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A cadogan was a knot of hair worn on the nape of the neck. The 19th century Macaronis wore an extensive cadogan. The fashion originated among French ladies and was instigated from a popular print of the first earl of Cadogan, and was introduced at the court of Montbeliard by the Duchess de Bourbon.
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A Caftan (Kaftan) is a long garment with long sleeves and tied at the waist by a girdle, worn under a coat in the Middle East. The term has also come to describe a long, full, usually collarless robe with wide sleeves that is worn at home for lounging or on the beach as a cover-up.
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A cagoule is a thin, hooded outer jacket usually windproof and rain proof, and worn by walkers and designed to be worn as one of a series of layers of clothing, and be light enough to pack away into a small package when not worn.
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A calash was a folding hood for a lady's head, made of silk, supported with hoops of cane or whale-bone, and projecting considerably over the face.
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Calico is a cotton cloth named from Calicut, a city of India. It was first brought to England by the East India Company in 1631. The name is generally given to any plain white cotton cloth, and in America it is applied to printed cottons. In 1721 a statute was passed imposing a penalty of five pounds upon the wearer, and twenty pounds upon the seller of a piece of calico. In 1736 the law was amended to allow calico manufactured in Great Britain, provided that the warp was entirely of linen yarn. Between the summer of 1767 and the summer of 1768 eighty persons were convicted and fined for wearing printed calico in London alone, and seizures of imported printed calico were common. In 1774 the law was amended and printed cotton goods were allowed on payment of a duty of threepence a yard; in 1806 the duty was raised to threepence halfpenny, supposedly to prevent the demand for calico from interfering with the demand for linen and woollen stuffs.
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A caliga slipper is an Ancient Roman slipper comprising leather thongs tied across the foot and up the ankle.
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A calotte was a cap or coif worn over the tonsure by ecclesiastics in France in the 15th and 16th centuries. The name was also applied to the padded cap which knights wore under their helmet, and, during the reformation, to a close-fitting woman's head-dress.
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A calpac or kalpak is a large black brimless hat made of sheepskin or felt, worn by men in parts of the Near East.
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Cambric is a fine kind of linen originally manufactured at Cambrai in Flanders.
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The Cameron Of Lochiel Tartan is a clan tartan.
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A camesia is a Greek, sleeveless, women's all-in-one undergarment or nightwear comprising a 'V' necked blouse and short flared skirt.
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A camisole is a woman's under-bodice with shoulder straps. Camisoles were originally developed as a cover for the corset. During the 20th century the term camisole became applied to a simple cotton top for women, often decorated with lace.
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Camlet is a fabric made of long wool, hand spun, sometimes mixed with cotton, silk or linen. Originally (in the middle ages) it was made from camel's hair and later (circa 1900) from the hair of the Angora goat.
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The Campbell Of Argyll Tartan is a clan tartan.
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A canezou is a women's short, fur-trimmed, sleeveless jacket.
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A capelet is a short, sleeveless cape for women worn draped around the shoulders.
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The capeline was a British woman's hat of the 18th century. The capeline had a wide, soft brim made from fine straw faced with silk and was tied with ribbons.
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A capote was a long cloak or mantle reaching to the feet and worn by women. The name was also given to a hooded coat worn by soldiers and sailors.
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A capothe is a Greek, goat hair men's coat. They are frequently decorated with cord, open under the arms, and slightly cut away at the front.
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A capri is a fitted trouser made from woven fabric finishing at mid-calf level.
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The captain is an English style of moustache developed during the 20th century. The captain comprises two wings tapering slightly at the top and bottom towards the nose, and with a gap between them at the centre below the nose.
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A capuchin is a woman's hooded-cloak resembling the dress of a Capuchin friar.
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A car coat is a man's short, straight fit coat, usually single breasted, designed for car drivers.
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A caraco was a women's jacket worn during the 18th century. The caraco was of the same design as the accompanying gown, very full in the skirt, cut away at the front and cut off at the hip.
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Caracoly is an alloy of gold, silver, and copper, of which an inferior quality of jewellery is sometimes made.
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A carcanet was a necklace or collar of jewels. They were manufactured in Venice during the fifteenth century.
