STYLES MORGUE
COSTUME TERMINOLOGY
Short skirt worn by itself or underneath a loin skirt that accentuates the genitals.
Cobra or snake used on many Egyptian Headdresses.
Pleated skirt worn by Egyptians. Many times in the wealthier class, the loin skirt was sheer revealing the shenti.
Highly structured triangular shaped headdress worn by upper classes at ceremonial events.
Large chunk of fabric that can be used to wrap around the body. Folds accentuate the body.
Fake beard worn by the Pharaoh that is braided and colored. Usually made of fibers, wood, etc. Attached to the face by a string that wraps around the ears. Worn by both male and female Pharaohs.
Very tight fitting sheath garment that ends right below the breasts with straps.
Bird headdress with wings hanging down by the ears.
Heavily beaded or jeweled necklace that wraps over the shoulders.
Cone shaped headdress that brings together the red crown of Lower Egypt (wicker) and the white crown of Upper Egypt (cotton/wood). Looks similar to a miter worn by a modern bishop.
Heavily beaded necklace made of enamel and stone that covers the pectoral muscles on the wearers chest.
Lamp shade shaped headdress made famous by Queen Nefertiti.
Hairstyle where Grecian knots are held up by fillets (headbands).
Wearing a chiton with only one shoulder fastened. Usually worn by athletes, slave, travelers, etc.
Shorter cape worn over one shoulder. A short himation.
Breastplate on a soldier made with heavier fabric or leather.
Crescent shaped tiara.
Simple fabric attached at the shoulders with fibulas, draped and flowy.
Pins at shoulders of a chiton. Originally made from small animal leg bones.
Belt at waist worn with a chiton.
Leg guards worn by the Greek military.
Big piece of fabric or a blanket wrapped around the body. Not pinned.
Large piece of fabric pinned at the shoulders and multiple times down the arms to form a sleeve. Draped and flowy.
Bloused section of a chiton that is formed by the extra fabric hanging over a girdle.
Platform shoes usually worn by actors in the greek theatre to increase height.
Extra fold over on the top of a chiton. Shows edge of fabric.
Straw hat worn mostly by travelers.
Soft cap of fabric or leather with excess sitting on top of head. Resembles a smurf hat.
Leggings worn underneath a tunic of the lower classes for warmth. Originally seen in the military.
Umbo: Pouch formed by wrapping the toga. Near the waist. Can be used to keep belongings. Sinus: Longer drape of the toga that wraps around the shoulder. Can be pulled up to form a hood without rewrapping.
Simple chiton usually sewn at shoulders. Worn over a loin cloth. Looks like a long t-shirt. The romans removed fabric from the neck and armholes. Later added a separate sleeve piece.
Multi-colored striped toga worn by male religious officials who prophesized the future.
Black or dark colored toga worn by men in mourning
Plain, unbleached toga worn by male citizens over the age of 16
Unbleached or bleached toga with a purple stripe (clavi) worn by sons of nobility or male adult magistrates.
Purple toga with gold embroidery worn by male distinguished individuals for special occasions.
Bleached white toga worn by male candidates in office
Roman himation. Large rounded rectangle of fine-woven fabric worn by men in public. Formed by wrapping in a very distinctive fashion around the body.
Short knee length or calf length cape worn over one shoulder and pinned with a fibula. Roman chlamys
Giant version of a sagum worn by military generals.
Ankle length tunic with full sleeves worn by priests or religious figures.
Vertical stripe or band of color applied to a garment as a symbol of who you were. Many times the stripe was purple which was made out of Tyre.
Amulet or necklace that wards of infertility and was worn by young children of nobility
Boots worn by the military
Strophium: "small twisty thing" narrow fabric tied at breats. Bra. Subligaria: loin cloth or underwear
Outer tunic with straps and no sleeve. Like the Greek Doric chiton
A greek himation for a Roman woman. Smaller amount of fabric than a toga, and draped simply
Breastplate worn by military and made of hammered metal or bronze
Calcei (left): Shoes or boots made of leather that wraps over the foot and laces Solea (right): leather laced sandals. Only sole of the foot is protected.
