Baby Doll

A baby doll is a short nightgown that often features ruffles, lace, bows or embellishment. Many baby dolls are made from a lightweight, sheer, flowing material. The name is rumored to come from the 1956 movie “Baby Doll” starring Carroll Baker.

Back Closure

This is a term used mostly to differentiate back closure bras from front closure bras. It simply means that the band is closed at the back, most often with hooks and eyes. If it is not stated whether a bra is front or back closure, it is pretty safe to assume it is back closure. That is the standard.

Back Wings

These are bands of fabric that extend from the outer base of bra cups to fasten in the back.

Balconette or Balcony Bra

A Balconette is a sexy bra that features low-cut cups and wide set straps that give the appearance of a square neckline. The cups are engineered to push your bust upwards to give a shelf like appearance. Balconette bras take their name from “balcony” and can be either padded or unpadded.

Bamboo

Fabric made from bamboo fibers is extremely environmentally friendly because it doesn't require replanting or chemical fertilizers. The fibers of the bamboo plant are naturally porous, so they absorb moisture and wick it away from the skin. It keeps you cooler and drier than synthetics or cotton.

Bandeau

A bandeau is much like a tube top. It is a strapless, wide band of fabric that is worn around the bust. Most bandeaus are minimally supportive.

Bikini

This panty style is one of the most popular panty styles with a waistband that rests below the belly button and around your hips. The sides vary in thickness from just a string (string bikini) to a fuller cut. The rear coverage on a bikini is moderate.

Body Briefer

This shapewear style is designed like a one-piece swimsuit. With varying levels of control, most body briefers have a stretch power net construction with a built-in bra, tummy control and a snap opening at the crotch.

Boning

Boning is a support structure sewn into the vertical seam lines of a garment or bra. The early types of boning were made from bone, which is how they got their name, but now most are made from plastic. In shapewear, boning is usually found through the midriff in vertical lines. In bras, boning can be found at the side wings, located just under the arms.

Boxer Brief

This men’s underwear style combines the length of a boxer short with the snug fit and support of a brief. Calvin Klein may have been the original manufacturer of boxer briefs, but the style has since taken off into one of the most popular among men.

Boxer Shorts or Boxers

This loose-fitting men's underwear style got its name because it looked like the loose-fitting shorts worn in boxing matches by fighters. The original were made by Everlast with a loose fit and gathered elastic waist.

Boy Shorts or Boyleg Panties

This feminine version of a men's classic underwear shape is generally low rise with wide, almost square-cut sides. These are especially flattering to straight hip figures and generally prevent visible panty lines.

Bralette

These unlined no-wire bras are very simple in design and lack significant support features like underwires, making them ideal for smaller bustlines or for sleeping.

Brazilian Cut Panty

The Brazilian cut is somewhere between a thong and a bikini at the back, so it shows off about half of your cheeks.

Bridal Bra

Technically, a bridal bra is anything that offers the perfect look under a wedding dress. It is common, however, for women to wear a strapless bustier-style bra to give a slimming effect with no straps. A number of lingerie companies, like Le Mystere, Goddess, Wacoal and Carnival, all make a line of bras specifically to cater to brides.

Briefs

The brief is an underwear style designed for both men and women. The men’s version is a classic, generally featuring a functional crossover fly, an elastic waistband, medium length sides and a full-coverage rear. The common women’s underwear style features a waistband at or just below the belly button and full rear coverage with high cut or traditional legs.

Bump Pads

These pads are built into the lower portion of a bra cup to push the breasts up for better cleavage.

Bust Enhancer (or Enhancer)

This term can refer to any mechanism within a bra's construction that gives the illusion of a fuller bosom. Some are built right into the bras.

Bust Minimizer (or Minimizer)

These are bras that give the appearance of reducing your cup size by redistributing breast tissue for the look of a trimmer figure.

Bustier

These sexy long bras extend from bosom to hip to offer support and shape. Some bustiers have detachable garters, flexible boning, optional shoulder straps or lace-up closures. Bustiers and longline bras are much the same.

Camisole

This garment extends from the bust to the waist and looks much like a fitted tank top with spaghetti straps. Most camisoles (camis) are made from a seamless stretch microfiber and offer a clingy, contoured fit but little support. Some modern styles incorporate a sewn-in shelf bra or engineered cups to tackle the support issue.

