A product page usually tells you two different things, and they're easy to mix up:

• Fibre is what the yarn is made from, such as modal, polyester or silk.
• Construction is how the yarn is put together. Satin is a weave, not a fibre, so satin can be made from silk, polyester or nylon. Jersey and ponte are knits.

A few more terms you'll see on our pages:

• Knit vs woven: knits are made from interlocking loops, so they stretch. Wovens are made from crossed threads, so they hold their shape and stretch only if elastane is added.
• Elastane: a stretch fibre added in small amounts so a fabric moves with you and springs back.
• Bonded: two layers fused into one for extra structure, as in bonded satin or bonded crepe.
• Lined or fully lined: a second layer inside the dress for coverage and a smoother feel.
• Denier (D): the thickness of a yarn. The lower the number, the finer the fabric, so 20D mesh is very fine.

Shop by fabric: modal dresses, satin dresses, lace dresses, mesh dresses and embellished dresses. Modal and satin also come as modal tops, modal bottoms, satin tops and satin skirts.

Modal is a type of rayon made from wood cellulose, often beech. It's called semi-synthetic because the raw material is natural but it's turned into fibre through a chemical process.

What that means when you wear it:

• Soft and smooth, with a cool hand feel.
• Holds its shape when wet. Modal is a high-wet-modulus rayon, which means it's stronger when wet than standard viscose and can be machine washed.
• Pills less than cotton, according to textile references, so the surface stays smoother for longer.

TENCEL™ Modal is the branded modal made by Lenzing, and it's the version we use in many of our modal pieces. Lenzing says its wood comes from FSC or PEFC certified or controlled sources. It also says its black fibres offer high colour fastness, meaning the colour holds up well.

Keep heat low when you wash and dry it. Our TENCEL™ modal care guide has the details.

• Satin vs silk: silk is a fibre, and satin is a weave with a glossy front and a matte back. A satin dress can be silk, but most satin is made from synthetic fibres such as polyester, which usually makes it easier to care for.
• Ponte vs jersey: both are knits. Jersey is a single knit, light and stretchy. Ponte, short for ponte di Roma, is a double knit: two layers knitted together, so it's thicker, more opaque and holds its shape like a woven fabric.
• Slinky jersey vs satin jersey: both shine and stretch. Slinky jersey has a high stretch and a glossy finish. Satin jersey has satin's silky feel with a more flexible stretch.

Mesh is the quiet hero behind most of our embellished dresses. It’s light enough to hold hotfix crystals (heat-bonded crystals), beads and sequins without weighing the dress down, which is why so many of our sparkly styles are sheer or semi-sheer. Here’s what each label means for coverage:

• Sheer or "intentionally sheer": see-through by design. Some product pages suggest shapewear from our Intimates collection for extra coverage.
• Semi-sheer: partly see-through, usually where a mesh layer sits behind lace or embellishment.
• Mesh lining for coverage: a fine second layer that softens the see-through effect without adding bulk.
• Fully lined: a full second layer, so what you see is the outer fabric only.

If coverage matters for the occasion, check the bullet points on the product page for the word "lined". Browse our sheer and semi-sheer dresses if you want the see-through effect on purpose.

Fabric works with length and occasion. Our dress length guide matches fabrics to the seasons, and our little black dress guide ranks fabrics by how many ways they restyle.