Please help me define ruche

[denisebrain]

I am writing a VFG Fashion Parade which encompasses a runway trend to use ruching. I see so many definitions of ruching, shirring, and gathering—very overlapping.

In my Fairchild's, ruche is defined as "A quilted, crimped, or pleated strip of lace, net, braid or ribbon 1 to 3 in. wide, usually with a flange. Used as edging, fringe, trimming in women's wear and upholstery. The process is called ruching."

WWD says "Current fashion descriptions use the term ruching to refer to clothing with large areas of fullness gathered in to form a rippled effect. Historically, ruching was a trimming made by pleating bands of fabric and stitching the pleats in place. These bands were sewn onto various parts of the garment."

The Business of Fashion: "Ruching is a gathered overlay of fabric strips that are pleated, fluted, or gathered together to create a ripple-like effect. The frill or pleat of the fabric, often lace, chiffon or muslin, has evolved from the 16th-century ruff."

From the sewingdictionary.com: "Gathering the fabric, usually in a seam, to provide decoration, accent, or fullness."


I think many now see the term as somewhat interchangeable with gathering, judging from runway images used to illustrate ruching. What is the best definition? Pictures also welcome!

 

[poppysvintageclothing]

I had this 2 pc outfit that sold by Yves Saint Laurent that I had used the term for.

Also have the velvet and metallic lame cloak on now

and had this dress which sold

 

[lkranieri]

A simple definition from Webster's:

Definition of RUCHE from Webster's dictionary. : a pleated, fluted, or gathered strip of fabric used for trimming.

 

[lkranieri]

..and I found this distinction between ruching and shirring helpful:

Ruching is made by creating two or more parallel lines of gathering. Shirring is a gathering technique done with elastic thread, which creates a stretchy garment. Elastic thread is used in the bobbin, causing the fabric to gather up when stitched.

 

[denisebrain]

Thank you both! Those are gobsmacking pieces MJ!!

Lynne, ruching, as you quote Webster's, is a gathered strip of fabric used for trim. I have the sense that this might have evolved, but I'm not sure.

This piece is described by the MET as "1860s muslin fichu with ruched self-trim and long front tails."

Some other pieces for which the MET uses the term:

It seems like the term is now used in a more general sense, like in your second definition Lynne, or even more loosely, as gathering.

In the MET collection, the references to shirring don't always involve elastic, such as these items:

They seem to be using shirring to describe parallel rows of gather, whether elasticized or not.

Then there are the runway write-ups which call these items ruched:

 

[Ranch Queen Vintage]

 

[Linn]

I think of ruching as soft gathering that provides fullness as shown in this 1930's dress from the Historic Costume Collection at the University of Hawaii; not as a trim piece.

I think that pleating whether done by machine, chemically or by hand is a hard(er) treatment as shown on the skirt and the right front (of the bodice as worn) in the modern light blue dress shown above. The left side of the bodice is gathered but I'm not sure it's full enough to be considered "ruched," The trim on the dress and the muslin fichu that the Met shows doesn't look like what I think of as "ruching." I'm not sure that I would describe the other two modern dresses as "ruched" either.

Here's another example, also from the UH Costume Colection:

It seems that the term is used differently now than historically. Interesting discussion, Maggie!

 

[denisebrain]

Claire let me know that she prefers the WWD definition ( thank you @claireshaeffer ):

Current fashion descriptions use the term ruching to refer to clothing with large areas of fullness gathered in to form a rippled effect. Historically, ruching was a trimming made by pleating bands of fabric and stitching the pleats in place. These bands were sewn onto various parts of the garment.

The term has definitely evolved!

 

[Mozzy]

Hello!
Gathers are bunching up fabric to create volume.
A Ruffle is a strip of gathered fabric, with the fabric flanging out from the gather. The gather can be in the center of the strip. A ruffle is used as trim or decoration.
Ruching is fabric that is gathered on both sides, whether a strip, a tube, or pattern piece, such as a bodice.
Shirring is fabric that is gathered with elastic in multiple parallel rows, creating a stretchy fabric.
Pleats are consistently spaced folds of fabric at regular intervals to gather fabric, with the fold edges clearly defined.
Tucks are pleats that are stitched down along the base of the fold.

