2011年7月22日星期五

Wedding Dress Materials and Fabrics (continued)

Fibers
Polyester: An inexpensive man-made fabric that can be woven into just about anything, including duchesse satin
Rayon: Similar to silk, but more elastic and affordable.
Silk: The most sought-after, cherished fiber for wedding dresses (and also the most expensive); there are several types with different textures: raw silk and silk mikado are just two examples.
Lace

Delicate-looking yet strong, and rich with history, lace is the perfect parallel for the bride herself. It covers while revealing, and adds a touch of centuries-gone-by grace while remaining utterly current. A bride who wears lace can't help but feel that she's paying tribute to a time-honored tradition.

Developed from embroidery traditions dating back to the 15th century, lace-making involves looping, braiding, and interlacing cotton, silk, nylon, and other types of thread to form a pattern. By the Victorian era, few brides would marry without a touch of frilly threadwork somewhere on their gowns; today, lace is widely used in wedding gowns. Heralded for its inherent romance, intricacy, and graphic detail, lace comes in hundreds of weaves and shades, from the bold decoration of Alencon, Guipure, and Ribbon, to the delicate finery of Schiffli and Chantilly.

Lace - The Hot List
Alencon: Probably the most popular type of lace for weddings, with a background of flowers and swags.
Chantilly: Features flowers and ribbons on a plain net background.
Duchesse: An irregularly spaced lace of floral design with a lot of raised work.
Guipure: A large series of motifs connected by a few threads.
Ribbon: A random pattern of ribbon sewn over a net background.
Schiffli: Lightweight, with an all-over delicate embroidered design.
Spanish: Designed with flat roses on a net background.
Venise: A heavy needlepoint-type design with floral sprays, foliage, or geometric patterns






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Wedding Dress Material and Fabric

Your Guide to Finding the Perfect Wedding Dress, Gown

Style, cut, texture, drape, and season are all-important factors in determining the best wedding gown. The same style wedding dress can look and feel quite different in a variety of fabrics, since each material is designed to produce a distinct effect. Some fabrics cling to the body, while others stand away. Some are cherished for their crispness, others for being light-as-air. Silk—a natural fiber that exudes an innate quality of refinement—is undoubtedly the most sought-after and cherished wedding dress material, noted for its resiliency, elasticity, and strength.

Silk threads are woven to create various fabrics, including satin, a densely-woven silk notable for its super-lustrous gloss; duchesse satin, a blend of silk and rayon that is lighter and more affordable than pure silk satin; charmeuse, a lightweight silk satin with a more subdued luster; and shantung, a low-sheen textured silk characterized by a rough, nubby quality. Then there are the gauzier, textured silks like chiffon, tulle, and organza—all used in multiple layers for gown skirts since they are transparent, but lightweight.

The Fabric Hotlist
Batiste: A light weight, soft, transparent fabric. Batiste is a balanced plain weave. A fine cloth made from cotton or linen such as cambric. Lightweight opaque fabrics are very thin and light but not as transparent as sheer fabrics. The distinction between the two is not always pronounced. End uses include apparel and furnishings. Organdy (a sheer fabric), lawn, and batiste begin as the same gray goods.
Charmeuse: A lightweight, semi-lustrous soft fabric, that is satin-like to the touch. Charmeuse (French: [ʃaʁːz]) is a lightweight fabric woven with a satin weave, where the warp threads cross over three or more of the backing (weft) threads. The front side of the fabric has a satin finish - lustrous and reflective - whereas the back has a dull finish. It can be made of silk or a synthetic lookalike such as polyester. Silk charmeuse is more expensive and delicate but is softer and a better insulator. Polyester charmeuse is cheaper and can often withstand machine washing, but it does not breathe as well as silk. Charmeuse differs from plain satin in that charmeuse is softer and lighter in weight.

The luster and delicate hand make charmeuse suited to lingerie, flowing evening gowns, and drapery blouses. Bridal gowns sometime use charmeuse, however, the fabric does not hold a shape well, so it is not used for full, flared skirts; the charmeuse tends to cling and hang against the body. It is best suited to a more fluid, slinky bias cut, and is too fragile and flimsy for more tailored clothing. It is not used in menswear, with the exception of underwear such as charmeuse boxer shorts.

