Silk Chiffon, charmeuse and shantung have you in a swirl?

Silk Chiffon, charmeuse and shantung have you in a swirl?

Chiffon, charmeuse and shantung have you in a swirl?Navigating bridesmaid dress fabrications can seem daunting, especially yourfirst time. What exactly is peau de soie and for god’s sake what will it feellike? Here I present a tutorial in bridesmaid dress fabrics and finishes—it’sall you need to know to help you choose which finish is right for the stylesyou like or the type of event you’re planning.

First of all, there’s a difference between a fabric and afinish. Fabrics are cotton, silk, nylon, rayon or polyester, to name a few.Finishes are terms like chiffon, taffeta, and satin. It’s important to know thedifference. Most people are more familiar with fabric than finish, so we’llcover finishes here. If a dress is listed as “satin,” this does not mean it ismade of silk. Synthetic fibers like polyester and rayon can easily take on asatin finish, so be sure to check closely before making a decision.

It’s also important to note that while the descriptionsbelow give a general idea of each finish, the characteristics of the fabric canvary greatly based on the quality of fabric the retailer uses. Some satins willfeel much smoother than others, just as some taffeta will be stiffer. That’swhy it’s important to feel the fabric yourself before committing. Request aswatch to make sure it looks and feels the way you think (and hope) it will.

Chiffon is very lightweight and flowing, meaning that itdoes not cling to the body and is very good for styles with a lot of draping,like dresses with empire waists. It can be a bit sheer, so you will often findit draped in multiple layers. Chiffon is a nice fabric for muted colors andpastels because it does not have a distinct sheen, allowing delicate colorscome through. It can be found in regular or “crinkle” chiffon, meaning that thefabric will have a subtle accordion pleat. Chiffon is ideal for outdoor ordaytime weddings, as its light weight will keep girls cool.

Georgette is quite similarto chiffon in drape and feel. It is only slightly heavier than chiffon and abit less sheer. It is ideal for outdoor or daytime weddings, as its lightweight will keep girls cool.

Voile has the draping powerof chiffon, but with a subtle sheen and a bit more weight. It is most oftenapplied to cottons or cotton blends, resulting in a lightweight, breathablefabric. It tends to have a sort of luminosity to it and is a bit sheer. It alsohas quite a bit more structure than a chiffon, making it good for full orA-line skirts. It is ideal for outdoor or daytime weddings and can appear a bitmore casual than other fabrications.

When we think of silk, thetexture we normally envision is satin. In reality, silk can be rendered inalmost any finish, but the adjective “silky” describes it in satin form. It issmooth and soft to the touch, and usually quite lightweight, though the degreeof softness will vary across retailers. It tends to drape with the body, meaningit’s good for form-fitting styles, and it has a lot of movement (think twirlingon the dance floor). Most satin has a subtle sheen, meaning it will catch thelight slightly. Satin is best for formal or nighttime weddings. It should beavoided for events that will be held in high heat, as it shows sweat easily.

A cousin to satin,charmeuse has the same sheen and drape as satin, but is lighter and even a bitsofter. Its sheen is a bit more muted and its drape a bit more liquid. It isbest for formal or nighttime weddings. It should be avoided for events thatwill be held in high heat, as it shows sweat easily.

Also known as DuchessSatin. As its second name implies, peau de soie is similar to satin, but morestructured. It has the medium weight and smooth feel of satin, but a bit morestiffness, which lends it to being used in a wide variety of styles. It is alsomuch less shiny than satin or charmeuse, bordering on matte. It is best forformal or nighttime weddings. It should be avoided for events that will be heldin high heat, as it shows sweat easily.

This stiffer, blended fabrichas a heavier weight, making it an ideal choice for structured dresses. It hasa slight sheen, similar to peau de soie, but also a subtle texture. Mikadois commonly thought of as a winter fabric.

Dupioni tends to be stiffand hold its shape, making it good for dresses with a bit of volume or withstructural pleats. However, this means that it’s difficult to alter the shapeof the dress, even with ironing, so if it poofs in places you don’t want it topoof, it’s going to stay that way. It is made from raw fibers, which results ina bit of a grain in the fabric that looks like tiny textural horizontal lines.It also feels a bit rough to the touch because of the raw fibers, but it holdsvibrant colors very well. Dupioni has a strong sheen, which can really make acolor pop. In my opinion this fabric tends to look better in photographs thanit does in real life. It is versatile enough to work for day or night weddings,but does tend to look more formal.

Taffeta is very similar todupioni in weight and structure. The fabric is crisp and a bit weighty andholds its shape very well. However, the major difference between these twofinishes is in the appearance and feel of the fabric. While dupioni appearstextured, taffeta is very smooth and more tightly woven. Taffeta’s sheen willdepend very much on the lighting. In dim or natural lighting, the material canappear almost matte, but in bright or studio lighting (like your photographermay use) the fabric can come off quite shiny. It is versatile enough to workfor day or night weddings, but does tend to look more formal.

Like dupioni and taffeta,faille holds its shape well, making it good for dresses with a bit of volume orwith structural pleats. However, this means that it’s difficult to alter theshape of the dress, even with ironing, so if it poofs in places you don’t wantit to poof, it’s going to stay that way. It has a much subtler sheen than bothdupioni and taffeta, but still has texture—in this case, a subtle ribbedquality. This finish can be applied to many fabrics, from  silk andcotton to rayon and viscose, so it’s a good idea to request a swatch to get theexact feeling of the dress. It is versatile enough to work for day ornight weddings, and its subtle sheen makes it almost seasonless.

I think of shantung as kind of a midway between dupioni andtaffeta. It has the same crisp, structured feeling and heft as both fabrics. Itis not as finely woven as taffeta, but has less texture than dupioni. It isversatile enough to work for day or night weddings, but does tend to look moreformal.