Cape worn over a tunic. Paludamentum and Sagum are still worn from the Roman fashion.
Under tunic with narrow sleeves. See wrists of the subject. The chemise is red and yellow.
Semi-circular cape or mantel. Has a tablion detail in it.
Square detail for decoration at the center of a cope.
Tighter fitting leg coverings. Two separate legs that are tied to the waist with points. Have attached feet.
A garment that is two different colors split down the middle. Can be tunics, hosen, etc.
Carried over from Roman fashion. See definitions above. Heavily decorated in Byzantine times.
Narrow cloak or mantle worn wrapped around the body.
Wide sleeved tunic worn over a chemise. Popular in religious officials.
Long narrow band worn by religious officials. Jeweled scarf.
EGYPTIAN
GREEK
ROMAN
MEDIEVAL
BYZANTINE
EARLY GOTHIC/ROMANESQUE
Boxy garment shaped like a tunic, heavy and pleated worn by members of the court.
Hairstyle of monks. Ring of hair with shaved section on top.
Tight fitting skull cap that usually has flaps covering the ears and ties under the chin.
Interwoven rings of metal to protect the military from being stabbed.
Loose fitting, diaper like underwear that is girdled at the waist.
Barbette: Strip of fabric worn around like a chin strap to hold on other headdresses. Coronet: Crown worn over the coif, fillet & barbette.
LATE GOTHIC
Sleeveless garment that looks like a sandwich board, completely open on the sides. Usually decorated with heraldry.
Large, flamboyant robe with huge sleeves. Pleats through body and not the sleeves. Usually ends in crenalation, dagga, scallops, etc.
Hooded short cape.
Variant on the tunic.
Outer tunic with low, round neckline, often with a slit at the neckline. Wider sleeves.
Outer garment usually of leather, that eventually becomes a doublet. Longer.
Padded tunic worn under armor, with long sleeves and laces down the front.
Type of doublet. Had points attached underneath to tie your hosen to.
Outer tunic. Can be with or without sleeves.
Over gown with deep side openings, much tighter, fastened with fibulas or ties.
Under gown with round neck and tight sleeves. Floor length or longer, fitted through waist and wider skirt.
Elaborate, closely fitting in bodice with huge skirt made of silk, satin or velvet. Decorated with gold thread and precious stones. Skirt and bodice sewn together. Sleeves usually had tippets.
Extra fullness of the sleeve near the wrist. Extended ends of the sleeves.
Pointed shoes made of leather, fabric, or metal. Toes could be stuffed with grasses to keep it from being floppy.
Barbette on steroids. Scarf that covers neck and hair. Usually worn by nuns in combination with a veil.
Domed hat that looks like a loaf of bread.
Single cone hat sometimes worn with a veil hanging down.
Doughnut shaped hat that was usually stuffed.
Stuffed tube that was worn in a heart shape.
Oval cloak or poncho worn by religious officials.
Two smaller cones worn with a veil. Looks like a butterfly.
Long tail on a hat worn sometimes with a roundel. See hat on the left.
EARLY RENAISSANCE
Waist length outer garment worn by men. Usually had an attached peplum. Sleeves were a separate piece.
Short skirt sewn to the bottom of a doublet.
Pleated overgrown with big sleeves. Sometimes fur lined. Closed up the front to the neck.
A roundel with a liripipe that is wrapped around the head to look like a turban.
Hood wrapped around a cork form to produce a turban.
Undershirt or gown. Worn under all clothing. Shows more during this period at neckline and/or through slashes in outer garments.
V-Shaped opening laced over a chemise. Sleeves slit vertically or small slashes. Draped more classically.
Jewel held to the forehead to hide syphallis marks.
Full hoop skirt or petticoat to help hold the shape of a cone worn under a heavy skirt.
Padded roll that ties around the waist and gives structure to the skirt.
Small or large cuts in a garment to show the chemise or undershirt through. Showed the wearers wealth of many clothes.
Extra piece of fabric that was added to cover the opening between the hosen and the doublet.
