Terminology

Trend

A trend is a shift in tendencies and behavior observed among a larger group of people. It refers to popular styles and garments present at a given time. It represents what is considered “in fashion,” “in,” or “vogue” among the general public.

A mega-trend is a long-term, global trend that influences the future development and direction of fashion. An example of this is the growing focus on sustainability.

A micro-trend, or fad, is a fast-moving trend that exists for a very short period and quickly disappears—typically within a few months. An example of this is the Stanley cup craze.

A trendsetter is, as the name suggests, someone who sets trends rather than follows them. They are a frontrunner who leads the industry toward new fashion directions and fresh ideas.

Au courant is French and means “up-to-date.” If someone is au courant, it means they are informed and aware of the latest developments in fashion and culture.

Hype refers to widespread excitement and enthusiasm among the general public about something.
When a product or brand is hyped, it receives a lot of attention, and many people are excited about it.

A hypebeast is a person who closely follows fashion trends — especially within streetwear — and dresses in the most expensive and sought-after brand items. The appearance of the clothing often matters less than the item’s exclusivity and visible branding. A hypebeast typically aims to showcase themselves and their social status through what they wear.

A fashion victim is someone who follows fashion trends without any sense of independence or originality. What is considered trendy is prioritized over what actually looks good on them.

Basic, as an adjective, often carries a negative connotation. To be basic means to be unoriginal and mainstream.

A sneakerhead is someone who is highly knowledgeable about sneaker culture.
They are footwear enthusiasts who collect, buy, and often resell sneakers—typically with a deep passion for limited editions, brand history, and design.

Kicks and creps are slang for footwear.

An accessory or fashion accessory refers to items such as jewelry, glasses, hats, bags, etc. In addition to their practical functions, these items usually complete or complement the wearer’s appearance. An accessory can also be an object like a pipe, cane, or something else entirely, if the object is carried with the intention of enhancing the overall look.

Chic is used to describe something or someone stylish and fashionable. Chic refers to elegant and sophisticated fashion.

Avant-garde refers to experimental and advanced concepts in fashion and art. These concepts are usually boundary-breaking and innovate techniques. Therefore, they are frontrunners for new ideas. Avant-garde represents a radical break from conventional norms and embodies originality.

Anti-fashion refers to styles that stand in contrast to current fashion and trends. It is a movement against the status quo and fashion norms, where people intentionally dress in radically different or non-trendy clothing.

A muse is an artist’s source of creative drive and inspiration. Most often, a muse is an individual, but it can also be an object, concept, or location.

An atelier is French for an artist’s or a fashion house’s workshop or studio.

A silhouette is the shape or outline of a garment when worn. It does not take color, print, or material into account.

A fashionista describes a person who is passionate and well-informed about fashion, design, styling, shopping, and trends.

An it-girl is a woman who stands out from the crowd and radiates authentic uniqueness. She doesn’t follow trends — she sets them. She is prominent. An it-girl doesn’t just live in the moment; she embodies it. She truly functions as a mirror of her culture and represents the spirit of her time. That’s why there are different it-girls in different eras.

An it-bag is fashion’s most sought-after designer handbag. It is a status symbol and an investment. It is unique, timeless, and — most importantly — recognizable. An iconic example of an it-bag is the Hermès Birkin bag.

A grail is slang for a specific garment or accessory that one is personally obsessed with owning. Often, a grail is exclusive, expensive, and rare. Therefore, it is usually something one strives to acquire over a longer period of time.

A must-have is similar to a grail in that both refer to something one desires to own. However, the difference lies in the fact that a must-have is typically more trend-based and represents a more short-lived desire.

A garment or a piece is a single item of clothing. However, a piece can also refer to a single accessory, which a garment cannot.

Basics are clothing items or accessories that are simple in color and construction. They form the foundation of a wardrobe and can be mixed and matched with many other garments.

Essentials refer to clothing items or accessories that are either indispensable to the individual or generally considered essential in a wardrobe.

A statement piece is a garment that carries a message or a story. It shows the wearer’s or a brand’s style and philosophy.

A showpiece is the most central garment of a fashion show. This means it is the highlight of the show and the most impressive or talked-about element.

When a showpiece is showcased at a fashion show, it is meant to display the artist’s vision as well as demonstrate their artistic skills. Therefore, showpieces can often appear abstract and absurd on the outside.

An archive piece is a garment from a designer’s archive. It has appeared in one of the designer’s past collections. Archive pieces may have had significance for the designer or the industry later on and are not simply produced annually. These are usually extremely exclusive and expensive.

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An outfit or look is the combination of garments and accessories that together create a specific appearance for a particular activity or event. Often, one tries to make the components of an outfit complement each other.

In this context, the term OOTD or Outfit Of The Day is used to describe the set of clothes one is wearing on a given day.

A style is an individual’s way of dressing and expressing their identity through clothing. It is the entire wardrobe of the individual that defines their personal fashion style.

A lookbook is a collection of stylish images of a clothing collection, style, or mood. The clothes are shown in different contexts and scenarios to express a specific feeling. A lookbook helps to inspire as well as convey a story or the essence of the collection or the entire brand.

Dress code is a set of rules for how people should dress for a given event. Usually, the dress code is described explicitly, but it can also be implicit.