Camisole Straps

Some bras feature wide straps that appear to be an extension of the cup. These are called camisole straps and are designed to alleviate the “dig in” factor of thin straps.

Chantilly Lace

The original Chantilly Lace was a handmade floral bobbin lace from the city of Chantilly, France. Semi-sheer with large and small flowers, this lace has become popular in the construction of lingerie.

Charmeuse

The term charmeuse applies to a specific weave of fabric that is soft, supple and drapes beautifully with a shiny, satin finish on one side and a dull finish on the other (inside). It is commonly made of silk, but can also be found in polyester.

Chemise

The chemise was originally created for wear by both men and women as a protective layer between the skin and outerwear garments. In the modern age, however, a chemise is almost always a loose-fitting, sleeveless shirt-like lingerie item for women. The traditional style lacks definition in the waist area, but the modern ones are sexy and contoured.

Chiffon

This elegant, sheer silk weave is ultra-lightweight and strong. Chiffon comes from the French word for "rag" because it has a slightly rough feel to it.

Cleavage

This sexy part of a woman’s body is the vertical line between a woman’s breasts, visible when she wears low-cut blouses. Cleavage comes from the word “cleave,” which means to divide in two.

Combed Cotton

This extra-soft cotton is called “combed” because the shortest, additional fibers are removed (as by combing) leaving only high-quality yarns with excellent strength and softness. Many intimate apparel companies use combed cotton because it feels so good against sensitive skin.

Comfort Straps

Comfort straps feature soft padding or a wide profile to cushion the point of impact on the shoulders. This type of strap was developed to address the shoulder and neck pain some women experience when the weight of their breasts pull on their bras.

Compression Bra

This type of bra has been popular for sports, especially with small to average-figure women, because it redistributes breast tissue to press the breasts evenly against a woman’s chest in order to limit motion from impact activities.

Compression Shorts

Designed to combat fatigue in athlete’s muscles, these tight-fitting shorts usually resemble a bicycle short and are made from a high-stretch wicking microfiber.

Contour Bra

These bras feature fiberfill or foam lining in the cups to provide definition and shape. The contour acts to eliminate nipple show-through while creating a rounder, more shapely bustline.

Control Brief/Panty

This shapewear piece has the shape of a brief and features a tummy-flattening front panel and/or total smoothing engineered into the design. It’s the perfect minimal option for toning without wearing a major shapewear garment.

Control Slip

A streamlined shapewear garment that provides even, smoothing control of the bust, tummy, hips and thighs. Typically lightweight, control slips are comfortable and invisible under dresses.

Control Top

This is a term generally used with pantyhose to describe the stretchy, supportive top that smoothes the shape of the tummy, bottom and midriff.

Convertible Bra

A convertible bra offers several different ways to wear the straps. A traditional convertible bra has straps with slide hook attachments that can be removed to wear strapless, criss-crossed at the back, traditionally or as a halter.

Cookie

This bra insert offers padding for the cups to yield a more shapely appearance to the breasts. It is typically made of fiberfill, water, oil or gel. Many women who have one smaller breast and one larger one wear a cookie on the smaller side to even their appearance. Most cookies are removable.

Coolmax™

This polyester fabric is highly-engineered to move moisture away from the body and enhance the fabric drying rate to keep you cool and dry. Coolmax™ is generally blended with elastane for a contoured, flexible fit.

Corset

This tight-fitting, body-enhancing undergarment was worn by women to create an hourglass-shaped silhouette. A traditional corset features boning and either a lace-up or a hook-and-eye closure, with a bust-to-hip length.

Crew Neck

This is the most common type of neckline in t-shirts. The collarless style is rounded at the neck.

Crew Socks

These socks can have a variety of fabrications, but the length of the shaft is to about the mid-calf. Crew socks are perfect for sports and outdoor activities, especially when wearing boots, as they protect the ankle from chafe.

Décolletage

This term applies to both the area on a woman's chest just above her bust line and the low-cut neck on a garment that acts to expose this area.

Demi Cup/Demi Bra

The name "demi" comes from the word’s meaning: half. A demi bra is one whose cups are partially cut away to expose the top part of the breast. These sexy, flattering bras wear well with low-cut necklines.

Elastane

Also known as spandex, this synthetic fiber is known for its exceptional elasticity. It is stronger and more durable than rubber, making it an ideal addition to lingerie fabric blends to yield a perfect fit.

