Christmas and New Year's Eve dress: which fabric to choose?

Christmas with the family, New Year's Eve: this is the season when you want to sew THE dress. The one that sparkles a little, that you wear with sheer tights or heels, and that you bring out again year after year. For these winter evenings, the choice of fabric counts twice: it must be festive, but also warm enough for December. And now is the time to start, so you have time to try it on before the big day.

Here are the 6 fabrics that make the most beautiful end-of-year dresses.

The 4 criteria to check first

• Drape: a full or structured dress needs a fabric that holds its shape. A fluid, bias-cut dress needs a supple fabric.
• Shine: matte (crepe, cotton velvet), satiny (satin, crepe-back satin) or sparkly (lurex, sequins). To suit the occasion.
• Warmth: in winter, velvet and heavy satin have the edge. A fine silk is worn with a stole.
• Your level: slippery or delicate fabrics (silk satin, lace) require a little experience.

The best fabrics for a party dress

1. Duchesse satin — for a structured dress

Thick, luminous and with beautiful body, duchesse satin is the fabric of formal gowns. It gives volume to a skirt and keeps a neckline crisp. An electric blue duchesse satin won't go unnoticed.

2. Silk velvet — for a fluid, warm dress

Soft, luminous and very fluid, silk velvet has an unrivalled depth of colour by candlelight. Perfect for a long dress with a simple cut. Our rust silk velvet has gorgeous coppery reflections.

3. Silk satin — for a bias-cut dress

Silk satin glides over the body and shines softly. It's the fabric of slip dresses and bias cuts. A beige silk satin remains elegant and easy to accessorise.

4. Crepe-back satin — the easiest to sew

A matte crepe side, a shiny satin side: you choose the right side, or play with both. It drapes well, creases little and slips less than silk satin. Our khaki Japanese crepe-back satin is an excellent choice for a first party dress.

5. Lace — for a romantic dress

Lined with a nude or contrasting base, lace turns a simple cut into a party dress. An ecru floral lace over a champagne base makes a beautiful New Year's Eve dress.

6. Lurex — to sparkle

For New Year's Eve, a metallic thread woven into the fabric makes the dress shimmer with every movement. A black lurex tweed will make a little dress or a party jacket. For a stretch version, a gold stretch panne velvet.

Which fabric for your party dress?

• Structured dress, full skirt: duchesse satin
• Long fluid dress: silk velvet, crepe-back satin
• Bias-cut dress, slip dress: silk satin
• Romantic dress: lined lace
• Little New Year's Eve dress: lurex tweed, stretch panne velvet
• Easy dress for beginners: crepe-back satin

Before you start

A party dress needs preparation: toile, lining, yardage, finishes. We've gathered the most common pitfalls in our article 5 mistakes to avoid when sewing a formal outfit. And to choose the fabric for a dress outside the festive season, everything is in our complete dress guide.

Our advice for getting started

For a first party dress, go for a crepe-back satin and a pattern without a complicated fastening, such as a shift dress or a wrap dress. It forgives small mistakes, presses easily and shines just enough. Silk satin and silk velvet can come later.

Ready to sew your Christmas dress? Discover our selection of satins on sotissus.com or see them live on Instagram @sotissus_com!

Do you like the fabric in this article's cover photo? It's our rust silk velvet — take a look!

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