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A cardigan was originally a long-sleeved military jacket of knitted worsted, trimmed with fur or braid and buttoned down the front. They were worn by British Army officers during the Crimean War, and were named after James Brudenell, the 7th Earl of Cardigan, who led the Charge of The Light Brigade. During the 20th century the style was adapted for sportswear, losing the collar, and became a popular item for home knitters.
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Cargo pants are a commercial imitation of army combat trousers, characterised by having one or more knee-high pockets on the legs.
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The carmagnole was a short jacket derived from workmen's jackets worn in Carmagnola in Italy and adopted by the 'sans clottes' of the French Revolution in 1792.
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A carpet bag is a large handbag or bag made from fabric and with wooden handles forming part of the framework.
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A cartwheel is a woman's wide-brimmed straw hat with a low, flat crown.
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The casaquin was a light weight variation of the petenlair.
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A cassock is a long close fitting tunic, buttoning up to the neck and reaching down to the feet, worn by the clergy.
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A castor is a beaver-fur hat.
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Cat's whiskers is the term given to horizontal bands of fading that appear at the top front of the legs of vintage jeans through the creasing of everyday wear.
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A catsuit is an all-in-one, tight body covering incorporating long trousers and a long-sleeved covering for the upper body.
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A caul is a woman's close-fitting cap or hair net. They were originally made of gold net and worn by women between the 14th and 16th centuries.
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A cavalier boot is a wide-legged boot with a falling top, named after the followers of king Charles I during the English Civil War.
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The cavalier hat was a large hat with a moderate crown and a broad brim turned up at one or both sides, worn by men in Britain during the 17th century. The Cavalier hat was often adorned by a large feather on one side. This style of hat was popular among the Cavaliers of the time, while the rival sugar-loaf hat was more popular among the Puritans.
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A cestus is a type of girdle or sash named after the girdle of Aphrodite. The cestus was a long piece of fabric worn wrapped and tied about the body.
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The ch'ao-fu was a Chinese man's robe consisting of a kimono-style upper body with long, close-fitting sleeves that were terminated in a horse-hoof cuff; a closely-fitting neckband over which was worn a detached collar with wing-like tips that extended over the wearer's shoulders; a pleated skirt with a banded waist lower body. Ch'ao-fu were worn in different colours dependant upon rank.
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The ch'ima is a Korean pleated skirt worn by Korean women since the 15th century.
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A chador or chuddar is a large shawl or veil worn by Muslim and Gindu women, covering them from head to foot.
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Chalvars are an Afghan man's trouser comprised of a piece of cloth pulled up between the legs and tied around the waist creating a paper bag waistline.
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Chantilly lace is a style of bobbin lace, usually black with swags of flowers and scattered dots on a fine background. Shawls made of black or white Chantilly lace, known as Chantilly shawls, were popular in the late 19th century.
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Chaparejos (also known as chapareras, and commonly as 'chaps') are trouser-like overalls made of sheepskin or leather, usually open at the back, worn, by Mexican cowboys, to protect the legs from thorny bushes. When closed at the back of the leg, they are known as 'shotguns' due to their resemblance to a twin barrelled shotgun.
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A chapeau-bras is a soft hat which can be folded and carried under the arm. The name properly applies to a three-cornered soft hat.
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A chaplet is an ornamental wreath of flowers or beads, or a circlet of precious metal studded with gems, worn upon the head.
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A chasuble is the upper garment worn by a priest during the celebration of mass. It was originally circular, had a hole in the middle for the head, but no holes for the arms. In later times the sides were cut away to allow a freer motion.
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Chausses were a tight covering for the legs and body, reaching to the waist, and worn by almost all men of Europe at one time.
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A Chelsea boot is an ankle boot with an elasticated insert in the side.
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A Chelsea collar is a 'V' shaped neck with a straight collar set into it, the collar meeting at the front.
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A chemise is a woman's loose-fitting under-garment or dress worn hanging from the shoulders.
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A chemise cagoule was a heavy night shirt worn by Catholic men during the Middle Ages to ensure they didn't derive any more sexual pleasure than was essential during intercourse. The chemise cagoule had a hole cut in the front to allow the wearer to access his partner, but was otherwise an article of chastity.
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A chemisette is a woman's short, sleeveless undergarment that hangs from the shoulders by straps and is usually made of linen.
