Clothesand Appearance

The key points in this section are: what people wear words used to talk about getting dressed words used to talk about appearance our top 12 idiomatic expressions with clothes

What people wear dressing for the occasion

The clothes we wear depend not only on the time of year, but also on the occasion. Sometimes there are strict dress codes to follow and other times there are unwritten rules for what is suitable and what is not. Here you are going to learn about some common items of clothing we use on specific occasions and in our day to day lives.

Goingto the office

How we dress for the office, depends largely on company policy. Office workers usually wear more conservative style clothes, such as suits and ties for men, and skirts or trouse r-suits for women in solid colours such as grey and brown. The policy of Casual Fridays, which has been taken up by a lot of companies, allows office workers to turn up for work in more casual gear, such as poloshirts, chinos and even denim . pin-striped three-piece suit leather shoes tie

briefcase

belt

Wo rking in a factory
Factory workers need to wear protectivegear. These clothes are, therefore, usually made of tough and durable materials. People who work in factories are usually called blue-collar workers because of the colour of the material used to make the clothes that they wear

overalls / boiler suit safety helmet tool belt gloves

steel toe-cap boots

Going on a businesstrip
What clothes you take on a business trip will depend largely on your schedule and the type of atmosphere youll be in. If you are going to meet very important people in important places, dont forget to pack a three-piece suit and a pair of polished shoes. white shirt raincoat blue / black suit lace-up shoes

laptop computer

Going to a wedding
You usually need to get dressed up when you go to a wedding. A dress, a pair of high heels or a suit and matching handbag and shoe s are the most common items that women wear, while men might choose to wear a dinne r suit (with a bowtie), a morning suit (with top hat and tails) or a normal suit. The traditional whitegow n is still popular amongst brides. bridal gown veil train high heels

headdress dress matching handbag and shoes dinner suit

bow tie

Around the house

When lazing around the house, we love to wear just about anything that we dont need to iron. Maybe a tracksuit (colloq. trackies ) with an old top or t-shirt, a pair of leggingsand a sweatshirt or staying in our pyjamas all day. The curious thing about the clothes we wear around the house is that the day we look our worst, is the day we get a lot of unexpected visitors!

tracksuit top pyjamas dressing gown

slippers

Going out in the cold

We usually wear heavy garments in winter made of wool and other man-made fibres, such as Gore-tex and other synthetic materials. In the cold, it is better to keep warm with many thin layers of clothing, rather than a single thick layer, since it keeps out moisture and lets our body breathe. cardigan overcoat (coat) scarf gloves woollen hat wellies (Wellington boots) jersey ( jumper, sweater) cord trousers boots anorak

Doing sport
When we do sport, we need clothes that are comfortable and allow freedom of movement, as well as protection. Most sports have some sort of uniform: male tennis players usually wear white shorts and collaredpolo shirts; cyclists wear tight-fitting Lycra shorts and tops; rugby players wear jerseys and shorts with thick kneehigh socks and people who ride horses usually wear jodhpu rs and a ridinghat. However, most people who do sport in their spare time, wear tracksuits or other types of loose clothing.

running shorts tracksuit ankle socks t-shirt sweatshirt trainers

Note that some items of clothing are uncountable. Words, such as trousers, shoes, gloves, etc. usually use a pair to make them countable. I need a new pair of trousers for the interview.

Wordsusedto talk abou t gettingdressed

Match : means that two things are in harmony with each other.

The shoes and belt match perfectly. Those trousers hes wearing dont match his jacket. Note also the adjective matching: Shes wearing a matchingcardigan and jumper.

Suit: means that what someone is wearing enhances their physical qualities

That dress really suits her, she should wear it more often.

Fit: means that it is the right size.

These jeans dont fit me, Ill need a bigger size.

To dress up or to get dressedup: means that to wear fashionable or formal clothes for a special occasion or to dress in a costume for fun and entertainment. Dad always dressesup as Santa Claus at Christmas. Do I have to get dressedup for this dinner with your boss or can I just wear any old thing?

Try on: means to put on an item of clothing to see if its the right size or if it suits you.

Could I try these trousers on, please?

Words used to talk about appearance

Smart: elegant Peter looks very sma rt in that tuxedo. Who wouldve thought so? Well-dressed : wearing elegant or fashionable clothing Kathy is always very well-dressed , and nicely-coordinated. Her appearance is important to her. Underdressed : wearing too informal clothing for the occasion If you dont wear a dinner suit, youre going to be a bit underdressed ; everyones wearing one. Overd ressed : wearing too formal or elegant clothing for the occasion Youre a little overdressedfor just going to the pub or have you got a date with Mike? Casuallydressed : wearing everyday informal clothes What was he wearing? Oh, I dont know. He was quite casually-dressedin jeans and a t-shirt, I think. Scruffy: used to describe someone with an untidy, or sometimes dirty, appearance.

Lizzie, must you look so scruffy? Dont you own another pair of jeans that arent all torn and old? And you could comb your hair.

Our top 12 idiomaticexpres sionswith clothes

Here are some of our favourite expressions using items of clothing: 1. To get your knickersin a twist: to get upset or angry. Hold on, dont get your knickersin a twist; I can explain everything. 2. To get hot unde r the collar: to get angry, resentful or embarrassed. The police officer is getting a bit hot unde r the collar. I think you should apologise and be quiet.

3.

To catch someone with their trouse rs down : to catch someone out in an embarrassing or compromising situation. A distinguished MP facing re-election was caught with his pants down by reporters when, after having said that he wasnt having an affair, he was photographed kissing a beautiful young woman who wasnt his wife.

4.

To haveants in your pants : to be fidgety, restless. Sit still! Honestly, sometimes I think youve got ants in your pants .

5.

To havea few tricks up your sleeve : to have an idea or a strategy which is kept secret to be used when needed. Hes having trouble convincing them to buy it, but Im sure hes got a few tricks up his sleeveto impress them.

6.

To put yourself in someoneelsesshoes : to feel and understand another persons situation, predicament. If you put yourself in my shoes , youd understand why I had to do it.

7.

To tighten your belt: to reduce ones costs or to live more economically. Well need to tightenout belts if we want to buy a new car.

8.

Belowthe belt: to do something unfair or unethical. That was a bit belowthe belt not telling Jenny that the photocopier was already broken and letting her think that she had broken it.

9.

To pull your socksup: to make an effort to improve ones results, performance or behaviour. Bob really needs to pull his socksup. His work is terrible!

10. To be the person who wears the trousers: to be the dominant partner in a relationship.
My wife wearsthe trousers in our marriage; but if she enjoys making all the decisions, thats fine by me.

11. To look like mutton dressed as lamb: a middle-aged or older woman dressed inappropriately for her age or in a way that is more suitable for a younger person.
Women her age shouldnt wear mini skirts. Yeah, she lookslike muttondressedas lamb , it doesnt really suit her or make her look any younger. 12. To keepyour shirt on: to stay calm and not lose your temper. Hey, keepyour shirt on! We wont get anywhere shouting at each other like this.