Fashion History Mystery #58: Alizarin to Zoster: An A-Z of Fun, Strange and Obscure Fashion Terminology (Dressed Classic)

Dressed: The History of Fashion

Episode: Fashion History Mystery #58 – Alizarin to Zoster: An A–Z of Fun, Strange, and Obscure Fashion Terminology

Hosts: April Callahan & Cassidy Zachary
Date: November 7, 2025

Episode Overview

In this playful and “extra nerdy” minisode, hosts April Callahan and Cassidy Zachary bring listeners an A-to-Z glossary of obscure, strange, and delightful terminology from the history of fashion. Each term represents a letter of the alphabet (with a few tricky exceptions) and was personally unknown to the hosts before researching this episode. Their witty banter and love of “word nerdery” make for a fun, educational journey through surprising, macabre, and quirky fashion language.

Key Discussion Points & Notable Terms

A–F

A – Alizarin (03:56)
- Cassie explains: “Alizarin is a natural dye made from madder root... It creates a reddish hue, famously associated with Turkey Red.”
- Notable moment: Cassie admits she forgot this term, despite writing a grad school paper on Turkey Red. April jokes, “Not to be confused with the house in Harry Potter, but...” (05:17)
B – Bat's wing / Bat swing (05:27)
- April first teases the macabre idea of actual bat wings as ornaments before clarifying the truth: “Bat swing was actually another textile term for a soft, slightly fuzzy cotton textile... woven in a tubular fashion, perfect for sleeves and petticoats.”
C – Calendaring (06:00)
- Cassie: “If any of our listeners are fans of moire textiles, calendaring is the process... that creates the moire’s distinctive watery effect.”
D – Diaper Cloth (06:26)
- April: “Origins in the Belgian city of Depri... famed for its linen cloth. Used in bedding and also, to cover baby's bums. Now we know where ‘diaper’ comes from.”
E – Emery Bag (06:56)
- Cassie reveals historic practicality: “An emery bag contained powdered emery... used to polish and clean one's sewing needles.”
- Memorable banter:
  - April: “Have you ever cleaned your sewing needles, Cass?”
  - Cassie: “No.” (07:29)
  - April: “I can barely manage to clean my makeup brushes from time to time…”
F – Fallal (07:37)
- April: “Used negatively for cheap trinkets... Considered tasteless or tacky. I feel like this is what all the quote-unquote proper society ladies are thinking about Lady Russell’s costumes on The Gilded Age.”

G–M

G – Gibus (08:08)
- Cassie: “A collapsible top hat, super fashionable during the 19th century... You could pop it down, making it easier to store at the theater.”
H – Hollywood Top (08:46)
- April: “Our only lingerie term! A slip featuring a V-shaped bodice.”
I – Induement (09:13)
- Cassie: “An archaic term for a garment or piece of clothing. So, just put on your induement today, friends.”
J – Jane (09:38)
- April: “A term used for false bangs... Victorians were mad for them. Wigs, hair pieces, and extensions are nothing new.”
K – Kilty Tongue (13:11)
- Cassie: “Those early 20th-century shoes with a fringed cover over the laces—that’s a kilty tongue.”
L – Littery (13:51)
- April: “Based on the French word for bed, ‘lit.’ Used in the past to refer generally to all types of bedding.”
M – Malay (14:12)
- Cassie: “A mixture of colors in textiles or clothing, dating back to the 14th century.”

N–T

N – None So Pretty (14:29)
- April: “A type of fanciful ribbon, tape, or cording from America’s colonial period.”
O – Ouch (14:55)
- Cassie: “A jewelry term referring to a clasp or the setting of a piece.”
- April wonders about the name: “Was it called that because it got caught in your hair? We’ve all been there!”
P – Parfalage (15:53)
- April: “Ultra fashionable 18th-century pastime! Ladies picked apart metallic trimmings to recover precious threads. It became so trendy that objects were made just to be ‘destroyed’ in this way.”
- Cassie: “That's quirky!”
- April relates it to sustainable crafty practices today—like unraveling store sweaters to salvage yarn.
Q – Quirk / Clocking (17:54)
- Cassie: “Small embroidered designs near the ankles of stockings. Quirking is an alternate term to clocking.”
R – Roach (18:42)
- April explains, to Cassie’s horror (18:51): “A hairstyle—front of hair brushed into a backwards roll. Cute style or not, not sure I want to think about roaches in my hair.”
S – Scroop (19:05)
- Cassie: “The rustling sound of silk. Museums sometimes use this to detect fake historic garments.”
- April is fascinated: “Would love a whole episode on fake historic garments!”
T – Tarmesand (23:19)
- April: “Garments reversible and wearable on both sides—each with a different appearance.”

