Part 5
=Cape Ann suit=—a s. of oiled or painted waterproof material worn by fishermen, sailors, et al., consisting of a coat buttoning or clasping close to the throat with a laid over fly, overalls and a sou’wester hat of same material.
=Cape cap=—a c. commonly of rubber, with visor and deep apron covering head, neck and shoulders.
=Cape coat=—an overcoat with a cape and with or without sleeves. See also Inverness.
=Capeskin=—trade name for cape goatskin, used for gloves.
=Capote=—a hooded coat or cloak; a military overcoat.
=Captain’s uniform=—(=army=) see Special full dress, Full dress, Dress, Service Dress, Evening dress, Mess dress, Undress; (=marine corps=) Special full dress, Full dress, Mess dress, Undress, Field dress; (=revenue cutter service=) Full dress, Dress, Service dress, Social full dress. See also variations thereof.
=Capuchin=—see next.
=Capuchon=—a hood attacht to an overcoat or ulster.
=Caracul=—Astrakhan fur (qv).
=Carat=—(1) a twenty-fourth part, used to express the fineness of alloyed gold, as 18 c. is ¹⁸⁄₂₄ (or ¾) pure gold; 24 c. pure or unalloyed; (2) a unit of weight for precious stones; the international c. is 3.168 grains or 205 milligrams.
=Carbonized wool=—see below.
=Carbonizing=—a chemical process of removing (by charring) all foreign vegetable substances, as burs, from wool fleece, preparatory to the initial spinning processes. Compare Burring.
=Card=—short for loom-c.
=Card case=—a small leather wallet or metal c. for visiting cards.
=Card-clothing=—sheets of rubber or leather with wire bristles or teeth used for covering the cylinders in wool-carding machinery.
=Cardigan jacket=—a close-fitting, knit ribbed woolen or worsted body-j., with or without sleeves; a sort of collarless sweater with a buttoned front.
=Carding=—the process of opening up the fibers of wool, flax, hemp, silk, etc., for the purpose of cleaning them of foreign matter and rendering the material fine and soft, preparatory to spinning into yarn.
=Carding wool=—fine fleece 2 to 4 inches long. See Clothing w.
=Carmelite=—a fine woolen stuff, usually undyed or natural color, used mostly for women’s wear.
=Carpet bag=—an old-fashioned hand b. or valise for traveling; reminiscent of Lincoln’s time.
=Carpet slippers=—Christmas gifts.
=Carr’s=—trade diminutiv for the fine melton cloths made by Carr, Son & Co., London.
=Carreau=—in weaving, a small check, square or diamond-shaped effect.
=Carrot-top=—red haired.
=Carroting=—one of the initial processes in preparing hat furs for felting—a treatment of nitric acid and quicksilver while the fur is still on the skin.
=Carry-all=—a hunter’s pack bag.
=Carsey=—old name for kersey.
=Carton=—a pasteboard box.
=Caruso pocket=—see Raincoat p.
=Cash=—an imperativ diminutive for cash-boy or cash-girl.
=Cash=—an alleged vulgar and disreputable word for money.
=Cash-boy=—a young imp who feels that you would rather flirt with the saleslady than catch the 5:14 train and so delays bringing back your parcel and change.
=Cashier=—a dispenser of pay envelopes and receiver of customer’s cash.
=Cashmere=—a fine grade of wool; properly from the c. goat; used largely for underwear.
=Cashmere=—(1) a fine twilled, soft finisht woolen fabric; used for vestings and suitings; (2) a knitted underwear fabric, properly of c. wool, tho as often (or oftener) of other similar wools.
=Cashmere glove=—a fabric g. of fine worsted yarn with a nap inside.
=Cashmerette=—an old-time material for fancy waistcoats.
=Casket cloth=—a light-weight c. resembling cheap grades of melton, of wool, wool waste, cotton, etc., and used for our final overcoating.
