Article # 12...Vintage Value part one; Recognizing Fine Fabrics
In the next few newsletters I will be including
guidelines for making wise choices in vintage.
The subject I would like to begin with is
fabric. You do not need to be a textile expert
to recognize fine fabrics. A few guidelines,
along with some “field work” will go a long
way.
There are three key words I would like for
you to keep in mind and they are DRAPE, FINISH,
and INTEGRITY.
#1 Drape: A better quality fabric should
always “fall” or “shape” nicely. When you
first look at the garment do you see the
silhouette as a whole, does it flow well?
You see, better fabric is always more malleable
than the inferior textiles. Fabric that comes
from cheap materials or that which has not
been woven or knit well will fight the design.
Seams will not press well, skirts will not
swing nicely, pleats will be unruly, and
collars will not retain form or symmetry.
No matter how well constructed. Take a look
at the garment as a whole and observe how
well the fabric behaves. If you are able
to.. put it on and move around. Does the
garment bunch up or cling or just look awkward.
Does it look rumpled or shapeless? If so
it may be made inferior inferior materials.
#2 Finish: Beautiful fabrics have beautiful
surfaces. Silks will be smooth and lustrous.
Cottons and linens will also be smooth (no
fuzziness to the surface). Woolens should
have nice even surfaces. There are of course
many textured materials i.e. velvets, boucle’s,
dupionis etc. The key here, is the texture
uniform? How does it feel in your hand? Most
high-grade fabrics feel very pleasant to
the touch.
Better fabrics are woven or knit from a higher
grade of threads and yarns. They drape better,
do not wrinkle as easily and are more easily
worked with. These threads are spun from
original raw materials such as wool, silk,
cotton, linen and better synthetics. I will
not bore you with technicalities but suffice
to say in nearly all cases the better threads
are spun from fibers that are longer and
silkier. Some fibers even have their own
trade names they are so beautiful. A few
examples, Sea Island Cotton -Moygashel Linen
- Mongolian Cashmere. Often these are mentioned
on the label.
#3 Integrity: High quality weaving and knitting
is essential to a fine fabric. Fabrics must
have an even weave to drape and construct
well. The weave should be solid but not too
tight. The grain of the fabric should be
straight (VERY important). A well, woven
fabric does not wrinkle as easily as a sloppy
weave. A good trick is to take a handful
of the fabric and squeeze. Hold it for a
few seconds. When you let go a cheaper fabric
will wrinkle and not recover well. Your better
fabrics will bounce back quickly and the
wrinkles will naturally fall out. The exception
here is with some synthetics. There are polyesters
and nylons that will not wrinkle even if
you run over it with a truck! This is not
a good thing. The material looks stiff and
artificial. A good rule to keep in mind is;
If the fabric is from natural fibers or rayon
and does not wrinkle easily it is probably
a better material. If it is polyester or
nylon a little malleability is desired.
Another thing to watch out for is off grain
fabric. Have you ever had a garment that
wants to twist or shift? This is because
the grain was not true when the garment pieces
were cut. No amount of pressing or altering
will fix this so avoid garments which tend
to twist or fall off center whether new or
vintage.
I know this may all sound like a lot to know
but do not be overwhelmed. Most of this information
is just plain good observation and common
sense. Trust your eyes and your fingers.
If the fabric looks and feels beautiful and
shapes well, chances are it is a nice quality.
Also it is important to know that even your
more modest fashion companies often used
very nice quality fabrics. You do not have
to buy couture or designer vintage to own
a quality piece.
A note about shopping vintage online: Since
you are shopping from photos, it is not possible
to touch and closely observe the garments.
Ask the shop owner what they think of the
quality. Most good vintage dealers welcome
questions. We want our customers to be pleased
with their purchases and come back. A dealer
who knows quality will be able to explain
WHY a garment is special or of excellent
quality.