Immerse yourself in our comprehensive lexicon dedicated to the world of men's shirts: from technical terms to refined finishes, discover everything you need to know about fabric, cuts, patterns, and much more. Ideal for fashion enthusiasts and those seeking a better understanding of the craftsmanship behind the perfect shirt.
A
- Armhole: The part of the shirt sleeve that starts from the shoulder and goes around it to the armpit.
- Assembly: Process of assembling different pieces to create a shirt.
B
- Bib: Reinforced fabric piece at the front of a shirt, usually for formal occasions.
- Bias: Fabric cut at a 45-degree angle to the straight grain, providing more elasticity.
- Bow tie: Men's fashion accessory, an alternative to the tie.
- Button-down collar: Collar with buttons to ensure a neat lapel that stays in place.
- Buttonhole: Set of openings used for threading the buttons of a shirt.
- Buttons (Mother of pearl button): Button made from a shell (Troca) that is stronger than plastic.
C
- Casual shirt length: Length suitable for wearing the shirt outside the pants.
- Canvas: Basic fabric used to make a clothing prototype.
- Chambray: Fabric with a mottled appearance, can be made from cotton or linen.
- Checkered (pattern): Shirt pattern with a casual style proportional to the size of the checks.
- Classic (fit): Standard cut of a shirt, neither too loose nor too tight.
- Club collar: Collar with forward pointing tips, closed with a button.
- Collar: The upper edge of the shirt. There are dozens of collar styles, from classic to modern.
- Collar stay: A small flat stainless-steel rod that ensures a firm hold of the shirt collar.
- Combed cotton: Cotton with a soft and silky finish achieved through the combing process.
- Cotton (Combed cotton, Twill cotton): Fabric with various weaves and finishes.
D
- Denim: Soft cotton fabric with fine diagonal patterns like denim.
- Double twisted: Weaving of a double warp thread with a double weft thread to create a reinforced thread.
E
- Ease: Additional space added to certain parts of a garment to ensure comfort.
- English collar: Collar with a collar tab, closed twice by a button connecting the two parts of the collar.
F
- Fabric weight: The weight of the fabric per square meter. The higher the weight, the thicker the fabric.
- Flannel: Lightweight and soft to the touch fabric, often made of wool or cotton.
- French collar: Minimalist collar with a slight opening and points pointed downward.
- French seam: Sewing technique that hides the fabric's edges.
G
- Gathering: Small fabric folds made to add volume or adjust the size.
- Gingham (pattern): Pattern with small checks.
- Gorge (American, Hidden, Single): Type of placket in shirts, with different styles.
H
- Heat bonding: Technique using heat to adhere two fabrics together.
- Houndstooth (pattern): Geometric pattern often in black and white.
L
- Length: Measurement of a shirt from the shoulder to the bottom of the garment.
- Linen: Plant fiber from the flax plant. Ideal for summer due to its cooling properties.
M
- Mandarin collar: Short collar without rounded corners, worn slightly open.
- Mother of pearl button: Button made from a shell (Troca) that is stronger than plastic buttons.
O
- Oxford: Sturdy shirt fabric made of cotton with a slightly rough texture.
P
- Pattern matching: Arrangement of patterns or colors on fabric or a garment.
- Pleats: Folds sewn into a garment to make it more fitted.
- Placket: Piece of fabric that holds the buttonhole in place.
- Pocket (Flap, Rounded): Small fabric piece sewn on a garment to hold small items.
- Poplin: Fine cotton fabric, slightly silky, ideal for formal shirts.
- Print: Design or pattern added to the fabric of the shirt.
R
- Reinforcement: Additional fabric piece sewn to a garment to strengthen it.
- Reverse collar: Collar with invisible flaps as they are tucked inside the neck.
- Rounded pocket: Shirt pocket with a rounded bottom.
S
- Sea Island cotton: Variety of cotton known for its softness and fiber length.
- Shoulder: The shoulder of a shirt is one of the measurement points for its proper size.
- Slim (cut): Close-fitting cut of a shirt.
- Square cuffs: Shirt cuffs with straight corners.
- Stripes (pattern): Vertical or horizontal lines on the fabric.
T
- Tab (American, Hidden, Single): Piece of fabric used to hold the buttonhole in place.
- Tartan (pattern): Scottish plaid pattern.
- Tie: Accessory that adorns the lower part of the shirt collar, around the neck.
- Topstitching: Visible sewing on the front of a garment.
- Trimmings: Ornaments for French cuffs.
- Tunisian collar: Casually styled T-shaped collar, open to the middle of the chest.
- Troca: Shell used for button manufacturing.
- Twill cotton: Weave of a shirt with a thicker and more robust appearance, with very fine visible lines.
- Twill: Fabric with a diagonal pattern.
U
- Uni: Solid fabric of a single color without a pattern.
W
- Weave: The interlacing of warp and weft threads forming the fabric.
- Weft thread: Thread placed in the widthwise direction. Along with the warp thread, they are interwoven on a loom to create the fabric.
- Wool: Animal fiber derived from the fleece of sheep.
Y
- Yarn count: Measure of the fineness of the thread used in a fabric.
Z
- Zampa di Gallina: Hand sewing technique that imitates the pattern of a rooster's foot.