=Casque=—a sort of helmet.
=Cassimere=—general term for a large class of woolen cloths for men’s wear, coarse and fine, both plain and twill woven, having the pattern produced in the loom, and usually appearing in distinct checks, plaids and stripes; the cloth is never napt; sometimes made with worsted warp and woolen weft. Name a variant of Cashmere.
=Cassinette=—an inferior coarse fabric, similar to union cassimere (qv), used in the cheaper grades of men’s clothing.
=Cassock=—(1) a plain, close-fitting garment, reaching to the feet, the distinctiv dress of clerics indoors and out, worn with and without vestments, often with a sash; the color is black for priests, purple for bishops, red for cardinals, the pope alone wears white; (2) a similar garment worn by Anglican clergy when officiating; (3) a short, loose jacket worn under the Geneva gown by Presbyterian ministers; (4) a military cloak; (5) a name some times given to the single-breasted clerical frock coat with closed-throat military collar.
=Cassock bands=—see Bands (2).
=Cassock vest=—a clerical waistcoat without opening in front, closing on the side, and with a short military collar.
=Cast knitting=—a variety of k. in which the needles are thrust from the inside while the yarn is held on the outside of the fabric or article that is being made.
=Cast-off=—wornout or discarded clothes we don’t want.
=Cast-off buckle=—a suspender b. that permits a separation of the end strap from the webbing as a toilet convenience for lazy persons.
=Castor=—see C. beaver.
=Castor=—a shade of gray.
=Castor=—(1) a general term for light-weight gloves of any leather from which the grain is removed, commonly gray or drab in color; (2) one of several terms for ooze kid.
=Castor beaver=—a heavy milled, face finisht, all-wool cloth, a little lighter in weight than ordinary beaver (qv); used for overcoats, etc.
=Castor Francaise=—a long-haired felt used by hatters; and hats of same.
=Cat=—a night prowling animal whose hide, after its ninth death, becomes sealskin, etc.
=Cat o’ nine tails=—a multi-thonged whip or scourge sometimes worn out on bad boys, et al.
=Catalog=—a book or pamphlet listing wares of sale; in widest use as a publication for the special benefit of mail order customers.
=Catcher’s mask=—a guard for the face; constructed of wire and leather, worn as a protection against pitched and foul balls, the batter’s bat, etc.
=Catcher’s mitten=—a very large, heavily padded leather glove or pillow on which the pitcht balls are received by the catcher, so contrived as to hold the ball and save a home run.
=Catching mitt=—see Catcher’s gloves and C. mitten.
=Cats-and-dogs=—trade term for a miscellaneous collection of merchandise of more or less doubtful value.
=Cathedral beard=—a broad, spreading, square cut b., “so called because men of the church did wear it”.
=Cavalier cape=—familiar term for evening dress cloak and by extension for the Inverness overcoat.
=Cavalry uniform=—see Full dress, Dress u., Service u., Fatigue u., et var.
=Cellular cloth=—broadly, any c. more or less loosely woven, characterized by cell-like meshes or openness.
=Celluloid=—a chemical substance consisting largely of cellulose and camphor, manufactured in imitation of linen, amber, shell, ivory, etc.
=Celluloid collars=—c. that need never go to a laundry and should never go near to a fire; c. cuffs ditto; worn largely by workingmen who could just as well do without them.
=Cemented seam=—trade term used in reference to s. fastened together by a strip of rubber tissue or cement or other adhesiv, usually lapt, and commonly stitcht, tho the stitching is sometimes omitted. Mostly used on old-style mackintoshes.
=Cerement=—a garment, covering or wrapping for the dead; grave clothes.
=Ceremonial=—formal (as dress).
=Cerevis=—a small cylindrical cap, usually with a society, or corps monogram, worn by students in German universities.
=C. G.=—trade diminutiv for the balbriggan and lisle thread hosiery and underwear manufactured by C. & G. Bonbon et Cie., Troyes, France.
