What is a Garment?
The word “garment” came into English in the 14th century from the Anglo-French garnement, built on garnir, “to equip, arm, decorate”, according to Merriam-Webster.
Today a garment simply means one article of clothing, such as a shirt, a pair of trousers or a jacket.
The word is neutral. A garment can be a work shirt or a dinner jacket, and the word says nothing about quality or formality.
‘Garment’ is one of the most common terms in textile and fashion industries, in particular in fashion design, often used as a synonym for clothing, apparel, outfit, and attire.
The related words overlap, but each carries its own emphasis.
Garment vs. Clothing vs. Apparel vs. Outfit vs. Attire
In conversation the five words often stand in for each other. Dictionaries separate them like this.
Garment Vs. Clothing
Garment means one article of clothing, such as a shirt, a pair of trousers, a jacket or a jumper.
On the other hand, ‘Clothing‘ means items designed to be worn to cover the body, taken as a whole. Your clothing is everything in the wardrobe, while each shirt or coat in it is a garment.
Garment Vs. Apparel
Garment is a single item.
Apparel means clothing of a particular kind, as in sportswear or workwear, and in American English it is the usual trade word for clothing sold in shops.
Garment Vs. Outfit
An outfit is a set of clothes worn together, often for a particular occasion or activity. A navy blazer, a white oxford shirt, grey trousers and brown loafers make one outfit for a summer lunch.
Garment Vs. Attire
Attire means dress or clothes, and the word leans towards dressier clothing. That is why invitations use it for dress codes.
For a wedding, the dress code on the invitation tells you which level to aim for. The Emily Post Institute gives three levels for men.
Formal. By day, a dark suit with a conservative shirt and tie. In the evening, a dinner suit is required only when the invitation says black tie, otherwise a dark suit works.
Semiformal. A dark suit, or by day a blazer with grey flannels and a tie.
Informal. A sports jacket or blazer with trousers, and the tie becomes optional.
Gain access to weekly insights on expert men's styling, professional advice on how to improve your status and social image with clever styling tips, and excellent discounts from our designer partner brands.
Take the First Step With The VOU’s Styling Quizzes
Start with our quizzes. First, take our Face Shape Quiz to see which face shape yours is closest to and get first styling suggestions.
Then, see which colours the seasonal colour approach suggests for you with our Seasonal Colour Analysis Quiz.
See which cuts are usually recommended for your build with our Body Shape Quiz, and explore the styles that suit your taste with our Fashion Style Quiz.
Transform Your Image with The VOU’s Professional Guidance
If you want help with choosing garments for your wardrobe, The VOU’s stylists offer paid styling services, from single analyses to a complete package.
Our Professional Face Shape Analysis package provides you with a stylist’s assessment of your face shape from the photos and measurements you send, personalised hairstyle recommendations, customised facial hair styling guide, expert eyewear selection guidance, and detailed grooming recommendations tailored to your unique features.
For the most comprehensive transformation, consider our Complete Image Transformation Package.
The Complete Image Transformation Package includes our Fashion Style, Seasonal Colour, Body Shape and Face Shape analyses, a brand-specific shopping guide and two weeks of support.
The package brings the analyses together into one plan for your clothes, colours and grooming.