Tailoring Glossary

Tailors, like every craft, have their own vocabulary - and it can leave a customer nodding along without quite following. Here is a plain-language glossary of the terms you are most likely to hear, so you can talk about your garment with confidence.

Construction terms

• Pattern - the paper (or digital) template from which fabric pieces are cut. Bespoke draws a new one for you; made-to-measure adapts an existing one.
• Block - a base pattern in a standard size, used as the starting point for made-to-measure.
• Lining - the inner fabric layer that finishes a garment inside, adds comfort, and helps it hang well.
• Canvas / interlining - an internal layer that gives a garment structure and shape. Can be hand-built (better, lasts) or fused/glued (quicker, can bubble over time).
• Fusing - bonding a stiffening layer to fabric with heat. Fine for light garments, not ideal for structured ones.
• Boning - thin flexible strips inserted (as in a corset blouse) to hold shape and give support.
• Padding / cups - built-in shaping in a blouse or bodice, so no separate innerwear is needed.

Fit terms

• Dart - a stitched fold that shapes flat fabric to the body's curves (at the bust or waist, for example). Darts are how a blouse gets its shape.
• Ease - the small amount of extra room built in beyond your exact measurements, so you can move and breathe. Too little and it pulls; too much and it looks loose.
• Seam allowance - the margin of fabric beyond the stitch line, which also allows future alterations if you leave enough.
• Princess seam / princess-cut - curved seams running down through the bust for a smooth, contoured fit.
• Fitting - trying a part-made garment so the tailor can refine the fit before finishing.

Finishing terms

• Hem - the finished edge, usually folded and stitched. A "blind" or hand-felled hem doesn't show from the outside.
• Pico / picot - a fine rolled edge finish, especially on saree edges.
• Fall - a strip stitched to the lower inside of a saree to protect the edge, add weight and help it drape.
• Zari - metallic thread (gold or silver, or a modern substitute) woven or embroidered for richness.
• Latkan - decorative tassels, often on a blouse back or dupatta.

Made-to-measure terms

• Bespoke - a garment made from a pattern drafted specifically for your body, with fittings. The highest level.
• Made-to-measure - a standard pattern adjusted to your measurements. A better fit than off-the-rack.
• Ready-to-wear (off-the-rack) - mass-produced in fixed sizes.

If you hear a term we haven't covered, just ask us - explaining the craft plainly is part of how we work. To discuss a garment, book a home visit or explore our designer wear.

These definitions reflect standard garment-construction and Indian tailoring usage, explained in plain language. Some terms carry slightly different meanings in different traditions; we give the most common sense. Corrections welcome.