Types of Clothes (For Those Who Sew Them)
Fashion is a trillion-dollar industry, and within it there are many types of clothes manufactured and sold at scale. And while I’d like to believe that the huge amount of clothing being created is down to providing options, the reality is not so.
How many times have we wandered into a store and left empty handed because the style and sizes offered do not cater to our body types?
Today, I’m going to guide you through the different types of clothing available in 2025. Where possible I’ll include name variations and photos too.
Note: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. This means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.
If you prefer to reference a book over a blog post, then this is the best visual encyclopedia on clothing types!
Whether you call them clothing, apparel or garments, clothes are made from fabric, worn on the body and essential to all.
Categorizing Clothing Types
Clothes are categorized into different clothing types. This could be based on work purposes (business attire), standard clothing (casual wear), undergarments (lingerie), events (formal wear) and athletic activities (sportswear).
Often clothes are categorized by gender or age; baby clothes (designed for babies and toddlers), children’s wear (designed for boys and girls aged 2 years and above), menswear (designed for men), missies (designed for younger women) and womenswear (designed for women in general).
Clothing is also broken down by garment type, from bikinis and bodysuits to sweaters and vests.
On top of this, we also habitually categorize clothing based on their original cultural backgrounds: kimono (traditional Japanese), saree (traditional Indian) and the kaftan (Asia) are just three examples.
Different Types of Garments
I’ll break down all the different types of clothes by garment type, for easier reference! And where possible I’ll add photos or drawings and links to any blog posts I have on making that clothing type.
Bloomers
Bloomers are a type of undergarment that is worn on the lower part of the body.
Blouse
A blouse is an upper body garment, found in womenswear.
Bodysuit
A one-piece garment for the upper part of the body, a bodysuit is just a leotard with a snap opening under the legs. They are best made from stretch fabrics for a more comfortable fit.
Bra
Bras are worn by women to support the bust. They come in various styles, with different cuts, shapes and levels of support too.
Bustier
Another upper body garment, a bustier fits close to the bust and waist and generally has straps on the shoulders.
Caftan
The caftan (also spelled as kaftan) is a loose-fitting garment made popular in the 1950s by Christian Dior.
They are perfect for everyday wear when on a beach holiday.
Cardigan
Much like a sweater, cardigans are made from knitted fabrics and have a front opening.
They can be zippered, but a button opening is both more popular and traditional.
Learn more about the different types of sweaters!
Cloak
A cloak is worn as an overgarment which can cover just the upper body, or be much longer in length reaching the thighs, knees or even your ankles.
They typically have slits in the front for the arms to exit as and when needed.
Coat
A coat is an outerwear garment like a jacket, but longer in length. I personally prefer to make a coat from fabric created from natural fibers but you can use synthetic fibers.
Opposite is a wool coat I inherited from my Mum, which is perfect for winter days.
Corset
Corsets differ from bustiers in that they use ‘stays’ or ‘boning’ to provide structure and support along the seam lines. These can be metal, plastic or polyester boning.
I’m working on a corset of my own, which I’ll wear on my wedding day in 2025. Exciting!
Dress
A dress is a garment which hangs from the shoulders, covering the upper body area, buttocks and thighs. It can be close fitting or loose and relaxed.
There are many types and styles of dresses to choose from though!
Dungarees
Worn by women during the World Wars, dungarees started life as workwear for men.
They’re trousers, extending up into upper torso section with a front and back bib, and these are secured together with shoulder straps.
Jacket
Jackets can be casual or formal, with sleeves or without, and worn as tailoring or outerwear.
Popular jacket types include blazers, denim jackets and moto jackets.
Jeans
Originally known as a type of cotton fabric woven in Nîmes in France, it became a more recognized term as a pant type made from denim by Levi Strauss in the 1800s.
I have a great article on how I made the DIY blue jeans in the photo opposite!
Jumper
In the 19th century, a jumper was a short coat-like garment worn by men. It is currently the term used in the UK when referring to a sweater.
Jumpsuit
A jumpsuit is full length piece of clothing, traditionally with long sleeves and long legs, and goes by the alternative names of ‘flight suit’ or ‘boiler suit’.
I have a guide to the best jumpsuit sewing patterns if you’d like to make one!
Kilt
Made from woven plaid or tartan fabric, men’s kilts can be completely pleated or have the end sections of the fabric left unpleated, which overlap at the front of the body.
Kimono
The kimono is a type of robe from Japan which is often used as the basis for dressing gowns but has since the late 19th century been adopted by fashion designers as a dress trend.
You can always learn how to draft a kimono sleeve pattern if interested in making your own version!
Knickerbockers
Despite being a very historical item of clothing, knickerbockers were made fashionable by fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent in the late 1960s. They’re loose breeches – like trousers! – but are gathered just below the knee.
Leggings
Modern day leggings are made from an elasticated fabric – usually knit – and are worn very close to the body. They come in different lengths too, from full length – waist to ankle – to low rise capri length.
Legwarmers
I recall being forced to wear leg warmers as a schoolgirl during the 80s in the UK!
