Ever wonder what the difference is between a shift dress and a sheath dress? Never really understood the whole "Couture" thing? Use our Style Vocab resource to brush up on some commonly used fashion terms and phrases and improve your fashion IQ - because hey, it takes more than just great clothes to be stylish!

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Degradé

Degradé is a painterly technique of color fading or blending. Usually transitioning from light to dark. The degradé technique creates a look very similar to that of an ombré dip-dye, but it makes a smoother transition between colors.

Diffusion Line

Is a collection of clothing that aims to offer a designer's aesthetic to the masses; lines like Kors (by Michael Kors), Marc by Marc Jacobs (by Marc Jacobs), See by Chloe (by Chloe), and M (by Missoni) are all examples of diffusion lines.

Directional

Used to refer to a particularly important design that might alter the trendscape (direction) of fashion in the future.

Distressing

Distressing refers to any signs of fraying, tearing or fading on denim. New denim is often artificially distressed to make it appear more broken in. Designer brands such as Seven for All Mankind, Citizens of Humanity, J. Brand, and Joe's Jeans are especially well know for their distressed detailing.

Dolman Sleeve

A Dolman Sleeve is a full sleeve that is very wide at the armhole and narrow at the wrist.

D'Orsay

A style of pump (heel) featuring one or both sides cut out. Pronounced "door-say."

Double Breasted

Double Breasted garments have one-half of the front lapped over the other and usually have a double row of buttons and a single row of buttonholes.

Dry Denim

"Dry Denim" refers to denim fabric that is not washed after being dyed during its production. The appeal of dry denim lies in the fact that with time the fabric will fade in a manner similar to factory distressed denim. With dry denim, however, such fading is affected by the body of the person who wears the jeans and the activities of their daily life. This creates a more natural, unique look than pre-distressed denim.

Duster

A "Duster" is a long, open coat, usually lightweight, often without a button or zip closure.