Platform shoes that you put on over top of nice shoes when you go outside in order to protect them.
Over gown often knee-length worn over a doublet, with fur revers (lapels). Usually worn open.
Lapels on a simar or garment. Often made of fur.
Peplum that is full and pleated mathematically that is attached to a flat layer underneath.
Headdress that has a heavily structured front that frames your face. Fully covers your hair.
Headdress that looks like a crescent diadem with a pouch of fabric to cover the hair.
Under skirt that is seen in the slit front of an over skirt supported by the farthingale.
A tall pointed hat that is cut off to look shorter and flat.
Black embroidery applied to shirts and chemises.
Strips of fabric caught with ornamental clasps that allow the fabric to show through.
Short trouser that replaces full-length hosen, reduced to knee-length.
Separate collar that sticks out made of many layers of starched linen folded in a figure eight pattern.
Padded breeches that are in the shape of pumpkins. Usually quite short.
Padded belly on a doublet that poufs out. Used to show the wealth of the upper classes and their ability to eat plentifully.
Flatter collar that stands out from the head.
Shoulder wings on a doublet or bodice, usually stuffed.
Embroidery done on the hose.
Longer, knee-lenth breeches that are fuller at the waist.
Square neckline that stands up behind the head. Wired frame
Open sleeve attached at the shoulder that is allowed to just hang down. Non-functional.
Wire-frame headdress covered in gauze, usually attached to the back of the bodice
Wheel or drum-shaped hoop skirt. Many times worn on top of a bum roll for extra support.
Flattening everything to create a tube-shaped upper body. Made of heavy fabric with whalebone or steel boning.
V-shaped panel of stiff material worn over the chest and stomach that is laced, pinned or sewn to the bodice.
Cone shaped petticoat used to support a heavy skirt into a rigid shape.
Sleeveless undergarment that sits under the gown or bodice to cover the bust and neck above a bodice. Looks like a vest.
Wired structure that holds the ruff up behind the head.
Perfume ball mixed with aromatic substances. Metal filagree. Used to shield themselves from stench.
LATE RENAISSANCE
BAROQUE/CAVALIER
Same as in the Renaissance, but without the stiffness of starch. Accentuates the slope of the shoulders.
Gloves with cuffs on them.
Stockings that have a wide top to mirror the boot top and falls over the boot cuff. Protects the breeches from the leather of the boot rubbing.
Diagonal stripe of fabric across the body. Ornamental sword hanger.
Added to boots for decoration. Butterfly curve on top of the boot that holds the spurs on.
Small pointy beard
Large rounded hat often with one side pinned up.
Metal pieces that are crimped to the ends of points to finish off the end and for additional decoration.
Doublet and pants in matching fabric. Suit.
Doublet that is cropped off or ends at the waist.
Breeches that become fuller at the knee. Many look like skirts.
Necktie or narrow band of fabric wrapped around neck and tied at the front.
Long, fitted, knee-length jacket.
Headdress make of towering ruffles
Wig dressed in towering curls topped with a fontage.
Vest worn underneath a coat that fits closely to the body. Shorter than the coat. With or without sleeves.
Second waistcoat worn in cold weather. Sometimes a collar was added to show you were wearing a second one.
Style of cravat where the wearer would quickly twist the ends quickly around the neck. Came from soldiers.
Wig style taken from soldiers where full bottomed wigs were pulled back into a ponytail.
Suit where the coat, breeches, and waistcoat was made out of matching fabric. Daywear.
Comfortable, loose fitting garment worn as a dressing gown. Often worn with a cap instead of a wig.
Young man who was fussy about fashion. Wore over-the-top, effeminate clothing that were exaggerations of current fashion.
A garment that was closed with a overlap and two rows of buttons.
Breeches with a flap in from that buttons up on each side.
A linen square that was folded to form a high neck band, stiffened with buckram. Fastened in the back and was usually worn with a black ribbon wrapped around the neck.
Ponytail of wig that is doubled up on itself and tied in the middle to form a loop of hair. Looks like a club.
Wig with curls at sides and top and ponytail down the back.