 
Chiffon: Delicate, sheer, and transparent—made from silk or rayon, with a soft finish; often layered because of its transparency, making it popular for overskirts, sheer sleeves, and wraps.
Chiffon, French pronunciation: [ʃi.fɔ̃], from the French word for a cloth or rag, is a lightweight, balanced plain-woven sheer fabric woven of alternate S- and Z-twist crepe (high-twist) yarns.The twist in the crepe yarns puckers the fabric slightly in both directions after weaving, giving it some stretch and a slightly rough feel.

Chiffon is made from cotton, silk or synthetic fibres. Chiffon can be dyed to almost any shade desired, but if it is made out of polyester it can be difficult to dye. Under a magnifying glass it resembles a fine net or mesh which gives chiffon some see-through properties.

Chiffon is most commonly used in evening wear for, especially as an overlay, giving an elegant and floating appearance to the gown. It is also a popular fabric used in blouses, ribbons, scarves and lingerie. Like other crêpe fabrics, chiffon can be difficult to work with because of its light and slippery textures. Due to this delicate nature, chiffon must be hand washed very gently. For more chiffon prom dresses, please refer to the www.donhot.com.

Since chiffon is a light weight fabric that frays very easily, bound or French seams must be used to stop the fabric from fraying. Chiffon is smoother and more lustrous than the similar fabric georgette.
Crepe: A light, soft, and thin fabric with a crinkled surface or refers to a type of light soft thin cloth, with very small folded lines on its surface, made from cotton, silk, wool etc
Damask: Similar to brocade with raised designs, but woven in a much lighter weight.
Damask (Arabic: دمسق‎) is a reversible figured fabric of silk, wool, linen, cotton, or synthetic fibers, with a pattern formed by weaving. Damasks are woven with one warp yarn and one weft yarn, usually with the pattern in warp-faced satin weave and the ground in weft-faced or sateen weave. Twill damasks include a twill-woven ground or pattern.
Duchesse Satin: A lightweight hybrid of silk and rayon (or polyester) woven into a satin finish.
Dupioni: A finish similar to shantung, but with thicker, coarser fibers, and a slight sheen or a type of silk fabric. It is similar to shantung, but thicker and more irregular.
Faille: A structured, ribbed finish like grosgrain ribbon; usually quite substantial.
Gabardine: A tightly-woven, firm and durable finish, with single diagonal lines on the face. Gabardine is a tough, tightly woven fabric used to make suits, overcoats, trousers uniforms, windbreakers, and other garments. The fibre used to make the fabric is traditionally worsted wool, but may also be cotton, texturized polyester, or a blend. Gabardine is woven as warp-faced steep or regular twill, with a prominent diagonal rib on the face and smooth surface on the back. Garbardine always has many more warp than weft yarns.

Cotton gabardine is sometimes used by bespoke tailors to make pocket linings for business suits, where the pocket's contents would quickly wear holes in the usual flimsy pocket lining material.
Clothing made from gabardine is generally labeled as being suitable for dry cleaning only, as is typical for wool textiles.
Gabardine may also refer to the twill-weave used for gabardine fabric, or to a raincoat made of this fabric.

