A perfectly fitting suit is something special. Not only because it requires a significant chunk of your bank account, but also because it’s a crucial part of your wardrobe. It’s masculine and stylish, so every man should own a good suit. Fortunately, we have tailors because a ready-made suit is rarely a perfect fit right away.
The tailoring profession is indeed a craft. It requires knowledge. Consequently, it has a plethora of terms. To provide you with a glimpse into the world of tailoring – because it’s always nice to have a bit of knowledge about everything – we’ve compiled a glossary of terms for you.
The Tailor’s Glossary
Pleated trousers
The pleat is the fold at the front of the trousers, providing a bit more volume and space. It’s currently back in style.
Piping
The piping is the colored edge on your lapel. But to be honest, we don’t really think it belongs on the list; piping is quite outdated these days.
Seams
These are seams, for example, on the back of a shirt, that make the fit narrower.
Kissing buttons
When the buttons on the sleeve overlap, they are called kissing buttons. This is more common in Italian suits and less so in English suits.
Puckered lapel
This is a finish on the lapel that requires a lot of handwork and is recognizable by the “pits” in the lapel. Not every suit has this feature, though.
Spalla Camicia
This is a Neapolitan method of setting in the sleeve from the top into the shoulder, with the head hand-pleated. The Van Gils Elair model, for example, features this style.
Can you still follow? We’re going to continue for a bit…
Cuff
It’s about the cuff at the bottom of the pants.
Welt pocket
This is the opening of an internal pocket in a mailbox shape, often found in the inside pockets, outer pockets of a tuxedo, or the back pocket of formal trousers.
Lapel
This is the folded part that extends into the collar of your jacket.
Dart
This is a foam-like layer in the armhole that helps the jacket conform more to the body at this point.
Gorge
the clip between the collar and the lapel.
Ticketpocket
The well-known ticket pocket is a small pocket on the right side of your jacket. Residents of London used to use this for their train ticket in their leisure suits.
