Commonly Misused Fashion Words – Basque, Overcasting, Tapered

Are you an emerging fashion entrepreneur, or perhaps an expert? And, are you familiar with certain words commonly used in your line of fashion? For better understanding and to properly utilise all resources in fashion businesses, business owners need to stay updated on these words.

In this Mauvelli column, we focus on different words in the fashion industry which are commonly misused by both business owners and customers, as well as the proper ways to use them. 

So, what do basque, overcasting and tapered mean in the fashion industry? And how should they be used?

Basque 

A basque is a type of women’s clothing, in which the bodice or jacket is characterised by a long tail with a close or contoured fit which extends past the waistline and over the hips. This design was first used in France for vintage traditional dresses worn by the socialites.

The basque can be made with different fabrics, including African wax prints, for regular tops, lace in the form of lingerie, and many more. Similar to the peplum style, this outfit can be paired with skirts, trousers, or even midi skirts to achieve various looks.

Overcasting  

Overcasting is a form of needlework used in fabric designing such that a stitch is worked over another to outline a design motif. It is also used to stitch over raw edges to prevent the fabric from unravelling.

This method is similar to the zig-zag stitch, although it is much neater in appearance. It is also the best alternative for seam finishes, especially for knits. During the overcasting method, however, it is important to take note of the fabric being worked on as this method may not work well for sheer fabrics.

Tapered 

As you may already know, the word tapered means a part of an object which gradually thins or narrows to one end. Tapered in fashion designing, also refers to hems, edges or seams which diminishes or reduces in thickness at one end, hence tapering to a point.

This method can be used in designing trousers, and even shirts to make them fit perfectly without being too tight or too loose. This concept has been adopted by many fashion designers for their designs to produce comfortable and well-fitted outfits.

How These Words Should Be Used 

In fashion designing, any design that has a length of fabric which continues down and only stops around the waist or the top of the hips, should be regarded as a basque design.

As a fashion designer, during the sewing process, a stitch that is used to edge-finish seam allowances on unlined garments is an overcast stitch or the method known as overcasting.

Straight leg or wide-leg trousers, for example, have the same and wider measurements at the top and bottom respectively. However, the measurement of the top of tapered trousers is usually larger than the bottom.

These are some of the words commonly used in fashion designing, and the proper ways in which they should be used. For other commonly misused fashion words, click here.