Threadbare

Threadbare: The threads that are woven together for make cloth are called the woof (the short widthwise threads) and the warp (the long lengthwise threads). When the resulting cloth is new, the woof and the warp are not obvious because the threads are fuzzy and this fuzz hides the underlying woven threads. However, as the material wears, the fuzz wears off and the woof and warp threads become apparent. At this point, the threads without the fuzz are bare and the material is called threadbare. While this effect is more apparent with natural fibers (wool and cotton) and less so with synthetics (nylon, polyester), the term threadbare has come to mean any wornout cloth (especially clothes) regardless of the actual mechanism.

To hide a few wrinkles, he had knotted a jaunty silk ascot at his throat, and the insigna of a long-defunct yacht club glowed on the breast pocket of his threadbare blue blazer.