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Chenille is an ornamental fabric made by weaving or twisting together warp-like threads with a weft the loose ends of which protrude all round in the form of a pile.
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A cheongsam is a Chinese woman's dress with a high neck and a tight skirt split almost to the waist at one or both sides. The term is also applied to a skirt of the same design.
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A Chesterfield is a man's knee-length overcoat, usually with a velvet collar and side flap pockets. It is named after the style of coat worn by the Earl of Cheterfield during the 18th century.
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The chevron moustache is a style of straight moustache that extends beyond the lips and is wide in the centre and narrower at the ends.
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A chi-fu or lung-p'a0 (dragon robes) was a straight, kimono-sleeved robe worn by both men and women in China during the Manchu reign.
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Chiffon is a very light, almost translucent plain-woven fabric of silk or nylon.
Chiffon is the name given to trimmings or adornments of a woman's dress.
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A chignon is an arrangement of long hair worn in a roll or knot at the back of the head.
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Chinos are casual trousers made from a hard-wearing white or cream cotton fabric of a twill or plain weave, with a fly front, jetted back and side pockets.
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Originally, chintz was a painted or stained calico imported from India, the term now applies to any brightly patterned cotton fabric with a glazed finish.
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A chiton was an ancient Greek garment like the peplos, but worn on one shoulder only.
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A chlamys was a short woollen cloak worn mostly by men in Ancient Greece.
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The choga is a loose, long-sleeved Afghan garment.
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A chogori is a traditional Korean jacket.
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A choli is a short or long-sleeved blouse or bodice from northern India. The choli fastens at the back, is highly decorated with braid and is worn under a sari.
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A chopine was a type of 16th century platform shoe which was raised above the ground by a cork sole. The chopine was introduced to England from Venice during the reign of Elizabeth I, and became fashionable among the court ladies, the height of the chopine being regarded as a mark of rank for the wearer, and some rising as much as 45 centimetres. The chopine originated in Turkey where they were made of wood and were invented to keep the feet out of mud and sand.
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Cigarette pants are narrow-legged trousers with a fly front fastening and slanted inset pockets.
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A cincture is a belt, a girdle, or something worn round the body. The term often describes the belt worn by an ecclesiastic for confining the alb.
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Clam diggers are wide trousers that fall to below the knee at mid-calf level and have a curved hem and notched effect at the side seams.
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A cloak is a loose fitting, usually sleeveless outer garment.
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Cloak bag breeches were very full breeches, drawn in a little over the knee and decorated with lace or point decoration and won by men during the early seventeenth century.
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A cloche was a woman's almost brimless close-fitting hat, typical of the 1920s and 1930s.
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A clog is a wooden soled, usually leather-uppered boot or shoe generally without a back - such as the French and Norwegian clog. The Lancashire clog is a fairly high ankle boot, while the Spanish clog resembles a moccasin in appearance.
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Clothes are worn by human beings to satisfy three needs: for protection, for modesty and most importantly for display. Through the ages clothes were a symbol of social status, and the inappropriate wearing of the clothes of a higher station was punishable in England, in France and in Germany. During the reign of Edward IV in England a clothing-reform Act was passed, forbidding any knight under the rank of Lord to wear a gown, jacket or cloak that didn't cover his buttocks when he was standing. The same Act also prohibited any knight below the rank of Lord of wearing boots or shoes with a point exceeding a length of two inches (five centimetres). Today legislation has given way, via etiquette, to unwritten social conformity of dress in British culture.
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A clutch bag is a woman's bag, without handles, which is thus held or clutched in the hand.
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A co-respondent shoe was a two-tone, white and brown contrasting low or mid-heeled man's shoe popular during the 1920's and 1930's.
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A coatee was a close-fitting shirt-tailed coat worn chiefly by soldiers. The term was also formerly used to describe a woman's or infant's short coat.
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Coburgs is a corded or ribbed cotton cloth, originally made in Coburg, Germany. It was chiefly used for ladies' dresses.
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A cockade is a kind of rosette worn in the hat by men-servants of naval and military officers, or of individuals holding office under the Crown. It was formerly worn in the hats of soldiers.
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A cockscomb or coxcomb was a comb or crest resembling that of a cock, which jesters formerly wore in their caps.
