Fashion Trims and Accessories for Clothing Decoration

Fashion Trims:
Generally we know, material components except for the main fabric of the garment can be understood as trimmings and accessories. Fashion trims or trimmings is a dress ornamentation material that especially uses a band of lace or embroidery on clothing. It is also apply in home decoration items. Fashion trimmings and accessories are used for clothing edge finishes. It gives an innovative and attractive looks for expressing our personality. Today most of the trimmings are commercially manufactured. To present high fashion like haute couture, ready to wear, designer wear etc. fashion designer apply expensive trimmings and accessories dress decoration. There are two types of trimming. They are:

Constructive trimming
Decorative trimming

Constructive trimming:
Constructive trimmings are finishes on the construct positive lines, mainly to emphasis the curves, and other body shaping lines. Both types are added to finished garments, but the difference lies in the placements of the trimmings.

Decorative trimming:
Decorative trimmings or fashion trims are applying edge line decoration on dress. Fashion trims emphasis only on beauty, like lace, fancy button, sequins, embroidery placed just for decoration. In case this is not handled correctly, it appears funny. It has no functional importance. There are different types of fashion accessories and trims are available to implement on a dress decoration.

Different Types of Fashion Trims and Accessories for Dress Decoration
Different dress trimmings of fashion trims are in below:

Pearl trimmings
Embroidered edgings
Sequins
Diamante
Braids
Net and organza
Rick Rack
Pom Pom
Fringe
Buttons
Cord trim (sewing):
Lace work
Gimp (thread)
Passementerie
Piping (sewing)
Ruffles or frills
Patch work
Elastic Trimmings
Webbing and Twill Tape

Trimmings for Dress Decoration:
Here I will discuss some essential decorative fashion trimmings for dress ornamentation.

Pearl trimmings:
Pearl is attached on in lace, stretch sequins, braid, ruffles, and fishnet and grosgrain styles. To get exclusive look pearl trims are more preferable. It is generally attached on wedding gown, party dress, children dress etc.

Embroidered edgings:
These can be brought by the yard either gathered or ungathered. Before apply on dress, at first you can plan your placement and count the amount of it. You can gather it, but buy 1½ times more than the trim. This is sewed flat on the dress edge. Mainly in collars, cuffs, or hems without gathers.

Sequins:
Sequins are mostly used on dress design, bags, jewelry, shoes and many other accessories. Sequins are generally made from plastic. It may be stitched flat to the fabric, so that they do not move. Today sequins applying fabrics are used to present fashion clothing. Different types and variety colors of sequins are available in market.

Single sequins
Strip sequins trim
Stretch sequins trimming
Sequins and beaded trimmings
Wide Stretch sequins trimming

Diamante:
Diamante is a glittering artificial ornament or a sequin such as, rhinestone, Swarovski crystals. This kind of trims gives very exclusive looks. Especially it is apply on women’s weeding dress, party dress and haute couture fashions. It is mainly placed on the neckline and waistline on dress.

Fig: Diamante rhinestone trimming on wedding dresses

Braids:
Braid trimming is usually long and narrow shape. The braiding technique was used to make lace that is applies on dress neck or edge for decoration. The overlapping and weaving techniques are used to make this.

Woven Braided Trim — Fig: Woven braided trim

Net and organza:
Net and organza is a trim that are mostly used on wedding dress and children party dress. To make eye-catching dress fashion designer apply organza ruffle lace, organza fabric, elastic organza ruffle lace, flower trim organza embroidered lace, 3D flower chiffon organza lace etc.

Rick-Rack:
It is a strip of curved inter woven material trimming. It is easy to launder. Rickrack is available in different colors at very low cost. It can be sewn flat on garment through center.

Pom pom:
Pom pom is a simple yarn or wool made ball trim that are perfect for home project or craft item like curtain, caution, drapes, table runners, pillow etc.

Cut two circular cardboard, for the required size of pompon. Then take the yarn or wool from the center to edges, and repeat it tightly to finish the circular. Then cut the outer edge. Tie tightly at center and remove the cardboard. Trim it to get required size and attach suitably on the dress. Today it popularly used in women’s and children’s dress like sari, salwer-kamiz, baby dress shawl edge, use it as a knot, button etc.

pom pom lace — Fig: Pom Pom trimming on sharee

Fringe:
It is made by the wrap or weft yarn on a card board and that is cut down to the required width of fringe plus ¼” seam allowance. Apply with short stitches at machine, cut open ends of yarn, and pull away cardboard. Insert yarn in fabric seam. This is very decorative finish for dress. There are two types of fringes. They are:

Plain fringe
Tied fringe.

