Part 4
=Breaking test=—in general, linen fabrics are more difficult to break than those of cotton. The broken edge of linen shows threads that are long and irregular, the projecting fibers being parallel and lustrous. The broken edge of cotton cloth exhibits twisted threads, the fibers being uniform in length and dull in appearance. Practise further enables the operator to distinguish linen from cotton by the sound when the fabric is torn, linen emitting a shrill, and cotton a dull, sound. Furthermore, when a group of threads is quickly broken, the cotton threads twist around each other, while the linen threads hang straight.
=Breast=—the front of the chest.
=Breast cord=—(=army=) a decorativ loop of cord and tassels of mohair, of the color of the corps, department or arm of service, worn on the front of the dress coat of enlisted men, from left shoulder to below right arm; a variety of aigulet (qv).
=Breast of heel=—(shoemaking) the back of the heel.
=Breast pocket=—any p. inserted in or placed on the breast of a coat or vest, whether outside or inside, tho the latter are generally so specified.
=Breast protector=—a sort of inflated canvas-and-leather shield worn by baseball and cricket players, fencers, etc.
=Breech=—see Wool.
=Breech cloth=—better than nothing.
=Breech clout=—same.
=Breeches=—a shaped leg-covering reaching to the knee, closing snugly at that point with several buttons. Compare Knickerbockers. See also Riding b.
=Breeches hooks=—used in 18th century to suspend the tight, fashionable breeches of the times from the ceiling, the wearer mounting upon the steps and letting himself down in the garments.
=Breeches tree=—a wooden form for keeping coachmen’s breeches in shape while not in use.
=Breeks=—Scotch for breeches.
=Bretelles=—French for suspenders or braces.
=Bricklayer’s glove=—a sort of leather mitten to which separable heavy leather tips are attacht by means of metal clips, the wrist having a resilient metal clamp. More loosely, any heavy working glove.
=Bridgewater=—a variety of broadcloth once manufactured at Bridgewater, England.
=Brigadier=—see Wig.
=Brigadier general’s uniform=—(=army=) see Full dress, Dress u., White u., Service u.; (=marine corps=) Special full dress, Full dress, Mess dress, Undress, Field dress. Also see variants.
=Bright=—tailor’s argot for any bright technical idea or suggestion.
=Brilliant=—jeweler’s term for a diamond of the finest cutting and quality; general slang for all diamonds and sparkling gems.
=Brilliant cutting=—the most common style of diamond cutting, consisting of two pyramids joined at their bases, the upper one or crown being truncated to form the table, the lower or pavilion ending in a point called the collet. Compare Twentieth century c.
=Brilliant lisle=—highly calendered. See Lisle.
=Brilliantine=—a light, thin, plain woven and very lustrous fabric, similar to alpaca. See Mohair.
=Brim=—the piazza part of a hat.
=Briolette=—a diamond, generally pear or drop shaped, cut with angular or long facets.
=Britch=—same as breach—a wool classification term. See Wool.
=British=—trade term for unbleacht cotton hose.
=Broad bound=—same as flat b. Compare Narrow b. and Half-and-half b.
=Broad goods=—cloth wider than 29 in.
=Broad silks=—trade term for woven silk fabrics for dress and lining purposes.
=Broadcloth=—for men’s wear, a high grade woolen cloth woven of the finest of felting wool, usually first dyed in the raw; the woven fabric is fulled to a considerable degree and slightly napt and sheared, then steamed, calendered and prest to add luster, the better grades being made with a twilled back. Broadcloth for women’s wear is a lighter fabric and not so costly. Name originally used in contradistinction to Narrow cloth.
=Broadfalls=—trade name for front fall trousers in which the front flap or fall extends from side to side or nearly to the pockets. See Fall bearer. Compare Narrow f.
=Broadtail=—apologetic term for the fur of the unborn lamb of the black Persian sheep of Russia; distinguisht from Persian lamb (qv) by the degree of mottling or moire effect of the rich black surface; also called baby lamb.
