A closely woven fabric with a smooth finish, originally referring to wool cloth woven wider than standard, but now commonly describing fine cotton shirting fabric with a plain weave and lustrous appearance.
Originally from 'broad cloth,' referring to wool fabric woven on wide looms (54-63 inches) versus narrow looms. The term shifted meaning in the 19th century to describe fine cotton shirting fabrics that shared the smooth, lustrous finish of the original wool broadcloth.
The term 'broadcloth' represents one of fashion's most confusing evolutions, as it originally meant wide wool fabric but now primarily refers to narrow cotton shirting fabric. What remained constant was the association with quality and smoothness, which is why fine cotton broadcloth became the standard for dress shirts and formal blouses in the 20th century.
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