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CLOTHES: The American Sign Language (ASL) sign for "clothes"
 

The sign for clothes uses a double movement.
You move the "five" hands downward along your body.  The sign starts with the tips of your thumbs about an inch out from your chest.  As you move the sign downward, you typically touch your thumbtips to your chest where they drag for an inch or two before losing contact as you continue to move your hands on down. 
 

Note: You don't "have to" actually make contact. 
You do the motion twice.  The movement is quick. Sort of as if you had a piece of lint on your shirt and were brushing it off with the tip of your thumb.  

 

CLOTHES:


 


 

Note:  If you do this sign with a single large exaggerated downward movement, it means "DRESS" or "GOWN."  

DRESS: The sign for "a dress" uses the "5 handshape on each hand." The sign starts at the upper chest (either very close to the body or actually touching the upper chest area with your thumbs). Use a downward brushing movement as if showing the way a dress hangs on your body.


 


 

Note:  If you do the sign for "DRESS" (single movement) starting from your waist or hips it would mean SKIRT.  The sign for SKIRT uses contact with the heels of your hands rather than the thumbtips.
 

SKIRT:  Hold your hands in a "5-handshape" near your waist and move them downward and outward a bit. Use a single movement.

 

 


 

Sample sentence: Every morning before school, do you rush to shower, put on clothes and eat breakfast?

 

 


 

There is a version of the sign "CLOTHES" that can be used to mean 'costume'

 

 


 

If you want to convey the concept of "folding clothes and putting them away" a version is:

 

 

 

If you want to convey the concept of "hanging up clothes" a version is:

 

 

If you want to convey the concept of "removing clothes" a version is:

 

 


 

The ASL sign for the concept of "CLOTHES PIN" can be signed as "CLOTHES + PIN." There is variation with signing "CLOTHES" with one hand or two.

 

CLOTHESPIN (1 hand version):

 

 

CLOTHESPIN (2 hand version):

 

 


 

Types of fabric:

 

LEATHER:

 

 

CLOTH / FABRIC / MATERIAL:

 

 


 

Types of clothes:

 

SHIRT / volunteer:

 

 

SHIRT (blouse version):

 

 

SHORT-SLEEVE SHIRT:

 

 

V-NECK SHIRT:

 

 

ZIP-UP JACKET:

 

 

PADDED / PUFFY JACKET:

 

 

JACKET:

 

 

TIE / NECKWARE:

 

 

BUTTON-DOWN SHIRT:

 

 

SHIRT WITH SNAPS:

 

 

PULL-OVER SWEATER:

 

 

SUIT:

 

 


 

Types of designs:

 

HORIZONTAL STRIPED SHIRT:

 

 

SHIRT WITH DECORATIONS ALL OVER:

 

 

SHIRT WITH ZIGZAG DESIGNS:

 

 

 



Notes: 

See: SKIRT 

See: DRESS

See: SHOES

See: HAT

See: SHIRT

See: JACKET

See: PANTS




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