Elastic

Elastic is the stretchable fiber, yarn or tape made from natural or synthetic rubber. It is used to create most waistbands and leg trims in intimate apparel because of its high level of resilience.

Flat Lock Seam

This flat seam is made with a special stitching technique that forces the seam allowance to lie against the garment rather than hanging loose from it. Overall, flat lock seams allow a garment to sit flatter against your body. Additionally, they are easy to layer over, and they reduce seam chafe.

Fly

This opening at the front of underwear is traditionally made with an overlap construction. Sometimes it also features buttons or snaps to keep it closed. The majority of men’s underwear has a fly opening and it is also sometimes seen on modern women’s underwear.

Foam Cup

This foam padding between the layers of a bra’s cups gives the bra a smooth, sleek look with great shaping.

Frame (of bra)

The structure of a bra, generally the band that runs around the ribcage and holds the cups and straps.

French Cut

This term applies to a women’s brief with high-cut legs

Front Close

This refers to a bra that features a front closure mechanism rather than rear. Front close bras offer a total smooth back and they are also extremely convenient to put on.

Full Coverage Brief

A panty style that rests at the waist and has full bottom coverage with a low leg line.

Full Cup

Full cup bras are bras whose cups cover the entire breast. Full cup bras are great for fuller figures and under t-shirts.

Full Figure (also Plus Size)

Full figure bras and shapewear are simply made for more voluptuous, curvier women. They often feature a larger size range in both band size and cups, as well as larger numerical sizing for shapewear.

Full Support

A bra with good support, often designed to accommodate larger busted women. This type of bra has support features such as banding under the cups, substantially-sized side wings and a greater number of hooks and eyes at the closure.

G-String

A panty style similar to a thong, with no rear coverage and a single string that passes between the cheeks of the buttocks. This panty will completely eliminate visible panty lines.

Garter/Garter Belt

A garter belt is a lingerie strap worn around the waist underneath the clothing with four clips (two at front and two at back) made to hold stockings up. The garters are the straps that hang from the garter belt, attaching to the stockings.

Girdle

The original shapewear, these undergarments were close-fitting and extended from the waist to below the hips, often made with stretchy fabrics and support boning.

Gore (Center Gore)

A gore is a piece of fabric inserted into the seams of a garment to offer more shaping. Most bras feature a center gore, which is the piece of fabric attached to both cups at the center front of the bra.

Gossamer

A very light, sheer, gauze-like fabric

Gripper Elastic

Elastic designed to gently grip the skin to hold a strapless bra or thigh-high stocking in place. Ironically, much of the new gripper elastic is not made of elastic at all, it’s silicone.

Gusset

In terms of lingerie, a gusset generally refers to the triangular or rectangular section of fabric in the crotch area, often a snap or hook-and-eye closure if it is a piece of shapewear. Some men’s underwear pieces also feature a gusset, which is simply an extra panel of fabric to allow ease of motion.

Half-Cup Bra

This type of bra, also called a demi bra, has cups that stop just above the nipple, similar to a balconette bra. Generally, a half-cup bra is best suited to smaller cup sizes.

Halter

A bra style that features straps that fasten behind the neck. Many halter style bras are convertible to strapless, regular and criss-cross.

Hi-Cut Panty

The same as a French Cut panty, this one features high cut legs and a full coverage rear.

High Waist Brief

This brief is a hybrid of a panty and a shapewear piece, with a brief cut and a high waist panel that gives support and shaping through the midriff.

Hip Shaper

A shapewear piece designed to smooth and tone the hip region.

Hipster

This popular panty style sits low on the hips, both at the front and at the back, making it perfect for wear with low-rise jeans.

Hook and Eye

The most common type of closure used to fasten women's lingerie, especially bras. Most bras feature several columns of hooks and eyes so they offer a large range of adjustability. Many full figure and plus size bras feature additional hooks and eyes for added strength.

Hosiery

Hosiery is the blanket term for knitted apparel for wear over the foot and leg. It includes socks, knee-highs, thigh-highs, stockings, pantyhose and tights.

Inner Sling

These support panels are inside the bra cup, in a similar position to where the underwire sits. Inner slings are made of rigid fabric and follow underneath the curve of the breast to add additional support in soft cup bras.

Instep

The part of a sock that fits over or under the foot between the ball and the ankle.

Jacquard

A decorative woven or knitted pattern sewn into fabric. The name “jacquard” comes from the French inventor, Joseph Marie Jacquard, who invented the jacquard loom in 1801.

