What are global sewing terms used when making women’s dance and skate dresses?
This fabulous question was posed during last week’s WORK FLOW 3-day Masterclass event. Lene, a participant from Denmark, asked,
“Is it possible for you to make a Word list? I am from Denmark and it is sometimes a little difficult to understand the technical terms.”
Oohh, I think a list of global sewing definitions is a great idea! However, I do not know dressmaker and sewing terms from around the world so I need your help.
Scroll down to find your favorite dance and skate dress part. To help keep things clear, I added a photo of the most common sewing terms I use in my blogs, free classes and in the Sew Like A Pro™ school. These five dressmaker terms seem the most crucial to know on a global level. If you are in a hurry, click the links to go to that specific spot on the page.
- zipper (invisible and regular)
- leotard
- snaps
- trunks
- rhinestones
Please comment below to offer your feedback about these common sewing terms for dance and skate costumes in your country!
You are also welcome to leave other common dressmaker words like lace appliqués, or other sewing definition words that pop into your mind.
SEWING TERM #1: zipper
I call the zippers that blend in nicely with the leotard or dress an "invisible" zipper. Why? Because when they are done well, like you see with the two examples in the image above, they are almost invisible.
It seems like a zipper is a zipper with just a simple language translation, right?
Not according to one of my Sew Like A Pro™ members in The Netherlands. She calls an "invisible" zipper a "blind" zipper. Which also makes sense since it is difficult to see.
With regards to the "regular" zipper, I don't know if that has a real name or if it is simply a "zipper". What I do know is that most of my British Sew Like A Pro™ members call it a "zip".
What is your country's sewing term for an invisible zipper and a regular zipper?
Click here to leave your comment below!
SEWING TERM #2: leotard
Does a "leotard" cover the body or the legs? It depends on which country uses the word.
In the USA, we call the fitted garment made of stretch fabric that covers the torso a "leotard". If you are in my Sew Like A Pro™ school or have taken any of my free design and dressmaker classes, you know I use the word "leotard" often.
However, one of the Canadian Sew Like A Pro™ members told me a "leotard" is what we in the USA call "tights" -- meaning that to some Canadians, a "leotard" covers the legs, not the body.
Therefore, I began trying to use the word "body suit" instead of "leotard".
But then Olivia, one of the German Sew Like A Pro™ members, told me this week that the word for "leotard" and "body suit" doesn't exist in her language! She said Germans call this fitted torso shaper a "body".
So a dance or skate leotard in German is "dance body" and a "skate body".
These language differences are fascinating!
What is this custom made, form-fitting piece of stretch fabric that covers the torso called in your country?
Click here to leave your sewing definition below.
Psst..... in less than ten days, Olivia begins a several month journey traveling through Europe by train with her sewing and overlock machines. For better or for worse, she said that me being a digital nomad inspired her to create dance and skate dresses while sewing in different locations.
Olivia plans to design, make and sell a dress at each of her stops. She will purchase all dress supplies locally and, of course, use the local scenery and architecture as the design inspiration. Follow Olivia on Instagram or on her new website: Olivs Original, and please consider purchasing her gorgeous dresses and very clever t-shirts.
If you would like to see more amazing dresses made by Sew Like A Pro™ members, see our 2022 fashion show. Not on videos are on there yet so expect more in the next month.
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SEWING TERM #3: snaps
You know those round metal discs that can be used to temporarily close the crotch of your leotard/body suit/body?
In the USA, we call these metal discs "snaps". Some sewing school members in the UK, call them "poppers". Look at the photo above to see the metal discs to which I refer.
What are these metal discs things called in your country? Leave a comment below about the sewing definition in your language!
Or maybe the word "crotch" is not what you call the part of the leotard that goes between your legs around the pelvic floor? ... Please leave your word for that also! Click here to share.
SEWING TERM #4: trunks
"Trunks" are the part of the leotard that covers the bum and other private areas of the body.
