Do you understand garments?
How a garment is put together.
Two garments, read in full.
A girls top and a boys shirt from current production, each detail marked where it sits on the garment. The ten sections below take each feature in turn, across many styles.
- 01Flutter sleeveSleeves
- 02Drop waistPanels
- 03Lace-trim motifEmbroidery
- 01Cuban collarCollars
- 02Patchwork printPrints
01 / 10
Collars
The collar sets a shirt's character: open and flat, or standing on a band.
4 details · 4 styles
01Cuban collar
A Cuban collar worn open: the collar lies flat and the fronts turn back beneath it.
Style 861837Shirts · Rayon · Printed02Camp collar
A camp collar on a textured striped shirt, open at the neck, the stripe running through collar and fronts.
Style 751671Shirts · Polyester · Striped03Collar on a band
A classic shirt collar set on a band, closed with a top button.
Style 653586Shirts · Cotton · Checkered04Cropped camp collar
An open camp collar on a cropped girls' shirt in a navy all-over print.
Style 913543Tops · Viscose · Printed
02 / 10
Sleeves
Where the volume goes, at the cap, at the hem or in a ruffle, decides the sleeve.
4 details · 4 styles
01Flutter sleeve
A flutter sleeve gathered by rows of shirring across the shoulder.
Style 658383Tops · Viscose · Lace02Ruffle sleeve
A deep ruffle in place of a sleeve, gathered under a narrow frilled heading.
Style 248539Jumpsuits · Viscose · Solid03Puff sleeve
A short puff sleeve, gathered at the top and drawn in on an elastic edge.
Style 890486Tops04Frilled armhole
A sleeveless tie-dye frock with a narrow frill finishing each armhole.
Style 986301Frocks · Cotton · Tie-dye
03 / 10
Hemlines
The last edge of the garment: cut, curved, gathered or trimmed.
6 details · 6 styles
01Scalloped hem
A scalloped hem edged in white embroidery, with a straight hem showing behind it.
Style 796948Tops · Cotton · Embroidered02Ruffled wrap hem
A gathered ruffle follows the curved edge of the wrap front and runs on round the hem.
Style 752166Skirts · Rayon · Solid03Shirt-tail hem
A curved shirt-tail hem, rising towards the side seams.
Style 653586Shirts · Cotton · Checkered04Elasticated hem
A hem drawn in on elastic, so the body blouses above it.
Style 223888Tops · Viscose · Printed05Balloon hem
A polka-dot balloon skirt that curves back in at the hem.
Style 106320Dresses · Cotton · Printed06Lace-edged hem
Lace edging along the hem of a floral cotton dress.
Style 172851Dresses · Cotton · Floral
04 / 10
Panels
How a garment is divided into pieces, and how those pieces are joined.
5 details · 5 styles
01Three tiers
Three gathered tiers under an elasticated waistband, each tier lapping over the seam of the one below.
Style 912072Skirts · Cotton · Solid02Crochet bodice
A bodice of crochet squares joined to a gathered striped skirt.
Style 105774Dresses · Cotton · Striped03Peplum
A gathered peplum joined to the body at a low seam.
Style 890486Tops04Panelled bodice
A bodice shaped by vertical panel seams, finished with a bow at the gathered waist.
Style 918746Frocks · Polyester · Printed05Drop waist
A skirt gathered under a frilled heading at a low waist seam, with a second ruffle at the hem.
Style 658383Tops · Viscose · Lace
05 / 10
Embroidery
Thread and lace work on the cloth itself, from an all-over motif to a finished edge.
3 details · 3 styles
01Embroidered front
Flowers and leaves embroidered in white thread, outlined in looped stitches and filled with a stitched lattice.
Style 796948Tops · Cotton · Embroidered02Embroidered edge
Small flowers embroidered along the scalloped edge of a gingham sleeve.
Style 796382Tops · Cotton · Checkered03Lace-trim motif
A flower and spiral outlined in white scalloped lace trim, stitched onto the plain lilac ground.
Style 658383Tops · Viscose · Lace
06 / 10
Prints
Colour put onto the cloth, from fine line work to dense all-over repeats.
4 details · 4 styles
01Line print
Palm leaves drawn in fine gold lines on a black ground.
Style 699867Shirts · Viscose · Printed02Patchwork print
A dense patchwork print of tiki masks, fish, pineapples and surfboards.
Style 861837Shirts · Rayon · Printed03Two-colour print
Navy and white leaf shapes, edged with dotted lines.
Style 913154Pants · Viscose · Printed04Watercolour print
Leaves painted in loose watercolour strokes, teal, green and orange on an off-white ground.
Style 766187Shirts · Polyester · Printed
07 / 10
Closures
Buttons, ties, drawcords and openings: how the garment goes on and stays on.
4 details · 4 styles
01Button placket
A buttoned placket from the collar to the waist, with a self-fabric tie belt at the waist seam.
Style 917596Frocks · Viscose · Checkered02Drawcord
A braided drawcord with tipped ends, threaded through an elasticated waistband.
Style 759899Shorts · Striped03Waist tie
A self-fabric tie knotted over the waistband.
Style 913154Pants · Viscose · Printed04Keyhole and button
A keyhole opening at the back neck, closed with a single button.
Style 796948Tops · Cotton · Embroidered
08 / 10
Pockets
Shape, placement and the way the cloth is cut for them.
3 details · 3 styles
01Patch pockets
Two chest patch pockets with angled lower corners, cut so the check runs on the diagonal.
Style 915578Shirts · Cotton · Checkered02Bias-cut pocket
A chest pocket and the button placket both cut on the bias, so the check turns diagonal.
Style 019668Shirts · Cotton · Checkered03Slanted side pocket
A slanted side pocket, its curved opening edged with a line of topstitching.
Style 759899Shorts · Striped
09 / 10
Yokes
A shaped piece across the shoulders or chest that the body hangs or gathers from.
2 details · 2 styles
01Shaped yoke
A square-neck yoke that dips to a shallow point at the centre front, with the body gathered into it.
Style 796382Tops · Cotton · Checkered02Narrow yoke
A narrow yoke under the square neck, with the front gathered into it.
Style 223888Tops · Viscose · Printed
10 / 10
Stitching details
Elastic, shirring and the stitches that hold trims and fastenings.
4 details · 4 styles
01Stitched waistband
An elasticated waistband held by rows of stitching, with a drawcord tied at the front.
Style 927779Shorts · Striped02Shirred waist
A waist shirred on elastic, gathering the skirt into soft folds below it.
Style 226063Frocks · Viscose · Printed03Elasticated waist
A waist gathered on elastic, with the ruffles ending just below it.
Style 248539Jumpsuits · Viscose · Solid04Cross-stitched buttons
Buttons sewn on with a cross-stitch, down a placket cut on the bias.
Style 915578Shirts · Cotton · Checkered
Send the garment. We will read it the same way.
A reference sample, sketch or tech pack is where development starts. Mark the details you want kept and the ones you want changed.