Jersey Knit

This is the fabric most t-shirts are made from. Knitted rather than woven, a jersey fabric offers soft, breathable comfort. Cotton jersey is very popular in the intimate apparel market.

Jockstrap

A supportive and minimal undergarment made for men, especially for wear during athletic activities. The construction of a jockstrap is traditionally an elastic waistband connected to a pouch of fabric that covers the genitals, with straps across the buttocks at the rear. Some jockstraps feature a thong back.

Kimono

A wide-sleeved robe with a belt that is inspired in style by the traditional Japanese kimono. The kimono style is popular as loungewear and often features a floral or scenic print with a button, toggle, or sash closure.

Latex-Free

Lingerie made specifically for women who are allergic to latex, using nylon and spandex elastic instead.

Leg Shaper

A shapewear style, usually resembling a bicycle short or footless tight, made to offer control and shaping throughout the legs.

Leotard Back

When the back shape of a bra is rounded rather that square. The shape is similar to that of a traditional leotard.

Light Support

A bra style that features little or no banding under the cups and cutaway wings.

Lined Cups

A lining in the cups of a bra to add extra support and opaqueness to the cup while reducing nipple show-through.

Longline Bra

Any bra that extends all the way down to the waist, offering some shaping as well as support.

Low Back Bra

Any bra with narrow wings at the back and/or a U-shaped back. Ultra-low back bras sometimes have a wrap closure allowing them to fasten closer to the waist.

Low Rise

Also called hipster or hip-hugger panties, low-rise panties have a waistline that rests at or below the hips.

Lycra®

A spandex fiber introduced in 1958 by DuPont®. This extremely elastic fiber is generally woven with other fibers to provide extra comfort, movement and shape retention. In intimate apparel, Lycra® allows a conforming fit.

Maternity Bra

This bra is designed with added support from wide sides and an underbust band for pregnant women. Generally, non-elastic straps, more breast coverage and breathable fabrication are common features.

Maternity Panties

A panty designed for comfort and support throughout pregnancy. Generally made from a seamless stretch microfiber, it often also features a stretchy design with ribbed support at the front and back.

Matte

This term is normally used to describe a metallic surface with a smooth or sometimes brushed finish that lacks luster and shine. It is also used to describe the same non-lustrous finish on a fabric (as in silk chiffon).

Memory Foam

A foam made from polyurethane with added viscosity for increased density. It is commonly used in mattresses, pillows and mattress toppers but has become increasingly more common in bras. When inserted between layers of a bra cup, the foam shapes to your body and then returns to its original shape after you take it off.

Mercerized Cotton

Cotton is mercerized through a process in which the threads are treated with sodium hydroxide. Mercerizing cotton increases its luster, strength, dyeing affinity and softness.

Microfiber

A fabric created from manufactured filament fibers that are spun very thin, so there is virtually no grain when you run your hand along the fabric. This fabric is lightweight, silky and durable, making it ideal for lingerie because the fabric molds to your body and bounces back to its original shape.

MicroModal

Fabrics composed of MicroModal are feather-light and natural skin huggers. The particularly fine fiber cross-section is the perfect partner for blending with long-staple cotton because both fibers have similar properties. MicroModal is perfect for lingerie construction.

Minimizer

These bras were created specifically to reduce the profile of your breasts by redistributing the breast tissue, making it easier to button up your tops without getting the gap effect between buttons.

Molded Bra

These bras feature cups that are heat-molded from a single piece of foam or fabric to form a cup shape that wears well under t-shirts or other smooth, tight-fitting tops.

Natural Fibers

A class of fiber to make materials that comes from natural vegetable, animal or mineral sources. Natural fibers include: Vegetable fibers: cotton, linen, jute, flax, ramie, sisal, hemp. Animal fibers: silk, wool, angora, mohair, alpaca. Mineral fibers: glass fibers, aluminum fibers, asbestos.

Negligee

This flowing robe is made most often from a delicate fabric like silk or rayon with lace or ruffled adornment. These variations on the traditional nightgown were first introduced in France in the 18th century and mimicked the head-to-toe style of women’s dress at the time.

Nursing Bra

Constructed similar to a maternity bra, a nursing bra features unique cup construction with clips and flaps that drop down for easy breast-feeding.

Nylon

This term applies to a family of synthetic polymers first introduced by DuPont in 1935. It is a thermoplastic silky material made by repeating units linked by peptide bonds. Nylon is also referred to as polyamide.

