Apparel vs. garment?

[Nicole]

OK; I understand it will be difficult to explain the difference(s) between all these words but maybe you could give me at least some pointers? When do we have to use these words:

apparel - clothing - garments - garb

Thank you in advance for any suggestions.
Nicole
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[Alan]

Hi Nicole,

A strange collection of words indeed. Apparel is very often a ceremonial type of clothing. Garments refers to items of clothing in an almost official way - often linked to the word list when describing clothing belonging to someone. Garb is akin to apparel and is very often associated with a form of clothing that's unusual or worn to disguise the person inside them. And clothing is the simplest form of all to describe a collection of clothes.

These are just my thoughts on a Sunday afternoon.

Alan

PS No doubt your question will elicit a string of dictionary definitions but I've tried to give impressions instead.
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[Nicole]

Hello Alan,

The speed at which you usually answer questions on this forum is simply amazing. Yes, your short description is exactly what I was looking for and no dictionary would have been of any help here.
So thanks a lot for your excellent service (escecially since it is Sunday evening).
Nicole
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[Rickyrocky]

Hi,

Garment vs. Apparel

Are they exact synonyms?

Thanks.

[Our Tort System]

Incidentally, a similar question was raised a while ago, you can see Alan's explanation here:
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic6084.html#15366
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[Esl_Expert]

Hi Rickyrocky,

No, they are not identical. They may sometimes be used synonymously when used as adjectives, but when used as nouns they differ grammatically, for example:

- The word 'garment' refers to a single piece of clothing. It is a countable noun.
- The word 'apparel' refers collectively to clothing (and thus usually refers to more than one piece). It is an uncountable noun.

There are also differences in which words typically collocate with them when they modify another noun. For example:

- a garment bag
- an apparel store


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“Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, / But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy; / For the apparel oft proclaims the man.” ~ William Shakespeare

[Rickyrocky]

Thanks.