Full bottomed wig usually powdered.
Hat with three points.
Large, wide brimmed hat that was carried under the arm.
Two cornered hat.
Long pants worn by young boys and sailors.
Strict, vertical dress with flounce in back and a longer train
Pieces of fabric cut out and adhered to the face for accentuating beauty areas or to cover pimples or small pox marks
Sacque dress with back extending from neckline in pleats to the floor
Unbelted gown that was loose from the shoulders to the floor, are with pleats at the back and shoulders.
Very tight curls all over the head. "Sheep's head"
Very high on top, smaller at sides. Made popular by Madame Pompadour
Softer, brushed out hair. Short on front and sides with longer curls running down the back.
RESTORATION/ROCOCO
Snug fitting coat with very little chance of buttoning down the front. Usually curves out towards the back.
Coat that is cut at the waist in the front and longer in the back.
A circular crowned hat with a medium brim.
Flap that hangs out of your pocket that is attached to pocket watch for easier access. Many times heavily decorated.
Short cropped coat. Looks like a tail coat with the tails cut off.
Tail coat with very narrow tails or a single tail in the back.
Loose-fitting peasant jacket with lapels, wide collar and rows of metal buttons.
"Without pants" Longer, wide-legged pants.
Grecian style of flowy dresses with high empire waist. Fabric was really light weight. Sometimes sheer.
Closely resembles any late 18th century dress. Fullness of skirt that is not structured underneath and flowed towards the back.
Usually made of fur. Carried in the front to keep your hands warm and showed wealth.
Short cropped jacket. Fashioned after Earl Spencer whom cut the tails off his coat. Many times ended right under the bust.
Design adapted from India and used for decorative purposes.
Full length coat with an Empire waist
Bonnet with wide brim that hid your face
Small pouch-like hand bag that dangled from your wrist.
Boned hood created to protect the elaborate wigs
Dress with watteau back that is tighter fitting at the waist.
Dress that fits closely to the waist at the front and back
Structured undergarment that uses boning to kick out the skirts. Variation on the farthingale
Cane hoops worn on the hip to add width to sides not the front and back. Translates to baskets.
Corset made from coarse fabric unless it was intended to be seen. Laced up the back
Loose, unboned bodice worn at home to provide relief from the tight corset
Backless heeled shoe
Flat-bottomed shoe that your decorative shoe fits into to protect from dirt when walking outside
Side pieces on a shoe that wrapped over the top of the shoe and fastened.
Bags of decorated fabric tied at the waist. Had slits in the outer skirts to access the pockets.
Ribbon decoration that covered the stays or stomacher.
Fingerless gloves
Skinny shawl that was worn around the neck. Looks like a modern boa
Jacket that was fitted through the bodice and flared behind the waist.
Jacket that was fitted through the bodice and flared below the waist with a longer skirt. Looks like men's Riding habit
Skirt shortened to reveal the leg above the ankle. Overskirts were flounced up in the back to create flouf
Large flat straw hat with low crown and wide brim
Modesty piece made out of fine cotton or muslin that wrapped around the shoulders and tucked into the bodice. Sometimes sheer.
Gown that was closed all the way down the front. Did not reveal a petticoat or underskirt.
Jacket with wide lapels at the neck. Decorated in a military fashion. Resembled English Riding coats.
White muslin gown that resembled a chemise. Tighter waistline, and soft gathered skirt. Had poofy, segmented sleeves tied with ribbon.
EMPIRE/DIRECTOIRE
Triangular shaped panels that were sewn together to create a cone-shaped skirt with a tiny waist.
Sleeve that was really full at the shoulder and gets really narrow at the forearm.
Sleeve that was full all the way down, but was tied at intervals.
Very full sleeve from the shoulder to the wrist.
The amount a corset was pulled in to achieve the hour glass shape. The "ideal" waist was only 15".
Collar that extends down past the shoulders to create the illusion of no shoulders. Usually made of lace.
Caged underskirt formed of hoops to hold out the fullness of the skirts.
Sleeve that was tighter at the top and full at the forearm.