Organic Cotton

Organic cotton is cultivated using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. Organic production systems restore and maintain soil fertility, minimize the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers and build biologically diverse agriculture.

Padded Bra

A bra with fiberfill cups to enhance size and definition for women with smaller busts.

Petite-Figure Bra

A bra designed for smaller-busted women with narrow back measurements.

Pima Cotton

One of the finest grades of cotton in the world, ranked just after Egyptian and Supima cottons. It features long, luxurious white vegetable fibers from the cotton plant grown in the southwest United States by the Pima Indians.

Piping

A narrow fold of fabric with a bias cut. It creates a corded outline on the garment and usually creates a contrasting trim.

Plunge

A term used to describe bras designed to reveal more breast for a sexier look. With a deep front (plunge front), angled cups and a thin center gore, these bras create the appearance of increased cleavage.

Plus Size (also Full Figure)

Plus size bras and shapewear are simply made for more voluptuous, curvy women. They often feature a larger size range both in band size and cup size, as well as larger numerical sizing for shapewear.

Polyamide

This is the generic name for what we all know more commonly as nylon, a synthetic fabric composed of long chains of chemicals.

Polyester

A manufactured fiber made of acids and alcohols that come from petroleum. Since it was introduced in the 1950’s, it has become the second most popular fiber in the world, after cotton.

Push-Up Bra

This is a bra designed to push your breasts inward and upward to create impressive cleavage when you wear plunging necklines.

Queen Size

An extension of the average size range in pantyhose and other intimate apparel made to fit larger women.

Racerback Bra

Perfect for wear under tank tops and sleeveless tops because you will never get the runaway strap effect down your shoulder, a racerback bra features straps that curve away from your shoulder blades to form one center strap down the back. Many front-closure bras are racerback.

Rayon

This man-made fiber is produced from cotton fibers, wood chips or other vegetable matters. It has excellent softness, beautiful drape, high moisture-absorption and a lustrous look.

Rib Knit

A fabric characterized by a ridge effect in one direction, usually vertical. Rib knits are extremely elastic and offer a contoured, body-hugging fit with or without the use of spandex.

Rise

The measurement between the waistband and the first horizontal seam of a panty (at the crotch). Average rises are around 9” and low-rise starts at about 7”.

Satin

This traditional fabric has a silky, lustrous finish. The long, interlaced yarns of the fabric have no visible pattern, creating a smooth shiny surface.

SeaCell

SeaCell is a fabric made from Lyocell (a 100% wood pulp fiber) and seaweed. The seaweed contains vitamins and minerals that can be absorbed by the body. The porous structure of this fiber allows the skin to breathe and neutralizes odor.

Seamed Cup Bras

This term applies to any bra that has seams running through the cup. Seamed cup bras tend to give more support than those with seamless cups because the seams allow more exacting size and shape. This is why many full figure bras have cups made from three separate panels.

Seamless

This is a term that is batted around frivolously. Technically, seamless implies without seams. But in the apparel industry it means lacking seams where it counts. Seamless bras have seamless cups that have been molded into a permanent shape and fit for a comfortable, smooth look. Seamless underwear and seamless camisoles are woven on a circular loom to yield tubes of fabric that are then fashioned into articles of clothing.

Semi-Opaque

Hosiery that is moderately translucent but not completely transparent can be described as semi-opaque. The denier of these styles usually falls mid-range between high and low.

Shaper

Any lingerie style created to provide support, shape and control.

Shapewear

The overall term for any type of intimate apparel made to lend control and shaping to the body, including bodysuits, all over shapers, leg shapers, tummy shapers, thigh shapers, and waist shapers.

Shelf Bra

Technically, a bra that features a shelf-like support under the breasts but almost no coverage. However, “shelf bra” is used to describe the built-in bras inside some tank tops.

Shorty

Also known as the boy short or boy leg panty, this style is a feminine take on the men's classic underwear shape. They are generally low-rise with wide, almost square-cut sides. A shorty can be worn to prevent visible panty lines.

Silk

One of the finest textiles in the world because of its natural softness and radiant sheen, silk is created by the silkworm in the construction of its cocoon. Silk has the natural ability to regulate temperature, keeping you cool in hot weather and warm in cool weather.

Sling Support

This is another name for a support panel, which is a curved strip of non-stretch fabric that follows the natural curve of the bra to offer support, similar to an underwire.

