I went to the theater last night

**wsk** · 13th January 07, 08:55 AM

I went to the theater last night and saw a rather mediocre adaptation of a French farce. You know it's not a great play when you start wondering if the fabric used for one character's dress would make an interesting kilt.

This particular fabric was one of those that in a certain light appears one color but in another light or from a different angle appears to be another color. In this case the colors were red and blue and consequently varying shades of violet. As she moved the fabric moved so the colors all shifted. It reminded me of some discussion that we've had here regarding pleating to the stripe where the color is hidden behind the fold of the pleat only to be revealed as the wearer moves.

In the few minutes I've spent googling, I haven't hit upon the correct search terms to discover what this fabric is. Anyone know?

**ccga3359** · 13th January 07, 09:01 AM

Was that not sharkskin?

**auld argonian** · 13th January 07, 09:09 AM

Sounds like something that was popular when I was a kid...irridescent fabric. Lots of men's suits made out of it back in the early sixties...I seem to remember having one that was a yellow to blue fabric...as the saying was in "the day": "...sharp...very sharp...".

I tend to haunt resale shops and, now that you mention this, I cannot think that I've seen any of these suits for a long time now.

Best

AA

**Robin** · 13th January 07, 09:12 AM

Velvet or taffeta silk

**dragoninterrupted** · 13th January 07, 10:42 AM

I know what you are talking about, but I'm afraid I don't know what the fabric is properly called. Sharkskin sounds as good a name as any *shrug*

**McMurdo** · 13th January 07, 10:45 AM

I know that with auto paint they call it chameleon paint, not sure what it would be called for fabric though.

**Warlock** · 13th January 07, 10:51 AM

I would advise going to your local fabric store and asking, however, you should see the looks I get when I ask for china twill.

**neo71665** · 13th January 07, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by McMurdo

I know that with auto paint they call it chameleon paint, not sure what it would be called for fabric though.

I know I've seen wetsuit neoprene that had the same effect. I'm sure its not the fabric he talking about or it would pleat worth a darn.

**arrogcow** · 13th January 07, 01:28 PM

It is entirely possible that it was just a purplish fabric (doesn't matter what: cotton, silk, wool). It would just react to different light at different places on the stage.

Adam

**wsk** · 14th January 07, 10:32 AM

Silk taffeta seems very plausible as it did have the kind of luster that silk would provide. I didn't find anything on the web that showed how it's made but I can imagine that if one were to weave two colors - one color as the warp and one as the weft - you might get the effect that I saw. Somehow I don't think that a silk taffeta kilt would be very practical.

Surely it was not just a purplish fabric that looked different at different places on the stage. The colors would shift if the actress remained in place but merely turned to face a different direction.