Lingerie Terms

Babydoll:
A babydoll is a short nightgown or negligee intended as nightwear for a female. The garment is often trimmed with lace, ruffles, bows and ribbons, optionally with spaghetti straps. Sometimes it is made of sheer or translucent fabric like nylon or chiffon or silk. A babydoll usually comes with a matching G-string or panty.

Bikini:
A panty style with more coverage than a thong, and less than a brief. Typically, this brief sits below the naval and on the hips, but is slightly higher than a low-ride or hipster cut. The sides are usually high cut with either strings, bands or thin fabric separating the front and back coverage areas.

Bodice:
The portion of garment that covers the upper part of a woman's body, including the breasts.

Bodystocking:
Form fitting garment made of nylon or fine mesh that covers the entire body form neck to ankle or toe.

Boning:
A strip of stiff material is placed in certain areas of the garment to help structure a desired look or support. You may see this in many bustiers and bras.

Bustier:
A tight-fitting women's top, frequently strapless designed to help shape and enhance the bust line. Bustiers are usually shorter than corsets, ending at the waist, and are often worn on the outside rather than strictly as an undergarment. Some come with G-String, thong or panty.

Cami:
A short sleeveless undergarment for women, a short negligee. Sometimes worn as an outer garment (depending on the material) or under a suit jacket.

Camisole: a camisole or cami is a loose-fitting sleeveless woman's undergarment which covers the top part of the body but is shorter than a chemise. A camisole normally extends to the waist but is sometimes cropped to expose the midriff, or extended to cover the entire pelvic region.

Chenille:
A soft wool, cotton, silk, or rayon yarn with protruding pile

Charmeuse:
A lightweight version of satin with a softer and more clingy look. Charmeuse is a common finish with silk or rayon and has less body than traditional silk finishes.

Chemise:
A loose-fitting dress hanging straight from the shoulders without a waist, typically with a short hemline. These can be worn with or without panties. Great for any type of figure!

Chiffon:
A sheer, soft fabric, especially if made of silk.

Chopper Bar:
A distinct yet delicate sculptured wavy lace on an outfit.

Cincher:
An adjustable ‘back to waist' lace-up tightly fitted top.

Crop top:
A shirt or top that is cropped above the waist to expose midriff.

Crotchless:
A style of panty with an open crotch area or slit in the crotch for easy access.

Demi Bra or Demi Cup:
These come across the breast just above the nipple, also know as a half bra. Demi's don't expose the nipple.

Denier:
A unit of fineness of silk, rayon, or nylon yarn. Denier increases as the thickness of the fiber increases.

Faux:
Imitation, such as faux silk.

Feather:
A projecting strip, rib, fin, or flange.

Fishnet:
A coarse open-mesh fabric, often seen in fishnet stockings.

G-String:
A panty with a very thin (string like) band of fabric in the back.

Garter Belt:
A flexible band of cloth worn around the waist to which garters are attached to hold up socks or stockings.

Halter top:
A type of shirt or blouse supported by the fabric wrapping behind the neck. This cut exposes open should and back.

High-cut panty:
A panty cut high over the thigh and sides but with total back coverage.

Jacquard:
A fabric of intricate variegated weave or pattern.

Kimono:
A long robe with wide sleeves traditionally worn with a broad sash as an outer garment ; a loose dressing gown or jacket.

Lame:
A brocaded clothing fabric made from any of various fibers combined with tinsel filling threads.

Lurex:
A trademark- used for metallic yarn or thread

Lycra:
A spandex synthetic fiber. Lycra is very stretchy and is used in tight, body hugging garments like catsuits and sexy dresses.

Marabou:
A soft feathery fluffy material prepared from turkey feathers or the coverts of marabous and used especially for trimming women's hats or clothes.

Mesh:
A woven knit, or knotted material of open texture with evenly spaced holes.

French Net:
An open-meshed fabric twisted, knotted, or woven together at regular intervals; a strong seam stitched on both sides of the fabric to enclose all raw edges.

Netting:
A net fabric to cover or enclose with

Opaque:
Material or fabric which is impervious to light and cannot be seen through.

Open Bust:
Style where little or no coverage is provided over the breast and nipple. Open refers to the entire breast, tip typically to the nipple.

Open Crotch:
Style referring to the absence of elastic, strings, fabric or coverage over or between the buttocks and vagina

Padded Push-Up:
Extra padding added on bottom and sides of each cup. This also helps achieve extra cleavage.

Patent Leather:
Leather with a hard smooth glossy surface.

Peignoir:
A peignoir is a long outer garment for women usually sheer and made of chiffon. Peignoirs are usually worn with matching nightgown, negligee or panties but are often worn with no underwear.

Penne Velvet:
A silk or rayon velvet with lustrous pile flattened in one direction; a heavy silk or rayon satin with high luster and waxy smoothness.

Poly:
A polymerized plastic or something made of this; especially : a polyester fiber, fabric, or garment.

Princess Line Seaming:
Close-fitting and usually with gores (a tapering or triangular piece"as of cloth in a skirt") from neck to flaring hemline.

Rayon:
Any of a group of smooth textile fibers made from regenerated cellulose by extrusion through minute holes: a rayon yarn, thread, or fabric.

Ribbed:
Vertical ridges in a garment, usually a tank top.

Sarong:
A loose garment made of a long strip of cloth wrapped around the body that is worn as a skirt or dress. Usually to wear with bikini.

Satinella:
Suggestive of satin. Satinella is especially of a smooth lustrous appearance or sleekness to touch.

Shelf Bra:
Comes below the breast to just under the nipple. It's usually supported and structured though the "boning" process which helps in uplifting the breasts for added cleavage.

Sling:
Straps attached to each end of a piece of material

Spandex:
Any of various elastic (stretchy) textile fibers made chiefly of polyurethane; also : clothing made of this material.

Surplice:
Meaning a loose fit.

Tap Pants:
Very feminine boxer shorts. Materials are usually soft, silky and/or sheer.

Teddiette:
A teddy with detachable garters. (to be worn with stockings.)

Teddy:
A woman's one-piece undergarment, combining a chemise top with panties.

Thong:
A panty with a small strip or band of fabric in the back. Thongs have more material in the back than a G-string.

Underwire:
A strip of flatted steel-wire ( or other man-made material) placed under the cups of the bra (sewn into the material) for added support.