They were cylindrical, knitted by hand and worn on the legs, between our knees and ankles.
Leotard
This garment type covers the body from the crotch to the shoulders.
It’s made from a variety of fabric types for both activewear and casual wear needs.
Panties
Panties are underwear worn by women on the lower body parts. Also referred to as knickers in some countries, they can be made from knitted cotton fabrics, lace, mesh and more.
You can use these underwear sewing patterns to make your own panties!
Pants/Trousers
Worn on the lower body to keep the legs warm and covered, pants (or trousers as they’re also known!) are an iteration of the early 19th century knickerbockers and have been worn by women since the 1920s.
Common types of pants include cargo pants, jeans, joggers and slacks.
I have a guide to the different types of pants if you want to learn more.
Petticoat
Petticoats used to be worn under skirts and dresses as an extra layer for warmth. I recall my gran always making new petticoats for herself whenever she found some cheap silky fabrics on sale.
Playsuits
A playsuit is shorter in length on the legs than jumpsuits and are sometimes called rompers. They can be made from a variety of fabrics and cut in as many styles.
Poncho
Originating from South America, ponchos look like a big blanket with an opening for the head to pop through. They’re great as a warm layer on cold winter evenings.
Pajamas
A two-piece set worn for bed by everyone.
They’ve recently become trendy – nightwear as evening wear – though this trend started back in the 1920s.
You can make your own pajamas at home with any of these sewing patterns!
Sarong
A traditional piece of clothing worn by the women of Bali and Tahiti, sarongs have been a popular summer garment for westerners since the 1940s and consist of nothing more than a long piece of fabric which can be worn either wrapped around the lower part of the body and tied at the waist to look a little like a skirt, or wrapped around the upper body and tied at the neck so that it acts a little like a dress.
Shawl
Another item of clothing made from a square piece of cloth; the shawl also acts as a cover up. The fabric can be lightweight for evening wear shawls or cut from wool and used to keep warm.
Shirt
Worn on the upper body, shirts traditionally have a front button placket at the center front and are worn both casually and formally.
I have a great guide on the different types of shirts as well as more detail on the different parts of a shirt for those who want to design or make their own.
Shorts
Shorts are a great summer staple for women and men and can be made from woven and knit fabrics.
They can also be very easy to make taking as little as an hour for a simple sewing pattern.
I’ve made many pairs of this men’s drawstring shorts pattern for my fiancé.
Skirt
Worn on the lower body, skirts are made from many fabric types and come in a. range of styles and lengths.
Learn more about the different skirt styles here.
Make your own skirt with my easy to follow rectangle skirt tutorial!
Skort
Part skirt and part shorts, the skort is a type of clothing that looks like a skirt from the front – due to an overlapping panel of fabric – but looks like shorts from the back.
Socks
Socks are knitted, usually in the round. They can be short and barely there sports style, long and thigh grazing and every length in between.
If you’re in need of some sock inspiration, check out my guide on the different sock types!
Sweater
Knitted (by hand of machine) and worn on the upper body, sweaters are worn by all.
Learn more about sweaters with my guide on the different sweater types!
Swimsuit
Whether a classic one piece or cut into two pieces to form a bikini or tankini, a swimsuit is made from a knitted fabric with two way or 4 way stretch as well as negative ease so that it clings to the body when wet.
Make your own swimsuit using one of these swimsuit sewing patterns!
Teddy
A somewhat loose-fitting piece of underwear with narrow shoestring straps that allow the teddy to hang from the shoulders. It is ‘done up’ under the crotch, with poppers. A teddy is very much like wearing a bodice slip with knickers / panties in an all-in-one piece of clothing.
Ties
Whether the full-length type or the bow tie version above, ties are worn as formalwear and more casually as a playful accessory.
You can make your own with my step by step bow tie tutorial!
Tops
Confusingly, what most of the world calls a ‘top’ the US calls a shirt.
Tops include tank tops, crop tops and others, and can be made from woven or knitted fabrics.
Tights
Tights are a skintight knitted piece of clothing and come in various weights, referred to as ‘denier’. The higher the number, the heavier the denier, and with it the more warmth and opacity they offer. The lower the denier, the more translucent tights are, and they’ll provide less warmth too.
Tracksuit
A two piece set incorporating joggers or sweatpants and a long sleeved top, tracksuits are a popular sportswear set for working out and also relaxing.
T Shirt
The t-shirt is a short sleeved knit top which has become very popular – one could even say an everyday item – piece of clothing.
Vest / Waistcoat
A vest – also known as a waistcoat outside of the US! – is a type of clothing worn by both men and women.
Traditionally they formed part of a three-piece suit, worn under a jacket and in the same fabric, but they’re often worn as a more casual form of formalwear.
What Did I Miss?
I’m aware that this is not the most exhaustive list of clothing types – that would be far too long and detailed for the casual reader looking for an overview. And while I do think that the garments listed here do provide a good overview, I’m open to your suggestions of what I missed that you think should be included! Let me know in the comments below.
And if you’d be interested in a more historical guide – byzantine is one that springs to mind – do let me know, as I love getting into the nitty gritty of historical costume!
