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Garment vs. apparel: what’s the difference?

The short answer

Garment typically denotes an individual piece of clothing, while apparel refers to clothing collectively or in a commercial context.

What they have in common

Both garment and apparel refer to items of clothing worn on the body.

Examples

garment

  • She ironed each garment before hanging them in the closet.
  • The designer unveiled a new garment at the fashion show.
  • He purchased a warm garment for the winter season.

apparel

  • The store offers a wide range of sports apparel.
  • Apparel for the event must adhere to the dress code.
  • She works for a company that manufactures children’s apparel.

Which one is more common?

Internet search results for “garment” and “apparel”

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