Exercise 1. Answer the following questions.

1. What do men (women, children) usually wear in winter (summer; on a rainy day; in cold, damp, hot weather)?

2. What do you wear at home (at the office, institute; when on vocation; to a party, reception, the theatre)?

3. When you chose clothes to wear what is important to you?

4. What are you wearing at the moment? Is it different from what you wear at other times?

5. What kind of shoes do you prefer for every-day wear?

6. What do people put on their hands to keep them warm?

7. How do fashions change with the times?

8. Why do fashions change every now and then?

9. What can clothes tell of a person’s character, or his lifestyle?

10. Do you really care what people say about your clothes?

11. What do you think of second-hand clothes? Do you buy such clothes? Why?

12. What are people’s clothes made of?

13. What clothes are made of wool (cotton, silk, leather, nylon)?

14. What do the English mean when they say, “We are not rich enough to buy cheap things”?

Clothes and fashion

Through the ages, geography and climate, poverty and wealth have all played their role in fashioning styles of clothing. By going back in history we can trace the development of fashions in clothes. We can note how the rich man's clothes altered with every fancy of the tailor, while the poor man's garments, fewer and cheaper, changed slowly. Then the cheap manufacture of cloth and the sewing machine brought about a revolution.

Ready-made clothes have become relatively cheap and now the time has come when the clothes of the rich classes of Paris, Rome and London are imitated all over the world. The white collar is not necessarily the distinction of the professional. It is hard to tell class, rank or profession by the form of dress. Fashion travels fast — the world is becoming uniform. All the attempts to be exclusive and unique in the end boil down to sameness.

Fashion designers, however, are bent on being original, and some people take their word for it, believing that fine feathers make fine birds. Dressmaking has become a big business nowadays. Styles, cuts, designs and particularly the lengths have to change because dress designers want to make money. Tight-fitting miniskirts may be in at one time, to be replaced by midcalf lengths, well below the knee, but who knows what style will be fashionable in future? There are boundless possibilities for original creativity, and yet every ten years or so fashion repeats itself. The man in the street is shocked at first. Gradually, however, he gets used to the idea of, say, the maxi style. But the next season fashions revert to the nineteen-twenties and people are again shocked until the eye again gets accustomed to the new style.

Now let's have a look at a lady's average wardrobe: nylon under­wear and stockings, several nightdresses and dressing gowns that can be washed easily. Then a couple of skirts, a tailored suit, jumpers, blouses and cardigans for everyday wear. A plain woollen dress and a leather jacket, a fake-fur coat for winter and some bright summer dresses, a smart dress or two for special occasions and an evening dress complete the range. Of course there are also the accessories: shoes, gloves, hats, scarfs and handbags in matching colors.

Fashions in men's clothes change less frequently than fashions in women’s clothes. Men on the whole are more conservative and less particular about their appearance: a small stock of vests and pants, socks and several pairs of trousers, some suits and a pile of shirts, long-sleeved and short-sleeved, is about all they need. Handkerchiefs, pyjamas, slippers, shoes, a pullover, a mackintosh, a winter coat and an anorak meet all their basic requirements. The only de­corative item is the tie. It can be striped, checked or in a loud floral design changing with the fashion. Young people nowadays are most comfortable in jeans and loose jackets.

Vocabulary

fashion – 1) фасон, покрой, форма; 2) стиль мода

poverty – бедность wealth - богатство

to alter – изменяться, меняться fancy – фантазия, воображение

tailor – портной garments - одежда

manufacture – производство cloth – ткань, сукно, полотно, холст

sewing machine – швейная машинка ready-made clothes – готовая одежда

collar – воротник distinction – различие, отличие

exclusive – исключительный, единственный, отличный, первоклассный

unique – единственный в своем роде, уникальный

Fine feathers make fine birds. – Одежда красит человека.

cut – покрой length- длина

tight-fitting – плотно прилегающий miniskirt – мини-юбка

midcalf length – длина до половины голени

boundless possibilities – неограниченные возможности

creativity – творчество to revert - возвращаться

to get accustomed to – привыкнуть к average - средний

wardrobe – гардероб nylon - нейлон

under­wear – нижнее белье stockings - чулки

nightdress – ночная рубашка dressing gown - ночная рубашка, халат

tailored suit – костюм, сшитый на заказ jumper - джемпер

blouse – блуза cardigan – шерстяной джемпер, кофта, кардиган

for everyday wear – для повседневной носки

plain woollen dress – простое шерстяное платье

leather jacket – кожаная куртка (пиджак) fake-fur coat – шуба из искусственного меха

smart dress – нарядное платье accessories – украшения, аксессуары

gloves – перчатки scarf – шарф

to match – подходить по цвету particular (about)– разборчивый, привередливый

vest – жилет pants - брюки

socks – носки long-sleeved shirt – рубашка с длинными рукавами

short-sleeved shirt – рубашка с короткими рукавами

handkerchief – платок pyjamas - пижама

slippers – тапочки pullover – пуловер, свитер

mackintosh – макинтош, непромокаемое пальто

anorak – анорак (теплая куртка с капюшоном)

to meet basic requirements – отвечать основным требованиям

de­corative item – украшение tie - галстук

striped – полосатый, в полоску checked - клетчатый

loose jacket – свободный пиджак

Exercise 2. Answer the questions:

1. What has played a great role in fashioning styles of clothing? 2. What will we find out if we trace the development of fashions in clothes? 3. What brought about a revolution in the world of clothing? 3. Why have ready-made clothes become relatively cheap? 4. What clothes are imitated all over the world? 5. Prove that fashion travels fast. 6. What does the proverb “fine feathers make fine birds” mean? 6. What has become a big business nowadays? 7. Why does fashion repeat itself if there are boundless possibilities for original creativity? 8. What does a lady's average wardrobe consist of? What accessories do women have? 9. What fashions change less frequently, in men's or women’s clothes? 10. Men are more conservative and less particular about their appearance, aren’t they? 11. What do men usually wear? 12. What is the only de­corative item for men? 13. Are young people nowadays most comfortable in jeans and loose jackets or suits?

Exercise 3. Decide whether the following statements are true or false:

1. By going back in history we can't trace the development of fashions in clothes. 2. The sewing machine caused a revolution. 3. The blue collar is not necessarily the distinction of the profes­sional. 4. Dressmaking has become a big business nowadays. 5. Most people believe that fine leathers make fine birds. 6. Every two years or so fashion repeats itself. 7. The man in the street immediately gets used to the new style. 8. A lady’s average wardrobe includes just a few dresses and five coats. 9. Men on the whole are rather conservative but they are more particular about their appearance than women. 10. Fashions in the men’s clothes don’t change much.