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Apparel vs Costume - What's the difference?

apparel | costume |

As nouns the difference between apparel and costume

is that apparel is clothing while costume is a style of dress, including garments, accessories and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period or people.

As verbs the difference between apparel and costume

is that apparel is to furnish with apparatus; to equip; to fit out while costume is to dress or adorn with a costume or appropriate garb.

apparel

English

Noun

  • clothing
  • * Denham
  • fresh in his new apparel , proud and young
  • * Tatler
  • At public devotion his resigned carriage made religion appear in the natural apparel of simplicity.
  • A small ornamental piece of embroidery worn on albs and some other ecclesiastical vestments.
  • (nautical) The furniture of a ship, such as masts, sails, rigging, anchors, guns, etc.
  • Synonyms

    * See also

    Verb

  • To furnish with apparatus; to equip; to fit out.
  • Ships . . . appareled to fight. --Hayward.
  • To dress or clothe; to attire.
  • They which are gorgeously appareled , and live delicately, are in kings' courts. --Luke vii. 25.
  • To dress with external ornaments; to cover with something ornamental; to deck; to embellish; as, trees appareled with flowers, or a garden with verdure.
  • costume

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A style of dress, including garments, accessories and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period or people.
  • ''The dancer was wearing Highland costume .
  • An outfit or a disguise worn as fancy dress etc.
  • ''We wore gorilla costumes to the party.
  • A set of clothes appropriate for a particular occasion or season.
  • ''The bride wore a grey going-away costume .

    Synonyms

    * outfit

    Derived terms

    * costumal * costume drama * costume jewellery * costume party * costumer, costumier * national costume

    See also

    * uniform

    Verb

  • To dress or adorn with a costume or appropriate garb.
  • * 1847 , , (Jane Eyre), Chapter XVIII
  • Seated on the carpet, by the side of this basin, was seen Mr. Rochester, costumed in shawls, with a turban on his head. His dark eyes and swarthy skin and Paynim features suited the costume exactly. He looked the very model of an Eastern emir, an agent or a victim of the bowstring.