Exercise 7. Complete the sentences using the text:
Caftan is (длинная одежда с застежкой на пуговицы спереди) worn by both men and women.
(В зависимости от назначения), caftans vary from hip to floor length.
In Ottoman Empire caftans made of rich satins and velvets of silk were worn (придворными, чтобы показать статус владельцев)
Coat is (предмет верхней одежды с рукавами и застежкой спереди) of various styles and shapes.
As the garment is designed to be worn outdoors to protect the wearer from the environment (она немного длиннее и шире обычных вещей в гардеробе).
Coats may be cut from (кашемира, твида, меха, габардина или хлопка)
Exercise 8. Translate the reading selection given below. Reproduce the coloured version of the styles described.
Topcoat Overcoat
New words: navy blue – темно-синий; charcoal – угольный; layer – слой, herringbone – в «елочку»; fawn – желтовато-коричневый; shoulder – плечо; fur – мех.
Popular styles of overcoats named for the nineteenth-century Earl of Chesterfield may look in the following way.
Chesterfield in navy blue or charcoal grey with or without a velvet collar;
a single- or double-breasted navy or grey herringbone overcoat;
a fawn-coloured double-breasted British warmer;
The best choice for the evening wear is a Chesterfield overcoat of black wool with a black velvet collar, or a dark tweed with a fur collar. One ought to remember that double-breasted coats tend to be warmer because of the second layer of material that crosses the front of the coat. There are also some handsome coats with raglan-shouldered sleeves.
Exercise 9. Say what you have learnt from the text about
the origin of the caftan
the cut of the caftans
textiles used for making caftans
coat as an outerwear garment
Text C. Business and Tailored Suits
The suit is the traditional form of men’s formal clothes in the Western world. The modern suit appeared in the early 19th century but the coat’s origins trace to the simplified standard of dress established by the British king Charles II who appeared in a knee-length coat, vest (waistcoat), and breeches on the restoration of the British throne in 1660.
For some four hundred years, suits of matching coat, trousers and waistcoat have been in and out of fashion.
Today the man’s business suit is an emblem of official power and professional identity, suggesting a life free from physical toil.
The double-breasted suit was a major style of dress prior to World War II and then from the mid 1980s until the mid 1990s. It has two parallel rows of buttons and peaked lapels. Traditionally, each lapel took a buttonhole (in Europe they have dropped the right buttonhole). The double-breasted jacket should be double-vented, though a non-vented jacket is also proper. There is only one principle governing the selection of fine suit material: the cloth must be made from natural fibres. Worsted, gabardine, flannel are good for cooler periods, then linen, cotton, or silk in the summer.
The tailored suit is a garment for women consisting of a jacket and a skirt, most often made of the same fabric. This name for the garment appeared in the fashion press around 1885. The first suits were marked by the English influence that predominated in the late nineteenth century. British women, who launched the craze for sports, travel, and tourism, were the first to adopt them. These first tailored suits had jackets whose cut and details were borrowed from men’s clothing. Skirts were slit or made with wide pleats in order to facilitate walking. Suits were worn with such accessories as vests, shirts with wing collars and men’s hats. Later, under the influence of sports, their form became more flexible: skirts flared, jackets became less fitted.
In the 20th century the tailored suit became the uniform of the middle classes-office workers, school teachers, businesswomen, etc.