Being underdressed means wearing clothes that are too casual or informal for the occasion. For example, wearing football gear to a wedding.

Being overdressed means wearing clothes that are too flashy or formal for the occasion. For example, wearing a suit to a football game.

The term aesthetics is often used in connection with design and art. It is an abstract concept that essentially concerns beauty and style — not only visual beauty but also auditory and sensory beauty. For example, “ceramic aesthetics” means the beauty behind everything related to ceramics, or something that gives the feeling of being related to ceramics.

It’s a visual theme you can express through your personal style.

A moodboard is a collection of visual elements — such as images, text, textiles, shapes, and colors—arranged in a way that can communicate an artistic aesthetic.

A sewing pattern is used in the construction of a garment. It is the template for the fabric pieces of a single clothing item and is drawn on paper or cardboard. The fabric can then be cut according to the sewing pattern. The cut fabric pieces can subsequently be sewn together to create the desired garment. The sewing pattern determines the garment’s appearance, size, and fit.

The fit of the clothing indicates how the garment sits or “fits” on the wearer in relation to measurements and proportions. Fit can also be understood as an abbreviation of outfit.

Layering is a styling technique where an outfit consists of different layers. This creates depth and can make the outfit more visually interesting. It can also create contrast through different colors, sizes, and textiles. An example of this is wearing a dress over pants.

Proportions describe the interrelationships between the sizes and shapes of individual parts within an outfit. For example, the width of a top compared to the width of pants in an outfit and how they work together.

Oversized fit means that the garment is larger in size than typical clothing items. The wearer’s body shape is usually not visible. It is bigger than what is functionally necessary, aiming to create a more relaxed look.

Cropped fit means that the garment is shorter than typical clothing items. Cropped tops usually end around the hips or higher, while cropped pants typically end above the ankles.

A flagship store is a brand’s most important and usually largest store. It is a company’s primary store with the highest revenue and the largest assortment. A flagship store reflects and showcases the company’s values and vision to the customer.

A pop-up shop is a store deliberately open for a limited time to create a sense of scarcity and exclusivity around its assortment. To maximize visibility during the short period, a pop-up shop is located in busy areas such as shopping malls and popular shopping streets.

Boutique is the French word for store and describes a retail shop that offers a smaller, curated selection of fashion and design items. Prices are often higher in a boutique than in an average store.

High-end fashion refers to clothing items and brands of higher quality and price than typical apparel.

High street fashion refers to typical and more accessible clothing, rather than what is found in exclusive stores. High street is the main shopping street in a city, so high street fashion is the clothing found there. This clothing is often cheaper and is therefore also called low-end fashion.

The term “ghetto fabulous” is associated with African American and hip-hop culture and describes a lifestyle that combines ghetto and glamour. It features sparkling jewelry, flamboyant colors, logos, and leopard prints. The style is flashy and can be perceived as superficial. It can represent either real wealth or the aspiration for wealth.

Bling-bling, or bling, refers to jewelry that shines and sparkles due to gemstones and is used to display wealth. Often, it is done in an exaggerated way, with large, bulky shapes and symbols on the jewelry.

An eponymous brand is named after a person, often the founder’s or designer’s own name. For example, Ralph Lauren and Christian Dior.

A diffusion line is a fashion house’s secondary line, sold at a lower price point. A diffusion line is often more casual and modest in its expression, appealing to a broader audience.

Zeitgeist is a term often used in fashion journalism. It is German and means “spirit of the time.” It describes the prevailing culture, intellectual climate, and societal context of a particular period. Fashion has always reflected its era, so zeitgeist in fashion is understood as the style that defines a cultural period.

Timeless fashion has no end. This means it never goes out of style because it is not influenced by trends or a specific time period. It consists of high-quality products with simple shapes and lines, so they are not affected by time and fast fashion cycles.

A counterfeit product is an unauthorized forgery or imitation of another authentic product. Often, it refers to counterfeit designer products sold at low prices. It is, in other words, fraud.

Faux means “fake” in French and refers to imitations of textiles and materials. For example, faux leather or faux fur. It is an alternative to the authentic and usually more expensive materials.

The word androgynous is used to describe something or someone that has both masculine and feminine traits.

Unisex clothing is designed to be worn by men, women, and those in between. It does not take gender into account.

Something described as vintage indicates that it is from the past and of high quality. Vintage items usually reflect the period they come from. Clothing that is between 20 and 99 years old is considered vintage. Items 100 years or older are considered antique.

Something described as retro indicates that it imitates or is inspired by the style of the past, often from the period 1960–1980. Therefore, retro clothing is a newer product with characteristics from the past.

Recycling is the reuse process where discarded clothing is collected, sorted, and broken down into textile fibers. These fibers can be reused and woven into new fabric, which can be used again.

Upcycling is reuse where parts from various discarded clothing items are sewn together in creative ways to create a new design.

Patchwork is a sewing technique where smaller pieces of fabric in various geometric shapes, colors, sizes, and materials are sewn together into one large piece of fabric. This new piece of fabric can then be used for anything.

Embroidery is decorative stitching on fabric. Threads in different colors and materials are sewn to create illustrations, patterns, or shapes. Any stitching that is not functional for holding the textiles together can be called embroidery.

Utilitarian clothing prioritizes function over fashion. It includes garments like workwear, sportswear, and uniforms that serve a practical purpose.

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