Cyprus is an older textile term for a crisp, sheer fabric similar to crepe or gauze. It was traditionally woven from silk or a silk-cotton blend and dyed black. Dressmakers and tailors historically used it extensively for mourning veils, hatbands, and lightweight overlays.
Heard on the job
The museum's Victorian mourning dress features a heavy silk bodice with delicate Cyprus overlays on the sleeves.
Insider tip
You will mostly encounter this term in historical costuming and antique garment restoration, as the fabric is rarely manufactured under this name.
Also heard as
- cypress