The Language of Clothing

[Panache]

Having taught English and other subjects for just over 32 years, and having studied, read, and spoken, four other languages I consider myself a bit of a linguist. English, it would appear, morphs more quickly than most other languages, steals from them, redfines, and moves about.

An interesting couple of examples: first the change in meaning over the last century for the word "Gay". The Christmas carol was "Don we now, our gay apparel" with no reference whatever to sexual orientation. Similarly, when I was young, the word 'streak' referred to a smudge on a window. Then it became someone running naked through a sports event. It appears to once more be a smudge.

Don't be frustrated if words change their meaning. I could take you on a very complex theological dive into the meaning of some scriptural words and terms too. Not the subject matter of this forum. Change is just the way (to the horror of lawyers writing contracts and legislators writing laws) ...the way English works.

Father Bill,

I have described to elementary school students that English is a language that lurks in dark alleys and mugs other languages for vocabulary.

Cheers

Jamies

[MacKenzie]

Prior to reading this if you'd asked me what color khaki was I would have said, "A light tan or sand color. Unless you're from across the pond, where their khaki is what we refer to as 'OD green'."

And I have said as much many, many times.

In British English and some other Commonwealth usage, khaki may also refer to a shade of green known as olive drab.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khaki

[MacKenzie]

For my entire life blazer and sport jacket have been used interchangeably to refer to a "suit coat/jacket" that does not match the trousers.

Tan (khaki) pants & a dark blue jacket = slacks and and a blazer.

Matching pants & jacket = suit.

Matching pants, jacket & vest = three-piece suit.

[Father Bill]

For my entire life blazer and sport jacket have been used interchangeably to refer to a "suit coat/jacket" that does not match the trousers.

Have to disagree a mite. To me a blazer is one colour usually navy or black with brightly contrasting brass buttons, whereas a sport jacket can be tweed, windowpane, or other possibilities with subdued buttons.

[MacKenzie]

Have to disagree a mite. To me a blazer is one colour usually navy or black with brightly contrasting brass buttons, whereas a sport jacket can be tweed, windowpane, or other possibilities with subdued buttons.

Makes more sense.

Of course my only exposure to anything that could be considered "dress" clothing was Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes and what my dad wore to work... until I got into JROTC. I was about as far removed from "society" as one could get.

[Janner52]

For my entire life blazer and sport jacket have been used interchangeably to refer to a "suit coat/jacket" that does not match the trousers.

Tan (khaki) pants & a dark blue jacket = slacks and and a blazer.

Matching pants & jacket = suit.

Matching pants, jacket & vest = three-piece suit.

I agree with the last two however sports jacket that originally referred to what was generally a tweed or similar looking jacket worn with plan trousers and in the day was referred to as casual wear.

A blazer was usually plain coloured, mostly navy blue, or striped and often with shiny buttons and an embroidered pocket badge.

This was the case in the UK.

[Touchstone]

I agree with the last two however sports jacket that originally referred to what was generally a tweed or similar looking jacket worn with plan trousers and in the day was referred to as casual wear.

A blazer was usually plain coloured, mostly navy blue, or striped and often with shiny buttons and an embroidered pocket badge.

This was the case in the UK.

Quite right, technically, but MacKenzie is also correct in noting that (in the US at least) the two terms are often used interchangeably.

[Bruce Scott]

Prior to reading this if you'd asked me what color khaki was I would have said, "A light tan or sand color. Unless you're from across the pond, where their khaki is what we refer to as 'OD green'."

And I have said as much many, many times.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khaki

Across the pond the light tan or sand colour is also known as khaki despite the woolen khaki uniforms being much darker, for example, these khaki drill shorts:

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30100818

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khaki_drill

[Janner52]

Prior to reading this if you'd asked me what color khaki was I would have said, "A light tan or sand color. Unless you're from across the pond, where their khaki is what we refer to as 'OD green'."

And I have said as much many, many times.

As a person from across the pond, and someone who has worn khaki (sand coloured) and olive green clothing for about 35 years I have never heard olive green referred to as khaki except in the last few years when retailers have advertised it as such. Olive green has always been referred to as such or as OG or olive drab. So I am not sure where this came from.

Whether or not this is the case in mainland Europe, or any other country,I would not know for sure.

[MacKenzie]

As a person from across the pond, and someone who has worn khaki (sand coloured) and olive green clothing for about 35 years I have never heard olive green referred to as khaki except in the last few years when retailers have advertised it as such. Olive green has always been referred to as such or as OG or olive drab. So I am not sure where this came from.

I hadn't thought about it for many years until this thread. I read, studied, absorbed everything WWII during my younger years, and I have it burned into my brain that, "The Brits call OD green khaki."

So file it as "anecdotal".