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bra  (brassiere)  a woman's close-fitting undergarment with cups for bust support.  Learn more about bras from our bra glossary.

bracelet  an ornamental band or chain worn around the wrist

bradford spinning  english method of spinning wool into worsted yarn. The wool is thoroughly oiled before it is combed, producing a smooth, lustrous yarn used for worsted suitings. This is distinct from the French system which is dry spun.

bragette  A codpiece, a piece of leather or stuffed material worn to accent the male groin

brassard  a cloth band worn around the upper arm usually bearing an identifying mark

brassiere  a woman's close-fitting undergarment with cups for bust support

break  a temporary interference with the growth of the wool, causing a marked thinning of all or a proportion of the fibre population, and producing distinct weaknesses in one part of the staple. It is caused by a sudden change of pasture, want of feed or water, sickness, bad lambing, or faulty dipping.

breastplate  a vestment worn in ancient times by a Jewish high priest set with 12 gems bearing names of the tribes of Israel

breech  short pants covering the hips and thighs and fitting snugly at the lower edges at or just below the knee; pants

breechcloth  loincloth

brick red  a moderate reddish brown.

brief  short snug pants or underpants

brilliantine  a light lustrous fabric that is similar to alpaca and is woven usually with a cotton warpand mohair or worsted filling.

brim is a part of headwear.  The brim is also known as a bill or visor.  It is the part of the cap that helps shield the wearers face from the sun.

britches  breeches, trousers

broadcloth  cotton and silk, and rayon.  Plain weave and in most cotton broadcloths made with a very fine crosswise rib weave.  Originally indicated a cloth woven on a wide loom.  Very closely woven and in cotton, made from either carded or combed yarns. The filling is heavier and has less twist.  It is finer than poplin when made with a crosswise rib and it is lustrous and soft with a good texture.  Thread count ranges from high quality 144 x 60 count down to 80 x 60.  Has a smooth finish.  May be bleached, dyed, or printed; also is often mercerized.  Wears very well.  If not of a high quality or treated, it wrinkles very badly.  Finest quality made from Egyptian or combed pima cotton - also sea island.  Used in Shirts, dresses, particularly the tailored type in plain colors, blouses, summer wear of all kinds.    (Wool Broadcloth) Usually a twill with a two up and one down construction. Some also in the plain weave.  Has a napped face, closely sheared and polished, producing a silky gloss - in same group of fabrics as kersey, beaver cloth, melton. One way nap, must be handled like velvet when cutting. It comes in a variety of colors and weights. It is "dressy" fabric and must be handled with care - form fitting and drapes well.

broadfall  the wide falling front flap of breeches or trousers such as those of sailors.  Split falls are the narrower type of flap found on lederhosen and some jhodpurs.  The plural broadfalls is sometimes used to mean trousers having a broadfall. 

brocade  a rich oriental silk fabric with raised patterns in gold and silver.  Cotton brocade often has the ground of cotton and the pattern of rayon and silk.  Pattern is in low relief.  Generally weaved in Jacquard and dobby.  Rich, heavy, elaborate design effect. Sometimes with colored or metallic threads making the design usually against a satin weave background.  This makes the figures stand out.  The figures in brocade are rather loose, while in damask the figure threads are actually bound into the material.  The pattern may be satin on a twill ground or twill on a satin ground.   Often reversible. The motifs may be of flowers, foliage, scrollwork, pastoral scenes, or other designs.  Generally reputed to have been developed from the latin name "brocade" which means to figure.   (Example of brocade)

brocatelle  silk, rayon, cotton, and synthetics.  Jacquard - double or backed cloth.  Originally supposed to be an imitation of Italian tooled leather - satin or twill pattern on plain or satin ground.   It is recognized by a smooth raised figure of warp-effect, usually in a satin weave construction, on a filling effect background.  True brocatelle is a double weave made of silk and linen warp and a silk and linen filling.  Present-day materials may have changed from the XIIIth adn XIVth Century fabrics, but they still have the embossed figure in the tight, compact woven warp-effect.  While brocatelle is sometimes classed as a flat fabric, it shows patterns which stand out in "high relief" in a sort of blistered effect.

brogan  a heavy shoe, especially a coarse work shoe reaching to the ankle

brogue  a stout coarse shoe worn formerly in Ireland and the Scottish Highlands; a heavy shoe often with a hobnailed sole, brogan; a stout oxford shoe with perforations and usually a wing tip

broker  A person who buys or sells merchandise for other individuals and earns a commission or profit based upon a percent of product.  (definition provided by Robert Cyr at RLC Trading)

bronze  a moderate yellowish brown.

brown  any of a group of colors between red and yellow in hue, of medium to low lightness, and of moderate to low saturation.

brunet (also brunette) of a dark-brown or black color.

brussels lace any of various fine needlepoint or bobbin laces with floral designs made originally in or near Brussels.

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