview of vintage clothing: what qualifies, identifying features, history, uses, buying tips, care and differences from retro or reproduction garments.