Part 21
=Saber belt=—(=army=) a waist b. with detachable slings, to be worn outside the full dress coat, by all officers except chaplains. For general officers, except brigadier generals, of red russia leather with gold embroidery and russia leather slings; for brigadier generals, of black webbing with russia leather slings; for all field officers, of black enameled leather with a stripe of gold lace; for officers of the staff corps and departments, except engineers, below rank of field officer, of black enameled leather with four stripes of black-and-gold; for officers of cavalry, artillery and infantry, of black enameled leather with four stripes of gold wire lace interwoven with silk of the color of the arm of the service; for officers of engineers, same as for officers of artillery.
=Saber knot=—(=army=) for full dress and dress occasions of heavy gold cord with acorn ends, for general officers; and of gold and black mixt for all other officers, except chaplains; on other occasions, of plaited russet leather; all according to regulation pattern.
=Sable=—an animal related to and not unlike the marten, yielding a dark fur highly prized for winter garments.
=Sabot=—a rude shoe made of wood, worn by peasants in France and elsewhere.
=Sabretache=—a leather pocket hung from the left side of the sword belt; a popinjay military ornament.
=Sack cloth=—a coarse obsolete material doubtless worn for ostentatious penitence.
=Sack coat=—properly a plain, short c., without skirts, either single or double-breasted, made up of two foreparts and a single or divided back part, and with two or more pockets with in-and-out flaps, tho other varieties of pockets are also employed (as welt, patch, etc.). Also called lounge c. The Norfolk jacket is a variety of sack c., and the Chesterfield overcoat is a true sack c., tho long.
=Sack-frock cutaway=—a 1908 frock coat resembling a walking frock without a frock waist seam, but having a sidebody seam from a cut waistline to the shoulder.
=Sack raglan=—see Raglan.
=Sacque=—an infant’s undershirt.
=Sad-color=—brown or browny.
=Saddle=—a padded or cushioned seat put upon a horse’s back out of mercy for the beast.
=Saddle coat=—a waterproof c. so contrived as to cover wearer, and saddle pommel and cantle; a “pommel slicker”.
=Saddle-piece=—a re-enforcement of the seat and legs of riding breeches, usually of same material, or, occasionally, of leather.
=Saddle seam=—a s. sewn as saddlers sew leather, with edges turned outwardly.
=Sadra=—the sacred surplice worn by Parsees of both sexes from the age of seven; emblematic of the coat of mail worn in ancient times by the Guebers to ward off the attacks of the evil spirit Ahriman.
=Safety-pin=—our first acquaintance with hardware.
=Safety razor=—a scraping apparatus for the timid and thin-skinned.
=Sag=—to lose shape, give way, bag, pull, etc.
=Sagathy=—an obsolete woolen stuff famed for durability.
=Sahara buck=—African deerskin glove leather.
=Sail cloth=—a sort of canvas once popular for stiffening the fronts of coats.
=Sailmaker’s palm=—a variety of mitten or glove used by sailmakers and others in sewing canvas and heavy fabrics; commonly a band of sole leather, fitting around the broad part of the hand, with a thumb-stall, and having a metal thimble attacht to the inner side or palm.
=Sailor collar=—a c. narrow at the front of the neck, reaching back in straight lines over the shoulders and cut straight across at right angles about half way of the shoulder blades, usually as part of a blouse worn by sailors and children; name also given to a detachable linen c. (or of other material) of similar shape, worn by children.
=Sailor knot=—said of a cravat tied as a four-in-hand, but with the k. drawn tight.
=Sailor suit=—a s. for small boys, consisting of a sailor blouse and knee pants. Compare Middy s.
=Sailor’s blouse=—see Naval overshirt.
=Sailor’s trousers=—similar to ordinary t., except that they are made with front falls (qv) and made to bell or flare out at the bottoms; usually with laced back. Also called gun-mouthed t.
=St. Crispin=—patron saint of shoemakers.
=St. Kilda=—a variety of Scotch tweed (from a town of that name).
=Sakcorb studs=—see Boot s.
=Sakkos=—a tight-fitting garment, symbolizing the seamless robe of Christ, worn by Greek metropolitans and Russian bishops.
=Saleslady=—cause of agitation or awe to a masculin customer.
=Salesman=—an individual deserving of a scientific commission to study his peculiarities.
=Sallet=—a variety of helmet.
=Saltaire=—a manufacturing town in England, founded by Sir Titus Salt, a celebrated cloth factor and the discoverer of alpaca.