=Brocade=—a rich fabric of silk, cotton or wool (or combinations thereof, sometimes intermixt with tinsel) having a pattern in slight relief, produced by raising the threads of the warp or of the weft in the loom; the patterns are mostly floral.
=Broche=—a term signifying stitcht or embroidered, applied to fabrics worn with a raised design; having such appearance; a sort of brocade.
=Brodekin=—a buskin or high boot (obsolete).
=Brogan=—a coarse, heavy shoe fastened by side flaps buckled or laced over a short tongue or instep-piece; forerunner of the modern Blucher shoe (qv).
=Brogue=—(1) a rude shoe of untanned hide, (originally with the hair outside) tied with thongs, worn formerly in Ireland and the Scotch highlands. See Brogan. (2) Among seamen, coarse sandals made of green hide.
=Brogues=—trousers (obsolete).
=Broken twill=—one of the technical names for herringbone weave.
=Brooch=—an ornamental article of jewelry fastened by means of a hinged pin; a shawl-clasp.
=Broom brush=—upper class tradesmen’s term for whisk broom.
=Brotus=—the heaping up of a measure; what is thrown in to make sure of good weight. Used in Charleston, South Carolina, and exactly equivalent to the Gumbo-French word lagniappe of New Orleans.
=Brown=—unbleacht.
=Brown=—see Wool.
=Brown holland=—plain, wide linen cloth, but slightly thickened; used for dusters, summer clothing, etc.
=Brown muslin=—just as it leaves the looms; not bleacht; usually woven coarser than that intended to be bleacht.
=Brownies=—diminutiv apron overalls for little tads of 3 years up.
=Brummagem=—sham jewelry as originally made in Burmingham, Eng. See Attleborough.
=Brunswick=—union or part wool cassimere.
=Brush length=—trade term for narrow width haircloth.
=Brushing=—a polishing or finishing process in shoemaking, rapidly revolving brushes made of bristles or soft pieces of cloth being used to polish and brush up the shoe as a final finishing operation.
=Brushing machine=—(1) an apparatus for laying the nap on cloths, hats, etc.; (2) an apparatus for dusting hats, shoes, etc.
=Bryks=—breeches (obsolete).
=Buck=—a dandy.
=Buckeen=—Irish dude.
=Bucket tops=—top boots. See French falls.
=Buckle=—a fastening device, in clothing used specially for tightening the waist of trousers, waistcoats, etc.
=Buckler=—cant term for collar.
=Bucko=—a dandy; corruption of “buck”.
=Buckram=—a coarse, heavy, plain-woven linen or cotton material sized with glue, used for stiffening, as in coat fronts.
=Buckskin=—a sort of doeskin or kersey, but stouter and with bolder, clearer twill, chiefly used for riding breeches, livery wear, etc.
=Buckskin=—(1) soft sheepskin; (2 pl) breeches or trousers made of b.
=Buckskin=—proprietary name for an improved sort of gum tissue for hems, seams, etc.
=Bucktails=—a name given to the 13th Pennsylvania Reserves (also known as 1st Pennsylvania Rifles and Kane Rifles, from one of the commanders) famous thruout the Civil War for their rare fighting qualities and from the habit of the men of wearing a bucktail in their hats, which a Grand Army post of the survivors perpetuates.
=Buff clothes=—none at all.
=Buff coat=—a jerkin or doublet of leather (?) worn by certain colonial troopers of 17th century.
=Buffalo=—see B. robe.
=Buffalo cloth=—a shaggy fabric woven in imitation of b. fur.
=Buffalo horn=—trade term for buttons made of horn, bone, etc., in contradistinction to imitations thereof, distinguished by greater clearness and irregular markings of color.
=Buffalo robe=—a rug or covering made of the hide with the hair on. More commonly called “buffalo”.
=Bugazeen=—an old term for calico.
