Lighten Up Your Look ...
Our polyester georgette fabric is not only a superstar in the world of ballroom dance dresses, it’s also the mainstay for many designers and dressmakers looking for a sheer, lightweight evening wear material to create volume and movement.
Georgette doesn’t have any stretch, so this must be considered when designing with it. Ideally, it works best in skirts and floats for ballroom dresses, top layers in evening wear or as decorative elements.
Georgette Fabric Qualities
As a non-stretch fabric, georgette will be perfect for creating soft detailing and interest either on its own or together with a range of our exclusively colour matched fabrics and trimmings.
At Chrisanne Clover, we offer a full collection of georgettes:
* A range of animal, abstract and floral prints >
Georgette is most commonly used in ballroom skirt panels. As it’s a sheer fabric, careful attention should be paid to seaming so that the insides look as neat as the outside. An overlocker can be used to neaten edges, or if you don’t own one, a French seam technique can be used to conceal edges. Unless you choose one of our specialist shimmer or sparkle varieties, standard georgette has a delicate matt finish which provides a softer look to your design.
What are the benefits of Georgette for dance dresses?
Irina in her Lilac Dream couture with a georgette skirt and floats
Lightweight – This is the lightest of all our fabrics, perfect for adding voluminous layers to ballroom skirts without adding weight. The lack of stretch makes it easier to work with for softer hemlines. It’s also great to add in softer draping features to Latin dresses or as floats to ballroom dresses.
Volume & Layers – Most of the popular competition ballroom dress styles contain multiple layers. You can achieve a beautifully full skirt when you introduce crinoline to shape and stiffen the hem either as a visible finish or “wrapped” into an enclosed hem.
Sheer – You can create some unique colour effects when using a georgette over a different colour under layer. It works particularly well over our satin chiffon, creating an illusion and depth not possible when sticking to a single colour option.
Wavy & feature hems – Some of our recent couture designs have used georgette to create a handkerchief skirt, offering a more organic, lighter and free feel to the skirt. Another popular hem finish is using a rolled hem stitch on the bias edge of a part-circle godet or arm float to create a subtle wave. You can create a stronger wave effect on a skirt hem by stitching in nylon fishing line.
Pleating – Georgette is a fabulous candidate for our custom pleating service. Why not use pleated sunray style godets and floats to give your design some extra texture and create more surface interest?
Popular Uses in Dance Costumes
Vilhelmina in her hot magenta shaded couture with georgette godets and shaded georgette floats
Here is a list of some parts of a dance dress that can use Lycra:
* Ballroom skirt panels
* Ballroom skirt Godets with circular of handkerchief hem finish
*Cape effect over bodice of ballroom dress
*Floats (traditional wrist to centre back placement or a variety of panel shapes and styles)
*Draped body or skirt section for Latin dresses
*Cut fabric on the bias to create a wavy hem option
Mixing Georgette With Other fabrics
Sophia in her Wine couture that has a georgette top skirt trimmed with feather fringe resting over layers of georgette, satin chiffon and organza, with georgette handkerchief floats
You must take care when combining georgette with other fabric. If working with a combination of layers using a stretch fabric, remember the georgette will restrict stretch and potentially pull at the seams so you must allow some movement or extra allowance with fastenings.
Popular combos:
*Layered over satin chiffon
*With individual ostrich feather trim application on skirt hems and floats
*With full ostrich feather boas on skirt hems and floats
*As an open cap sleeve style seamed into Lycra bodice
*Layer over metallic fabrics for a subtle shimmer with movement
Learn more about our Georgette range, colours, and prints by checking out our catalogue > or purchasing a Chrisanne Clover sample book >