I use the word "trunks" a lot because this area of the leotard often needs to be fitted separately from the neckline and the armholes. Therefore, it needs its own word so it can be discussed as a separate part of the whole.
What is your country's sewing term for this part of the leotard?
Or what is your word for a separate panty garment that you wear when the costume does not have a full leotard ?
Click here to leave your comment below!
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SEWING TERM #5: rhinestones
Okay, so this is not exactly a sewing term or a sewing definition, but bling is crucial for our ballroom and country dance, ice and artistic roller skating costumes!
The tiny stones you see on the blue dress photo I call "rhinestones". I have heard my Aussie and Kiwi Sew Like A Pro™ members call these "diamantes"?
What are rhinestones and diamantes called in your country?
The larger items I call "jewels" because that is what they are called in the catalogs and online stores from which I order them.
A subset of "jewels" is made when you look at all the difference shapes. For example, the small jewels that are pointed on each end are "navettes". But let us not worry about what the subsets are called or we can all get confused in a hurry.
Are jewels call jewels in your country? Or do they have a different name? What is your country's sewing term for this part of the body suit?
Please leave your comments below about any of the sewing terms we discuss in this blog.
P.S. You can also download a free list of 55 Fabric Stores From Around The World to go with your new global sewing definitions.
32 replies to "Global sewing terms for dance and skate dresses"
Hi! In Italy a leotard is called ‘body’,
a body suit/cat suit is a ‘tuta elasticizzata’,
a zipper is ‘cerniera/zip/lampo’
an invisible zipper is ‘cerniera invisibile’
the snaps buttons are ‘bottoni automatici’ or ‘bottoni a pressione’
It was so funny when I started learning the terms, most of the times they were intuitive while other terms were a discovery.
[…] it if you left a comment below saying your word for “rhinestone”. And also, check out my blog post about Global Sewing Terms to leave a comment about common dressmaker terms in your part of the […]
In Australia the term bodysuit refers towards an undergarment where as leotard refers to an outer garment like those worn in ballet. The term pressed stud was the original term for snap fasteners. Now we are global I go with the flow!
thank you SEW much, Elizabeth! … And yes, going with the flow offers the most chance for learning and growing with grace.
For me in Switzerland the only thing that puzzeld me was leotard. I only knew this kind of garment as a Body, oder Bodysuit and since it’s an engelish word, I thought it must be the same in english speaking countrys! Alle the other words are allready explained by Caroline from germany!
Hi from the UK and terms are the same as America think that’s because we share a common language x
This is a fun discussion!
I grew up in Alaska. We called tights “leotards” when we were kids, but once I started taking dance classes, the terms were “tights” for what goes on your legs and “a leotard” for the part on the body. As teens, we moved into wearing “pantyhose” or “nylons” with our dresses, which were sheer and very thin. One of my skating friends often refers to skating tights as “nylons” which always confuses me…if I skated in nylons, I would freeze to death! Of course we usually practice in leggings, but for performance, it is common to wear two pairs of skating tights (much thicker than nylons!) so your muscles stay warm.
Bodysuits became popular when I was a teenager, and bodysuits always had a snap in the crotch.
Sigrid! It is wonderful to hear from you again! I hope all is well with you. … and thanks SEW much for your comments about which words go with which body parts. 🙂
Hello,
In France, a leotard is called a “body” or a “justaucorps”
Snaps are called “boutons pression”
Zipper is called “fermeture éclair”
Rhinestones are called “strass”
?
Thanks SEW much for the comment, Anh! The “strass” for rhinestones helps me make sense of the SS after 20ss.
Interesting, l know the term justaucorps as a type of 18th century men’s coat
Here in England a leotard covers the torso if it’s worn by a dancer or gymnast . For ordinary wear it’s a bodysuit ( fastens with press studs for obvious reasons) . Tights are what you wear on your legs. A unitard is basically a leotard with legs
We call them invisible zips , l call them something more creative as l don’t like sewing them in 🙂
Vicki Russell, Australia. A term relating to fabric can be very confusing, for example 4 way stretch and 2 way stretch. I’ve encountered this when reading fabric descriptions given by various stores on their websites. So it’s crucial to ask the relevant store for their definition before a purchase.
