Fashion Basics: Flatter with Texture

The use of texture as a design element is yet another powerful tool for styling a woman's body in the manner most pleasing to her aesthetic. Texture is simply the way the fabric is woven and the bulk of the materials used.  The most common names for the ways fabrics are woven are plain weaves, satin weaves, jacquard weaves, knit weaves, and twill. All of them simply refer to the way the threads cross over each other when woven. The thickness of the thread used and the pattern of the weave will determine how bulky the actual fabric looks.

 A fluffy mohair sweater is going to look a lot larger than the exact same size and cut as of a smooth knit merino or silk knit sweater.  The smoother the finish and the more matte the finish, the smaller the woman wearing garment could look. HOWEVER, (this is a big however,) a very smooth, dull  thin garment can show every little ripple and bulge you have wherever it touches your skin. (You have seen this many times with very thin woven cotton t-shirts, etc.) In a nutshell, fuzzy, thick,  or shiny textures usually give the illusion that a woman's body is quite bulky, especially if the lines (silhouette and/or inside lines) are not skimming the body.  Smooth, firmly woven, dull textures usually make a body appear smaller.

Texture is especially noticeable when the knit or fabric has any sheen. or pattern with a stripe) In other words, the overall body may LOOK smaller, but it may focus on every bump  one may wish to minimize or conceal. The basic message here is a woman must consider the bulk of the fabrics she is wearing and how they will flatter (or not) different areas of the body. Styling artistry can be created by using this principle to create illusions for an overly slender or heavy body part. 

Texture (as a design principle) also can be used to create visual interest and update a fashion "look". The monochromatic gold color scheme of the ensemble pictured is much more interesting with the lacy multi-woven pattern of the top, the smoother sheen of the pants, and the shinier gold leather.