Fashion A-Z

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

Princess Line

Princess Line is not so much a ‘Once Upon a Time,’ but the feminine silhouette of a woman’s fitted dress popularly associated with Charles Frederick Worth who introduced the silhouette in 1870s. He named it after the elegant Princess Alexandra of Denmark. A princess line is cut in long panels, without a horizontal joining seam or any separation at the waist. Instead, it uses darts and long seams to shape the body. In 1951 Christian Dior presented a collection, called the Line Longue, based on the princess-line.

Puckered

Puckered is when something tightly gathers into wrinkles or small folds — it can be a face or fabric. A wrinkled, tightly stitched piece of cloth may be a deliberate design feature, but more than not it is something to be smoothed out, much like the facial expression.

Puffed Sleeves

Puffed sleeves (and later puff-ball skirts) are — as the name implies — a decadent ‘puff’ of fabric. Think of Renaissance Kings and Queens with their big sleeves, or Lacroix’s skirts from the 1980s. The shape for a sleeve is gathered at the top and bottom, but full in between, allowing it to puff up and create fullness.