=Bugs of Egypt=—a style of waistcoat buttons popular in the early part of the last century; probably in imitation of scarabeii.
=Bull muck=—in yarn spinning an expression meaning careless, slovenly making of unclean, tangled and otherwise imperfect “tops”. (British.)
=Bulldog golf cap=—a large g. c., setting well back on the head, with a visor dependent almost vertically.
=Bulldog toe=—a very heavy broad toe; a shoe style that was very popular some years ago and still obtains.
=Bullet-proof cloth=—a fabric (recently invented by a German priest) of mysterious composition, quite thick and heavy, having the property of stopping shot and bullets fired at it; various other similar fabrics have since been invented.
=Bull’s-wool-and-oakum=—salesmen’s slang term for very coarse clothing fabrics of inferior quality.
=Bullion=—a slender barrel-shaped ornament of gold or silver wire or thread in coils, groupt to form tassels, as for chapeaux, etc.
=Bullion fringe=—an ornamental fringe of heavy twisted cords covered with gold or silver threads, used for uniforms, regalia, etc.
=Bumbershoot=—vulgar for umbrella.
=Bumpers=—metal corners used on trunks; sole leather corners on hand luggage.
=Bumpkin=—an awkward, provincial dude.
=Bunching=—Briticism expressing a uniformity of appearance permitting two or more pieces of the same fabric to be sold as same shade or effect. Handspun and hand woven homespuns, for instance, cannot be buncht because of unevenness, but by the use of mill-spun yarn b. becomes possible.
=Bung=—cant term for a purse or pocket.
=Bunion=—in shoemaking, a specially comfortable shape of shoe, usually quite plain without tips, for tender feet with enlarged joints, etc.
=Bunk=—a sleeping berth.
=Bunting=—a light-weight, plain woven woolen fabric of loose construction; used for flags, and in a limited manner in men’s wear.
=Burberry cheviot=—a variety of wool c., twill woven in fancy patterns, used as a suiting.
=Burberry cloth=—a medium to light-weight waterproof fabric, of mercerized cotton warp and weft, with a fine round cord like repps, employed for automobile garments, raincoats, etc. A lighter weight fabric of the same class is known as Roseberry c.
=Bureau trunk=—a t. opening on a diagonal line, setting flat against the wall, and composed of tray-compartments in tiers, suggesting a bureau when opened.
=Burgonette=—an iron helmet or cap with neckpieces worn by French pikemen of 16th century.
=Burlaps=—a sort of gunny sacking.
=Burning test=—burnt ends of linen threads after the flame is extinguisht appear smooth and compact, while the fibers of cotton threads treated in the same way are spread out more or less in brush form. Wool and silk exhibit charred knobs.
=Burnishing=—a finishing or polishing operation for completing the heels, bottoms and edges of a shoe.
=Burnt cork=—used by minstrels to blacken the skin.
=Burring=—in wool-cleansing the mechanical process of removing burs and other foreign substances from the fleece before the initial spinning process. Compare Carbonizing.
=Busby=—a tall fur cap, with or without a plume, and with a bag hanging from the top over the right side, worn by British hussars, artillerymen and engineers.
=Bushel=—to alter, repair or remedy the fit of a garment.
=Bushel=—a tailor’s thimble.
=Bushelman=—a tailor or workman who does alteration or repair work.
=Business coat=—usually meaning a sack c.
=Business cutaway=—see Morning frock c.; English walking coat.
=Buskin=—a sort of knee length boot with leather sole and cloth leg; worn 17th and 18th centuries.
=Bust=—properly, a glorious feminin physical development, but also used in a limited way as expressiv of a man’s chest.
=Buster Brown=—almost as distressing as Little Lord Fauntleroyism.
=Butcher’s coat=—a long frock worn by butchers and drivers of meat wagons; usually of stout gingham, duck, etc.
=Butcher’s linen=—a stout, coarse, white l. used for backing shirt bosoms, etc.
