服装概述：从头到脚，一步一步

1.1.1　The function of clothing　服装的作用

Clothing refers to those articles worn on the human body. It can protect the human body; keep it warm; make people comfortable, decent and pleasant. It functions as a silent communication system that provides basic information about age, gender, marital status, occupation, religious affliation, and ethnic background for everyday or special occasions. What a person wears can also indicate personality characteristics and aesthetic preferences.

服装是指穿在人身上的物品。它可以保护身体，保暖，让人感到舒适、体面和愉悦。它是无声的交流系统，在日常或特定场合中可以传达出人们的年龄、性别、婚姻状况、职业、宗教信仰和民族背景等基本信息。一个人穿什么还可以显示出他的性格特征和审美偏好。

1.1.2　Some expressions relating to clothing in English　英语中“服装”的相关用语

Fashion　时装/时尚

Fashion refers to a popular style of clothing at a particular time or place. Fashion is not only defned in the contemporary era, but there was specifc fashion produced in every historical era. The newer styles comparing with those common and stable ones in a certain period are all part of fashion. Fashion is characterized by change; it encompasses all forms of self-fashioning, including street styles, as well as so-called high fashion created by fashion designers. At present, there are more and more people following fashion, mainly due to the development of society and economy, the change of ideas, and the popularity of the internet.

时装是指在一定时空里流行的服装样式。时装不仅限于当代，每个历史时期都有特定的时装。在某个时期，相对于那些常规而稳定的服装而言，较为新颖的款式都属于时装。时装的特点是变化，包括各种形式的自我塑造，既包括由时装设计师创造的高级时装，也包含街头时尚。现在，追求时尚的人越来越多，主要是因为社会和经济的发展，人们观念的变化，以及互联网的普及。

Costume　服装/装束/戏服

Costume describes garments of many types, particularly when worn as an ensemble. It refers to the clothing items, accessories, and makeup, for actors, dancers, and people dressing up for special events such as Halloween, masquerade balls, or Carnival; it can also refer to ensembles of clothing worn by minorities.

“costume”可以形容多种类型的服装，尤其指整套的装束。它涉及服装、饰物和化妆，是指演员、舞蹈演员和人们在特殊活动如万圣节、化装舞会或狂欢节中所做的装扮；还可以指少数民族的装束。

Dress　服装/装扮

Dress indicates a woman's one-piece garment, or a category of garments such as “holiday dress” or “military dress”; or as a general reference to an individual's overall appearance and various identities. Dress indicates the process of covering, adorning, and modifying the body. The act of dress involves all fve senses and encompasses more than wearing clothes. It includes arranging hair, applying scent, and cosmetics, as well as putting on clothing and jewelry.

“dress”指女性连身的衣服，或一种服装类型，如“节日服装”或“军礼服”；或作为个人整体形象和不同身份的一般参考。装扮指穿着、装饰和修饰身体的过程。装扮的动作不仅是穿着，还会涉及五感，除了穿衣服、戴首饰以外，还包括打理头发、喷洒香水和化妆。

Further reading: other glossaries of clothing(www.xing528.com)

延伸阅读：其他服装词汇

clothes[pl.]the things that people wear衣服

clothing[U]clothes, especially a particular type of clothes; “clothing” is more formal than “clothes”衣服，尤指某种类型的服装; clothing比clothes更正式

wear[U]（usually in compounds）clothes for a particular purpose or occasion, especially when it is being sold in shops/stores（通常构成复合词）指某种用途或场合穿的衣服，尤指商店售卖的衣服

apparel[U]the clothes sold in shops or stores；（formal）formal clothes worn on a formal occasion商店出售的衣服、成衣；正式场合穿的服装

attire[U]（formal）clothes服装、盛装

garment[C]（formal）a piece of clothing; only used in formal or literary contexts一件衣服；只用于正式或文学语境

garb[U]the clothes worn by a particular type of person; unusual clothes某类人穿的特定服装；奇装异服

ensemble[C]（usually sing.）a set of clothes that are worn together　全套服装

outft[C]a set of clothes that are worn together, especially for a particular occasion or purpose全套服装、装束，尤指为某种场合或目的

gear[U]（informal）clothes　衣服

pl.复数名词; sing.单数名词；U不可数名词；C可数名词; formal正式用语; informal非正式用语