Figure 1.--.

We will archive foreign language terms here. We will use English language definitions, although we may try to add foreign language definitions in the future. At least the alphabetical listing of foreign terms will help our non-English speakers find the topics of interest. We also plan to use this page to follow foreign-language fashion terms which provide insights into fashion developments. Again this project will require some time to pursue so it will be a while before we will be able to compile a substantial list. Many Spanish clothing terms are distinct, but there are also a lot of similarities with English and French. In terms of clothing and fashion terms, the general trend has been the adoption of many English and foreign terms into Spanish. Relatively few Spanish clothing terms have become English terms. Several terms like "sombrero" have become recognizeable in English, but only a few like "poncho" have been incorporated into English.

Archivaremos aquí términos del idioma extranjero. Utilizaremos definiciones del lenguaje inglés, aunque trataremos de agregar definiciones de idiomas extranjeros en el futuro. Al menos el listado alfabético de términos no nativos ayudará a nuestros lectores no angloparlantes a encontrar los distintos temas que sean de su interés. También planeamos utilizar esta pagina para seguir los términos extranjeros que hayan tenido penetracion en el desarrollo de la moda. Este proyecto requerirá otra vez un cierto tiempo de desarrollo hasta que podamos compilar una lista substancial. Muchos términos españoles referidos a la ropa son muy distintos de un idioma a otro, pero, no obstante también existen muchas semejanzas con el inglés y el francés. En términos de la ropa y de la moda, la tendencia general ha sido la adopción de muchos términos ingleses y extranjeros en español. Relativamente pocos términos españoles de la ropa tienen términos ingleses convertidos. Varios términos como "sombrero" han llegado a ser recognizeable en inglés, pero solamente algunos como "poncho" se han incorporado en inglés.




Mameluco: Mameluco in Mexico means a baby or very young child that is still nursing. The name is used for rompers in Mexico because they are worn by young children--although in fact not necesarily children that are so young that they are still nursing. Mameluco in Argentina and neighboring Uruguay is used to refer to overalls.

Mangas: Sleeves

Medias: Hosiery or hose are tailored coverings for the feet or legs worn with shoes or sandals. The extent to which legs were covered and not just feet depended on the fashion trnds of the era, especially the hem length of pants, skirts, and related garments. Modern hose are made of knitted or woven fabric, but this has not always been the case throughout history. Hoisery in American usage is synomous with hose, but in Briatain may refer to any machine-knitted garment. The discussion here refers to the American usage.

Medias a la rodilla: The literal transaltion for kneesocks would be "medias a la rodilla" but I think it is better to say "medias 3/4" or "medias tres cuartos".

(Traje) mono: We believe that Spanish boys did wear rompers, but they were much less common than in France and there is no widely recohnized Spanish-language term as "barboteuse" in French. One French reader tells us that rompers were no widely worn in Spain. He recalls that his Spanish nanny ("ninara") used the French word "barboteuse" when speaking of the rompers. When speaking of other garments ("blusa," "trajecito," ect) she would invariably use the Spanish term. Rompers in Spain were more likely to be worn by boys from affluent families. HBC has encountered considerable difference of opinion as to whay rompers are called in Spain as well as the derivation of those words. One reader in Spain translates rompers as "mono", which has many other meanings and is not used exclusively for rompers in Spain. Bib oberalls, for example might be called "mono". Rompers might also be called "pichi". He take it as a presumption that rompers were not very popular in Spain as no specific word was set for this garment. The Spanish meaning used for rompers is probably mono used in the sence of "monkey" and thus appears to relate to the Portuguese "fato-macaco" or "little monkey suit". Presumably the derivation of the word is that a little boy in a comfortable romper suit is free of restrictive clothing and can romp and swing like a monkey. A reader in Spain comments, "This makes sense. If Spain would not be just next to Portugal with identical relation to "monkey", I would have linked word mono to notion of one, single, unique outfit." A Spanish-speaking French reader contends, "I don't agree with the use of "momo" for rompers in the sence of the word meaning monkey. I believe that more likely it is used concerning the boy garment in the sence of a one-piece outfit--"un momo". This includes a variety of outfits like bib-front shorts, snow-suits, and other outfits as well as rompers. The word "mono" and the word "trajecito" are a bit similar. In the Spanish language the word trajecito means a small for a small boy, done in a juvenile style. It's true that "mono" also means monkey, but I think it has nothing in common with garments. In Spanish people used to use "mono" in the sense of sweet, adorable for a child. For instance, "Es un nino muy mono"--It is a very sweet child!" Que nene mas mono!"--What a beautifull baby! Such expressions are now less common. To day "mono" is used when speaking of a older man and is a bit peorative." HBC remembers mono being used as a term of endearment for a girl friend. Rompers in Mexico are called "mameluco".