=Sample=—a tiny bit of cloth seldom of sufficient size to show a complete pattern; a specimen of any article or material.
=Sample book=—a b. containing numbered swatches of cloths, often with fashion plates, and frequently platitudinous eulogistic rhodomontades.
=Sample trunk=—the drummer’s excess baggage.
=Sanatory=—the Dr. Jaeger spelling of sanitary. See Sanitary wool.
=Sandal=—(1) a kind of shoe, consisting usually of a sole only, of leather or other material, but sometimes with a shield for the heel and a cap for the toes, held to the foot by thongs, cords, etc.; (2) a light, fancy slipper; (3) a light, low-cut rubber overshoe.
=Sandalwood=—a peculiarly sensuous, aromatic, oriental perfume distilled from the essential oil of santal (which has also certain pronounced medicinal properties).
=Sandbag=—used by footpads for love taps and lucre.
=Sandown=—a frock overcoat; a sort of Newmarket (qv).
=Sandpapering=—in shoe making, the act or operation of “scouring” or sandpapering the bottoms of shoes by means of a roll covered with sandpaper which is rapidly revolved by power, scouring off the surface of the outer sole as one of the preliminary operations for final finishing of the bottom of a shoe.
=Sandwich brim=—trade term for straw hats having brims of two or more kinds of braid or with an inlay or edging of different color.
=Sanitary wool=—a profit-making name for natural w. undergarments.
=Sans culotte=—literally, a man without breeches; particularly, an anarchist or demagog; loosely, a tatterdemalian.
=Saranac=—general term for buckskin and other leather gloves, tanned grain on, and having a yellow color.
=Sarcanet=—a fine, thin silk fabric, woven by the Saracens originally and much esteemed during the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries for its richness; probably dates to 13th century; more recently used for linings.
=Sarong=—(1) a primitiv garment, consisting of a plain piece of cotton cloth wrapt around the hips and upper legs, worn by natives of the Indian archipelago and elsewhere; (2) the printed cotton cloth sold therefor.
=Sarsenet=—see Sarcanet.
=Sartor=—a patcher, hence a tailor.
=Sartor resartus=—the patcher patcht.
=Sartorial=—pertaining to a tailor or the patching art.
=Sartorial solecism=—(1) the wearing of any garment out of its proper place, at the wrong time or in an incorrect manner, as evening dress in the day time, colored linen with formal attire, etc.; (2) any violation of good form in matters of dress; (3) any exhibition of bad taste or lack of acquaintance with dress usages; (4) any ostentatious display or vulgarity in manner, form or usage, as freak garments, an unconventional manner of wearing a garment, etc., (5) deficient in dignity.
=Sash=—(1) an ornamental band, scarf, strip or belt worn around the waist or over the shoulder, as part of the costume and by military officers and others as badges of distinction; (2) in Oriental countries a long band of fine material wound about the head to form a turban.
=Sash=—(=army=) a long strip of silk trimmed with gold fringe, buff colored for general officers above the grade of brigadier generals, and by them worn across the body from right shoulder to the left side; of same for brigadier generals, and by them worn around the waist tied in a double bow; for chief of artillery, of scarlet silk, tied around the waist.
=Sashoon=—a soft leather pad placed about the leg inside of a boot to protect the limb or aid the fit of the boot.
=Sassiety=—a sassy bunch of upstarts.
=Satchel=—a light handbag for small luggage; a schoolboy’s book bag.
=Sateen=—a fine thread, coarse twilled cotton cloth, of soft texture and glossy finish; used for linings, night shirts, pajamas, etc.; the heavier qualities used for corsets, shoe linings, etc.
=Satin=—a silk fabric of a thick, close texture, with a smooth, glossy surface and dull back, produced by a method of weaving that reduces the number of crossings of filling and warp, the glossy face being obtained by finishing between hot rollers; also made with a cotton back.
=Satin buttonhole=—made as described under buttonhole making but using a fine silk twist and making close, even stitches; also known as flat b. Contrast Gimp b.
=Satin damask=—a s. with a rich flower or arabesque pattern, sometimes raised in velvet pile.
=Satin de chine=—a fine, soft silk fabric used for linings, etc.
=Satin de Lyon=—s. with a croise or ribbed back.
=Satin delaine=—a thin, glossy satin wove woolen cloth.
=Satin duchesse=—a fine quality of s. of high luster and soft texture, technically exprest as “8 leaf twill”—better see encyclopedia.