U–Z

U – Ugly (24:00)
- April: “Noun, not adjective! In mid-19th-century Victorian fashion, this was a wired silk shade or veil over hats to protect from the sun.”
V – Vampe (24:53)
- Cassie: “Early American term for socks. Makes sense, as ‘vamp’ is part of a shoe.”
W – Whang (25:13)
- April: “Leather straps for thong sandals. Historically could also mean a leather whip.”
X – [No Term!] (25:54)
- April and Cassie admit defeat: “We could not find a single interesting, obscure fashion term with X!”
Y – Yarn (Glass Yarn) (26:26)
- Cassie: “Glass yarn—as in actual yarn spun from molten glass—was a 19th-century invention. Today’s fiber optics are descendants.”
Z – Zona, Zonar, Zoster (27:34)
- April: “All refer to belts in the ancient world. The etymological similarities are clear.”

Memorable Quotes

“We are diving deep into our nerdiest of nerdy episodes today. This should be an educational exercise for one and for all—and maybe, I don’t know, keep tally… I knew like, one.”
—April Callahan (03:02)
“Alizarin is a natural dye made from madder root... creates a reddish hue, famously associated with Turkey Red. I wrote a paper on Turkey Red and I still didn’t remember this term!”
—Cassie Zachary (03:56)
“You could pop your gibus tall top hat down inside the brim—and it would instantly come more flat and easier to store at the theater.”
—Cassie Zachary (08:08)
“Have you ever cleaned your sewing needles, Cass?”
—April Callahan
“No.”
—Cassie Zachary (07:29)
“A hairstyle called ‘roach’... cute style or not, not sure I want to think about roaches in the context of hair.”
—April Callahan (18:42)
“Scroop… the rustling sound of silk.”
—Cassie Zachary (19:05)
“We could not find a single x term, even after texting my costumer friends—now I have them on the hunt!”
—April Callahan (25:54)

Notable Moments & Insights

Learning in Real Time: Both hosts selected terms they themselves had never heard—reminding listeners that even professional historians are always learning. (03:02)
Language Evolution: The etymology and surprising connections (such as “diaper” and “none so pretty”) highlight how much of today’s language is rooted in historical, sometimes forgotten terms. (06:26, 14:29)
Sustainable Practices—Past and Present: The pastime of parfalage relates to both 18th-century recycling and contemporary upcycling crafts. (15:53, 17:36)
Material History: Terms like scroop and calendaring illuminate the scientific processes and sensory experiences behind fashion. (06:00, 19:05)
Lingering Mysteries: The absence of an “X” term becomes its own mystery—sparking a call to listeners to join the research. (25:54)

Timestamps for Key Segments

[03:02] Introduction to the Fashion Alphabet Game
[03:56] A – Alizarin
[05:27] B – Bat's Wing / Bat Swing
[06:00] C – Calendaring
[06:26] D – Diaper Cloth
[06:56] E – Emery Bag
[07:37] F – Fallal
[08:08] G – Gibus
[08:46] H – Hollywood Top
[09:13] I – Induement
[09:38] J – Jane
[13:11] K – Kilty Tongue
[13:51] L – Littery
[14:12] M – Malay
[14:29] N – None So Pretty
[14:55] O – Ouch
[15:53] P – Parfalage
[17:54] Q – Quirk / Clocking
[18:42] R – Roach
[19:05] S – Scroop
[23:19] T – Tarmesand
[24:00] U – Ugly
[24:53] V – Vampe
[25:13] W – Whang
[25:54] X – The Missing Letter
[26:26] Y – Glass Yarn
[27:34] Z – Zona, Zonar, Zoster
[28:02] Recommended Reading and Further Exploration

Further Resources Recommended

Dictionaries of Costume and Fashion:
- Fairchild Books Dictionary of Fashion by Sandra Kaiser and Phyllis Turtura
- Dictionary of Costume and Fashion: Historic and Modern by Mary Brooks Picken (28:02)
Fashion History Rabbit Holes: Listeners are encouraged to explore more through dictionaries, catalogs, and even personal upcycling projects.

Final Thoughts

April and Cassie close with encouragement to consider the historical A–Z residing in your own closet and invite listener interaction for more peculiar terms and topics. Their enthusiasm and playfulness make this episode an engaging listen for anyone fascinated by words, history, and the ever-evolving language of getting dressed.

