Fashion A-Z

From applique to zippers, a comprehensive dictionary with definitions and
meanings of key fashion vocabulary, written by Camilla Morton.

Stiletto Heels

Stiletto heels are high and slender, tapering to a sharp point on women’s shoes and boots. Their creation was tied to the advent of technology that allowed designers to use metal-reinforced shafts that would support a thinner heel. The phrase was first associated with shoes in the 1930s (they were named after the stiletto dagger), and conjures up an image of the femme fatale, a cocktail of fetish and feminine.

Sweetheart Necklines

Sweetheart necklines follow their namesake in shape, with a curved bottom edge, usually double scalloped, that resembled the top half of a heart. Despite their demure name, however, sweetheart necklines actually accentuate the bosom, with their concave bottom edge drawing the eye downwards.