Pana: The Spanish word for corduroy is "pana". The English world "corduroy" is increasingly used in Latin America, although this varties from country to country. In Spain, the primary word used is "pana". It is also used in Mexico and Peru, although you also here the English word "corduroy" in Latin America. I'm also not sure about the origins of the term "pana". Corduroy is often reported to be a French fabric, litterly "fabric of the king". This appears to be an eronious report. Corduroy instead appears to be a late-18th century English invention. Cotton corduroy was widely used by workers in the 19th century and became a popular childrens fabric by the early 20th century because of its warmth and durability. American boys commonly wore cord knickers and British and French boys cord shorts. The German Wandervogel often wore cord shorts. Corduroy was eclipsed by denim after World War II, but is still commonly used for children's clothing.

Pantalones: Pants and trousers were virtually unknown in polite society as the 19th Century dawned. The cloest fashion to trousers was loose fitting breeches worn by workers and the pantaloons worn by sailors. The modern reader may find it difficult to believe that unitl the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, gentlemen would always wear knee breeches and considered long trousers only suitable for laborers and sailors--and small boys in skeleton suits. The story is told that the Duke of Wellington--the renowned Iron Duke at Waterloo--was refused entrance to London's famed Almanak's gambling club during 1815 for arriving in trousers. Long trousers were eventually adopted as appropriate wear for gentlemen. When this happened boys--who were the first to adopt long trousers--were less commonly attired in them, but rather after mid-century in various shortened versions such as knickers, knee pants, and short trousers.

Pantalones cortos: Short pants are cut at or above the knee. Trousers cut below the knee we have generally referred to as knee pants if closed with buttons or left open. Trousers cut below the knee and gathered or closed with buckles we have referred to as knickers. Short pants have been referred to by different names in England. The English generally refer to short pants as "short trousers". They also used to refer to them as "knickers" although that term has for many years not been commonly used and more frequently is used to mean ladies underwear. We have also heard "patalones meches" used for short pants in Ecuador. I don't know how common that is. Especially short shorts for younger boys are called "patalon cortito". The Spanish use the term "pantaloncillos". A short pants suit would be "traje de pantalones cortos".

Pantalones de peto: Jeans and dungarees. (Note that the Spanish word "mono" for rompers translates also to dungarees in English. It also has the same meaning as "pichi".

Pantalones largos: Long pants

Pichi: This is another word used for different garments. It can be used for garments as diverse as rompers and pinafores in the sence of garments for young children.

Pitillos: Pants with very narrow legs (like cigarettes!)

Playera: A Polo shirt in Mexico is called a "playera", I'm not sure how widely used that term is in other countries. I am also not sure about the derivation of the term. Perhaps it comes from "playa" (beach) because this was a casual shirt suitable for beachwear. Playera in Argentina and neighboring Uriguay refers to a tank-top (t-shirt without the sleeves).

Poncho: Ponchos are the blanket-like garments worn like a cloak by the Andean indiginous population. The wool garments were woven like blankets, but with a slit in the middle for the persons head. There are no sleeve holes. It was worn by children and adults of both genders. In English, 'poncho" is often used to mean a water-prrof garments styled like the Andean poncho, but with a hood.

Saco: A Mexican reader tells HBC that smocks are called "sacos" in Mexico.

Saco: An Argentine reader tells us "saco" is the proper translation for "blazer," but that the English word "blazer" is commonly used in Argentina.

Sandalias: A sandal is a type of shoe fastened to the foot with thongs or straps. Sandals have been worn since ancient times. There are two basic types of sandals, closed toe and open toe sandals.

Sombrero: Boys and men wore hats and caps much more commonly in the past. No well dressed boy's outfit in the 19th and first half of the 20th century would fail to include a hat or cap. Today headgear is less commonly worn. The difference being a cap is a close-fitting head covering resembling a hat, but differing principally because of the absence of a brim or by having a brim that only partially circumvents the crown.

