"fashion of dress," 1620s, from earlier sense "person's outward demeanor" (c.1600), originally "elegance, stylishness" (1590s), from Middle French garbe "graceful outline, gracefulness, comeliness" (Modern French galbe) or directly from Italian garbo "grace, elegance, pleasing manners, " which is from Old High German gar(a)wi "dress, equipment, preparation," or some other Germanic source, from Proto-Germanic *garwi- "equipment; adornment" (see gear, n.).

"to dress, clothe, array," 1836, from garb, n.. Related: Garbed (1590s); garbing.