Where to find more:

Instagram: @dressedpodcast
Facebook: Dressed: The History of Fashion
Newsletter, tours, and courses: dressedhistory.com
Favorite books: bookshop.org/shop/dressed

Dressed: The History of Fashion

Episode: Fashion History Mystery #58 – Alizarin to Zoster: An A–Z of Fun, Strange, and Obscure Fashion Terminology

Hosts: April Callahan & Cassidy Zachary
Date: November 7, 2025

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Notable Terms

A–F

A – Alizarin (03:56)
- Cassie explains: “Alizarin is a natural dye made from madder root... It creates a reddish hue, famously associated with Turkey Red.”
- Notable moment: Cassie admits she forgot this term, despite writing a grad school paper on Turkey Red. April jokes, “Not to be confused with the house in Harry Potter, but...” (05:17)
B – Bat's wing / Bat swing (05:27)
- April first teases the macabre idea of actual bat wings as ornaments before clarifying the truth: “Bat swing was actually another textile term for a soft, slightly fuzzy cotton textile... woven in a tubular fashion, perfect for sleeves and petticoats.”
C – Calendaring (06:00)
- Cassie: “If any of our listeners are fans of moire textiles, calendaring is the process... that creates the moire’s distinctive watery effect.”
D – Diaper Cloth (06:26)
- April: “Origins in the Belgian city of Depri... famed for its linen cloth. Used in bedding and also, to cover baby's bums. Now we know where ‘diaper’ comes from.”
E – Emery Bag (06:56)
- Cassie reveals historic practicality: “An emery bag contained powdered emery... used to polish and clean one's sewing needles.”
- Memorable banter:
  - April: “Have you ever cleaned your sewing needles, Cass?”
  - Cassie: “No.” (07:29)
  - April: “I can barely manage to clean my makeup brushes from time to time…”
F – Fallal (07:37)
- April: “Used negatively for cheap trinkets... Considered tasteless or tacky. I feel like this is what all the quote-unquote proper society ladies are thinking about Lady Russell’s costumes on The Gilded Age.”

G–M

G – Gibus (08:08)
- Cassie: “A collapsible top hat, super fashionable during the 19th century... You could pop it down, making it easier to store at the theater.”
H – Hollywood Top (08:46)
- April: “Our only lingerie term! A slip featuring a V-shaped bodice.”
I – Induement (09:13)
- Cassie: “An archaic term for a garment or piece of clothing. So, just put on your induement today, friends.”
J – Jane (09:38)
- April: “A term used for false bangs... Victorians were mad for them. Wigs, hair pieces, and extensions are nothing new.”
K – Kilty Tongue (13:11)
- Cassie: “Those early 20th-century shoes with a fringed cover over the laces—that’s a kilty tongue.”
L – Littery (13:51)
- April: “Based on the French word for bed, ‘lit.’ Used in the past to refer generally to all types of bedding.”
M – Malay (14:12)
- Cassie: “A mixture of colors in textiles or clothing, dating back to the 14th century.”

N–T

N – None So Pretty (14:29)
- April: “A type of fanciful ribbon, tape, or cording from America’s colonial period.”
O – Ouch (14:55)
- Cassie: “A jewelry term referring to a clasp or the setting of a piece.”
- April wonders about the name: “Was it called that because it got caught in your hair? We’ve all been there!”
P – Parfalage (15:53)
- April: “Ultra fashionable 18th-century pastime! Ladies picked apart metallic trimmings to recover precious threads. It became so trendy that objects were made just to be ‘destroyed’ in this way.”
- Cassie: “That's quirky!”
- April relates it to sustainable crafty practices today—like unraveling store sweaters to salvage yarn.
Q – Quirk / Clocking (17:54)
- Cassie: “Small embroidered designs near the ankles of stockings. Quirking is an alternate term to clocking.”
R – Roach (18:42)
- April explains, to Cassie’s horror (18:51): “A hairstyle—front of hair brushed into a backwards roll. Cute style or not, not sure I want to think about roaches in my hair.”
S – Scroop (19:05)
- Cassie: “The rustling sound of silk. Museums sometimes use this to detect fake historic garments.”
- April is fascinated: “Would love a whole episode on fake historic garments!”
T – Tarmesand (23:19)
- April: “Garments reversible and wearable on both sides—each with a different appearance.”

U–Z

U – Ugly (24:00)
- April: “Noun, not adjective! In mid-19th-century Victorian fashion, this was a wired silk shade or veil over hats to protect from the sun.”
V – Vampe (24:53)
- Cassie: “Early American term for socks. Makes sense, as ‘vamp’ is part of a shoe.”
W – Whang (25:13)
- April: “Leather straps for thong sandals. Historically could also mean a leather whip.”
X – [No Term!] (25:54)
- April and Cassie admit defeat: “We could not find a single interesting, obscure fashion term with X!”
Y – Yarn (Glass Yarn) (26:26)
- Cassie: “Glass yarn—as in actual yarn spun from molten glass—was a 19th-century invention. Today’s fiber optics are descendants.”
Z – Zona, Zonar, Zoster (27:34)
- April: “All refer to belts in the ancient world. The etymological similarities are clear.”

