在汉语中，大家常常用一些服饰衣着名词来表示某一特定事物，如用裙衩指代女子，拜倒在某某石榴裙下便是此意；纨绔指代有钱人家子弟；勒紧裤带过日子意味着节衣缩食；囊中羞怯暗指贫穷等等。类似的使用方法不胜枚举。
有趣的是，英语中，同样有好些衣着名词被广泛用于习语中。这类衣着名词的使用方法，大多是比喻使用方法。熟练地学会这类成语的使用方法和意义，能够帮助英语学习者对说英语国家文化背景的认知，增加学英语的兴趣，提升学习成效。
1）Hat 帽子
I never thought that he was such a bad hat.（坏蛋，不老实、不道德的人）
He was talking through his hat. He was even not there when it happened.
2）Veil1 面纱 Let us draw a veil over what followed. （隐瞒，避而不谈）
3）Collar 衣领 Ah，you arein the collar now. You know marriage has its obligation2.（遭到约束）
4）Shirt 衬衫
We should keep our shirt on no matter what they would say.（维持冷静，不要冲动）
In a business like this you can make a lot of money, but you can also lose your shirt.（倾家荡产）
5)Sleeve 衣袖
He knew he could win him, but he kept that card up his sleeve.（别有妙计；留着一手）
Jannys never made her own decision. She always hangs on her mothers sleeve.（依靠某人；同从某人）
Toms confident attitude makes me believe that he has something up his sleeve.
Hearing the news, the boy laughed in his sleeves.（窃笑；暗自开心）
He rolled up his sleeves when he came to know he had fallen behind his classmates.（筹备大干一场）
6）Pocket 口袋
As soon as he gets a dollar, it begins to burn a hole in his pocket.（滥用钱）
When you get a family you get a lot chances to dip into your pocket.（付钱，烧钱）
We havent signed the contract yet, but wehave the dealin our pocket.
Since then, he had the girl in his pocket.（任意支配某人）
Under those circumstances, I had TOPut my pride in my pocket.（忍辱负重）
7）Gloves 手套
It is interesting to watch the couplefighting with the gloves on.（文质斌斌地争论）
The blouse fits me like a glove.（完全合适）
She is one of those who have an iron hand in a velvet3 glove.（外柔内刚；笑里藏刀）
8）Cuff4 袖口
only when hespoke off the cuff did he establish rapport5 with his audience.（即席发言）
He is quite familiar with the storekeeper, and always has foods on the cuff.（赊账；分期付款）
9)Button（纽扣） The old man's words are just on the button.（准确无误，中肯）
10)Coat 大衣 You must cut your coat according to your cloth and buy the cheap house that you can afford.（量入为出）
11）Belt 腰带 When the food ran out we had to pull in our belt.（勒紧裤带；忍饥挨饿）
12）Linen6 内衣 I don't want to wash my dirty linen in the public.（家丑外扬；揭人隐私）
13) Pants 短裤 Peter was a typical fancy8 pant7 at the time.（有女性气的男子；纨绔子弟）
14）Skirts裙子 The only shortcoming of Sam is that he likes a bit of skirt.（喜欢和妇女作伴）
15）Trousers（男）长裤
When her husband was out shewore the trousers.（掌权；当家）
Don't believe any trousers.（相信男性）
16）Socks 短袜 If he is hoping to gain promotion9 he will have to pull his socks up.（鼓劲；下更大决心）
17）Stockings 长袜 She is a total blue stocking, and she sticks to books all day and all night.（才女，女学究）
18）Boots 靴子 When he was late for work he got the boot from the boss.
19）Shoe 鞋子
The scholar is common as an old shoe.（平易近人；虚怀若谷）
Its difficult to find someone to fill in the old kings shoes.（胜任地接替某人的职务）
