clothes

clothes, clothing, dress, attire, apparel, raiment are comparable when they denote a person's garments considered collectively.

Clothes and clothing are general words which do not necessarily suggest a wearer or personal owner but sometimes a manufacturer or a merchant

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evening clothes

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summer clothing for men

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her clothes are always immaculate

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each child has ample clothing

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Dress is used with reference only to a wearer's outer clothes; it is not only far less inclusive than clothes and clothing but less concrete in its suggestions except when qualified

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both men and women are expected to wear full dress

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the actors will be costumed in the dress of the period

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a man of sense carefully avoids any particular character in his dress— Chesterfield

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in pilgrimage dress on his way to Mecca— Doty

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Attire usually stresses the appearance or the total impression produced by one's clothes; it is therefore rarely used with reference to one's own clothes except in affectation or humorously; when applied to another person's, it is as a rule qualified

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our speech, our color, and our strange attire— Pope

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his unfashionable attire and clumsy manners— Cole

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Apparel (often specifically wearing apparel) carries a weaker suggestion of the effect produced and a stronger implication of a collection or assemblage of clothes than attire, which otherwise it closely resembles in meaning; therefore one says an article of apparel (rather than attire)and the richness of her attire (rather than apparel)

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a blue serge suit, a grey shirt, a blue and red necktie, a gray homburg, and black shoes and gloves comprised his apparel

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the apparel oft proclaims the man— Shak.

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his daily apparel was rough and shabby— Cather

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Raiment is a more or less literary term that is nearly as comprehensive as clothes, for it includes everything that is worn for decency, comfort, and adornment and therefore suggests reference to undergarments as well as to outer garments

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brought a change of raiment with him

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When the quality or the texture of the clothing is to be indicated, raiment is the appropriate word

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fine raiment

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the coarse raiment of a penitent pilgrim

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but what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment ? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses— Mt 11:8

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if these strangers were of important air and costly raiment— O'Nolan

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