The Fashion

The self-finished edge of a piece of fabric which keeps it from unraveling or fraying. Derived from 'self-edge'.

A triangular or rhomboidal piece of fabric inserted into a seam to add breadth or reduce stress from tight-fitting clothing.

Long rounded seams sewn into women's garments to add shaping or a tailored fit without use of darts.

The upper section of a classical order that rests on the columns, consisting of the architrave, frieze, and cornice.

A circular opening in the center of a dome or in a wall, often allowing light to enter.

The arrangement, proportion, and design of windows and doors in a building.

Having a waxy, bluish-gray or pale green bloom or coloration on the surface of a leaf or fruit.

Having leaflets arranged on either side of a central axis, like the vanes of a feather.

A small, oval or egg-shaped scoop of soft food, such as mousse, ice cream, or chopped meat.

A culinary knife cut in which the food item is first julienned and then turned a quarter turn and diced again, producing cubes of about 3mm or less.

To churn a cocktail with crushed ice using a multi-pronged tool (a swizzle stick) to create deep aeration and frosting on the glass.

The act of squeezing a citrus peel over a drink to release the essential oils across the surface and rim.

A green or brown film on the surface of bronze or similar metals, produced by oxidation over a long period; or a gloss on wood from age and polishing.

The record of ownership of a work of art or an antique, used as a guide to authenticity or quality.

Inlaid work made from small pieces of variously colored wood or other materials, used for the decoration of furniture.

A heavy fabric woven from curled fibers, typically wool, giving a knotted or looped appearance.

A covered entrance large enough for vehicles to pass through, typically at the front of a hotel or grand residence.

The range within which most notes of a vocal part fall.

The temporary disregarding of strict tempo to allow an expressive quickening or slackening, usually without altering the overall pace.

The trail of scent left by a perfume when it is worn, often described as its 'wake'.

A small, almost-invisible hand stitch along a lapel or seam edge, used in fine tailoring to keep facings flat and add a subtle decorative line.

Fabric cut at a 45-degree angle to the grain, giving the cloth a fluid, body-skimming drape.

A dense, heavily fulled woolen cloth with a smooth face and no visible weave, traditional to overcoats and peacoats.

A firm, closely woven corded ribbon or fabric with prominent transverse ribs, used for hatbands, lapel facings, and tuxedo trim.

A button cut and polished from genuine buffalo or ox horn, prized in bespoke tailoring for its depth of color and irregular grain.

A delicate hem in which the fabric edge is rolled by hand and secured with nearly invisible whip stitches, typical of fine silk scarves.

A piece of stone, wood, or metal jutting from a wall to support a structure above it.

The semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, bounded by a lintel and an arch or pediment.

A suite of rooms formally aligned so that their doorways form a single vista when opened.

The principal, ceremonial floor of a Renaissance or Baroque palazzo, raised one story above ground level and given the tallest ceilings.

A four-sided gambrel-style hip roof with two slopes on each side, the lower slope much steeper than the upper.

A flat-topped or rounded flower cluster in which the stalks spring from a common point, as in dill or fennel.

Of a leaf margin, having sharp, outward-pointing tooth-like projections.

Having lobes or leaflets radiating from a single point, like the fingers of an open hand.

The main axis of a compound leaf, inflorescence, or fern frond, from which leaflets or florets arise.

A technique in which leafy herbs or greens are stacked, rolled tightly, and sliced into fine ribbons.

To dissolve the caramelized fond at the bottom of a hot pan by adding liquid, forming the base of a pan sauce.

An emulsion of whole butter and a small amount of water held just below the boil, used to poach, glaze, or finish dishes without breaking.

A light, frothy custard of egg yolks, sugar, and wine whisked over gentle heat until ribboning.

The browned, caramelized residue left in a pan after searing, prized as the savory backbone of a pan sauce or stock.

A sudden, forced accent on a single note or chord, marked sfz in the score.

A persistently repeated musical phrase or rhythm, often in the bass.

A continuous slide upward or downward between two pitches.

A string-playing technique in which the wood of the bow, rather than the hair, is struck or drawn against the strings.

The fine network of cracks that develops in the varnish or paint film of an aged painting.

A glass display case used to protect and present delicate objects.

The formal acceptance of an object into a museum collection, recorded with a unique accession number.

Of an artifact or feature, preserved or displayed in its original location rather than removed to a gallery.

Ornately carved wood paneling, typically painted and gilded, used to line the walls of fine interiors.

A small ornamental table, often round and with a single pedestal, used for serving or display.

A short curtain or pleated drapery hung along the top of a window or around the base of a bed.

Flooring composed of short hardwood blocks arranged in a geometric pattern, classically in herringbone or chevron.

An evening ritual in which housekeeping prepares the bed for sleep — folding back the covers, dimming lights, and often leaving a small amenity.

The head of the dining-room staff, responsible for reservations, seating, and the choreography of service.

A hotel attendant who arranges reservations, transport, and special requests on behalf of guests.

A trained wine professional responsible for the wine list, cellar, and pairings in a fine restaurant.

A first shake of a cocktail without ice, used to fully emulsify egg white or cream before a second shake over ice.

An infusion technique in which liquid fat is melted into a spirit, then frozen and strained off, leaving behind savory aroma compounds.

A small double-ended measuring vessel used to portion spirits and modifiers accurately.

A perforated, spoon-shaped strainer that fits inside a mixing glass, used to hold back ice from stirred cocktails.

The final, long-lasting phase of a fragrance as the base notes settle on the skin, typically hours after application.

A fragrance family built on a contrast of bergamot top notes against an oakmoss-labdanum-patchouli base.

