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Rib knit
A knitted fabric with alternating raised and lowered rows. More elastic and durable than plain knits, they tend to fit to the body and are used frequently in T-shirts as well as for the trims of socks, sleeves, waists and necklines.
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Ribbon
A flat, long, narrow strip of fabric made in a variety of weaves, including grosgrain, satin and velvet. Dating back to the 1300s, ribbons were originally handwoven items of luxury sought out by the French nobility to denote their social status. By the 1700s ribbons had grown quite elaborate, and ribbon use among French society became exaggerated, with up to 250 yards decorating a single man’s garment. The British Parliament was so protective of these items of adornment that they issued a decree stating that ribbons could be worn only by nobility. Colonial Americans, in reaction, rejected the use of ribbons for quite some time, considering it a symbol of the English aristocracy. The price of ribbons finally became more accessible during the 1800s with the invention of a loom capable of weaving several of them at once. Nevertheless, ribbons continued to have symbolic currency, whether being attached to a special package, being wrapped about the waist in the rich colors of the wearer’s private school or being pinned to a uniform to reveal military rank. Today, ribbons are often merely decorative, but their ability to evoke membership in a special club is still an attraction of this truly unique fabric.
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Rickrack
A woven trimming that has a zigzag shape. Appearing on everything from sheets to umbrellas to skirts and blouses, rickrack offers a charming, feminine embellishment.
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Ripstop
A lightweight fabric, often made of nylon, that has a double thread running through it in a grid to stop small tears from spreading without adding bulk to the fabric. Originally developed for the military, ripstop continues to have utilitarian applications, in tents and sleeping bags as well as sportswear and fashion items meant to signify the wearer’s athletic lifestyle.
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Rise
A tailoring term that refers to the distance from the crotch seam to the top of the waistband in pants. Rise will often be spoken of when discussing how the pant fits. See also low-slung.
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Ruching
A trimming made from gathering up a strip of fabric and stitching it through the center to make ruffles on both sides. Ruching is typically used on girls’ and women’s garments for feminine appeal, but it may also appear on men’s evening shirts for a dressy effect.
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Ruffle
A trimming made from gathering a strip of fabric by stitching it along one edge or cutting that fabric in a curve so that it produces a rippling effect. Ruffles often embellish the neckline, sleeves and hems of girls’ and women’s apparel, but it may also appear on men’s dressy evening shirts.
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Rugby
A long-sleeved knit shirt, often with bold horizontal stripes in two alternating colors, that has a white knit collar and a button-down placket neckline. The sport of rugby was founded in the 1820s at Rugby High School, in England. Some fifty years later, the sport became so popular in private academies and universities that leagues formed, and the development of the shirt with distinctive school colors began to unfold. In the 1950s rugby shirts underwent the transition from team wear to casual wear, with prep school and college boys sporting the look about town after practice. Today, the rugby is a casual wear staple, offering both men and women this athletic classic for everyday use.
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