Frog Fastenings
Frog Fastenings are sometimes referred to as a ‘Chinese frog’. These are ornamental braidings used to fasten the front of a garment and consist of a button on one side, with a loop to pass through on the other. The ‘frogs’ stand out eitherside like bookends. The fastenings date all the way back to Ancient China, but were famously used in in the brocade down the front of 17th century military uniforms. It was then that this decorative technique became known as ‘frogging’.
Gaiter
Gaiter, similar to a spat, is a protective covering of cloth or leather that sits over a shoe. Both cover the ankles and sometimes even the lower leg. But while a gaiter is is an overshoe, a spat can be incorporated into the shoe itself, covering the instep and ankle. Imagine ‘Spats’ Columbo, the gangster in Prohibition America in Billy Wilder’s 1959 film ‘Some Like it Hot’.
Gathering
Gathering is a sewing technique that reduces the length of piece of fabric, so a longer piece can match and be attached to a shorter one. It is used to manage, as much as disguise, a source of fullness — such as on a cuff or sleeve — and can also pinch a skirt into a waistband or bodice.