Styles and design · 8 October 2026 · 4 min read
Waistcoat or vest? UK and US clothing words compared
Vest vs waistcoat, pants vs trousers, jumper vs pinafore: clothing words that mean different things in British and American English, so your order is not misread.
InspirationThe short answer
In British English a waistcoat is the sleeveless, buttoned garment worn over a shirt, and a vest is an undershirt. In American English that waistcoat is called a vest. Several other everyday clothing words swap meanings in the same way, which can cause real mix-ups when you describe what you want made.
Pakistani English mostly follows British usage, so a tailor in Pakistan will usually read “vest” as an undershirt too.
Words that change across the Atlantic
These are the pairs most likely to confuse an order. The British meaning comes first.
- Waistcoat / vest. UK waistcoat = US vest. UK vest = US undershirt or tank top.
- Trousers / pants. UK trousers = US pants or slacks. UK pants = underwear, which Americans call underpants or panties.
- Jumper / sweater. UK jumper = a knitted pullover, US sweater. In the US, a jumper is a sleeveless dress worn over a top.
- Pinafore / jumper. UK pinafore dress = US jumper. In the US a pinafore is more often an apron-like overdress.
- Braces / suspenders. UK braces, the straps that hold trousers up = US suspenders. UK suspenders = the straps that hold up stockings, which Americans call garters.
- Tank top. UK tank top = a sleeveless knitted pullover. US tank top = a sleeveless vest-style top.
- Tights / pantyhose. UK tights = US pantyhose, though Americans use tights for thicker ones.
- Dungarees / overalls. UK dungarees, with a bib and straps = US overalls.
Words that mostly agree
Plenty of garment words are shared: dress, skirt, blouse, shirt, jacket, coat, jumpsuit, cardigan. Even so, small differences in feel exist. Our article on shirt, blouse or top looks at three of them, and jumpsuit, playsuit or romper covers the one-piece words that split along the same line.
In South Asian English, “coat” often means a tailored jacket or blazer rather than a long outer coat, and the kameez is often called a shirt. Sizes also differ between the UK and the US, which our guide to UK, EU and US dress sizes explains.
Writing an order that cannot be misread
The fix is simple: describe the garment as well as naming it. Instead of “vest”, write “sleeveless buttoned waistcoat, hip length, worn over the kameez”. Instead of “pants”, write “straight trousers, ankle length”. Instead of “jumper”, say “sleeveless pinafore dress worn over a blouse” or “knitted pullover”, whichever you mean.
Adding a photo removes any remaining doubt. Our quote form uses British wording, such as “waistcoat / jacket” and “trousers”, so it is worth matching those terms. If you are ordering from the US, the USA page explains quotes in dollars, euros or pounds; from Britain, the UK page covers quotes in pounds.
Ordering a waistcoat or other piece
Waistcoats and jackets are among the pieces you can add on the quote form, and our article on layering a waistcoat or jacket over a kameez helps you choose the length and cut. Custom stitching explains how the order works. Everything, including what each piece is, is written into your quote before anything is cut.
Common questions
Is a gilet the same as a waistcoat?
Not quite. A gilet is a sleeveless jacket, often padded or quilted, worn for warmth. A waistcoat is a lighter, tailored layer, usually buttoned and worn over a shirt or kameez.
What do Americans call a jumper?
A sweater. In American English, jumper means a sleeveless dress worn over a blouse or top, which the British call a pinafore dress.
Should I write trousers or pants in my order?
Trousers is safest, because in British and Pakistani English pants usually means underwear. Adding the style, such as straight or wide-leg, removes any doubt.