=Chain=—warp.
=Chain hole=—a vertical buttonhole in a waistcoat, from which the watchchain is suspended.
=Chain stitch=—an ornamental s. formed by carrying the thread thru repeated slip loops, easily pulled out by pulling the underthread; sometimes used for basting.
=Chain-weave serge=—trade term for s., so woven as to resemble chains laying close together diagonally, clear finisht and piece dyed (qv); also called double corkscrew.
=Chain-weave worsted=—see C.-w. serge.
=Chalk=—loosely, any substance used by tailors for drafting patterns and marking cloth.
=Chalk stripes=—trade term for fabrics having white stripes on a dark ground, as serges, unfinishts, etc.
=Chambray=—a fine quality of gingham, plain colored, woven of very fine count cotton yarns, the warp and weft usually of different colors, with a linen finish.
=Chamois=—a soft, pliable leather, originally prepared from the skin of the c. goat, used for gloves, garment interlining, chest protectors, pockets, window cleaning, etc.
=Chamois fiber=—name given to a stout crinkled paper fabric used as an interlining, for chest protectors, etc.
=Chamois pocket=—a p. in trousers, waistcoat or other garment, chamois lined.
=Championship belt=—usually a most gorgeous affair competed for by pugilists.
=Change pocket=—a small p. for small change, usually placed on the right side of coats, either above or within the regular p. on that side, and occasionally, in overcoats, on the inside facing of the left side; also called ticket p.
=Changeant=—changeable; an effect in weaving obtained by employing both warp and weft, composed of two strands of different colors, the changeable colors being an effect of light-play, according as viewed.
=Changey-for-changey=—(nautical) an expression used in relation to a “swap”, denoting that each party is satisfied with his bargain.
=Channel=—in shoemaking, the groove or gutter along the edges of the sole wherein are the stitches holding sole and other parts together.
=Chap money=—English provincialism for a rebate allowed by a dealer for spot cash payment.
=Chaparejos=—strong leather breeches or overalls to protect the legs from trees and brush while riding; worn by cowboys on the plains and by them commonly abbreviated to “chaps”.
=Chaparro=—see Chaparejos.
=Chape=—(1) the metal tip of a scabbard; (2) a catch or loop.
=Chapeau=—a hat; especially, a plumed or military hat.
=Chapeau=—(=navy=) a rigid cockt hat of black silk beaver, 16 to 18 in. from peak to peak, 5–5½ in. high on left fan, 4–4½ in. high on right fan. For the admiral of the navy, to have in the fold at each end a tassel of 5 gold bullions underlaid by 5 blue bullions; a strip of 2 in. gold lace laid on flat around the outer rims of the fans, passing under the peaks; on the right fan a 3¾ in. black silk cockade with a loop of 1½ in. gold lace over it, fastened with a large size navy button, the ends of the loop being carried over the rim; for rear admirals, the same but with a 1½ in. strip of gold lace around the outer rims; for other commissioned officers except chaplains, chief boatswains, chief gunners, chief carpenters and chief sailmakers, the same, but with a strip of black silk 2½ in. wide around the rims, in lieu of gold lace, laid on half-and-half; (=Army=) similar, according to pattern in offices of quartermaster general; to be worn with the peak front turned slightly to the left, showing the gilt ornaments upon the right side; (=Marine corps=) of black silk plush, curved pattern, same as prescribed for general officers of the army, except that both sides shall be 5 in. high, with an embroidered gold lace ornament on the right side surmounted with a marine corps cap ornament and a large marine corps button, a gold wire tassel in front and rear peak, and a plume of canary colored cock feathers for major general commandant; for all staff officers (optional) the same, except that the plume is of red cock feathers. This chapeau may be worn with special full dress and full dress in place of cap for indoor occasions when desired; never to be worn when mounted. (=Revenue cutter service=) a rigid or folding chapeau of black silk beaver, of same dimensions as prescribed for the navy, the rims bound with black silk lace 2½ in. wide, showing half-and-half; on the right fan a black silk cockade 3¾ in., over which is a strip of gold lace fastened with a revenue service button, a tassel of 3 gold and 3 blue bullions in each peak.
