Fit matters more here than in almost anything else
Pile fabric adds visual weight, which means a velvet garment that is slightly too big looks considerably too big. Check the shoulder seam on a blazer, because velvet shows a drooping shoulder clearly. For skirts and trousers, look for a piece with real structure through the waistband rather than an elasticated gather, which tends to bunch the pile. And watch the sitting test: cotton velvet creases across the lap, so if you are wearing it to a long dinner, choose a heavier weave or a looser cut that falls out of its creases when you stand.
Can you wear velvet during the day?
Absolutely, and it is one of the easiest ways to get more out of an expensive piece. Keep the shape sharp and the styling plain: a velvet blazer with jeans and a white T-shirt, or velvet trousers with a grey crewneck and loafers, reads as texture rather than occasion. The rule is to remove anything that signals evening, so no satin, no sparkle and no sheer tights.
How do you stop velvet from looking crushed?
Hang it rather than folding it, give it room on the rail so the pile is not pressed flat, and never put a hot iron directly on the surface. A handheld steamer held a few centimetres away, moving with the direction of the pile, lifts most marks, and hanging the piece in a steamy bathroom works in a pinch. Brush gently afterwards in one direction, and always check the care label before anything involving water, because some velvets are strictly dry clean.