=Satin foulard=—foulard s. with a lustrous satiny face. See Foulard.
=Satin merveilleux=—a fine twilled, plain dyed s. used for linings, women’s wear, etc. See Merveilleux.
=Satin rhadame=—an all-silk or silk and cotton lining and dress fabric, plain dyed, the face crost or broken by fine twilled lines extending diagonally across the web; similar to surah but of stouter texture and more luster. See Rhadame.
=Satin stitch=—a s. in embroidery, either flat or raised, repeated in parallel lines, producing a satiny appearance; used also in fine, handmade buttonholes.
=Satin surah=—a variety of s. lining silk with a very smooth lustrous face. See Surah.
=Satin Turk=—a soft finisht, s. face, twilled back silk material, used for waistcoats, linings, shoe tops, etc. Also called Turk’s s.
=Satin weave=—a smooth, glossy effect achieved by floating the filling (or warp) threads on the face of the fabric, afterward slightly gigging, milling and finishing the face to effect a compact, lustrous fabric.
=Satine=—see Sateen.
=Satinet=—an inferior variety of cloth, woven, usually, of cotton warp and shoddy weft (which is mixt with enough long wool to enable it to be spun and woven in a way to bring the filling to the surface of the cloth), in manner known as 4-end twill, resulting in a close satiny surface; after weaving the cloth is fulled and often flockt to increase density and weight, next sheared and prest, and finally printed in checks, stripes, plaids, etc., in imitation of cassimere.
=Satinisco=—satin of a cheap quality.
=Satiny=—resembling satin.
=Satteen=—incorrect. See Sateen.
=Saw edges=—an ornamental finish given to collars, cuffs, etc., by the best laundry in town.
=Sawed-off pants=—slang for knee breeches.
=Saxony=—(1) a sort of tweed or fine cheviot, really or allegedly of fine Saxony wool; (2) a long-napt, velour finisht cassimere or other soft finisht woolen fabric.
=Say=—a light-weight, woolen fabric, similar to serge, used in Europe from 11th to 18th centuries, for men’s wear, afterward employed in this country until the fore half of the 19th century as a lining material, and for shirts, aprons, etc.
=Scads=—a generic name for money in the West.
=Scallop=—a 17th century collar or neckband with scallopt edges.
=Scallopt=—having a series of semi-circular projections or curves along an edge, for ornamental or other purposes. =(Scalloped.)=
=Scamped=—made or finisht in a dishonest or indifferent and careless manner. (=Scampt= preferable.)
=Scarf=—a cravat.
=Scarf fastener=—a device, of gold or other metal, often ornamental, for securing a cravat against slipping or loosening, attaching to the shirt bosom that the scarf may not ride up on one’s collar.
=Scarf pin=—an ornamental p., of gold, silver, etc., for wear with four-in-hand and ascot cravats, often expensivly set with jewels. Commendable if used for fastening a cravat; condemnable if used for ostentation.
=Scarf retainer=—see S. fastener.
=Scarf-ring=—a flattened r., in one piece, or with a hinged pin, or hinged and with a spike on the inner side of the back part, thru which a scarf (as the De Joinville [qv] is drawn).
=Scarfings=—see Cravatings.
=Schappe=—general term for materials made of spun silk in the gum, i. e., the damaged cocoons and waste products from reeling.
=Schmaschen=—leather for gloves made from the skins of still-born kids and lambs; more freely, any inferior glove leather.
=School bag=—ever hide one to play hooky?
=School suit=—trade term for boys’ suits of stout fabrics and stout construction to withstand as much grief as possible, and also sufficiently low-price as not to be a matter of remorse when the inevitable tears and smudgings come.
=Schooner pants=—trousers made with spring or flaring bottoms, after sailor fashion.
=Scimitar=—a deeply curved, one-edged sword of Oriental countries.
=Scotch edge=—term used to designate the degree to which the outer sole of a shoe is extended beyond the upper sole where it joins the outer sole. “Full Scotch” designates a very wide extension, and in varying degree. Half s., quarter s., close e. describing the narrower degrees of extension.
=Scotch finish=—the close sheared or melton finish given to certain heavy woolen cloths; a result of gigging or napping woolen goods in imitation of melton. Compare Bareface f., Velvet f., Dress faced.
=Scotch knit=—used mostly in connection with woolen mittens or gloves knit, by hand or machine, in Scotch patterns or color effects.
=Scotch mixtures=—hard to describe; if you don’t know ask a woolen house for samples.
