| Ballgown,
with off-the-shoulder cuirass bodice, 1882, from Augusta of
the Gilded Age. |
 |
Off
the Shoulder
Off the shoulder necklines are wide enough to cling to the upper arms,
leaving the tops of the shoulders bare. |
| Velvet
dress with semitransparent oversleeves, c, 1830, from Estelle
of the Romantic Age. |
 |
Oversleeve
Oversleeves begin at the armhole and usually extend partway to the
wrist. The distance between the hem of the oversleeve and wrist is
usually filled an undersleeve which is sometimes detachable. The oversleeve
left is a little unusual in that it extends to the wrist and completely
covers the shorter puffed undersleeve that would have been hidden
if the oversleeve were not semitransparent. |
| Page
boy bob, from The Way We Wore 1969. |
 |
Page
Boy
The page boy is long bob with the ends gently turned under. In the
1940s, 50s and early 60s the curl was more pronounced; from the late
60s into the 70s the curl became more of a bend than an actual curl.
By then, too much curl signaled a surefire descent to dorkiness. |
| Paletot
trimmed with braid and tassels, 1862, from Camille of the Civil
War Era. |
 |
Paletot
A kind of coat fastened in the front and shorter than the skirt
that's worn under it. The most of ones I've seen have been fitted
or belted at the waist or loose in front and fitted in the back.
|
| Passementerie-trimmed
blouse waist gown trimmed with , 1904, from Helen of the Edwardian
Age |
 |
Passementerie
Elaborate applied trimming with beads, braid, and embroidery. It was
very popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. |
| Contemporary
off the shoulder peasant blouse from Heritage Brides. |
 |
Peasant
Blouse
Peasant blouses have appeared in to many variations, it's hard to
say what is and what isn't one. The main thing they have in common
is that they are fairly loose, made of simple fabric - usually cotton
and usually white, and they generally trimmed with some sort of eyelet. |
| Pedal
pushers, 1959, from Kitty Dale |
 |
Pedal
Pushers
We call them capris; the 1950s called them pedal pushers. Whatever,
we call them they are calf-length trousers. Whether or not they were
ever really designed as bicycling pants is anyone's guess. |
| Pelerine
worn over matching pelisse, 1820, from Regency Cousins. |
 |
Pelerine
A short shoulder-length cape, shaped so that it is wide at the center
back and narrow at the ends. Here, the ends of the pelerine are tucked
into the sash of the pelisse. |
| Elegant
carriage costume consisting of a pelisse with a matching pelerine
and other other accessories, 1820, from Regency Cousins.
|
 |
Pelisse
Full length coat or cloak. Originally open down the front and often
lined with fur. The one left apparently closes, though the fastening
is hidden in the ruched decorations.
|
| Evening
dress with a ruffly peplum, 1941, from Betty of the Gallant
Forties. |
 |
Peplum
Ruffle or flounce at the waist of a bodice or jacket. Peplums were
particularly popular in the 1940s and used even on some tailored suits. |
| Ruffled
pinafore worn over a shirt and short combination playsuit, 1943, Dorothy
of the Gallant Forties. |
 |
Pinafore
Apron-like garment with a bodice and skirt usually open in the back.
Meant to protect the clothing underneath. In the latter half of twentieth
century worn most often by little girls, but occasionally by women
as a workaday apron or as a fashion item. |
| Placket
decorated with a pleated frill, 1933, from the Glamorous Thirties. |
 |
Placket
The special facing in an opening of a bodice or skirt. Originally
meant to protect the opening from wear, but can have decorative value
as with the placket to the left with. |
| Hair
in looped plaits or braids, c. 2000, from Janie |
 |
Plait
Another term for what Americans call a braid or a pleat. |
| Plumed
tiara, 1925, from Jazz Age Sisters. |
 |
Plumes
Long, luxurious looking feathers, particularly long fluffy ostrich
feathers. Plumes have been used to decorate just about every clothing
and accessory item. In some historical periods, the use of plumes
have special social significance. |
| Polish
boots worn with traditional costume from Krakow, from Heritage
Brides. |
 |
Polish
Boot
High (5 inches or more) front-laced boot for women; said to have originated
in Poland. |
| Pompadour
styled hair, c. 1905, from Helen of the Edwardian Age. |
 |
Pompadour
Any hairstyle with the hair brushed back and arranged up creating
a puffy effect. Variations were especially popular in the 18th century
and in the late nineteenth and early 20th centuries. |
| Short
puffed sleeves, c. 1900, from Arabella and Miss Mimsey. |
 |
Puffed
Sleeves
Puffed sleeves can be long or short, but we usually use the term
to refer to the short ones. They've been around for centuries, perhaps
most notably in the late 1700s and early 1800s. They are standard
fare for little girls' clothes - and some big girls' clothes as
well.
|
| Pullover
sweater with decorative yoke from Munchie Bear. |
 |
Pullover
We call it a pullover; my English friend calls it a jumper or a jersey.
But I thought this one was too cute to leave out. A sweater is a pullover
if it has no fastenings - you pull it over your head to get it on.
It was probably a little harder for Munchie because of the ears. |
