Cutsew

For the purposes of Lolibrary/lolita, a cutsew is a top made from stretchy material that is typically less formal than a blouse, but has structural elements like puffed sleeves, a collar, etc. which sets it apart from a simple t-shirt.

History

The term cutsew ( カットソー ) or sometimes just cut (カット) is an example of a Wasei-eigo word. It’s used broadly across multiple fashion styles in Japan, and is not specific to lolita. In the broader usage, it applies to any shirt made from a stretch knit / jersey material. The term comes from the garment construction process: cutsews are typically made using a serger, a special type of sewing machine that cuts the material and sews the edge to prevent fraying at the same time, hence the name "cutsew".

Common/Relevant Features

Please note that patterns, fabric types, and motifs can and should be tagged for cutsews, but the "Solid" tag is reserved for main pieces (JSKs, OPs, skirts, etc). The "No Shirring" feature should not be applied due to redundancy for this item type.