the
body
key
4 bodies / 5 weights
[ 1 key ]
to 100+ fabrics’
movement at weight
what is body?
Fabric body is the way a fabric moves, falls and constricts. Most fabrics move and constrict in one of two ways, either folding softly and symmetrically (S) or creasing sharply and somewhat asymmetrically (X). Any fiber- silk, cotton, wool, synthetics- can be constructed to move or perform in any way.
Traditionally body has come second to more practical use categories, from made-to-measure textiles woven sewn into garments without cutting, to more modern use categories like shirting, suiting, coating and upholstery.
But use categories create rules for design that don’t exist. The industrial revolution and invention of synthetic fibers means design can now afford to prioritize body, not just cost and access. Rayon challis, for example, enables a luxurious body (S2) most similar to the finest plain weave wool suiting.
Meanwhile, trapped in limiting use categories or without any way to be found or categorized at all, breathtakingly beautiful textiles languish in the dark. And every day intrepid designers, sewers and artists assume their options are somewhat limited, when now more than ever the limit does not exist.
the body key
illuminates
| L1 – silk organza | X1 – nylon tulle | S1 – silk habotai | B1 – silk chiffon |
| L2 – silk satin face organza | X2 – cotton shirting | S2 – wool plain weave suiting | B2 – silk charmeuse |
| L3 – silk gazar, basket quality | X3 – wool flannel suiting | S3 – silk 4 ply crepe | B3 – silk crepe back satin |
| L4 – silk gazar, twill quality | X4 – silk faille | S4 – synthetic scuba knit | B4 – synthetic paillettes |
| L5 – jute burlap | X5 – cotton canvas | S5 – wool coating | B5 – metal chainmail |
4 bodies,
or movement styles
from most crisp to most flowing,
consistently across
5 weights,
relative to their proximity to the human body.
The 4 bodies can be identified naturally as materials move and respond to conflict in real time. Bodies may also be actively demonstrated by introducing gravitational conflict vertically or horizontally, producing standing vs pooling behaviors.
L
body
bends reluctantly if forced but prefers to lie flat, 2D
picture: silk organza, L1
X
body
creases sharply, asymmetrically and enduringly; naturally holds shape
picture: cotton
shirting, X2
S
body
folds evenly and reacts to conflict symmetrically
picture: rayon lining, S1
B
body
pools like water, highly subjective and impressionable
picture: silk chiffon, B1
these 4 bodies are expressed
consistently across
5 weights:
1.lining
too light weight or sheer to be worn alone; most often worn as lining (inside) or overlay (on top) for other materials
2.top
comfortably worn on the top half of the body; in layers for more weight in full-body designs
3.mid
reasonably worn on the top or bottom half of the body; typically too heavy to use as or require lining
4.bottom
comfortably worn on the bottom half of the body or in structured garments for the top; may be lined for comfort but not required
5.outer
too heavy weight or abrasive to be worn immediately next to the body; requires lining in fashion and often in practical applications
Pairing a body type with a weight number allows you to describe any fabric, for any application, in just 2 digits.
For example – non-stretch cotton denim used for a typical pair of Levi’s is most often X4. Cotton chambray, a shirting-weight material that resembles denim but maintains the same color on the face and back, is a more wearable S2 body. Raw cotton denim, on the other hand, is fully L5 until broken in to a slightly gentler X4.
charmingfabrics 