Layering means wearing multiple items of clothing on top of each other for both style and function. (Image: Canva)
Do you sometimes come across terms like peplum or boho in conversations or when online shopping and your eyes glaze over as you’re not sure what it means? Fashion can sometimes feel overwhelming with a lot of jargon, trends, and terms tossed around.
If you’ve ever felt confused by fashion terminology, don’t worry—you’re not alone! Whether you're trying to follow a fashion blog, shop for clothes online, or simply understand the latest trends, it helps to have a basic understanding of common fashion terms.
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Here’s a simplified guide to help you navigate the world of fashion with ease:
What it means: The overall shape or outline of an outfit. Think of the “silhouette” as the basic shape that clothing gives your body. It could be tight-fitting, loose, or flowing. For example, a dress can have an "A-line" silhouette, meaning it's fitted at the top and flares out at the bottom like the shape of the letter "A."
What it means: A small collection of essential, timeless clothing items that can be mixed and matched. It’s like having a few pieces of clothing that all go well together, allowing you to create multiple outfits without owning too many clothes. The idea is to focus on quality over quantity.
What it means: High-end, custom-made fashion created by luxury designers. These are the fancy, one-of-a-kind outfits you see on the runway, often handmade and designed specifically for the person wearing them.
What it means: Inexpensive clothing produced quickly by retailers in response to the latest trends. They are usually trendy clothes, often not designed to last long. Think of stores that constantly change their collections to follow the latest styles.
What it means: An outfit made up of one colour or different tones of the same colour, like light blue with dark blue.
What it means: Clothing that is fitted and altered to suit the shape of your body. Think of tailored clothes as outfits that fit you perfectly because they’ve been adjusted to match your exact measurements.
What it means: Clothing designed for workouts but worn as everyday casual wear. Think leggings, yoga pants, and sneakers—clothes that are comfortable enough to exercise in but stylish enough to wear out and about.
What it means: A relaxed, free-spirited style often featuring flowy fabrics, earthy tones, and vintage prints. Boho is all about a laid-back, artistic look with flowy dresses, long skirts, and lots of patterns. It’s like a modern-day hippie style.
What it means: A simple, clean style with few accessories and basic colours. Minimalism in fashion means wearing fewer items that are usually plain, simple, and often in neutral colours like black, white, or beige. Less is more!
Also see | Dress smart: 8 tips to organise and style all the clothes in your wardrobe
What it means: Casual, urban fashion that often includes hoodies, sneakers, and graphic tees. Streetwear is everyday clothing that has a cool, relaxed vibe. It’s inspired by urban culture and is usually popular with younger people.
What it means: Fashion that is experimental, artistic, and pushes the boundaries of conventional style. Avant-garde clothes are bold, unusual, and often look like pieces of art. It’s not something you’d wear every day—it’s more about making a statement.
What it means: Clothing or style that is neither specifically feminine nor masculine, like wearing a suit that looks great on anyone, regardless of gender.
What it means: This is when you wear large sections of different bright colours in the same outfit, like a red top with blue pants.
What it means: Wearing multiple items of clothing on top of each other for both style and function. It’s simply putting on several layers of clothing, like a shirt under a sweater with a jacket on top, to create a stylish look or keep warm.
What it means: A bold clothing item or accessory that stands out in an outfit. It’s the part of your outfit that grabs attention, like a bright red handbag, a chunky necklace, or a pair of neon shoes.
What it means: Clothing that imitates or is inspired by styles from the past. Retro style is all about wearing clothes that were popular in the past, like ‘70s bell-bottom jeans or ‘80s oversized jackets.
What it means: A form-fitting dress or outfit that hugs the body and shows off your figure.
What it means: A peplum is a little extra fabric at the waist of a top or dress that gives a flared, ruffled effect, making the waist look more defined.
What it means: Cut-outs are trendy designs where parts of a dress or top are missing to show some skin artistically.
What it means: Flare pants are fitted at the thighs and get wider at the knees or ankles, giving a bell-bottom effect.
Whether it is retro, avant-garde, androgynous, or monochromatic, don’t let fashion trends and jargon confound you or overwhelm you. Now that you know the simplified meanings of common fashion lingo, you’ll have an easier time understanding trends and putting together outfits that suit your style.
