THE FABRICS FOR THE WEDDING DRESS

If you are choosing your wedding dress, whether it is in a store or you want a custom-made dress, one of the most important things to choose is absolutely the fabric. Initially it won't seem like a big deal, you probably already have an idea of what you want to look like on your wedding day, what shoes you want to wear, whether or not you want to wear a veil, what your hair should look like, and, of course, what the dress should look like.

But here's a tip for you: choose the fabric of your dress carefully and thoughtfully! I give you this advice because many times it is the detail that distinguishes a quality dress with a low-quality one. And yes, it might even be the most beautiful dress in the world, the one that helps your body stand out better and the one you have dreamed of forever, but trust me, a high-quality fabric can be seen and felt right away and, my friends, many times it is also the detail that will make everyone exclaim, "What a beautiful dress she chose!" 

In this article I will guide you, then, through the myriad fabrics used by ateliers to create dresses, dwelling on the specifics of each and pointing out the kinds of shapes and volumes suitable to be created with them.

SILK-DERIVED FABRICS

SILK

This natural fabric is among the most loved by brides, thanks to its natural brightness and shine, it features a soft and smooth hand. In case you are not a fan of the shiny effect, don't worry, you can find it in a matte version. This fabric is perfect if you want a slip dress with delicate ruffles. Perfect is the type of petticoat, slip or empire dress, also very nice effect on a jumpsuit. 

TUSSAH SILK

This other type of silk, is even more natural than "normal" silk because of the technique used to recover the raw material. In fact, no silkworms are killed for the creation of this fabric, thus being considered a VEGAN and ANIMALISTIC silk, suitable for those of you who detest the idea of little fluttering butterflies and not dead animals for the creation of your dress. Also to be considered is the fact that, being a much shorter yarn, it creates a much more distinctive and irregular-looking thread, not fabric!

Usually this fabric remains shiny, and can be slightly iridescent when dyed, possesses a stiffer hand than that of classic silk, and is therefore suitable for dresses that possess volume.

MIKADO

Mikado is another silk-derived fabric that suits more rigid and structured wedding dresses. This fabric has a versatile fit and can help shape a longilinear body or a curvy build, making the figure more linear and proportionate.

Suitable for winter wedding dresses, it is perfect for a redingote, trapeze and princess dress.

SATIN OR SATIN

Very fine silk fabric with a shiny appearance and a delicate, smooth hand. This delicate fabric is perfect for creating mermaid, slip, petticoat type dresses.

DUCHESSE

This fabric created from the use of silk-always make sure it is not made from polyester-is a compact, full-bodied fabric perfect for a voluminous, stiff, and sustained cut.

SHANTUNG

A satin-like fabric derived from silk, it is characterized by a coarser texture and a more opaque appearance than other fabrics created from the same raw material. This fabric can also boast an irregular and unique surface, thanks to the set of knots that make it up.

TAFFET

This material is characterized by a stiff, dense texture, the rustle typically created by this fabric, and a shiny appearance. Used for regal-looking dresses such as princess-cut, redingote and trapeze dresses.

MOIRÉ

Usually used in silk, also possible to find in Rayon and Cotton, it is characterized by a surface with a striated effect, similar to wood grain, which goes to create an iridescent effect on the surface. It is a full-bodied fabric that can be used to create volume or on princess, redingote and trapeze dresses.

VOILE

Lightweight and impalpable fabric, worked from silk, with a semi-glossy appearance. Perfect for romantic and delicate dresses such as for slip, A line and empire dresses. Also perfect if you want to add embroidery on your dress.

CHIFFON

A delicate and impalpable silk-derived fabric with a ruched appearance and a soft, light hand. Perfect if you plan to embroider your own dress, it lends itself to slip and empire dresses, creating an impalpable and ethereal effect.

TULLE

A much-loved fabric for brides, you can find Nylon and cotton fabrics on the market, although the most delicate and impalpable, as well as the one most used by brides, is definitely the one created with silk. It is a soft, delicate and light fabric, perfect for giving volume to skirts and creating pleated bodices. This is also one of the most widely used fabrics for the bridal veil. It is therefore perfect for any type of dress, especially if you want to opt for an embroidered gown.

CRÊPE

Similar to Chiffon, it is characterized by a ruched surface, has a soft hand and thin fabric. You can find different types of Crêpe including: crêpe de chine (fluffy and semi-transparent), crepe georgette (light, thin and transparent) and crêpe satin (derived from satin processing, soft and double-sided, with a shiny side and a matte side).

ORGANZA

Perfect for voluminous dresses but with an impalpable, fluffy hand. Its natural stiffness is perfect for playing with important volumes, remaining extremely soft to the touch, it is also suitable for creating more structured bridal veils. This fabric is also a derivative of silk, so it is a fabric that remains luminous . It is perfect for A-line and princess dresses.

CADY

A very fine fabric with a perfect fit, it is very stretchy, light and soft. It is characterized, on one side of the fabric, by a rougher hand and, on the other side, by a glossy, even hand, thus making it a doble-face fabric. Because of its characteristics, it is perfect for flowing silhouettes, so we find it on slipped, empire, mermaid dresses and for jumpsuits or pants.

GEORGETTE

A fabric with a slightly rough hand, it is a lightweight fabric. Usually made of silk, but which you can also find in wool and synthetics. It is perfect for slip and empire line dresses.  

OTHER FABRICS FOR THE WEDDING DRESS

LACE

Another popular fabric for brides, who can opt for a totally lace look, a dress created by combining lace and another fabric or adding lace details. Featuring an array of floral designs, it can also be cut and stitched, creating a 3-D effect called rebrodé lace. This very romantic fabric is perfect for mermaid, semi mermaid, A-line, jumpsuits and to embellish the bodice of a princess dress. Also perfect if you want to create embroidery by taking advantage of the lace's pre-existing flowers.

BROCCATO

A typical winter fabric, distinguished by a raised floral design, it is created tone-on-tone or with contrasting patterns. It is a textured fabric, ideal for creating volume and for extended dresses such as princess, A line and redingote. You can create a dress totally in brocade or you can combine this fabric with others to create a cooler effect.

PIQUET

A textured cotton fabric, it features a honeycomb structure of the fabric, thus creating a worked fabric on one side and smooth fabric on the other. This fabric is perfect for creating volume and structured garments. The hand is soft and cool and we can also find this workmanship on the mikado fabric. It is therefore perfect for creating princess, A-line and redingote dresses.

LAMÈ

A fabric that goes to embellish dresses and, characterized by its brightness often in shades of gold or silver, helps to create a glamorous allure. This fabric is very versatile and we can find it on all types of dresses, very often we can have even only one part (whether it is the bodice or the sleeves) made of this fabric. Also very suitable for creating the evening look for the bride.

LINO

We can find 100% linen garments or we can find this yarn blended with a silk yarn, it still remains a less fine fabric than silk, but of very high quality. It is often used to create a somewhat more rustic effect than other fabrics seen above. It is suitable for a summer or beach wedding and suits slipped and empire dresses.

COTTON

Another natural and very cool fabric, also suitable for a summer wedding, is cotton, which, despite not being a very fine fabric, is perfect for a wedding celebrated on the beach or in a magnificent garden. It is a versatile fabric that we can find in its plain version or in its more romantic version (there are beautiful versions of cotton lace, such as sangallo). Suitable for creating A-line, slip, empire or mermaid dresses. 

Laura Fichera