C-IN2 Definition: Sling support underwear is designed to lift and bring forward your most valuable assets. The design has an adjustable strap that gently pulls your package up and out. Dubbed the Push Up Bra for men, the sling support offers any man extra confidence.

Soft Cup Bra

These are bras that have no underwire in the construction. Most maternity and sports bras are soft cup bras. The lack of underwire doesn't equal a lack of support, in fact, there are many unique construction soft cup bras that offer comparable support to underwire bras. Some women with larger back sizes may prefer soft cup bras because they may have difficulty finding an underwire that fits comfortably.

Soy

Soy fabric is an environmentally friendly fiber made from tofu manufacturing waste. Soy protein is liquefied and extruded into long, unbroken fibers that are then cut and processed like other spinning fibers. It’s incredibly soft and feels similar to cashmere.

Soy Fiber

Aa natural fiber made from soy beans that is antimicrobial, moisture-wicking and offers UV sunlight protection.

Spandex

Also known as elastane, this synthetic fiber is known for its exceptional elasticity. Spandex is stronger and more durable than rubber. The most famous brand name for spandex is Lycra.

Sport Bra

Facts are facts and it has been proven that exercise, especially high-impact exercise, damages breast tissue and ligaments, causing them to sag. A good sport bra can reduce breast movement during exercise up to 50%. Sport bras tend to be made from a stretch microfiber that wicks moisture with seamless cups, non-stretch straps, and often a racerback design. For smaller cup sizes, pullover compression style bras are enough, but for larger cup sizes, more sophisticated engineering is in order.

Strapless Bra

A strapless bra is just as it sounds: a bra with no straps. Any woman who owns a strapless dress or a top with a low cut back should own a strapless bra to offer the indispensable support she needs. A strapless bra should have rubberized or silicone beading along the top edge to hold it in place on your body. Many convertible bras can be worn strapless simply by removing the straps.

String Bikini

This is a panty whose waistband rests below the belly button with high-cut legs and a simple string attachment between the front and back panels.

Support Panel

This is another name for an inner sling, which is a curved strip of non-stretch fabric that follows the natural curve of the bra to offer support, like an underwire.

T-Shirt Bra

A T-shirt bra has seamless cups with light padding so your nipples won’t show through. T-shirt bras are the perfect bra to give you a smooth look under clingy tops and lightweight fabrics.

Tactel

A type of nylon trademarked by DuPont that’s amazingly soft and durable. It is lightweight, versatile, breathable, shape-retentive and easy-to-wash.

Tanga

A moderate to minimal coverage European panty style with a back panel wider than a thong but narrower than a bikini.

Tap Pant

This flirty, feminine short is generally made of lace, satin or silk and has a flattering cut reminiscent of the shorts worn by old-school tap dancers.

Tencel

Tencel is a natural cellulose fiber that adjusts itself to the properties of your skin. It's an excellent fabric for regulating moisture absorption and resisting bacteria growth.

Thong

This underwear style features a minimal back, with only a thin piece of fabric that slides between the cheeks to leave the buttocks exposed. A thong has slightly more fabric at the back than a G-string.

Triangle Bra

Made for petite to average figures, these bras typically have triangle-shaped cups and thin straps. Although they are sometimes padded or lined, triangle bras rarely have underwires.

Trunks

Men’s underwear style similar to a boxer brief but with shorter cut legs, like a square-cut swim trunk.

Tummy Shaper

A shapewear garment, usually a control brief, designed to smooth and slim the tummy.

Underwire

A sewn-in molded wiring that runs beneath the breast in the bra cups. Underwires help to lift and separate the bustline for enhanced shape and support. While the original underwires were made from wire, they are now made from both metal and plastic.

Viscose

An organic substance that comes from wood or cotton fibers and is spun into threads to create rayon. This fiber became a common thread for use in embroidery, trimmings, stockings and underwear in the 1900’s and has since dropped off in popularity.

Waist Shaper

The original waist-cincher was a short garment that went from ribs to hips and cinched the waist. Modern waist shapers are shapewear pieces fashioned after briefs with high waist construction and engineered knit-in support through the tummy and midriff.

Wicking

A term used to describe a fabric’s ability to transport moisture away from the skin. Wicking fabrics, like microfibers, are great for intimate apparel and sportswear.

Wings

The side panels on a bra that attach the cups to the rear closure and wrap underneath the arms and across the back ribs.