=Chapeau bras=—a soft, three-cornered dress hat that can be folded and carried under the arm, worn commonly in the 18th century and still by officers in the U. S. navy.
=Chapeau de poil=—a beaver or felt hat.
=Chapka=—(Bohemian) a sort of mortarboard hat, part of the Lanciers uniform.
=Chaplain’s evening dress coat=—(=navy=) see Evening d. c.
=Chaplain’s evening dress waistcoat=—(=navy=) see Evening d. w.
=Chaplain’s full dress coat=—(=army=) a single-breasted frock c. of black cloth with standing collar, fastening with 9 black silk buttons; no ornaments.
=Chaplain’s frock coat=—(=navy=) a single-breasted f. c. of dark blue cloth, buttoning to the neck, with one row of 7 flat black silk buttons and plain standing collar on which is embroidered in silver a Latin cross, and on the sleeves rows of black braid according to rank.
=Chaplain’s hat=—(=army=) with full dress and dress uniforms, a black felt h., similar to the service h. (qv) with a cord of gold bullion and black silk intermixt.
=Chaplain’s mess jacket=—(=navy=) see Mess j.
=Chaplain’s undress waistcoat=—(=navy=) see Undress w.
=Chaplain’s vestments=—(=army and navy=) while conducting services the chaplain may wear the v. of the church to which he belongs.
=Chaplain’s white service coat=—(=navy=) same as w. s. c. (qv), but with white buttons.
=Chaplet=—a wreath or garland for the head—worn only in pictures from mythology; perhaps, by certain of the illuminati of the very ancient past; and by the near-actors in certain frivolous and unclassifiable theatrical productions of latter times.
=Chapman=—a peddler of trifles or cheap small wares.
=Chappau=—a sort of coat or tunic of silk or woolen cloth worn by the Uzbek Tartars, beneath an overgarment of woolen cloth.
=Chaps=—see Chaparejos.
=Character wig=—(theatrical) any w. designed to help delinat the character portrayed.
=Charge account=—a soft snap for papa’s boy.
=Charges prepaid=—supposed to be an inducement for orders; but analysis of inventory statements shows that the buyer always stands it.
=Chasuble=—a sleeveless mantle falling low in front and behind, with a cross on the back; worn by Latin, Greek and Anglican priests; the principal vestment regarded as strictly sacerdotal or sacrificial.
=Chauffeur’s livery=—see Appendix.
=Chauffeur’s sack coat=—same as Norfolk jacket, but with turned down collar and military closed neck.
=Chauffeur’s suit=—any s. designed for service wear of the automobile operator.
=Chausse=—the early name for drawers.
=Cheap tailor=—one who makes, or claims to make, clothes to order at prices as low as and often much lower than readymade garments may be obtained for. Garments made by such tailors are usually made under practically the same conditions as readymade—by machinery and by operators instead of by journeymen tailors and hand work; the main difference being that each order is cut separately instead of several garments being cut at one time as in readymade. Unless the “cheap tailor” has facilities for obtaining his cloths and other materials direct from the mills, as have readymaders, and has a large business to take care of such necessarily large purchases, there are no other advantages, as he must then buy thru jobbers, in small lots at higher prices. Because of much fraud and deceit in connection with cheap tailoring in the past, the “cheap tailor” is not always highly regarded, tho there are many inexpensiv tailors enjoying the requisit facilities, who have built-up large businesses by fair and square dealing.
=Check—in= weaving a design produced by different colors crossing at right angles forming small squares.
=Check kersey=—one of the old names for k.
=Cheeks=—an old sobriquet for a marine, derived from a rough pun on his uniform in the olden days.