=Butler’s livery=—(morning) Tuxedo or breakfast jacket, low-cut waistcoat and trousers, white shirt, black tie, black shoes; (evening) dress coat, low-cut waistcoat, trousers, white shirt and white tie, black shoes. A fancy waistcoat is permissible with evening suit in clubs and hotels.
=Butt rest=—a leather thingummy strapped across the body by lazy and weak salmon and tarpon fishers.
=Butteker=—cant term for shop.
=Butterfly=—a shaped tie for wear with folded collars.
=Butternut=—the coarse brown homespun cloths and jeans woven prior to and during the Civil War, colored brown with a dye from the butternut tree.
=Button=—a device for fastening or ornamenting articles of apparel, usually round, and designated in the trade according to composition, shape, style, purpose, etc., as silk braid b., mohair b., lasting b., cloth b., hard rim b., ivory b., rubber b., composition b., bone b., pearl b., horn b., gilt b., etc.; flat b., cup b., ¼ round b., ½ round b., shank b., 2 hole b., 4 hole b., uniform b., pants b., vest b., coat b., overcoat b., etc.; all of which see.
=Button board=—a heavy brown paper or pulp b., used in filling the shells of covered buttons.
=Button flaps=—trade term for buttoned f. over hip pockets in trousers.
=Button fly=—tailoring term meaning a placket which conceals the buttons of the opposit side or part of the garment.
=Button machine=—a machine for making cloth covered buttons, operated by hand power.
=Button mold=—a wooden shape to be covered with braid, cloth, etc.; also often of metal.
=Button stand=—an allowance or addition to the right forepart of a coat or vest for the sewing on of buttons, usually 1½ inches on single-breasted coats and ¾ of an inch on vests.
=Button-stay=—a strip of linen canvas interplaced between cloth and lining for the purpose of giving strength for button stress.
=Button strap=—a strip of thin leather or cloth stitcht to the inside of shoe tops thru which, for greater strength, the buttons are sewed or attacht by patent fasteners.
=Button thru=—said when a coat or other garment or part thereof is made without a fly and with buttonholes cut thru from face to back, the buttons, of course, showing—a labored explanation, but plain?
=Buttonhole=—(1) a workt aperture to receive a button and fasten a garment; (2) a fingering place for politicians and borrowers.
=Buttonhole chisel=—a straight, thin steel tool with a wood handle, used for punching buttonholes thru many thicknesses of material.
=Buttonhole cutter=—a device like a pair of pliers with a cutting blade for uniformly cutting buttonholes.
=Buttonhole making=—the cut edges of the b. are first roughly overcast by plain or loopt stitch, fastening in place at the same time a cord or thread all around the cut opening, which is then finisht by close, even loopt stitches. On cotton and linen goods the cording is omitted. Of handmade buttonholes in tailoring there are several varieties, chief of which are the flat or satin stitcht b. and the gimp or coarse b.
=Buttonhole stitch=—a regular close loopt s. used in garment making. See B. making.
=Buttonhole twist=—a loose 8 strand, 3 cord silk thread that in working tightens up, making a firm, solid, durable buttonhole. See also Machine t. and Sewing silk.
=Buttonhook=—a metal device for buttoning shoes without injury to fingernails and temper.
=Buttons=—(1) a page’s coat single-breasted, short, close fitting, with standing collar, closing with 19 buttons, whence name; (2) the lad himself.
=Butts=—cleaned and prepared hides, ready for tanning.
=Buyer=—the head of a department in a large store who, of course, never knows as much as his clerks.
=Buzz-saw test=—name given to a demonstration of the comparativ composition of various makes of shoes, including their own, by the Regal Shoe Co., in which, usually in a show window, numbers of shoes were sawed thru on a circular saw and the edges exposed and otherwise explained to the spectators. The demonstration is understood to be protected under trade mark laws.
=Byron collar=—name given to a lay-down shirt c., the fronts of which are not creased, but broadly and softly rolled; much affected by artists and the Bohemian gentry.