Georgette: A sheer, lightweight fabric often made of polyester or silk with a crepe surface. Georgette (shortened from crêpe Georgette or Georgette crêpe) is a sheer, lightweight, dull-finished crêpe fabric named after the early 20th century French modiste, Georgette de la Plante. Originally made of silk and later of rayon or blends, modern georgette is often made of synthetic filament yarns. Georgette is plain or tabby woven, and like other crêpes is made with highly-twisted yarns. Georgette's characteristic crinkly surface is created by alternating S- and Z-twist yarns in both warp and weft.
Georgette is made in solid colors or prints, and is used for blouses, dresses, evening gowns, and trimmings. It is springier and less lustrous than the closely-related chiffon.
Illusion: A fine, sheer net fabric, generally used on sleeves or necklines.
Jersey: A very elastic knit fabric; the face has lengthwise ribs and the underside has crosswise ribs. A jersey is an item of knitted clothing, traditionally in wool or cotton, with sleeves, worn as a pullover, as it does not open at the front, unlike a cardigan. It is usually close-fitting and machine knitted in contrast to a guernsey that is more often hand knit with a thicker yarn. The word is usually used interchangeably with sweater and is the name always officially used in the United Kingdom to refer to the item when worn as part of the uniform of military, police or other uniformed personnel.
Moire: A heavy silk taffeta with a subtle, wavy design.
Organdy: A stiff transparent fabric. Organdy or organdie is the sheerest and crispest cotton cloth made. Combed yarns contribute to its appearance.
Organza: Crisp and sheer like chiffon, with a stiffer texture similar in effect to tulle, but more flowing; popular for skirts, sleeves, backs, and overlays. Organza is a thin, plain weave, sheer fabric traditionally made from silk, the continuous filament of silkworms. Nowadays, though many organzas are woven with synthetic filament fibers such as polyester or nylon, the most luxurious organza are still woven in silk. Silk organza is woven by a number of mills along the Yangtze River and in the province of Zhejiang in China. A coarser silk organza is woven in the Bangalore area of India. Deluxe silk organza is woven in France, Italy and Turkey.

Silk organza is used for bridal wear and eveningwear. In the interiors market it is used for effects in bedrooms and between rooms. Double-width organzas in viscose and acetate are used as sheer curtains.
Peau de Soie: A soft satin-faced, high-quality cloth with a dull luster, fine ribs, and a grainy appearance.
Pique:  A lengthwise rib weave in medium to heavy weights; wrinkles badly unless given a wrinkle-free finish.
Satin: A heavy, smooth fabric with a high sheen on one side; very common in bridal gowns. Satin (pronunciation: /ˈsætən/) is a weave that typically has a glossy surface and a dull back. It is a warp-dominated weaving technique that forms a minimum number of interlacings in a fabric. If a fabric is formed with a satin weave using filament fibers such as silk, nylon, or polyester, the corresponding fabric is termed a satin, although some definitions insist that the fabric be made from silk.[2] If the yarns used are short-staple yarns such as cotton, the fabric formed is considered a sateen.
A satin-woven fabric tends to have a high luster due to the high number of floats on the fabric. Floats are missed interlacings, where the warp yarn lies on top of the weft yarn, or vice versa. The floats tend to make the fabric look glossier as well as give it a smoother surface.
Many variations can be made of the basic satin weave including a granite weave and a check weave. Satin weaves, twill weaves, and plain weaves are the three basic types of weaving by which the majority of woven products are formed.
Satin is commonly used in apparel: satin baseball jackets, athletic shorts, women's lingerie, nightgowns, blouses and evening gowns, but also in some men's boxer shorts, shirts and neckties. It is also used in the production of pointe shoes for use in ballet. Other uses include interior furnishing fabrics, upholstery, and bed sheets.
Silk Gazar: A four-ply silk organza.
Silk Mikado: A brand of blended silk, usually heavier than 100-percent silk.
Silk-faced Satin: A smooth silk satin, with a glossy front and matte back.
Shantung: Similar to a raw silk, shantung is characterized by its slubbed texture.
Taffeta: Crisp and smooth, with a slight rib; not frequently used. Taffeta (pronounced /ˈtæf.ɪt.ə/, formerly sometimes spelled taffety) is a crisp, smooth plain woven fabric made from silk or synthetic fibers. The word is Persian in origin, and means "twisted woven." It is considered to be a "high end" fabric, suitable for use in ball gowns, wedding dresses, and in interiors for curtains or wallcovering. There are two distinct types of silk taffeta: yarn-dyed and piece-dyed. Piece-dyed taffeta is often used in linings and is quite soft. Yarn-dyed taffeta is much stiffer and is often used in evening dresses. Shot silk taffeta was one of the most sought-after forms of Byzantine silk, known in Latin as purpura.[not in citation given] Taffeta was then woven in Italy and France and until the 1950s in Japan. Today most raw silk taffeta is produced in India and Pakistan. Originally this was produced on handlooms, but since the 1990s, it has been produced on the most modern looms in the Bangalore area. From the 1970s until the 1990s, the Jiangsu province of China produced some fine silk taffetas. They were less flexible than the Indian mills that now dominate production. Other countries in Southeast Asia and the Middle East are weaving silk taffeta, but not yet either at the quality or competitiveness of India. The most deluxe taffetas are still woven in France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. This fabric is also widely used in the manufacture of corsets and corsetry, it gives a more startched type cloth which holds its shape better.
On November 4, 1782, taffeta was used by Joseph Montgolfier of France to construct a small, cube-shaped balloon. This was the beginning of many experiments using taffeta balloons by the Montgolfier brothers, and led to the first known human flight in a lighter-than-air craft. Synthetic fiber forms of taffeta have been used to simulate the structure of blood vessels.
Tulle: Netting made of silk, nylon, or rayon; used primarily for skirts and veils (think ballerina tutus). Tulle (Occitan: Tula) is a commune and capital of the Corrèze department in the Limousin region in central France. It is also the episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulle. It is the third-largest town in the Limousin region, after Limoges and Brive-la-Gaillarde.
Velvet: A soft, thick fabric with a felted face and plain underside.