Have others experienced this?
Good question about the 2-way or 4-way stretch fabric, Vicki. I think the 4-way should be called 2-way since it only stretches up/down and around-the-body. I count that as two ways. How someone ever labeled that as 4-way stretch I have no idea.
Perhaps you can start a conversation about this topic in the comment section of the stretch fabric blog post?
https://seamssensational.com/stretch-fabric-dos-and-donts-ballroom-dancing-and-figure-skating-dresses/
In France, rhinestones are called STRASS when need to to be glued, and PIERRE A COUDRE when need to be sewn. Leotard is called BODY.
Thank you for commenting, Nathalie! When you share your regional words, it makes it easier for everyone in our global Sew Like A Pro™ world to be better dressmakers.
[…] Are you confused by some of the American sewing terms I use? Check out the GLOBAL SEWING TERMS blog post for […]
In the USA stretch fabric that covers the torso is a leotard, a body suit usually means the crotch has snaps. Snaps are called snaps.
I live in the USA and I never thought of the difference in a “leotard” (no snaps in the crotch) versus a “body suit” (with snaps). That makes sense!
Western America here, and we use the terms you listed first.
Most commonly here in New Zealand – A zipper is a zip, a leotard is the same word, as Karen said snaps I’ve always know as domes, and seen them labelled as press studs, trunks – I refer to as pants or panty (especially when making a tutu), rhinestones – stones or bling.
In Germany:
An invisible zipper is called “Nahtverdeckter Reißverschluss” which litterally translates to “zipper covered by a seam” (where Reißverschluss = zipper).
As Olivia sais, a leotard is simply called “body” (and there is no German word for it).
Snaps are called “Druckknöpfe” which translates to “push-buttons”.
I don’t know about a word for trunks, but rhinestones are called “Strasssteine” (strass stones).
A few other words that confused me when I began to sew and talk to people in English about it, are:
godets, floats, gauntlets, horsehair, skirt yoke, sandwiching technique, the difference of armband and bracelet (because the German word “Armband” could mean either), serger (we mostly call it “overlock” in German)
After participating in a few design challenges, all these words were clear to me, but I remember that I had to learn what they meant during the challenges. So it might be useful to describe them (or some of them) in a glossary 😉
Good idea on the glossary, Carolin! This blog is sort of a first step towards that. Once I have enough info compiled, I’ll put it into PDF format and include it in the sewing school and as a free download for the challenges and here on this website.
Over the years, I discovered that “Overlock” is the more common term outside the USA so I try (but do not always succeed) in using the “overlock” word instead of “serger”.
Thank you again, Carolin. It’s always a pleasure seeing your smiling face and beautiful dresses in the sewing school and in so many Sew Like A Pro™ events!
in french we call this “boutons pressions”
Press buttons. 🙂 Makes a lot of sense. C’est très logique.
In canada we call it snaps
in England
zipper (invisible and regular) – just zip
leotard – leotard, from the frenchman Jules Léotard, a ‘body’ is a fashion item
snaps – press studs (the sewn on metal variety), more modern plastic ones attached with a tool are snaps
trunks – probably shorts, pants usually refer to long trousers in the north of england, trunks are for swimming
rhinestones – just stones
so, you see, even within one country there is variation
you have opened a can of worms Teresa
Katharine
Worms can be fun 🙂 Thank you SEW much for commenting Katharine!
In Denmark they are called Push-buttons.
In Australia we call snaps “press studs”
Thank you for replying, HelenMary!
It fascinates me that even though Australia and New Zealand are so close in proximity and both English speaking countries, that each country uses a different word for what I call a “snap”.
Snaps are called domes in New Zealand
Thanks SEW much for replying, Karen!
It fascinates me that even though Australia and New Zealand are so close in proximity and both English speaking countries, that you use two different words (“domes” and “press studs”) for what I call a “snap”.