=Byron roll=—see above.
=By the candle=—in old England a mode of auction by which people were allowed to bid during the burning of an inch of candle, the goods being knockt down after the light had gone out to the highest bidder.
C
=Caba=—a small traveling bag or valise; nearly obsolete.
=Cabasset=—a light morion or iron cap with a wide drooping brim, worn by French infantry of 16th century.
=Cabin bag=—a hand b. or valise with straight boxy sides, opening not from a center point, but from the sides at the roof angles, the two top parts coming together and clamping to form a cover.
=Cable seam=—see Round s.
=Cable silk webbing=—trade term for elastic w. woven with a roundish twill, an effect helpt by a twisted instead of flat silk thread.
=Cable yarn=—y. twisted coarsely, like a rope.
=Cachemire=—in textil designing, signifying Persian or other Oriental patterns.
=Cachi=—a small, felt cap, in red, brown or white, surmounted with a tassel in a contrasting color, worn by Arabs—sometimes one on top of another or several others. See also Haik.
=Cacks=—our first baby shoes.
=Cadet=—(1) glove trade term for long fingers; (2) a shade of gray; (3) a student at a military school; (4) something worse.
=Cadet cloth=—the standard blue-gray woolen uniform c. prescribed by the U. S. Military and Naval Academies and by various schools and institutions of similar character for cadet dress; the color effect is usually a combination of indigo blue and white yarns.
=Cadet collar=—a highhanded Prussian c.: also called stand-and-fall c.
=Cadet overcoat=—an outercoat that appeared during the winter of 1907–08; both single and double-breasted, buttoning to the throat, with a high Prussian collar. Also known as West Point o., army o., automobile o.
=Cadet uniforms=—(=Annapolis=) for Dress—a jacket resembling that of Special full dress (qv) of commissioned officers of the navy, except that it is cut Eton shape, without tails, with narrow braid on collar; dress trousers, dress cap and white gloves. Service dress—blouse resembling that of commissioned officers, waistcoat (optional), service trousers and dress cap. The trousers, both dress and undress, in general the same as for commissioned officers, but cut higher in the waist and without pockets. Working dress for drill—canvas jumper and trousers, white hat or knit cap, as ordered, black silk neckerchief, jersey or sweater, all, in general, corresponding to similar articles worn by enlisted men.
=Cadet uniforms=—(=revenue cutter service=) for Full dress—a single-breasted fly-front sack coat of dark blue cloth reaching to top of inseam of trousers, having a standing collar, the collar edges and side seams in back trimmed with lustrous black mohair braid, and with grade marks, devices, etc., as prescribed. For Service dress—a similar coat, omitting the sleeve ornaments and some of the braiding. Trousers of dark blue cloth, cut full in the legs without bottom spring, two hip pockets only; blue cloth waistcoat; blue cloth cap; blue cloth overcoat, with hood; also the white u. and other garments as prescribed.
=Cadet uniforms=—(=West Point=) for Dress—a gray cloth coatee, conforming closely to the shape of the wearer, single-breasted, with three rows of 8 gilt ball buttons in front and 12 on the skirts in rows of 3; standing collar with a ball button on each side, ball buttons on cuffs, the garment trimmed and decorated with black braid. For Undress or Fatigue—a single-breasted blouse with standing collar, fly front, trimmed with black braid; insignia, etc., as per regulations. Trousers, in winter, gray cloth with a black stripe 1 in. wide down the sides; in summer, white duck; for riding, gray kersey riding trousers with brown canvas leggings. Overcoat, gray kersey, double-breasted, with stand-and-fall collar, 6 gilt buttons down each breast, 2 at hips and 1 on back plaits; cape of same material. Badges, stripes, insignia, etc., as per regulations.
=Cady=—a hat.