=Scotch tweed=—the official definition proposed by the South of Scotland Chamber of Commerce is “an all-wool cloth made in Scotland from wool spun in Scotland”, to distinguish from similar goods made, either wholly or in part, elsewhere.
=Scoured wool=—term applied to tub-washt wool fleece thoroly cleansed with warm water and soap and rinsed in cold water; ready for manufacture.
=Scouring=—a washing operation by which the grease and dirt is removed from the fleece. See above.
=Scouring=—see Sandpapering. This (shoemaking) term also applies to finishing the heels, the surfaces of which are sandpapered or scoured before final operations are completed.
=Scouring ball=—soap mixt with various detergents as oxgall, fullers’ earth, infusolial silica, etc., for removing grease, etc., from cloths.
=Scout’s uniform=—(=army=) same as for enlisted men of the corresponding arm of the service with distinguishing insignia.
=Scraper=—an implement of metal, stone, bone or other material used in dressing hides.
=Scrappers=—see Barefoot sandals.
=Scratch=—see Wig.
=Scrim=—a thin, plain, open-woven material used largely as an interlining; a sort of cheesecloth.
=Scuff=—in New England, a light shoe or slipper.
=Scuffed=—said of leather abraded by rough usage. (=Scuft.=)
=Scutching=—in linen manufacturing the process of dressing the raw flax by beating, separating therefrom all woody and foreign matter; in cotton manufacture, the process of separating the fibers after cleansing and loosening by the picker preparatory to carding; in silk manufacturing the process of arranging the floss and refuse preparatory to carding.
=Scye=—tailoring term for the armhole of a garment.
=Scye depth=—an imaginary line drawn entirely around the body at the lower level of the arm scye, as from nape to opposit armpit on back seam.
=Scye measure=—the circumference of the armhole. Compare Closing m.
=Sea Island=—general term for cotton grown on the islands off the Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and Texas coasts; having a fiber of uncommon length, fineness and silky luster.
=Seal=—an aquatic animal, the pelts of which are highly prized in the manufacture of fur garments, fur caps, etc.; and the leather in the manufacture of pocketbooks, belts, traveling bags, shoes, etc.
=Seal ring=—a finger r. with a bezel usually of precious stone, engraved with symbol, arms or monogram, and used as a seal; a signet r.; anciently an emblem of authority, used to stamp documents in place of signature, or its temporary investment in another person gave the power to cut a throat or scuttle a ship or engage in other pleasantries.
=Seam=—any place where two parts of a garment are sewed or joined together; a “join”. Seams are principally known as plain s., cord s., double-stitcht s., lap s., swelled s., welt s., raw s., strap s., cemented s., braided s., piped s., strapt s., raised s., serged s., open welt s., etc., which see elsewhere.
=Seam press stand=—a long, narrow ironing board or stand for pressing seams.
=Seaman’s shirt=—see Naval overshirt.
=Seaman’s trousers=—see Naval t.
=Seamed back=—tailor’s term for coats made with a center seam in the back. Compare Whole b.
=Seamen’s uniforms=—see Dress, Undress, Working; also variants.
=Seamless=—knitting term for hosiery made on a circular knitting frame and having a seam only at the toe, extra shaping, when required, being effected by steam-shrinking. Compare Full regular.
=Seasoning=—a process in leather manufacturing following that of perching and prior to that of polishing; often repeated after first polishing.
=Seat=—tailor’s term for measurement taken around that prominent part of a man’s anatomy known as chair-warmer.
=Seat wheeling=—see Heel s. w.
=Second mourning=—black relieved by white; or dark gray.
=Seconds=—imperfect goods.
=Seconds=—see Wool.
=Section work=—tailoring term meaning made entirely by operators on machines, each operator doing a certain detail or part of the work and then passing it along to another who does something else; no hand tailoring enters into this process, which is employed almost exclusivly for the less expensiv grades of readymade clothing and by cheap tailors. Also called Hand-to-hand made.
=Sedan beaver=—a fine grade of b. cloth made in Sedan, France.
=Seedy=—needing refurbishing.
=Seersucker=—originally a thin linen fabric like gingham; now simply cotton gingham with or without alternate crinkled stripes effected in weaving by varying the tension of the warp yarns; usually in two-color effects, as blue and white.
=Selby=—an apron for four-in-hand or tandem driving, strapt around the waist, reaching to ankle when standing; named after Jem Selby, a well-known professional whip tooling four-in-hand between London and Brighton.