=Cheese=—familiar term for c. press block (qv).
=Cheese cloth=—a thin, sleezy, loosely woven, unbleacht or bleacht cotton fabric, used chiefly (in men’s wear) as a covering for padding and garment interlining; also, shellackt, to give body to silk hats and the like.
=Cheese press block=—a half circular segment of seasoned hardwood, about 3 × 12 × 18 inches, used by tailors for pressing seams, lapels, edges, etc.
=Chest=—the part of the body enclosed by the ribs and the breastbone.
=Chest=—a wooden box for holding clothes and other personal property.
=Chest measure=—a standard of sizing by which readymade clothes, shirts, etc., are bought and sold.
=Chest protector=—an undergarment of felt, wool, chamois or paper fiber, worn under the dress shirt for extra protection in cold weather; vulgarly “liver pad”.
=Chester=—colloquial English for top coat; abbreviation of Chesterfield (?).
=Chester jacket=—a single-breasted sack coat similar to a Norfolk.
=Chesterfield=—(1) a single-breasted, fly-front overcoat, of medium length, having a plain back with or without a center seam; (2) also a single-breasted cutaway frock coat for stout men, usually made with 4 buttons, the top one only used.
=Chesty=—full chested; pigeon breasted.
=Cheval glass=—a long mirror, revealing the entire person, much employed by those who think themselves good to look upon.
=Cheviot=—originally a rough, twill woven, slightly fulled fabric, with shaggy nap, woven from the coarse strong wool of the c. sheep, whence name; more generally any rough-finisht, twill woven fabric of strong, coarse wool, thoroly fulled, either with rough (or open) or close finish (long or short nap), used as suiting and overcoating.
=Cheviot shirting=—a heavy, plain or twilled, soft finisht cotton fabric, woven of single-thread warp and weft sufficiently coarse to produce weight, usually with loom-produced patterns such as small checks and stripes.
=Chevreau=—(glove term) real kid, fed only by the mother, never having browsed. Compare Chevrette.
=Chevrette=—(glove term) kid older than chevreau (qv), having eaten other foods, as grass, etc., the skins being consequently harder and tougher.
=Chevron=—in weaving, a pattern characterized by zigzag lines or stripes; herringbone.
=Chevron=—(1) a device, consisting of two or more bars meeting at an angle, worn on the sleeve by non-commissioned officers to indicate rank; (2) an heraldic device.
=Chicken skin=—a material once actually used for gloves and fans, but now quite unused for such purposes—not, indeed, that the creatures have been cultivated into any greater tenderness nowadays.
=Chimere=—a gown worn by Anglican bishops.
=Chimneypot=—a tall or top hat, usually applied to those of felt.
=Chin clout=—a muffler.
=Chin latch=—a small cloth strap to fasten together the turned-up collar of an overcoat or ulster; fastened by means of buttons and buttonholes.
=Chin lines=—whiskers.
=Chin stay=—see C. strap.
=Chin strap=—a band passing under the chin for holding on a cap or hat; an extendible s. attacht to uniform caps, usually worn closed on the upper side of visor, or in the case of shakos, falling loosely in front of, but not under the chin.
=Chin tuft=—a wee beard; a goatee or imperial.
=China silk=—a light, thin, plain woven silk fabric; pongee.
=Chinchilla=—general term for heavy, double-woven woolen fabrics, having a long-napt surface of wooly lobs (or tufted nap) of various forms and effects, but not in imitation of chinchilla fur, as is generally supposed. See Petersham.
=Chinchilla=—an animal of the weazel family, found in Peru and Bolivia, prized for its soft, gray, silky fur.
=Chinchilla machine=—a machine for forming the peculiar knobby nap of chinchilla cloth.
=Chine=—an effect in weaving produced by employing warp threads that have been printed and groupt in such manner as to form more or less distinct patterns when woven; most frequently seen in silks, such as taffetas.
