When talking about and using the word clothes, it’s important to use relevant English collocations in order to sound more natural. In English, there are many different collocations with clothes. By using the right collocations, you’ll sound more like a native speaker, and you’ll be able to communicate more effectively with people from around the world.
Here’s a useful list of collocations with «clothes». Don’t forget to download the PDF file at the end of this page.
Verbs + clothes
wear clothes
I like to wear clothes that are bright and comfortable.
be dressed in … clothes
John’s the one dressed in dark clothes.
put your clothes on
Come on, put your clothes on!
take off/remove your clothes
Take off your clothes and put them in the dirty linen basket.
change your clothes
Don’t forget to change your clothes before coming over.
Adjectives/nouns + clothes
warm clothes
I love to wear warm clothes in winter.
casual clothes
On Fridays, we can wear casual clothes to work.
evening clothes
I don’t like wearing formal evening clothes.
designer clothes (=made by a well-known designer)
Some celebrities spend a fortune on designer clothes.
somebody’s best clothes
The whole family wore their best clothes for the Christmas family portrait.
formal clothes
It’s usually recommended to wear formal clothes to an interview.
school/work clothes
She was so exhausted that she went to bed in her work clothes.
sports clothes
Sports clothes and tennis shoes for clay courts are mandatory.
ordinary/everyday clothes
I don’t have anything fancy, just ordinary clothes.
civilian clothes (=ordinary clothes rather than a military uniform)
The General was at the reception in civilian clothes.
baby clothes
That shop has a wide selection of baby clothes.
maternity clothes (=for women who are having a baby)
Pregnant women often need maternity clothes to feel comfortable.
winter/summer clothes
Do you summer clothes from last year still fit you?
plain clothes (=ordinary clothes when worn by police)
There were a few police officers in plain clothes in the square.
clean clothes
I love the smell of clean clothes.
dry clothes
After the pool, change into some dry clothes or you’ll catch a cold.
fashionable/trendy clothes
You wouldn’t be allowed into the club without trendy clothes.
elegant clothes
She won’t wear anything she doesn’t consider elegant clothes.
old-fashioned clothes
My nanna would only wear her old-fashioned clothes from the 70s.
smart clothes
Wearing smart clothes can boost your confidence.
scruffy clothes (=dirty and untidy)
James looked poor and wore scruffy clothes.
second-hand clothes (=not new)
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with buying second-hand clothes.
dowdy clothes (=unfashionable and unattractive)
He came in wearing dowdy clothes and looking tired.
Clothes collocations PDF
Download this same list in PDF to use offline for yourself or, if you’re a teacher, for your students.