Hairstyle with a severe part down the center, pulled into a bun or knot at the back and sausage curls down by the ears.
White powder used to make the skin look like it has a paler complexion.
Longer, full underpants that concealed if the crinoline skirt popped up.
Coat with a full skirt and a seam at the waist.
A strap of fabric at the bottom of pants to hook it underneath the shoe to keep them tightly down.
Top hat that could be folded flat to carry under the arm.
Collar that was cut from a single piece that wraps all around the neck.
Full skirted coat that a section missing in the front to accentuate a tiny waist.
Extra piece of fabric or leather that wraps around the outside of your shoe and the bottom of your pants, to help streamline the look.
Cloak with one or more caped collars attached at the shoulders.
A large, boxy greatcoat with one or more collars.
Tall, slim style of top hat made popular by Abraham Lincoln.
A top hat that is wider at the top than where it attaches to the brim.
Boxy, unstructured coat worn during the daytime. Looks like a modern suit coat.
Straw hat with a flat top and wider brim.
ROMANTIC/CRINOLINE
A low neckline revealing a lot of skin.
Detachable white cotton half sleeves that extend to the wrist below the pagoda sleeve. Looks like a chemise sticking out.
Bodice that was constructed to mimic the idea of a man's suit jacket with all the details that marked feminine clothing
Decorative hair net inspired by the crispin.
Short, collarless jacket trimmed with a braid
Shirt worn under the bodice or by itself that can be seen. Inspired by men's style.
Understructure (pad, cushion, or framework) that shifts the fullness of the skirt to the back of the body.
Variation on the bustle style that is tightly fit and the fullness begins around the knees with a longer train.
Long, tight fitting bodice that ends in a point at front and fitting smoothly over hips and bust.
A ruffle attached to the underside of a skirt hem to protect the trailing fabric from soiling. The dark gold ruffle in the picture.
The peplum style extension on a bodice below the waist.
Very structured bustle that is high on the butt and extends straight back creating a horizontal exaggerated shelf.
Jacket that looks like a regular coat in the front but the back is less structured like a cape to fit over the bustle
A shank with two ends that were used in the place of buttons down the center front of a shirt. Looks like cuff links
Cravats shrink down to a slim piece of fabric tied into a bow.
Loose, fairly unfitted boxy suit coat that was cut straight from the shoulder.
Hat with a rounded crown and a small brim
Trousers cut loosely throughout the leg and gathered or pleated into a band below the knee. Usually worn for hunting or sporting.
Belted coat with vertical pleats on the princess seams on the front and the back.
Stiff collar that looks like a stock but is attached to the shirt with buttons
Jacket worn for semi-formal events that was cut like a sack coat but has a continuous shawl collar.
Coat worn for formal events that was short in the front and had a single or double tails in the back attached at the waist seam.
REALISM/VICTORIAN
This page is intended to be used as a resource for definitons of costume terms throughout history. The information found below is soley to define the terms and is not fully representative of all garments found in each period. For information on silhouette and style, please look at each page regarding the different periods.
SYMBOLISM
Belle Epoch
High collar that fits snugly to the neck that is a universal feature of bodices. Mimics men's style.
Breast-plate insert to fill in bodice center resembling a jacket. Contemporary version of stomacher. Woman on left has a pink plastron front.
Swaging at the front of a skirt from the natural pull of fullness to the back.
A pleated front blouse that mimics the men's shirts but has large leg o'mutton sleeves.
EDWARDIAN
Silhouette achieved by a corset that pushes bust forward and pulls hips back to create a s-shaped curve to the torso.
Pouched front exaggeration on dresses that gather or have trim to accentuate the pouf of the bust in an s-curve silhouette.
The ideal look for a young girl in the Edwardian period characterized by fashion, hairstyle, and hat choice.
Large brimmed hat that is lavishly decorated with feathers, flowers, trim, etc
Tall brimless hat that somewhat resembles a lampshade.
Very long, narrow tapered skirt causing women to take small steps.
Snug fitting hat with very small brim or brimless popular in the 1920s.