=Chinese grass=—see Ramie.
=Chink=—the slant-eyed dopefiend who declares your shirts are not ready because you didn’t call for them yesterday.
=Chinkers=—cant for handcuffs united by a chain.
=Chip=—trade term for tiny diamond specks used in cheap jewelry. See Rose cutting.
=Chipping Norton=—see Bliss tweeds.
=Chirothecae=—a form of glove worn by the ancient Romans, fingerless and resembling the modern mitten. See Digitalia.
=Chiton=—a sort of short, sleeveless tunic, worn by the ancient Greeks.
=Chlamys=—a variety of himation (qv).
=Chlorine=—Cl_{2}; one of the most activ bleaching agents.
=Chloroform=—CHCl_(3); a good agent for the removal of grease spots from clothing.
=Choice=—see Wool.
=Choiling=—cutlery term for the operation of filing the little nick in a blade just between the cutting edge and the tang.
=Choir vestments=—see Cassock, Cotta, Surplice, etc.
=Choked bellows=—an underlaying accordion plait around a pocket (usually of the patcht variety) for purposes of increast capacity. See Bellows pocket.
=Choker=—any tall (and uncomfortable) shirt collar, especially a plain standing collar.
=Chopper=—in tailoring establishments a man who lays the paper patterns made by the “cutter” on to the cloth, marks same, and “chops” or cuts the cloth. Compare Cutter.
=Chopper=—a heavy leather working glove or mitten.
=Chorus shirt=—see Ballet s.
=Chrome kid=—goat skins tanned and finisht by the salts of aluminum or chromic acid method. See Vici k.
=Chuddah=—(1) a fine wool shawl made in India; (2) also the wool of which it is made.
=Church-of-England hat=—a low, round-crowned, felt h. with plain, flat brim, sometimes (erroneously) called shovel h. (qv).
=Cigar case=—a leather or metal pocket c. for cigars.
=Cigar magazine=—(1) same as c. case; also (2) a humidor.
=Cigaret case=—a metal pocket c. for coffin nails.
=Cimeter=—see Scimitar.
=Cinch=—a belt.
=Cincture=—a clerical girdle of serge or other stuff with silk fringed ends.
=Circular cape=—any c. the outer edges of which, spread flat, conform to the shape of a circle, and generally understood to mean without shaping at the shoulders.
=Civet=—the glandular secretion of the civet cat, most repulsiv and disgusting in its original state, but, properly compounded, practically indispensable in the imitation of certain floral perfumes.
=Civilian dress=—distinguishes our everydayness from army and navy magnificence.
=Clad=—clothed.
=Clan tartan=—any and all of the plaids of the various highland clans of Scotland.
=Claque=—a sort of semi-circle of felt, which it was the fashion in France, in the early part of the last century, to carry under the arm instead of wearing it on the head.
=Clasp=—a ball-and-socket glove fastener. See Snaps.
=Class chevron=—(=navy=) angled stripes of scarlet cloth forming part of the rating badge (qv) indicating rank of the wearer.
=Classy=—a term often used by misfit shops and cheap “gents’ furnishers” as implying some aristocratic distinction.
=Clatty=—dishevelled; untidy.
=Claudent=—a readymade scarf or plastron tied like an ascot or puff, but without fullness and flat as a pancake.
=Clawhammer=—see Evening dress.
=Clay=—a name given to serges, worsteds and diagonals woven after the process of J. & B. Clay, of Huddersfield, England.
=Clay worsted=—see above and Worsted.
=Clean=—well made; of good quality, texture, lines, styles, workmanship, etc.
=Clear finish=—trade term for worsted cloths from which all nap or fuzz has been removed, as serge, “hard finish” worsteds, etc.
=Clearing sale=—the effort made by one merchant to show how much cheaper he is than the other fellow.
=Clerical cape overcoat=—similar to an Inverness o., the cape buttoning in front.