Garment  Any major article of clothing Apparel  General term that includes men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing Accessories  Articles such as belts, hats, jewelry, show, gloves, and scarves added to complete or enhance an outfit of apparel

Style  A particular design, shape, or type of apparel item distinguished by the particular characteristics that make it unique or possessing a characteristic or distinctly “smart” way of doing things. Fashion  Type of clothing that is widely popular at any given time. Silhouette  The shape of a clothing style shown by its outer lines.

High Fashion  The very latest or newest fashion, usually of fine quality and beautiful fabric and therefore expensive. It often seems extreme and unusual. Also called high style. Mass Fashion  Mass produced ready-to-wear garments created for the bulk of average people who purchase medium to low price items. (ex. Target, Wal-Mart, Shopko, etc.)

Design  A specific arrangement of parts, form, color, fabric, line, and texture to create a fashion style concept. Also, the plan used to put an idea together. Avant-Garde  Daring, wild, and unconventional or startling designs. Fad  Temporary, passing fashion or item that has great appeal to many people for a short period of time, then dies out quickly.

Classic  Item that continues to be popular and acceptable over a long period of time even though fashions change. Fit  How tight or loose a garment is on the person who is wearing it. Draped Garments  Garment that is wrapped or hung on the human body and has characteristic folds of soft fabric.

Tailored Garments  Garments that is made by first cutting garment pieces and then sewing them together to fit the shape of the body. Composite Garments  Garment made by a combination of the tailored and draped method Haute Couture  Firms in the high fashion industry of Paris (or elsewhere) whose designers create original, individually designed fashions.

Ready-To-Wear  Apparel that is mass-produced in factories according to standard sizes as opposed to being custom-made. Consumers  Someone who buys and uses goods. Retail  The selling of merchandise directly to consumers through a store or other outlet. Wholesale  The selling of goods in large lots to retailers.

Overruns  Extra first-quality apparel items that were produced by a manufacturer but not ordered by retailers. Irregulars  Articles of clothing with slight imperfections or defects that are sold to consumers at reduced prices. Seconds  Apparel items that are soiled, have flaws, are missing trim, or have other defects.

Promotions  Indirect selling to encourage public acceptance through advertising, displays, exhibits, and publicity. Also, any advertising or merchandising effort done nationally or locally to improve the sale of items. Price Points (Price Markets)  Categories into which merchandise is placed according to its retail selling price, often described as high, moderate, or low.

Fashion Cycle  Periodic popularity, disappearance, and later reappearance of specific styles or general shapes; a cycle of the rise, popularization and decline of particular styles. Fashion Leaders  Innovative, trend-setting people who have the status and credibility to introduce and popularize new styles.

Fashion Followers  Consumers who stay current with all the latest fashion trends. Fashion Laggers  Consumers who lag behind the current trends by wearing out of date fashions.