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I was just talking to a coworker about my crappy dry-cleaner, and he used the word "garments," but I refrained. "Garment" is a secret, powerful word. One that will burn off the tongues of the incautious. Use with care.
I've only ever used the word when referring to The Garment District in NYC. And maybe once or twice when I needed suitcase stuff I might have used the phrase "garment bags". Other than that, never.
I have never used the word apparel, and never intend to, yo.
How about wardrobe? Ensemble? Duds? Threads? I never use any of those either, but now I'm wondering who does.
A gentleman never refers to an item of his attire in the plural. Thus, it is one's trouser. Likewise, one might remark upon another's 'wonderful shoe', or their 'spectacular cufflink'. When referring to a fellow member of one's Club, one may make mention of the chap's 'cuff always being well shot', to indicate that he is always well presented.
It's these little touches that separate the hoy-polloy from the riff-raff.
When people over-apologize for things they don't need to apologize for, I claim to have rent my garments in anguish over whatever it is they think they've done.
Thank Washington we don't have hoi-polloi and riff-raff over here in America, or we'd have to strangle our diction and stop wearing pants just to toe the class line.
We should have a moratorium on the use of the word 'pants' for anything that isn't worn beneath a well-tailored trouser. Or, for the ladies, a lovely ankle-length skirt.
I usually use the word garment once a year, and that is to refer to a strange and wonderful piece of clothing that I used to own. It was something like an ankle length sweater (that would be an ankle length jumper, for you non colonial types) and it was hairy and fuzzy and indescibable and possibly the warmest and snuggliest thing in the world to wear, except that it was also the most peculiar, and finally I sent it off to baffle Goodwill, and thus, I have no longer any need to say each fall, "Oh god, the garment! What will I do with it!"
I was waiting for a story like that, mygothlaundry. That's awesome, and how I usually think of the word. . .Fetch The Garment! Please fetch me my garment! Oh, no, please, sir, not The Garment!
I used it two days ago in a reference I was writing. I have extensive experience within the garment industry. I do. We never called them clothes, always garments.
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