=Selby coat=—a short, very full and boxy, double-breasted top c. for driving.
=Self-acting rubbers=—trade term for rubber overshoes having a small projecting point at the back of the heel, by means of which, held down by the other foot, each (over) shoe may be easily removed.
=Self collar=—tailor’s term for a c. made of the same goods as body of garment.
=Self-figured=—a figured pattern achieved in the loom; not printed; generally used in connection with solid color fabrics.
=Self measurement=—any scheme or method for ascertaining the sizes of garments, etc., ordered by mail, sometimes possible alone, but as often requiring assistance.
=Self shank=—trade term for buttons with a laterally pierced s., as in pearl, or more loosely, a cloth s., as in covered buttons.
=Selling sample=—any length of goods or any garment or article from which orders are taken.
=Selvage=—the web edge of a fabric; list.
=Selvedge=—same as Selvage.
=Semi-clerical sack coat=—the ordinary single-breasted, square-cornered s. c.; usually worn with clerical waistcoat.
=Semi-dress=—informal d.
=Semi-fitting=—neither close nor loose; partly shaped.
=Semi-frock=—the cutaway or morning coat.
=Semi-precious stone=—valuable, but not sufficiently so to be clast as a true gem.
=Semi-ready=—proprietary term for readymade clothing provided with ample outlets at necessary places, sometimes left unfinisht at cuffs, and basted with a white thread in various places to give a partly finisht effect. Stores featuring this clothing when controlled by the parent company, are called semi-ready wardrobes, and are mostly located in Canada.
=Semi-staple=—term descriptiv of men’s wear, goods that are neither wholly in the staple class (as are most plain weave, black and blue fabrics), nor yet may be clast as novelties, as are fancy weaves, bright-colored patterns, etc., but comprising such goods as gray and brown shades in serges, diagonals, etc.
=Sennit=—a peculiarly plaited straw braid showing serrated edges on one side; a straw hat of such braid; contraction of “sevenknitt”. See Brab.
=Separable button=—term usually applied to cuff b. mounted on a post to which a clip, screw or lever device permits attachment and detachment of the top or bottom parts, supposedly a convenience for inserting in stiff linen.
=Separable stud=—see S. button.
=Serape=—a narrow blanket, usually brilliantly colored, worn over the shoulder or over a saddle. (Mexico, Spain, etc.)
=Serge=—general name for twill woven fabrics. Suitings are usually of worsted yarn and with a rather flattish, diagonal twill; also made with worsted warp and wool filling; generally plain dyed.
=Serge=—a lining material of cotton or linen warp and wool or mohair filling, woven three-leaf twill.
=Serge de berri=—lasting (qv).
=Sergeant’s uniform=—see Full dress, Dress u., White u., Service u., Fatigue u. Also variants.
=Serged seams=—in tailoring, the edges are basted or “serged” and the seam itself usually stitcht twice, first as a plain seam and then again thru both seam-edges, which are turned one way instead of prest open; mostly used on loosely woven fabrics.
=Sergedusoy=—a coarse silk stuff of 18th century, used for men’s coats and waistcoats.
=Serging=—an overcasted stitch employed to hold ravelly edges of seams. See Serged seams.
=Seri-culture=—silk culture.
=Service belt=—(=army=) see Army b.
=Service breeches=—(=army=) for officers: of same material as s. coat, without stripe, welt or cord; cut loose about the seat and above the knees, fitting closely below the knee and extending to tops of shoes, fastening with tapes, laces or buttons; for mounted officers the seat and legs re-enforced with same material; for enlisted men: of olive-drab woolen or khaki-colored cotton material, to match s. coat; cut loose above knee and close-fitting below, fastened with tapes or laces; in general conforming to the pattern prescribed for officers; for mounted use, with re-enforcement or saddle piece, of same material, on seat and legs.
=Service cap=—(=army=) for officers: a regulation c. of olive-drab serge trimmed with a band of mohair braid, and with a drooping visor of black enameled leather, with chin strap of same; worn with prescribed badge and with olive-drab uniform by all officers. Also the cotton khaki c. of similar model, but having a detachable top and no band. For enlisted men: of olive-drab serge, conforming to corresponding c. for officers, but without the lustrous braid. Also of cotton khaki, with detachable covers.
=Service chevron=—(=army=) for enlisted men: a diagonal half-c. of cloth of the color of the corps, department or arm of service to which wearer is attacht, conferred for service in war, completed periods of enlistment, etc.