French Vocabulary: Clothing

Ahhh, French fashion. There are a zillion specific words to describe French clothes, however lists on the web are usually very limited. Here is a longer list which will help you master French clothing vocabulary. 

Les vêtements: Clothes

• Les fringues : clothes in slang (ends on a G sound)

Les vêtements d’extérieur: Outerwears 

• Un manteau : a coat, a dress coat, usually long. It’s also the generic word to say something warm to wear outside.
• Une veste : a blazer, also generic for outerwears.
• Un imperméable : a raincoat. 
• Un K-way (pronounced "ka way"), un coupe-vent : a rain jacket. K-way is a brand, but it's so popular that it became the word used to describe this very thin plastic jacket that you can fold into a small bag and then tie around your waist. Most kids have one for Spring days!
• Un blouson : an waist length jacket, a bomber jacket, often used to describe a leather jacket : un blouson en/de cuir.
• Un anorak : a ski jacket.
• Une doudoune : that’s somewhat a new word. It's a sort of padded/ski jacket, parka

Les hauts: Tops

• Un chandail : a sweater - sounds like “eye”, and a bit old fashion.
• Un tricot : a (knitted) sweater - very old fashion
• Un pull : a sweater - most commonly used word nowadays
• Un (pull à) col-roulé : turtle neck sweater
• Un pull en V : un pull à col en V - V neck sweater
• Un pull à col rond : round neck sweater
• Un cardigan, un gilet : cardigan sweater (open in front with buttons) 
• Une chemise : a shirt (usually for man, but could be used for women also).
• Une chemise à manches courtes : short sleeve shirt
• Une chemise à manches longues : long sleeve shirt
• Une chemise à manches trois quarts : 3/4 length sleeve shirt
• Une blouse : a lady’s shirt (a bit old fashion)
• Un chemisier : a lady’s shirt - yes, I know it's a masculine word to describe women clothes, whereas "une chemise" for man is feminine... go figure!
• Un T-shirt : Tshirt, pronounced in Franglish “ti sheurt”
• Un débardeur : tank top

Un Costume: Men's suit

• Also means a costume as in a disguise.
• Une veste: a blazer, a sports coat. Un gilet : a vest - watch out for the false cognate - “un gilet” is the 3rd part of a 3 piece man suit, the one you wear under the jacket ≠ “une veste” which is the blazer part. “Un gilet” is also a cardigan sweater. “Un gilet” is also called “un veston” but it’s old fashion.
• Un complet: a man’s suit - very old fashion. 
• Un tailleur: a lady’s suit. You can say “un tailleur pantalon” : lady’s pants suit, or “un tailleur jupe”: skit’s suit. "Tailleur" as the sound of "Thai" in it.
• Un smoking : a tuxedo. 

Les bas: The bottoms

• Un pantalon: pants - note this word is usually used in the singular. “Des pantalons” to refer to one pair of pants is possible, but quite old fashion.
• Un jean: jeans. Singular as well. Not pronounced like the French name “Jean” but like the English word “jean” (djin).
• Un short: shorts. (singular)
• Un bermuda: knee length shorts
• Un Capri: above the ankle pants.
• Un caleçon: leggings (a sort of stretchy pants). Watch out, this is also the word for men’s underwear: boxer shorts.

Pour les femmes: For ladies

• Une robe: a dress – not a robe which is « un peignoir ». 
• Une robe du soir: an evening dress. Do not mistake it with "une chemise de nuit" with is a nightgown to go to bed...
• Une robe bustier: a strapless dress
• Une robe sans-manche : a sleeveless dress
• Une robe à manches longues/courtes : a dress with long/short sleeves
• Une robe avec des petites bretelles - a dress with small straps
• Une jupe: a skirt.
• Une mini-jupe: very short skirt
• Une jupe au dessus du genou: above the knee length skirt
• Une jupe au dessous du genou: under the knee length skirt
• Une jupe longue: long skirt
• Une jupe plissée: pleated skirt
• Une jupe droite: straight skirt
• Une jupe fendue: a skirt with a slit

Pour la nuit: For the night

• Une chemise de nuit: a night gown.
• Un pyjama: PJs. Singular in French.
• Une robe de chambre: a robe (to be inside the house)
• Un peignoir (de bain): a bathrobe
• Des pantoufles : slippers

Vêtements spéciaux: Special clothing

• Une salopette: an overall
• Un bleu de travail: it's a type of overall protection clothing that contractors wear... usually blue.
• Un uniforme: a uniform
• Un tablier: an apron
• There is no word for "scrubs." We'd say "une blouse d'infirmier/infirmière, de docteur...".