1. Plain Fringe:
width of plain Fringe can be made from silk or cotton crochet thread or wool yarn by winding 3 or 4 strands at one time around heavy paper. The thread is wound until the required amount of fringe is needed and then machine stitched apply near the top. Strands were cut at the bottom and the paper is removed. Finally the complete fringe is attached on the clothing for ornamentation.

2. Knotted or Tied Fringe:
The long eye needle is needed to do this knotted or tied fringe. Double strands thread and an upward stitch is made by this needle at the edge or a marked line on the garment. The needle is inserted through the loop and the loop is pulled upwards. This is repeated to a desired number and half of the strands of the 1st are tied to half of the strands of the 2nd. This is created a tied fringe.

Fig: Fringe knotted tassels thread trimming lace or Tied fringe

Tassels:
Tassels can be made of any size or color by using embroidery thread or yarn. It could be made of any thickness and length. For making this, a cardboard is cut of any length to which the length of the tassel to be. Then the thread or yarn is wound around it to the desired thickness. The top threads are knotted and the bottom threads are cut. The knotted portion is sewn to the fabric using hand needle.

Buttons:
Buttons are the most common and essential trimmings for garments. It is mainly use for attaching two parts of the garments or fabric. Today in fashion design buttons are apply on dress for giving a fancy look. Buttons are commonly made of plastic, but also frequently made of metal, wood or seashell.

Cord trim (sewing):
Cord is another trimming that is used in dress decoration, dress making, upholstery, couching and any kind of textile arts. It is made by twisting two or more strands of yarn together.

Lace work:
Lace is most popular trim that can be attached to the fabric in different ways. It adds the beauty of the clothing.

Lace can be stitched at the edge, center or seam-line of the garments. Lace can be gathered at the curved edges. It can be attached to the edge on the right side or wrong side of the fabric given a top stitch.
Lace motifs are attached to the fabric by using running stitches.

Gimp (thread):
Gimp trim is a narrow thread that use for sewing and embroidery purposes. It is made of silk, wool, or cotton and is often stiffened with metallic wire or coarse cord running through it. Gimp is used as trimming for dresses, coats, curtains, furniture, and also uses this trim for other crafts and gift packaging ideas. Sometimes gimp is covered in beads or spangles.

Gimp Embroidery Thread — Fig: Gimp embroidery threads trim

Patch work:
Patch work is an art of textiles where more than three pieces of fabrics are joined together by using machine or hand stitches. In this, size, shape and number of pieces may vary. For the plain patch work two pieces of fabrics are kept right sides facing each other and given machine stitch.

For quilt top patch method the sponge is kept below the patch piece and given machine stitch.
For cut and stagger method patch work horizontal strips are joined together and cut and attached according to the required design.

Passementarie:
Passementarie is the art of trimming, that is applying the edge of clothing and furnishing like curtain, cushions etc. passementerie style is same as the tassel, fringes ornamental cords, galloons, pompons, rosettes, and gimps forms.

Piping (sewing):
Piping is a kind of sewing trim that is made with a cord and a strip of fabric. Usually the fabric strip is cut on the bias. It is mainly use to embellish a dress or shirt. To keep your garments professional looks use contrasting color fabrics piping. Some fashion designers use same color fabric piping for dress decoration.

Ruffles or frills:
Ruffle or frill is a strip of fabric, ribbon, or lace that are closely gathered or pleated and sewn on the edges by the help of sewing machine. Then it is applied to the decoration of garments, skirts, women’s tops, baby dress, neck of dresses, blouses and other textile items like furnishing as a form of trimming.

Elastic trimming:
This kind of trim is more beautiful and easy application than others. Mainly elastics are attached on in lace, stretch sequins, braid, ruffles, fishnet and grosgrain styles. So it called elastic trim. It is usually apply on lingerie items.

Webbing and twill tape:
Cotton herringbone webbing twill tape is edging trim that are used in apparel fashion. Twill tape is a sewing tool that can be used for many purposes. It is perfect for clothing design, pants, skirts, t-shirt neck, Casings , binding edge, Stabilizing seams , Sturdy ties and straps, Snap tape, Marking a dress form, Hemming and other decorative sewing project.

Cotton herringbone twill tape — Fig: Webbing and twill tape trim

Conclusion:
To make garment unique look and to enhance the personality of the wearer some trimmings are should be required. Decorations and trimmings can be learned easily and mastered quickly by all dress makers or designers. It can be used to create one’s own style. It also represent the wearers fashion consciousness and social status.

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Mazharul Islam Kiron

Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. He is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.