To Overlay Material or Not

Dressmaking and Fabric Tips

This video explains the different options you can have with overlays, and which work better with the other.

Dim lights Embed Embed this video on your site

Watch more fashion advice video's...

Suzanna from d’Italia talks about overlays and the different fabrics used in making them

"An overlay is having a sheer layer of fabric over a solid layer of fabric. Young girls especially tend to think that it’s the way to go because they’re worried about the silk satins or the shiny fabric showing off lumps and bumps. We have a separate section or separate clip devoted to this and we talk about it there. However, we believe that there are certain times that an overlay does suit an individual. In particular, this would be for the older ladies - maybe the not so old ones, but ladies that are conscious about wearing something slinky or shiny on their bottoms. A really good camouflage or something that will make you feel a little bit more secure is an overlay. There are a number of options for overlays. Most people know chiffon or georgette, which are both sheer fabrics. The difference between chiffon and georgette is simply that chiffon is a lot finer. It’s almost like a stocking, whereas georgette is a little bit denser. The one thing about georgette or chiffon, is that it’s dull and it’s matte. When you put it over a beautiful glossy silk satin, it tends to hide it, which we think is a bit of a shame. At d’Italia we’ve got an alternative fabric called satin chiffon - pure silk of course. The beauty of satin chiffon is that it’s got a bit of a sheen to it without being super shiny. It gives you that extra layer, a sheer layer, that doesn’t completely kill off the shiny layer underneath. It’s more beautiful since it brings a lot more life, body and bounce to the dress.

In making dresses, we normally we have a silk satin under layer. The reason we do that is because it’s super drapy, it’s not clingy. It also shows off the colour more beautifully. In the case that you find that it’s a little bit too scary to wear on its own, you could put an overlay. When using a silk georgette overlay, you can see that it’s still drapery and it’s see-through. Normally, most places will put that fabric over a silk satin. But as you look closer, you can see that a lot of the shine is virtually gone. You’re losing the lustrousness of the satin and it becomes basically a matte finish. This is unnecessary since you can still have a bit of sheen that will make your dress a little bit classier and sophisticated. This is where the satin chiffon comes in. It’s finer than georgette, but it’s called satin chiffon because it’s got sheen. When using satin chiffon, you can still see some of the satin bouncing out underneath. You don’t have that super glossy look to the whole dress, but it’s still got a sheen which makes it look lovely. This is what we recommend for overlays. As we’ve got many different fabrics in stock, you’ve got a choice at d’Italia. You can have a choice to use a regular georgette overlay, but you’ve also got this beautiful satin chiffon." - Suzanna Zagon from d'Italia