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à grande ampleur

English translation: with a full skirt or full skirted

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:à grande ampleur
English translation:with a full skirt or full skirted
Entered by: Timothy Rake

20:29 Apr 16, 2014
French to English translations [PRO]
Textiles / Clothing / Fashion
French term or phrase: à grande ampleur
From a catalog of dresses. This is from a design house, so I don't think it means "plus size". Could this mean roomy? wide-ranging? multi-purpose?

"Robe Baby Doll en taffetas de soie rose, robe à grande ampleur, décolleté rond à l’avant et au dos."
Timothy Rake
United States
Local time: 05:09
with a full skirt or full skirted
Explanation:
A full skirt is gathered at the waist and continues downwards. Whereas flared skirts, fitted at the waist, and then flares out into a tulip shape at the hem. A classic baby doll is defined by it's high waist and full skirt.
Selected response from:

Meghan O'Shea
United States
Local time: 07:09
Grading comment
Merci encore Meghan
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2with a full skirt or full skirted
Meghan O'Shea
4flared dress
Francis Marche
3very full
Tony M


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
very full


Explanation:
I think it really means 'baggy', but I don't imagine that would go down too well!

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Note added at 49 minutes (2014-04-16 21:18:55 GMT)
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Normally, in EN, we'd be like to have a full skirt; I don't quite know how a dress can be full, except in the skirt part of it?

If it were the bodice, it would I suppose mean 'loose-fitting' — but again, seems an unlikely marketing point.

Tony M
France
Local time: 14:09
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 142
Notes to answerer
Asker: Tony, makes total sense. Yes, I too, would not want to accuse my wife of wearing a "baggy" dress!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard
40 mins
  -> Thanks, Phil!
disagree  Francis Marche: No, it's the exact opposite of "baggy".
1 hr
  -> Oh right? But I did say a 'full (skirt)', which is just what you have described?
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
with a full skirt or full skirted


Explanation:
A full skirt is gathered at the waist and continues downwards. Whereas flared skirts, fitted at the waist, and then flares out into a tulip shape at the hem. A classic baby doll is defined by it's high waist and full skirt.

Meghan O'Shea
United States
Local time: 07:09
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Merci encore Meghan

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  GILLES MEUNIER
9 hrs
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: normal English for this, "flared" is more like an A-line
2 days 11 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
flared dress


Explanation:
or fit-and-flared if Baby Doll style.

Check "grande ampleur" in this page containing designer's sketches. They all but "baggy"!

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Note added at 1 hr (2014-04-16 22:01:00 GMT)
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It may sound a bit extra-subtle to some, but "à grande ampleur" is different to "de grande ampleur" : while the latter could mean ample and/or loose-fitting, the former means the garment design contains a flaring and/or flounce feature in it. Flamenco dancers wear this kind of dress (à grande ampleur)

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Note added at 14 hrs (2014-04-17 11:22:36 GMT)
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Sorry, I forgot to insert the link :

http://www.gabrielle.be/index_dessin.php?GlobalLang=1&Condit...



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Note added at 14 hrs (2014-04-17 11:26:46 GMT)
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In the page, check for instance the pics followed by the respective captions :
LA COLERE:
Si la colère etait une robe...
Robe à grande ampleur travaillée en petits volants superposés. Corsage ajusté et décolleté rond.
Gabrielle Loodts.
20 mai 2008.

ET MOI JE DANSE
"C'est comme une lumière
Qui se glisse dans le noir
C'est déjà la frontière
La fin du couloir
Et moi je danse
J'ai perdu la mémoire"
[C'est toujours un mystère - Pierre Rapsat]
Robe à grande ampleur travaillée en petits volants superposés. Corsage ajusté et décolleté rond.
Gabrielle Loodts. 3 février 2008.


Francis Marche
France
Local time: 14:09
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Francis, thanks for the clarification

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