Note: For different fabric even the same color may have different shade. So if you want to purchase the exactly color you want, please fabric color chart. Color chart for different material is available at http://www.donhot.com/category-Prom-Dresses.html






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2011年7月11日星期一

European teenagers look China for fashionable dress

High school students finding bargains for dream dresses on Chinese websites

This summer high school proms in Europe will sparkle with a touch of China thanks to a growing trend by Western teenagers for Middle Kingdom fashion bargains.
An increasing number of dresses made in China will adorn the dance floors of high schools worldwide this year as clothing wholesalers in the East market their Oscar-style dresses online at a fraction of the cost.
With parents strapped for cash and a progressively Internet-savvy youth, many are turning to the English websites of Chinese suppliers to buy dresses.
As designers such as Jovian and Dress Goddess in the West demand prices exceeding 16,000 CNY(1,709 Euros) for the latest fashion, thousands of high school graduates have shopped their 2011 prom dresses from China's manufacturer or website for a quarter of the price.
"It's beautiful, and the exactly what I wanted," says 16-year-old girl, Lisa ALLEN, who recently bought her prom dress at the Chinese wholesale website Donhot.com, which is geared toward Western shoppers.
The long glittering pink dress cost ALLEN just 900 CNY (96 Euros), including delivery.
With a tight budget from her parents, ALLEN says she was nervous she would not be able to find the right dress in time for the late June dance.
"It's important to look your best as it's a big event, but everything was so expensive so I wasn't sure what to do," she says.
But a friend in school told her about buying from China and it was mentioned in Internet forums where other teenagers were preparing for their big night, discussing the latest dress styles and where to get them.
Logging onto a Chinese wholesaler's English-language website, ALLEN found her perfect dress.
"In most of the UK department stores they wanted around 400 pounds (445 Euros)," she says, adding that the only issue was the dress arriving later than planned despite paying 300 CNY extra for express delivery.
"It's a beautiful dress, but don't order in a hurry."
ALLEN was just one of a number of the 739 students in her school in Cheshire County who turned to the East for a very Western tradition.
When showing off her new purchase, ALLEN discovered several other classmates had used the same site, with one girl purchasing the exact same dress.
"We got our dresses much cheaper than others at our school," she says.
Comparable with the US Web merchant site eBay, businesses like Donhot.com, directly gathered hundreds of dress and clothing manufacturers and post their products and price directly on Donhot.com website. That the reason why their price is so cheap but products of high quality. Donhot.com even accepts custom-made orders if buyer can provide detailed design or sketches and ordering more that 5 individual items.
Besides, prom dresses, Donhot.com also provide a great variety of products adorned by teenagers, like performance garment, Lolita dresses, Cosplay costumes; costumes for adult like zentai, catsuits and lingeries.

2011年7月4日星期一

How to Clean Your Wedding Dress

If your bridal gown fabric and lining are polyester, you should easily be able to clean your own wedding dress by hand-washing it. Wet cleaning will often clean your gown better than dry-cleaning because dry-cleaning solvents do not remove water based substances including perspiration and most food spills.

