shirtwaist
Noun: A woman's tailored blouse or top, typically resembling a man's shirt in style, featuring a collar, buttons down the full front length, and sometimes cuffs. Historically, it refers to a specific garment popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The term "shirtwaist" specifically describes a type of blouse. It is used to denote a garment that is more structured and formal than a casual blouse. - It is a countable noun (e.g., a shirtwaist, two shirtwaists). - It is often used in historical or fashion contexts to describe vintage styles.
- She wore a crisp white shirtwaist tucked into a long skirt.
- The Gibson Girl look often included a high-necked shirtwaist.
- Her wardrobe contained several classic shirtwaists for the office.
- "Shirtwaist dress": A dress designed with a bodice that mimics the style of a shirtwaist blouse, typically featuring a button-down front and a collar. This is a related compound term.
- Her shirtwaist dress was both elegant and practical.
- Shirtwaister (noun): The British English term for "shirtwaist."
- In the UK, this garment is known as a shirtwaister.
- Tailored blouse (noun phrase): A close synonym describing a similarly structured garment.
- Tailored blouse
- Button-down blouse
The word "shirtwaist" has a specific, historical meaning and is not commonly used in modern everyday fashion discourse outside of vintage or descriptive contexts. Its primary meaning is the tailored blouse described above.
- a blouse with buttons down the front
- in Britain they call a shirtwaist a shirtwaister