Baltimore Wedding - Articles

Setting the Mood
Choosing the Right Fabric For Your Gown
by Connie Walker

No doubt about it: the same dress in two different fabric textures is two different gowns. The fabric a bride selects helps to convey her mood. From the warmth of velvet to the crispness of silk dupioni, the fabric-as well as the gown-has to reflect the individuality of the bride.

What's exciting about today's gowns is the variety of fabrics from which a bride can choose. While there will always be gowns made from satins and Alencon laces, a bride today has more choices. To help you narrow your fabric selections, I've included information about some of the popular fabrics and some of the new ones making it into salons across the country.

Satins

Silk Duchesse Satin. This fabric always sets the high standard for satin. It has a luxurious sheen and richness that, in satins, is unparalleled. A bride who is unwilling to compromise on her wedding gown will want to try on gowns made from silk satin, as it looks more luxurious.

Polyester Duchesse Satin. Also known as Italian satin or Matte satin, this fabric closely imitates the qualities of a good silk satin. It has a soft, subtle shine and a smooth, supple surface. It also has less of a tendency to wrinkle than silk satin. A good quality polyester duchesse satin will make a gown look richer, providing additional elegance.

Polyester Satins. Many of today's gowns are manufactured using one form of polyester satin or another. Much of its popularity comes from its inexpensiveness when compared to the costs of other fabrics. Try not to get a wedding gown that is made with a polyester satin that is too thin or too shiny. They won't do you or your gown justice.

Acetate Satins. Unlike their polyester counterparts, acetate satins have a tendency to wrinkle. They also have a substantial shine to them. Acetate satins work nicely underneath laces or as accents when not a lot of it is showing.

Silk Shantungs and Dupionis

Silk shantungs and dupionis are the silks most often used in wedding gowns. They have a slight, nubby texture due to the "slubs" (naturally occurring bumps) within the fabric. These are great fabrics for the bride who wants a natural look.

The primary difference between silk shantung and silk dupioni is that silk shantung uses a slightly heavier yarn. It also costs a little more. One silk shantung version, sometimes called Eton silk shantung, has a slight, translucent quality with a higher luster to its surface. If you want to add more radiance to your natural look, this could be the fabric you're looking for.

Sheer Fabrics

Increasingly, wedding gowns are taking advantage of some of the available sheer fabrics. Organzas, chiffons, and tulles all provide a romantic, dreamy look.

Organzas. Available in silk and polyester versions, organzas offer a distinct sheerness and crispness. They're great for full skirts when a bride is looking not only for a sheer look but additional body as well.

Silk Satin Organza. This special organza has satin float yarns on the surface, providing a soft shine with a translucent feel. Very elegant. Very light.

Chiffons. Available in polyester and silk, chiffon is a sheer fabric that drapes beautifully. It has soft, wonderful, romantic qualities that's hard to match in other fabrics.

Tulle. In recent years wedding gowns with tulle skirts have grown in popularity. The best of these gowns have six to twelve layers of tulle, which creates a very full but cloud-like skirt.

Velvets

Velvets are one of the newer textures making their way into the bridal gown market. The best ones for wedding gowns are softer and drapier and can look absolutely gorgeous in a winter-themed wedding because of the lushness of the pile and the fabric's luxurious feel.

Sueded velvet. Also referred to as devoure velvet or shimmer velvet, this fabric has been slightly distressed to highlight a random light reflection on the surface. This also provides a very soft, elegant drape.

Cut velvet. Also referred to as burn-out velvet, these fabrics have a velvet pattern woven into a sheer background. Cut velvet gives a gown a rich surface texture and an interesting pattern, eliminating the need for any additional trims.

Heavy Silk Crepe

This very luxurious fabric has found a home in some of the more expensive designer lines. It has a heavier weight than most silks and a very fluid, beautiful drape.

Laces

The recent trend in laces is to use it lightly in patterns that are delicate, not heavy-handed.

Venise lace. This is an embroidery-style lace not attached to any other background or net. As such, it can be used as an applique to a gown or can be constructed to be used as part of the bodice...even sleeves. The newest ones gaining popularity are smaller patterns in more delicate, open styles.

Chantilly lace. A lighter lace on a net background usually done in floral patterns. Chantilly laces are beginning to make a resurgence because of the soft, romantic feel they provide.

Embroidered Net. Using an English net or a tulle as the background, a decorative pattern and border is embroidered onto the surface. These laces give a light, but very intricate, design to full skirts, replacing traditional lace-applied borders.

The best test of any fabric, of course, is always: how it looks on you. Try on many gowns and as you look at the trims and other elements, also take a look at the fabric. Make sure it works with who you are and how you feel. Let the fabric, like the rest of the gown, be as individual as you are. The good news: there are more choices now than ever before. The bad news: there are more choices now than ever before!

Have fun!

Article, pictures, and gown designs are the copyright of Aleya Bridal, 1997

Connie Walker
Aleya Bridal
Frederick, Maryland
(301) 631-5998

E-Mail: info@bridaldesign.com

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