Lace  |
A delicate hand- or machine-made decorative fabric created by looping, interlacing or knitting thread in an open web-like pattern. Dating back to the fifteenth century, lace-making developed out of embroidery, becoming an art on its own, out of which many distinctive techniques and patterns evolved. Today lace is most often mass-produced, but fine handmade lace can fetch hundreds of dollars per yard. |
| Lapels |
The turned-back front section of a jacket or coat that connects to the collar and forms a V where the jacket or coat closes |
| Lawn |
A sheer, lightweight, high-count, calendered cotton fabric; lawn is most often used for handkerchiefs and girls' and women's blouses and dresses |
| Layette |
Clothing and bedding for a newborn child |
| Leggings |
Pants, usually in a knit fabric, that adhere closely to the leg. Leggings were originally a men's woven garment that covered the calf and ankle, buttoning up the side and slipping over a shoe with a stirrup strap. |
| Length |
The measurement of a garment, based on where its hem falls. |
| Lingerie |
A collective term for women's underwear. Lingerie includes bras, panties, slips and nightgowns and is made in everything from silk to cotton and innovative fabric blends. |
| Lining |
A layer of fabric on the inside of a garment. This extra layer can help retain the shape of the garment, give it a neat, finished appearance, prevent it from clinging or add extra warmth |
| Lisle |
A hard-spun two ply cotton yarn made from long staple fibers and treated to remove all short fuzzy ends for a smooth finish. Lisle is a popular choice for fine men's knitwear, including tops and hosiery |
| Loft |
A term used to describe the thickness of a yarn or fabric and its ability to bounce back to that thickness after being compressed |
| Long johns |
A one-piece knitted thermal undergarment that covers the legs and buttons up the front. |
| Loom |
An apparatus for making thread or yarn into cloth by weaving strands together at right angles. |
| Loungewear |
Clothing designed to be worn for relaxing, primarily at home |
| Low-slung |
A term used to describe pants that sit below the natural waistline and rest on the hip bones |