Memorable Quotes

“We are diving deep into our nerdiest of nerdy episodes today. This should be an educational exercise for one and for all—and maybe, I don’t know, keep tally… I knew like, one.”
—April Callahan (03:02)
“Alizarin is a natural dye made from madder root... creates a reddish hue, famously associated with Turkey Red. I wrote a paper on Turkey Red and I still didn’t remember this term!”
—Cassie Zachary (03:56)
“You could pop your gibus tall top hat down inside the brim—and it would instantly come more flat and easier to store at the theater.”
—Cassie Zachary (08:08)
“Have you ever cleaned your sewing needles, Cass?”
—April Callahan
“No.”
—Cassie Zachary (07:29)
“A hairstyle called ‘roach’... cute style or not, not sure I want to think about roaches in the context of hair.”
—April Callahan (18:42)
“Scroop… the rustling sound of silk.”
—Cassie Zachary (19:05)
“We could not find a single x term, even after texting my costumer friends—now I have them on the hunt!”
—April Callahan (25:54)

Notable Moments & Insights

Learning in Real Time: Both hosts selected terms they themselves had never heard—reminding listeners that even professional historians are always learning. (03:02)
Language Evolution: The etymology and surprising connections (such as “diaper” and “none so pretty”) highlight how much of today’s language is rooted in historical, sometimes forgotten terms. (06:26, 14:29)
Sustainable Practices—Past and Present: The pastime of parfalage relates to both 18th-century recycling and contemporary upcycling crafts. (15:53, 17:36)
Material History: Terms like scroop and calendaring illuminate the scientific processes and sensory experiences behind fashion. (06:00, 19:05)
Lingering Mysteries: The absence of an “X” term becomes its own mystery—sparking a call to listeners to join the research. (25:54)

Timestamps for Key Segments

[03:02] Introduction to the Fashion Alphabet Game
[03:56] A – Alizarin
[05:27] B – Bat's Wing / Bat Swing
[06:00] C – Calendaring
[06:26] D – Diaper Cloth
[06:56] E – Emery Bag
[07:37] F – Fallal
[08:08] G – Gibus
[08:46] H – Hollywood Top
[09:13] I – Induement
[09:38] J – Jane
[13:11] K – Kilty Tongue
[13:51] L – Littery
[14:12] M – Malay
[14:29] N – None So Pretty
[14:55] O – Ouch
[15:53] P – Parfalage
[17:54] Q – Quirk / Clocking
[18:42] R – Roach
[19:05] S – Scroop
[23:19] T – Tarmesand
[24:00] U – Ugly
[24:53] V – Vampe
[25:13] W – Whang
[25:54] X – The Missing Letter
[26:26] Y – Glass Yarn
[27:34] Z – Zona, Zonar, Zoster
[28:02] Recommended Reading and Further Exploration

Further Resources Recommended

Dictionaries of Costume and Fashion:
- Fairchild Books Dictionary of Fashion by Sandra Kaiser and Phyllis Turtura
- Dictionary of Costume and Fashion: Historic and Modern by Mary Brooks Picken (28:02)
Fashion History Rabbit Holes: Listeners are encouraged to explore more through dictionaries, catalogs, and even personal upcycling projects.

Final Thoughts

Where to find more:

Instagram: @dressedpodcast
Facebook: Dressed: The History of Fashion
Newsletter, tours, and courses: dressedhistory.com
Favorite books: bookshop.org/shop/dressed

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Summary

Dressed: The History of Fashion

Episode: Fashion History Mystery #58 – Alizarin to Zoster: An A–Z of Fun, Strange, and Obscure Fashion Terminology

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Notable Terms

A–F

G–M

N–T

U–Z

Memorable Quotes

Notable Moments & Insights

Timestamps for Key Segments

Further Resources Recommended

Final Thoughts

Summary

Dressed: The History of Fashion

Episode: Fashion History Mystery #58 – Alizarin to Zoster: An A–Z of Fun, Strange, and Obscure Fashion Terminology

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Notable Terms

A–F

G–M

N–T

U–Z

Memorable Quotes

Notable Moments & Insights

Timestamps for Key Segments

Further Resources Recommended

Final Thoughts