Step 1
Perform a thorough inspection of your dress. Look over the dress for any stains. What does the stain consist of? Make sure you have the cleaning supplies you will need. Take a good look at the hemline. Unless you lifted your skirt, and carried your train everywhere you went on your wedding day, your train will be dirty. Wedding dress trains are like great, big, dry mops that clean the floors of churches and reception centers

Step 2
Keep the body of the dress out of the water while following this step. Soak the dirty hem in a clean bathtub using warm, sudsy water for a couple of hours if possible. Next, working your way around the dress, use a toothbrush and the liquid detergent to "massage" the hemline clean. Be careful not to scrub too vigorously on lace or trims. Be sure to clean the underside of the hem as well. Check the dress lining/s for dirt as well. Clean the hem of all layers very well. Rinse the hem thoroughly when you are completed.

Step 3
Turn the dress bodice inside out and spray the lining of the bodice area (the part that fits on your upper body) with the soap and water solution. Use the toothbrush and the detergent to clean perspiration stains. Next clean the skirt lining. If your dress has many layers of lining in the skirt, be sure to look over all of them and clean all the stains you find.

Step 4
Look over the outside of the dress very carefully and spot clean any stains you might find. Spray the spot with a sudsy spray solution first. Use the toothbrush if necessary but be very gentle. Just "massage" the fabric. Add the liquid detergent straight if needed. Be particularly careful of laces and trims.

Step 5
If soap and water do not remove the stains, mix up a solution of detergent and place the stained area in the solution to soak until the stain disappears. Do not use chlorine bleach, as it leaves a film that is very difficult to remove

Step 6
When you are satisfied with the cleaning of your dress, fill the bathtub with warm water and place the whole dress carefully in the tub. Swish the dress around in the water as soaps from the cleaning process are rinsed out. Let the water drain and then fill the tub again and repeat the process. Follow this procedure several times until the water is very clear without any soap bubbles. We recommend three rinses at least. It is critical to get all soap and cleaning solutions rinsed out of the dress.

Step 7

Dry. The dress should be "line" dried, but not by hanging it on a hanger. The weight of the wet dress could damage the dress. One way to line dry it safely is by placing a fold-up drying rack (vinyl coated) in the bathtub, and hanging the dress over it. Do not place the dress on bare wood. Place the dress so the weight is equally distributed over the rack. Another way to do this would be to place a clean towel over a shower enclosure, and then place the dress over the towel. If you do this, be sure to place some towels on the floor underneath the dripping dress to protect the floor.

Step 8
After the dress has dried for several hours and the bulk of the water has dripped away, it may be possible to hang the dress to finish drying it. Carefully spread any layers of tulle in the skirt or lining and smooth out all wrinkles in the dress as much as possible. This will make the pressing process easier

Step 9
Press it. You may choose to have a dry-cleaner steam your dress, or you may press it yourself. If you press it yourself, we recommend that you first wash and dry your ironing board cover to remove any dirt, starch, or sizing. Spread a clean sheet on the floor of your working area to protect the dress as you press it. It is best if you use a clean press cloth of white cotton sheeting or muslin unless you are using a brand new or freshly cleaned iron. It is a rare iron that is clean enough to press a wedding dress without risk.
Where possible, press the dress from the inside. If you have a thick, cushy, ironing board cover the sequins and beads can press into it. Be sure your iron's heat is set at the proper temperature. Start at a low temperature, and increase it gradually. If it starts to stick, reduce the heart immediately. Start at the back and bottom of the train until you feel comfortable with the pressing. Take your time and use caution. When it is finished you are ready to preserve your gown.

