Updated with some answers from my mom - Lets talk fabrics

What is the difference between:

Satin
Silk Satin
Duchess Silk Satin
Silk Shantung

Please post pics of dresses if you have them using different fabrics.

--- updated ---

I tried to reach my mom and grandma (both seamstresses in VA) and I finally reached my mom. She did not have time to talk but this is what I learned in the brief conversation.

My mom said it's all about the weave of the fabric.

She said raw silk is visually dull and has noticeable imperfections (what looks like little snags) since it is not finished.

Satin is a very smooth weave and typically has some sheen to it. Satin can be polyester (and many wedding gowns are made of poly satin). Silk Satin is silk woven to be smooth. I guess it also has shine to it?

Duchess Silk Satin I assume is silk woven to be smooth like satin (but it is shiny? or less shiny than a regular silk/satin weave).

Silk Shantung is a similar to raw silk - with visible imprefections in the unfinished fabric. But is has more sheen than raw silk.

The fabrics all have different weights too. Silk is lighter than satin and silk/satins are lighter than 100% satin.

Oh yeah, taffeta comes in silk and polyester (and maybe other blends?). The polyester taffeta seems to shine more than the silk polyester.

Message edited 1/29/2005 6:04:02 PM.

Re: Updated with some answers from my mom - Lets talk fabrics

oh yeah, silk taffeta is lighter than silk shantung but silk taffeta is stiffer. Sik taffeta also does not have the visible imperfections since it is processed differenlty than the silk shantung.

There is also a delustered polyester duchess satin - by the name it's duchess satin made with polyester (not as shiny as regular poly satin?)

Re: Updated with some answers from my mom - Lets talk fabrics

bump