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A cocktail dress is a woman's formal dress, not quite as formal as a ball gown and usually shorter, designed to be worn in early evening, such as at cocktail parties.
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A cocoon coat is a woman's cocoon-shaped or barrel-shaped coat, close fitting and narrowing towards the hem.
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A codpiece was originally a small bag or box worn by women to conceal the front opening in their breeches, and contained handkerchiefs or money. Later a codpiece became a bagged or padded appendage fitted to the crutch of a man's trousers enhancing the bulge created the wearer's genitalia.
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A coif is a close-fitting cap. During the Middle Ages a coif was worn under a veil by women and by knights beneath a chain-mail hood. Today coifs are worn by nuns.
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A coli is a shirt-sleeved breast-length jacket worn by Muslim men over a ghaghra.
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A colobium was a sleeveless garment worn by monks and formerly by the king at his coronation.
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Combat trousers is a popular name for military trousers with a knee-high pocket on the leg, as worn by soldiers.
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A combinaire was a women's body-shaping undergarment popular during the 1920's when it was worn for flattening the appearance of curves. The combinaire was made from an artificial silk jersey fabric with elastic suspenders.
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A commode was a lady's head-dress in use at the time of William and Mary, and consisting of a wire frame two or three stories high covered with tiffany or other thin silks.
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The consort is an English style of moustache comprising two wings, slanting outwards and downwards, extending the width of the top lip, with a gap between the wings at the centre below the nose. The consort originated during the 19th century and was very popular during the 1930's.
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A coolie is a Chinese, large, conical shaped hat made from straw.
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A coonskin is an American cap made from the pelt of a racoon with the tail left on.
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A cope is a silken vestment, open in the front and reaching to the feet, used in the Roman Catholic Church and more rarely in the Church of England.
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A cordeliere is a girdle made from rope, ending in a knot and tassels, mainly worn by monks.
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Cordovan is a fine leather which took its name from the Spanish city of Cordova where it was manufactured in large quantities.
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Corduroy is a thick cotton material corded, or ribbed on one surface used for making clothes. Originally corduroy was made of silk, and worn by the kings of France in the chase. A finer variety was made in the 19th century for upholstery. The cloth is strong and enduring.
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Cordwain is a Spanish shoe-leather made of goat skin or split horse hide. It was much used throughout Europe in the Middle Ages.
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A coronet is a special crown worn by nobles on State occasions and represented above their coats of arms. The designs vary according to the rank of the wearer. In England, the Prince of Wale's coronet is distinguished from the royal crown by having a single instead of a double arch. A duke's coronet has on the rim eight strawberry leaves; that of a marquis, four strawberry leaves and four silver balls alternately; that of an earl has eight silver balls on long spikes alternating with strawberry leaves set lower; a viscount's coronet has sixteen silver balls close together, and a baron's six. Coronets for earls were first allowed by Henry II; for viscounts by Henry VIII and for barons by Charles II.
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A corps de fer is an iron corset covered in fabric.
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A corps pique is a quilted corset.
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A corselette is a woman's undergarment combining a girdle, usually a short girdle, with a brassiere, and forming a lighter weight version of the corset.
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A corset is a tight-fitting article of dress, worn principally by women, to give shape to and support the body. Typically a corset is made from linen and reinforced with steel or whalebone strips.
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Cosmetics are materials used to improve the personal appearance. They fall into two categories. Those which improved the natural appearance of the skin and hair and remove blemishes; and those which camouflage. Soap is the most commonly used cosmetic. It is used to loosen and remove dirt and dead skin cells.
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A cossack hat is a warm brimless hat of fur or sheepskin.
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A Cossack shirt is a tunic-like men's or women's shirt with an asymmetrical fastening and a straight-band collar, based upon the uniform of the Russian Cossack soldiers.
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A cote hardie (Cotehardie or Cote-hardie) was a close-fitting Mediaeval tunic worn in two lengths: by men covering the buttocks and belted around the hips; worn full-length by women and often unbelted.
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A cothurnus was a boot or buskin worn by the ancient Greek and Roman actors in tragedies. It reached half way up the leg, sometimes almost to the knees, and had a very thick sole for the purpose of increasing the apparent stature of the performer. The actors in comedies wore a thin slipper called soccus, and hence cothurnus and soccus were employed figuratively to denote tragedy and comedy respectively.