Things You'll Need
1 toothbrush
Spray bottle filled with warm, sudsy soap and water
Detergent for juice, jam or wine stain
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2011年7月3日星期日

Catsuits and Zentai

Catsuits and Zetai becomes more and more popular among youth recent years, it is more wear in parties and during holidays, like Halloween. But what is the difference between Catsuits and Zentai, what material or fabric is used in manufacturing a catsuit or zetai. The following is a brief introduction and i would like to share with my friends on Facebook.
Catsuits

A catsuit is a close-fitting one-piece garment that covers the torso and the legs, and frequently the arms.They are usually made from stretchable material, such as lycra, chiffon, spandex (after 1959), leather, latex, PVC, or velour, and frequently close using a zipper at the front or back.
Catsuits, which date from at least the 1940s, can be worn by both men and women, and, despite the name, do not generally have feline characteristics.
Who and when wears it
Catsuits were occasionally worn as a high fashion item at various times from the 1960s to the 1990s. During the 1970s and 1980s they were worn for aerobics and disco dancing. Around 1980 disco dance catsuits briefly became a street fashion item in the UK.
Athletes in sports are also wears it but it was specifically geared to the needs of the sport involved.
On stage, unitards and bodysuits worn by dancers, circus performers, pop singers and magicians are similar to catsuits

Zentai

A zentai is a fetish garment, usually made of spandex, being a catsuit with both feet gloves and a hood which totally encloses the wearer. The name zentai comes from the Japanese word for "whole body".
Zentai (from the Japanese ゼンタイ) is a term for skin-tight garments that cover the entire body. The word is a contraction of zenshin taitsu (全身タイツ) ("full-body tights"). Zentai is most commonly made using nylon/spandex blends, but other materials such as cotton and wool are used as well.
The obvious difference between Catsuits and Zentai:
Catsuits usually do not cover the whole body, whole Zentai covers the whole body. Catsuits usually have eye openings, mouth openings, face openings, sleeves openings, legs openings, and can be made with/without hoods or masks. On the contrary, Zentai does not. However, most manufacturer can make most of the zentai according to buyers needs, like openings, zipper styles and so on.
Material or Fabric:
lycra, chiffon, spandex (after 1959), leather, latex, PVC, or velour
Lycra is the mostly used material for zentai, it is light, thin,  elastic. Zentai made of this material can not be made with openlings due to the features of the material.
Chiffon: rearly used in making zentai, but often used in making wedding dresses, prom dresses and daily dresses. It is light, thin, a little transparent, but can not be streched too hard.
spandex also known as Lycra, there is slight difference but it is very close to lycra.
Leather: all kinds of leather.
Latex: It is very like the material used for making balloon, but A little thicker than that. It is light, elastic. It is the most expensive material for making Zentai and catsuits.

PVC: It is a leather-like material. Polyvinyl chloride, commonly abbreviated PVC, is a thermoplastic polymer. It is a vinyl polymer constructed of repeating vinyl groups (ethenyls) having one hydrogen replaced by chloride. It usually used for making catsuits but not zentai.
Velour: It is light, elastic and almost transparent. It is usually used for zentai but not catsuits.
Price:
The main factor that decides the price of a catsuit and zentai is the material that used and their quality. Other factors that may affect the price are color or color pattern of the material, zipper, custom-made or not, zipper.
Many industrialized country like United States, Germany, Japan have manufacturer making good quality catsuits and zentai but very expensive. So many online shopping website becomes the best choice if you want to buy catsuit and zentai at cheap price. On shopping  website can also privide custom-made service and make a pefect fit one if you provide your measurements.
http://www.donhot.com/ is one of professional seller of catsuits and zentais. I personally recommend friends buy catsuits and zentai from here.

Knowledge About Wedding Dresses

Though white is of course the traditional wedding gown color - at least of the last century, many brides choose a different color wedding dress for countless different reasons.
Ivory is a very popular wedding dress color, and often looks lovely against skin tones that are washed out against the usual harsh white dresses. Ivory-colored dresses were also once the traditional wedding color, before white came into vogue.
After that, bright red and scarlet dresses are common, usually with white accents. Rose is also a common color, and both red and pink are popular dress choices for second marriages.
Black dresses are more rare but not unusual. Purple wedding gowns aren't terribly difficult to find, either.
I rarely see blue or green wedding dresses, but they are definitely out there.
Frankly, I think you should wear whatever color or colors you look good in and you enjoy. It's your wedding day, you're the bride, and that means YOU make the rules! http://www.donhot.com/