=Caftan=—(1) a black garment almost identical with the Anglican cassock, worn by the Mohammedan priesthood; (2) an undercoat having long sleeves and girdled with a sash, worn in Turkey, Arabia, Egypt, etc.
=Calendering=—a mechanical process in cotton and linen finishing, imparting a smooth, even surface or gloss.
=Calfskin=—a fine, durable shoe leather; often shortened to calf.
=Calico=—a coarse printed cotton cloth; used in the cheapest grade of shirts, etc.
=Callimanco=—a glossy, woolen stuff, both plain and ribbed, very fashionable and much used up to Revolutionary times.
=Camblet=—see Camlet.
=Cambric=—(1) a fine, white linen fabric used for handkerchiefs, etc.; (2) a fine cotton fabric in imitation of linen; (3) also a heavier glazed cotton lining material.
=Cambric=—see Ramie.
=Camelshair=—the fine, wooly hair from the neck and back of the camel.
=Camelshair cloth=—a thick, soft, shaggy material, usually woven like cheviot, having long hairs intersperst over its surface.
=Camisol=—(1) a kind of jacket or under-waistcoat without sleeves; (2) a kind of straight-jacket (qv) with long sleeves which may be tied behind the sufferer’s back.
=Camlet=—a stiff, closely woven fabric having a wavy surface, nearly waterproof, originally worn of camels-hair (whence name) but now mostly of Angora wool, silk and wool, or wool-and-cotton or linen; once largely used for cloaks; best known in 17th and 18th centuries.
=Camlet yarn=—a y. made in Turkey from the long, silky hair of the Angora goat; also called Turkish y.
=Camleteen=—a worsted camlet; an imitation camlet.
=Camletto=—see Camleteen.
=Campaign wig=—supposed to be a simplification of the pompous peruke (which had become exceedingly arrogant in the time of William and Mary) yet really quite a pretentious affair, tho worn for traveling and for undress.
=Campbell stitcht=—refers to one of many processes in modern mechanical shoemaking.
=Camphor=—bad for moths.
=Camping shoe=—see Moccasin s.
=Cancellations=—the negativing or voiding of orders given; a matter of diplomatic difference between mills and manufacturers, et al.
=Cane=—a walking stick.
=Cannon pocket=—oh, murderous hip p.!
=Canoe carrier=—a pneumatic cushion somewhat like a life preserver to prevent canoes shifting and chafing whilst en portage.
=Canonical inch=—the inch or so of hair, continuing down in front of the ears, affected as whiskers by Anglican clergymen.
=Canonicals=—clergymen’s officiating clothing as prescribed by canon.
=Cantab=—a variety of thin leather used for suspender ends.
=Canteen=—a drinking flask, usually worn slung by a strap from a shoulder.
=Canton flannel=—a stout twilled cotton cloth with a dense nap on one side, largely used for underwear. Also made with a nap on both sides.
=Cantsloper=—a sort of mackintosh or weather-coat of Colonial days.
=Canvas=—(1) a coarse, plain-woven fabric of linen or cotton, used both bleacht and unbleacht, for tropical clothing, yachting wear, shoes, etc., etc.; (2) also a stiffening material, usually unbleacht, used in tailoring. See Elastic c.
=Canvasers=—in ready-to-wear clothing manufacture workmen who baste canvas interlinings, padding, etc., into place in the shells (of coats) as received from the closers (qv).
=Cap=—a covering for the head, of various shapes and materials, less formal than a hat.
=Cap=—in shoemaking, the same as tip (qv).
=Cap-a-pie=—thoroly equipt from head to foot.
=Cap device=—an insignia of rank, etc., worn in uniform caps.
=Cap-of-maintenance=—an ornamental and ceremonial c. of scarlet velvet and ermine borne before kings of England at their coronation; also before the mayors of some British cities on similar occasions.
=Cape=—(1) a circular covering for the shoulders; (2) the inside yoke of a coat, formed of the lining.
=Cape Ann hat=—same as Squam h., except the crown is soft instead of stiff.