Sudadora: Sweater. This could also mean sweatshirt, but we are not yet sure about that

Sueter: Sweater

Tennis: Tennis shoes

Tirantes: Suspenders

Trajes: Boys have also worn pants and trousers of different length. [Note: the authors have generally chosen the American word pants. In British English the proper word would be trousers, pants in Britain refer to underwear.] Long trousers were common in the first decade of the 19th Century. Boys wore long pants with their skeleton suits. At mid-century knee-length pants had appeared for boys, but it was not uncommon to see even younger boys wearing long pants., but had generally been replaced by knee-length pants and long stockings by the 1860s boys under 12 years of age, but some older boys were also wearing them. The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine reported in 1863 that the knickerbocker suit "reigns supreme". It contibued to do well into the first half of the 20th Cenuary. The development appears to be a little later in America, but eventually American boys were also in knee-lenght pants. The knee pants were full, closed at the knee with buckles or buttons, or simply cut off at the knee. The age of boys wearing knee pants gradually increased in the late 19th Century. By the turn of the Century even older teenagers, boys of 18 and 19 years of age were commonly wearing knee pants. The pants worn by boys in the 20th Century have varied widely by decade and country. American boys commonly wore knickers in the 1920s and 30s, but in the 1940s increasingly wore long pants. English and European boys commonly wore short pants, but long pants became more common beginning in the 1960s. Since the 1970s American and European boys have begun wearing very similar styles of clothes, both for dress suits as well as play and casual wear.

Traje marina/marinerito: Few boys' clothing styles have been as imortant or so widey worn as the sailor suit. The sailor suit is certainly one of the classic styles for boys' clothing. Originally conceived in England, it soon became an internatiinally acepted style, easily crossing national borders. The classic sailor suit has changed little over time, although the pants worn with it have changed. While the classic style has changed little, there have been many variation on the classic style worn first by the British princes and subsequently by royals and commoners throughout Europe and America. A sailor suit in Spanish is "traje marina". In Mexico they are called "marineritos".

Traje de pequeño señor Fauntleroy: Francis Hodgson Burnett, an English-born American, helped popularize a style of dress for boys that proved exceedingly popular among romantically inclined, doting mothers. The author modeled her famous fictional creation, Cedric Erol, after her own son, Vivian, and thereby condemned a generation of "manly little chaps" in America and Britain to elaborate, picturesque outfits. The actual description of Cedie's suits were rather brief in her book, Little Lord Fauntleroy. Perhaps even more influential than her text in popularizing the style were the lavishly detailed drawings by Reginald Birch, the artist who illustrated Mrs. Burnett's story. Whether it was the book or the illustrations, combined they were responsible for an enduring vogue of boy's clothes in the romantic style of the Cavalier/Restoration or Van Dyck Period worn by the young American hero of the story.

Trajecito: A dressy suit or fancy blouse and short pants for younger boys is called a "trajecito".

Trajesito Tiroles: Lederhosen outfits with long or knicker pants are called "trajesito tiroles". Short pants lederhosen in Mexico are called "Tirol con pantalon cortito".

Terciopelo: The traditional Spanish word for "velvet".

Uniforme: Uniform

Uniforme de deportes: Gym or physical education (PE) uniform. ASlso used for sports uniform.

Vaquero: Jeans

Vestido: Europeans for centuries dressed little children, both boys and girls in the same styles of dresses, often referred to as petticoats. For most of this time, no special clothing existed for childrn, boys or girls. Boys when they were "breeched", were simplly dressed in smaller versions of the knee breeches and other clothes worn by their fathers. Special clothes for children appeared in the late 18th centuty with distinctive styles for boys and girls. Even so, many mothers continued to dress small boys in dresses for more than a century. This fashion also became common in America and persisted well into the 20th century.

Zapatillas: Sport shoes. This term is used in Argentina. I do not yet know how common it is in other countries.

Zapatos: Boys have worn a wide variety of shoes over time.

Zapatos deportivos: Tennis or sport shoes. Also referred to as trainers in England and sneakers in America

Zapatos guillermina: The literal translation of strap shoe is "zapatos de correa" but an Argentine reader reports that they are better known as "zapatos guillermina" or just "guillerminas", at least in Argentina. I'm unsure if this usage is widespread in Latin America..