A fragrance family combining lavender, oakmoss, coumarin, and bergamot — the archetype of classic men's cologne.

A blend of two or more raw materials that combine into a single distinct olfactory impression, like a chord in music.

A base-note ingredient — natural or synthetic — that slows the evaporation of more volatile notes and extends a fragrance's life on skin.

The ridge between a horse's shoulder blades, the highest point of the back and the standard reference for measuring a horse's height.

A jointed or mullen bit that acts directly on the corners of the horse's mouth without leverage — the gentlest of the riding bits.

The joint and tuft of hair on a horse's leg just above the hoof, equivalent to the ball of a human foot.

A highly collected, cadenced trot performed on the spot, with each diagonal pair of legs lifting in elevated rhythm.

Close-fitting riding breeches reaching to the ankle, designed to be worn inside short paddock boots.

A single-vented tweed sports coat with slanted hacking pockets and a ticket pocket, cut for ease in the saddle.

A formal white cravat worn at the throat with a hunt coat or shadbelly, secured by a horizontal gold pin.

A leverage bit with shanks and a curb chain that amplifies rein pressure on the bars of the mouth and the poll.

A formal cutaway coat with squared tails and contrasting points, worn for upper-level dressage and formal hunting.

The classical 'high school' of equitation — airs above the ground and advanced movements perfected by academies such as the Spanish Riding School.

A rotating cage that houses the escapement and balance, designed by Breguet in 1801 to average out gravitational error on the rate of a pocket watch.

An engraved repeating pattern — barleycorn, clous de Paris, panier — cut into a dial or case by a hand-operated rose engine.

The mechanism that transfers impulses from the mainspring to the balance wheel and releases the gear train one step at a time, producing the watch's tick.

Any function on a mechanical watch beyond the display of hours, minutes, and seconds — chronograph, calendar, repeater, moonphase, and so on.

A calendar mechanism that correctly accounts for months of varying lengths and for leap years until 2100, without manual adjustment.

A synthetic ruby or sapphire used as a low-friction bearing for pivots in a mechanical movement.

The oscillating wheel, regulated by a hairspring, that serves as the timekeeping heart of a mechanical watch.

A complication that chimes the time on demand using small hammers and gongs — low tones for hours, double tones for quarters, high tones for minutes.

The highest tier of watchmaking — hand-finished movements, anglage, in-house complications, and the standards codified by the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie.

The hand-bevelling and mirror-polishing of the edges of movement components, performed with files and wooden pegs charged with diamantine paste.

The small sewing accessories — buttons, hooks, threads, tapes, zips, trims — stocked by a haberdasher.

The decorative trimmings of braid, cord, gimp, tassel, fringe, and rosette used to ornament garments, drapery, and upholstery.

A heavy, ribbed ribbon or fabric with prominent crosswise cords, prized for millinery bands, medal ribbons, and trouser stripes.

An ornamental braided knot-and-loop fastening, traditional to military tunics, cheongsam, and smoking jackets.

A maker of women's hats, originally a dealer in fancy goods imported from Milan.

A soft, lightweight twill or plain-woven silk, usually printed with small repeating motifs, used for scarves, ties, and pocket squares.

A figured fabric woven on a loom whose punched-card mechanism allows complex patterns — damask, brocade, matelassé — to be produced in one pass.

A small square of fine fabric — silk, linen, or cotton — folded into the breast pocket of a jacket as a decorative accent.

Historically, a dealer in fine cloths — silks, velvets, and other costly textiles — and a member of one of the oldest livery companies of the City of London.

Relating to laws that historically restricted personal expenditure on dress, fabrics, and adornment by social rank.

The side of a vessel or the direction sheltered from the wind — the opposite of windward.

The side of a vessel or the direction from which the wind is blowing.

A large, three-cornered downwind sail set forward of the mast, ballooning ahead of the boat on broad reaches and runs.

Varnished exterior wood — coamings, toe-rails, handrails — kept gleaming on a well-maintained yacht; also polished brass and bronze hardware.

A small triangular or swallow-tailed flag flown from the masthead of a yacht to indicate the owner's club.

The flat or near-flat surface forming the stern of a square-sterned boat, often where the vessel's name is carried.

A two-masted sailing rig with the mizzen mast stepped forward of the rudder post and shorter than the mainmast.

An upright partition dividing the interior of a vessel into compartments, providing structural strength and watertight integrity.

The pedestal or housing that carries a ship's compass at the helm, often fitted with corrective magnets and a night-lamp.

The upper edge of a boat's side, where the deck meets the topsides.

The bold treatment of light and shade in painting, used to model form in three dimensions and heighten dramatic effect.

A painting technique perfected by Leonardo in which tones and colours shade gradually into one another, producing soft outlines and atmospheric depth.

Paint applied thickly enough that the brush or palette-knife strokes stand in relief from the surface of the canvas.

A painting executed entirely in shades of grey, used either as a finished work imitating sculpture or as an underpainting beneath colour glazes.

A traditional white ground of gypsum or chalk bound in animal glue, brushed onto panel or canvas to prepare it for painting or gilding.

An earlier image, composition, or alteration by the artist that becomes visible through the upper paint layers as they grow more transparent with age.

A pose in which a standing figure's weight rests on one leg, causing the shoulders and hips to counter-rotate and giving the body a relaxed, asymmetrical grace.

Painting of such precise illusion that it deceives the eye into perceiving the depicted objects as real and three-dimensional.

The fine network of cracks that develops over centuries in the varnish and paint film of an old painting, prized for its character and used in authentication.

A muted green-grey mixture used in Italian fresco and tempera as an underpainting for flesh tones, lending warmth to subsequent layers.