The terms have not "evolved," so much as people misuse the terms, believing them to be interchangeable, when they are not.
Each one describes a very specific form of fabric manipulation, and although they are inter-related, they are still very separate and distinctive forms of gathering fabric.
~Mozzy

 

[GemGem]

Yes, it is a tricky one alright. I often use the term to describe shirring. There was a big media invasion of this term with the release and consequent frenzy around rats "ruched' leggings by sass and bide in the 00's. This seems to have compounded the confusion. I even include the term ruched to describe shirring, not because I am unaware but simply because that will be the term searched for in order to find an item.

Rats Ruched leggings below

 

[Avantbo]

I saw this thread and can't add much but did remind me when as little boy and had misbehaved I would have to stand outside my Granny's bungalow
while she rehung her nets and Ruched! or I had to.

Oh! I so hated those frickin" nets and she washed them every couple of months but I was such a rebellious child, that was my punishment, never really did learn but got good at ruching.

 

[Mozzy]

View attachment 140714
Yes, it is a tricky one alright. I often use the term to describe shirring. There was a big media invasion of this term with the release and consequent frenzy around rats "ruched' leggings by sass and bide in the 00's. This seems to have compounded the confusion. I even include the term ruched to describe shirring, not because I am unaware but simply because that will be the term searched for in order to find an item.
View attachment 140713

The key thing that defines ruching from ANY other form of gathering is the fact that the gathers are on both ends of the piece of fabric, be it a pattern piece (like the legs of Rats Ruched Leggings), or a fabric tube or insert. The leggings are not confusing, they are correctly labeled, because the shirring is on both of the seams for the legs. Even if the back of the pant legs is smooth, the fact that there are gathers on both sides is what makes them ruched.

When the gathering is only on one end, if the gathers are not uniform, or knife edged, it is shirring.

 

[GemGem]

The key thing that defines ruching from ANY other form of gathering is the fact that the gathers are on both ends of the piece of fabric, be it a pattern piece (like the legs of Rats Ruched Leggings), or a fabric tube or insert. The leggings are not confusing, they are correctly labeled, because the shirring is on both of the seams for the legs. Even if the back of the pant legs is smooth, the fact that there are gathers on both sides is what makes them ruched.

When the gathering is only on one end, if the gathers are not uniform, or knife edged, it is shirring.

Thank you for the clarification. If the ruching is elasticated does it retain the same term of ruched? Or could it be described as Shirred Ruching?

 

[Mozzy]

Oh, for message notifications that get misplaced in e-mail!

It is the elasticizing of the ruching that makes it shirring.
All shirring is ruching, but not all ruching is shirring...

Marketing and Search Engine hashtags aside. Speaking strictly from a technical definition.

 

[LoretyWi]

Hello!
Gathers are bunching up fabric to create volume.
A Ruffle is a strip of gathered fabric, with the fabric flanging out from the gather. The gather can be in the center of the strip. A ruffle is used as trim or decoration.
Ruching is fabric that is gathered on both sides, whether a strip, a tube, or pattern piece, such as a bodice.
Shirring is fabric that is gathered with elastic in multiple parallel rows, creating a stretchy fabric.
Pleats are consistently spaced folds of fabric at regular intervals to gather fabric, with the fold edges clearly defined.
Tucks are pleats that are stitched down along the base of the fold.

The terms have not "evolved," so much as people misuse the terms, believing them to be interchangeable, when they are not.
Each one describes a very specific form of fabric manipulation, and although they are inter-related, they are still very separate and distinctive forms of gathering fabric.
~Mozzy

I never really thought about it.

 

[LoretyWi]

Hello!
Gathers are bunching up fabric to create volume.
A Ruffle is a strip of gathered fabric, with the fabric flanging out from the gather. The gather can be in the center of the strip. A ruffle is used as trim or decoration.
Ruching is fabric that is gathered on both sides, whether a strip, a tube, or pattern piece, such as a bodice.
Shirring is fabric that is gathered with elastic in multiple parallel rows, creating a stretchy fabric.
Pleats are consistently spaced folds of fabric at regular intervals to gather fabric, with the fold edges clearly defined.
Tucks are pleats that are stitched down along the base of the fold.

The terms have not "evolved," so much as people misuse the terms, believing them to be interchangeable, when they are not.
Each one describes a very specific form of fabric manipulation, and although they are inter-related, they are still very separate and distinctive forms of gathering fabric. We learned all this in Textiles and Design. I remember submitting similar material midway through the year, and I think https://essay-company.org/pay-for-essay/ was what helped me organize and format it clearly. These tools made it easier to present the differences between fabric manipulation techniques effectively. Understanding these distinctions is key to applying them correctly and ensuring the final result looks professional and polished.
~Mozzy

Btw, could you tell me where exactly did you study all that?