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In costume, couching is the decoration of a garment with cords or braids stitched onto the surface of the work.
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A court shoe is a type of lady's shoe with a low-cut upper and often a high heel, but essentially characterised by being a slip-on show without laces or straps.
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A couvrechief was the Norman name for the Anglo-Saxon headrail head covering.
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A cowl is a sleeveless garment with a hood worn by members of certain religious orders in the Catholic Church.
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A cracowe or crakow was a 14th century boot or shoe with an extremely long pointed toe, typically six inches, introduced from Cracow.
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Crape is a thin, transparent, crisp or crumpled silk stuff, usually black, used in mourning. According to Defoe, crape was brought to England by the French refugees who fled after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. In 1560, Francesco Guicciardini mentions crape as a principal export from Bologna.
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A cravat is a rectangular scarf of silk or fine wool worn around the neck by men, originally they were worn by Croats in the French army during the Thirty Years' War and the name is a corruption of Croat.
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Crepe de Chine was originally a mixed silk and wool fabric, today it is a usually pure wool fabric, woven so as to give a slightly crinkled effect when put through a special finishing process.
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A cresida sandal was a leather sandal worn in Ancient Rome. The sandal comprised leather wrapped around the foot and ankle, but not the toe, and laced up.
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Cretonne was the name applied to a strong white cloth made of hemp and flax originally but since 1860 woven from fine wool or cotton, and printed in colours with flowers or patterns and used for curtains and furnishings.
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The crew cut is a short hairstyle. It originated in the German navy, and was adopted by the American navy, at first as a very short cut and then in 1948 changed to the following specification: 'hair neatly and closely trimmed. The hair may be clipped at the edges of the sides and back, but must be so trimmed as to present an evenly graduated appearance, and must not be over three inches in length. The back of the neck must not be shaved.'
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A cricket sweater is a traditional garment worn by British cricket players. It is a woollen, knitted, 'V' necked sweater in white or cream with a coloured stripe around the neck band and hem ribbing.
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Crinoline is the name given to an article of women's attire, originally made of horse-hair, used for the purpose of distending the dress. Prior to the invention of Crinoline, fashion dictated during the early 19th century that women should occupy a lot of room, and that their skirts should be extended outwards by the wearing of masses of petticoats beneath. Crinoline first appeared in dress in 1854 and was essentially a wire frame which hung from the waist, preserving a swollen appearance of over-skirt. In ballrooms, crinoline gave the lady dancers great grace, hanging from the waist as it did it allowed great freedom of movement of the legs and the skirt to flow. Crinoline was also dangerous. Many women were entangled in traffic or blown over cliffs and a campaign was undertaken by reformers, the magazine Punch included, to dissuade women from wearing it.
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A Croatian tie is a simple neck tie comprising a piece of fabric tied in a knot and the ends left to dangle down.
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Crochet is a form of knitting done with a hooked needle and cotton or thin wool.
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A crombie is a man's long, woollen overcoat, usually made in a dark colour with a contrasting brightly coloured lining, with a concealed packet button fastening.
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A Cromwell shoe is a type of shoe decorated with a large buckle or bow.
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A crop top is a shirt or blouse which is cut short so as to expose the belly of the wearer. Crop tops were part of the everyday costume of the ancient Celtic women of the British isles, and have subsequently enjoyed a revival in popularity among British women.
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Crystal pleats are very fine pleats, like accordion pleats but much smaller.
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A Cuban heel is a type of shoe heel which is short and straight.
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A cucullus was a hooded cloak of coarse woollen material worn by lower orders in Rome.
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Culottes are women's breeches or shorts that hang like a skirt but have separate legs. They were devised during the 1930's at a time when it was socially unacceptable for western women to wear shorts.
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A cummerbund is a wide sash, usually horizontally pleated, worn by men around the waist in conjunction with a tuxedo or dinner jacket inplace of a waistcoat.
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Cycling Shorts are short trousers made from elasticated Lycra material.
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A czapka, or lancer cap, was a distinctive head-dress worn by the Uhlans.
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Abbreviations
Costume
